Fire Department Issues May Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has
issued their May monthly report. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to a total of 39 calls during the 31 days of May. There were nine fire calls, five rescues, thirteen investigations, eight requests for services, and three mutual aid calls, once with Merrill and twice with Oyens.
According to Fire Chief Dave Schipper, each of the members of the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department have passed their testing, and have been re- certified for Hazardous Materials Operations. During the month of May, the local fire department conducted a control burn of grassland for training purposes.
Man Charged With Fraud In Both Plymouth And Clay Counties
SPENCER, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa man has been sentenced in a second county for an insurance scheme. Clay County court records say Scott Leininger pleaded guilty last week to theft. He was given five years’ probation and a suspended prison sentence of five years. He’d already been sentenced to two years of probation for forgery in Plymouth County. Authorities say Leininger fabricated documents to support more than $57,000 in insurance claims for power surge damage to a motorized wheelchair and other devices.
Grain Mills Was A Big Industry For Le Mars
(Le Mars) — As we approach the Le Mars Sesquicentennial celebration, let’s take another look back at the history of Le Mars. Today, Le Mars is known as the “Ice Cream Capital of the World”, but at the turn of the 20th century, Le Mars may perhaps was best known for its grain mills. Steve Collins, one of
the six authors of the Le Mars History Book, says the milling industry was among the first industries for Le Mars.
Collins says Peter Gehlen had set up a grain mill to process grain along the Floyd River using water power to grind the grain.
Collins says there was one individual who might be credited for bringing immigrants and settlers to Le Mars and help set up homes and businesses.
Iris Hemmingson is another of the authors of the Le Mars Sesquicentennial History Book, and talks about some of the grain mills that were operating in Le Mars during the early years.
The Le Mars History Preservation Commission member talks about those mills, and how some of the structures are part of today’s grain elevator companies.
Hemmingson explains about the materials brought into Le Mars by railroad in order to construct the grain mill.
Collins offers a quick comment about the anticipated book due out during the week of the Sesquicentennial celebration.
Woman Pleas Not Guilty To Hitting Boy In Crosswalk
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – A driver has pleaded not guilty to a charge stemming from the death of an 8-year-old who was struck by the woman’s car as he was walking home from school in Marshalltown.
Marshall County court records say the plea was entered last week for 71-year-old Marilyn Diggins. The charge: failure to yield to a pedestrian at an intersection. Her pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 10.
Police say Christian Maxon was crossing West Main Street on his way home from Franklin Elementary School when he was hit by Diggins’ vehicle as she turned onto West Main from South 13th Street.
Branstad On Trial
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A monthlong trial in state court has begun that focuses on whether former Iowa Republican Gov. Terry Branstad discriminated against a gay Democratic official by pressuring him to quit or was exercising the governor’s right to hire people aligned with his political philosophy.
Branstad was sued in 2012 by Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey, who alleged discrimination by Branstad and staff members who pressured Godfrey to resign in 2011.
When Branstad came into office in 2011, Godfrey had four more years before his term ended so Branstad couldn’t fire him. However, the governor could set the commissioner’s salary, so he cut Godfrey’s pay by $39,000.
A Polk County jury will decide whether Branstad’s actions were proper or discrimination based on sexual orientation, political party affiliation or both.
Lottery Official Writes Book About Scandal
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The former CEO of the Iowa Lottery has co-written a book about a former lottery computer programmer who is in prison for cheating lotteries in several states out of millions of dollars.
Terry Rich worked with Iowa journalist Perry Beeman to write “The $80 billion Gamble,” which was released Monday. It tells the story of how Eddie Tipton altered number-picking programs on lottery computers to win jackpots in Colorado, Wisconsin, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Tipton usually had others buy tickets and collect winnings since he was ineligible to play as a lottery vendor employee, but in 2010 Tipton bought an Iowa Hot Lotto ticket using numbers he knew would win. He urged a friend to collect the $16.5 million but his scheme all unraveled.
The book tells how a yearslong investigation uncovered the scheme.
Man Dies From Dog Bites After Saving 5 Year Old Girl
FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man died after saving his 5-year-old daughter from a dog attack in southeast Iowa.
Lee County Sheriff Stacy Weber says 33-year-old Robert Quick, of Dallas City, Illinois, was one of three people attacked Friday by the dog outside a home in Fort Madison. Weber says officers had to shoot the large animal because it wouldn’t release a man who was pinned on his back in the front yard.
First responders soon found the wounded Quick lying in the home’s doorway. Weber says Quick asked medics to first help his daughter, who’d been bitten on the face. Weber says Quick “undoubtedly saved her life by his actions.”
All three victims were taken to Fort Madison Community Hospital, where Quick was pronounced dead.
Weber didn’t say what actions Quick had taken or provide the names of the other man and the girl.
