Home News Wednesday Afternoon News, April 3rd

Wednesday Afternoon News, April 3rd

Remsen St. Mary’s Prepares For Fund Raising Ball

(Remsen) — Remsen St. Mary’s will hold its annual fund raising ball scheduled for Saturday evening at the the Avalon Ball Room in Remsen. Laura and Kris Schiltz both serve as co-chairs for this year’s event. Kris Schiltz previews the evening’s activities.

Laura Schiltz says tickets are already sold out for the Saturday event. She says the Remsen St. Mary’s ball serves as a major fund raiser for the Catholic school with this year’s funding to help offset the cost with a boiler.

Tradition has dictated the featured key-note speaker at the Remsen St. Mary’s Ball would be an alum of Remsen St. Mary’s. Kris Schiltz says this year that responsibility falls on 1988 alum, Kate Galles-Bettsworth.

Laura Schiltz is a graduate with a public school education, but now realizes the value of having a Catholic school education.

For Kris Schiltz, she is a graduate of Remsen St. Mary’s, and now her children are attending Remsen St. Mary’s.

Part of the Saturday evening’s activities includes an auction with the naming rights of the Remsen St. Mary’s gymnasium. Laura Schiltz says there will be an added benefit to this year’s successful bidder.

Doors will open at 5:00 p.m. Saturday evening at the Avalon Ball Room at Remsen.

 

 

Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department Announce Roads Closed Due To Flood Damage

(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has announced several rural roads remain closed due to damage caused by flooding. The roads are primarily located in the northeast and southeast portions of Plymouth County. Those roads that are closed include Roosevelt Avenue between 300th and 310th Street, 120th Street near Lake Avenue, 235th Street between county road K-18 and heading east for a half mile. 165th Street between Key Avenue and Lake Avenue is also closed due to flood damage. Finally Otter Avenue between 140th Street and 150th Street is closed. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe says county work crews are repairing each of the closed roadways, and he believes the roads will remain closed until April 26th.

 

 

Woodbury County Supervisors Wants Security For Symphony Event At Courthouse

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some county supervisors have criticized the lack of security screening planned for a symphony gala at the Woodbury County Courthouse.
The Sioux City Journal reports that visitors normally must walk through a scanner and their bags are screened by a metal detector.
Supervisor Rocky De Witt said at the board meeting Tuesday that said not requiring the same for Sioux City Symphony Orchestra guests “sends the wrong message” that symphony guests are more trustworthy than others who enter the
courthouse.
De Witt says other groups that booked the courthouse for after-hours events went through security screening.
Sheriff Dave Drew says the courthouse security plan aims to protect county and courtroom employees. He says because they won’t be present at Saturday’s event, security screening won’t be necessary.

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Iowa Department of Transportation Opens Up Portions Of I-29

(Des Moines) –– Part of Interstate 29 in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area that was closed by flooding last month has partly re-opened.
The Iowa Department of Transportation reopened I-29 between N. 25th Street in Council Bluffs and the I-680 interchange near Crescent Tuesday evening.
In addition, I-680 from the Nebraska border to I-29 near Crescent also was opened.
Each roadway has just one lane open in each direction with speeds on I-680 reduced to 55 mph.
Old Mormon Bridge Road also opened with a 12 foot vehicle height restriction to provide access into Crescent, Iowa.
Many other roadways remain closed in the area due to the flood recovery process.
The recovery process may take anywhere from a few days to several months.

 

 

Railroad Wanting To Raise Tracks Has City Officials Concerned

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A railroad’s decision to permanently raise tracks along Davenport’s riverfront following recent flooding is ruffling feathers in City Hall.
Davenport officials say Canadian Pacific Railway didn’t need permits or city approval for the work that began March 28 because the company has right of way.
The Quad-City Times reports that aldermen and city administrators raised concerns Tuesday about accessibility and the possible disruption of road traffic at seven railroad crossings in the city. Some aldermen say they want the state to intervene.
Canadian Pacific spokesman Andy Cummings said in a statement Tuesday that the company has been in “close contact” with the city about the permanent “upgrade.”
Public Works Director Nicole Gleason says the company notified the city of its intentions but didn’t provide a start date.

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Sentencing Scheduled For Suspect That Stabbed Five People

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A sentencing has been scheduled next month for a Mason City man accused of stabbing five people at a downtown bar.
Cerro Gordo County District Court records say 39-year-old Raul Millares Arias entered an Alford plea of guilty Tuesday to five counts of willful injury and one of going armed with intent. In an Alford plea, a person doesn’t admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction.
His sentencing is set for May 14.
Police say Millares Arias had been asked to leave the bar July 4 last year before stabbing four men and one woman and attempting to stab a sixth person.
Police say Millares Arias was chased out of the bar by a customer and then held for police by witnesses.
Court records say he’d planned to use defenses of intoxication and diminished responsibility.

 

 

Jewelry Store Employee Pleads Guilty To Theft

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A man who pleaded guilty to thefts while working at a Coralville mall store has been accused of trying to sell some of the jewelry that police say he’d managed to hide away from investigators.
Johnson County District Court records say 25-year-old Troy Woods pleaded not guilty to a new theft charge after his arrest Monday.
He’s been on probation since March 2018, after he pleaded guilty to a theft charge. Court records say his 2017 thefts while working at a Kay store in Coral Ridge Mall amounted to nearly $51,000.
Coralville Police Chief Shane Kron told the Iowa City Press-Citizen that the jewelry Woods is accused of trying to sell to a New York company since his 2018 sentencing is “additional jewelry he hid.” Kron says Woods reported needing money to pay the restitution from the original case.

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Fire Claims Resident At Cedar Rapids Condominium

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one person died after a fire broke out at a condominium complex in southwest Cedar Rapids.
Firefighters dispatched a little after 3 p.m. Tuesday encountered heavy smoke when they entered one of the units. They found a person inside a doorway who later was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other injuries have been reported.
The victim’s name and other information about the fire haven’t been released.

 

 

Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Killing 9 Year Old Girl

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — In his fourth trial, a jury has found a man guilty in the 1990 killing of a 9-year-old girl whose body was found on fire in Davenport.
The Quad-City Times reports jurors Tuesday found 57-year-old Stanley Liggins guilty of murder in the death of Jennifer Ann Lewis.
The Rock Island, Illinois, girl’s body was found the night of Sept. 17, 1990 in a field near a Davenport elementary school. She had been sexually abused and strangled, and her body was then doused with gasoline and set aflame.
Liggins has been twice convicted of murder but the verdicts were overturned.
His last trial ended in a mistrial.
The trial was moved to Black Hawk County because of pretrial publicity.

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