Renovation On Olson Cultural Event Center Is Completed
(Le Mars) — During Tueday’s city council meeting, City Administrator Jason Vacura informed the council members that the construction to the Olson Cultural Events Center is now completed. Vacura told the city council members the sod and turf was put in place late Saturday afternoon. The area is still roped off and closed to the public until such time the sod and turf
have an opportunity to form roots, and the grass begins to grow. Vacura says the bricks showing the names of prominent donors are in place. The city administrator says the city is still waiting for another piece showing the donors. The Olson Cultural Events Center renovation project was funded in large part by contributions given to the Le Mars Community Betterment
Project.
Vacura also announced the new skate park construction project, which will be located at O’Toole Park on the north end of Central Avenue, is scheduled to begin this week. Councilman Clark Goodchild inquired if the project should wait until after the conclusion of the Sesquicentennial and Ice Cream Days? Vacura responded by saying the project has already been delayed at least a week due to the wet conditions. He also said there aren’t
any events with Ice Cream Days or the Sesquicentennial scheduled for O’Toole Park. In another project in anticipation for Ice Cream Days and the Sesquicentennial, Vacura reported to the city council that landscaping has been completed on the front side of the airport terminal. Vacura says the city financed half the project, with Wells Enterprises assisting with the other half.
City Council Approves Increase For Water And Sewer Rates
(Le Mars) — The city council approved the third and final reading of the proposed increase for both water and sewer rates. The new rates will take effect for residential, businesses, and industry beginning January 1st of 2020. The water rates will go from the current rate of $6.50 for the first 1000 gallons of water to a new rate of $6.83 per thousand gallons of water.
The city is implementing a five-step plan as suggested by McClure Engineering Company to help finance capital improvement projects to the system. The city has already followed the first three steps with the last step implemented in
2014. The council has approved the final two years of the original recommendation. Sewer rates will increase from $7.72 to $8.11 for the initial one thousand gallons of sewage.
Le Mars Police Department To Add School Resource Officer
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department will add another officer to the department, thanks to the actions of the Le Mars city council. The officer will focus his or her attention primarily on the local school systems. Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte says the patrol officer will be known as a School Resource Officer.
Vande Vegte offers an overview of the school resource officer position.
The Le Mars Police Chief says the position will obviously act as a deterrent for any possible crimes within the schools, but he also hopes the new officer will serve as a counseling position.
He expands on the responsibilities of the new officer.
Vande Vegte hopes to have the new officer position in place prior to the start of school in late August. He says he has the full support from administrators of both Le Mars Community and of Gehlen Catholic to add a school resource officer.
Vande Vegte says during the summer months, the school resource officer will be placed on regular patrol duty, adding the extra police officer on staff will help with when other officers request vacation.
Le Mars Police Department Presented State Award
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte announced to the city council that the Le Mars Police Department was recently awarded the state’s Community Police Award. Vande Vegte says other police departments have contacted the Le Mars Police Department, and have modeled their police departments after the Le Mars Police Department. Vande Vegte says he noticed an email message from the Iowa Chief of Police Association seeking nominations for the Community Police Award. Vande Vegte says he thought the Le Mars Police Department has done an excellent job with community relations,
so he submitted Le Mars as a nominee.
The Le Mars Police Department was the only police department within the state to receive such recognition. Vande Vegte says it has special meaning, especially when you consider there are more than 740 police departments within the state of Iowa.
Vande Vegte traveled to Iowa City recently to accept the honor on behalf of the city of Le Mars and the Le Mars Police Department.
Northwest Iowa Boy Dies From Being Hit By Vehicle
LITTLE ROCK, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in northwestern Iowa say a 4-year-old boy has died after being hit by a pickup truck on a rural road.
The Sioux City Journal reports that the accident happened Monday afternoon north of Little Rock, Iowa. Lyon County Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep says the boy was taken to a hospital, where he died. Authorities have not released the boy’s name.
Officials say a 77-year-old man driving the pickup slowed to about 10 mph when he spotted two utility vehicles on the side of the road with a young child behind them and two adults working in a ditch. Investigators say as the pickup passed the two utility vehicles, a second child stepped from the north ditch onto the roadway and in front of the truck’s path.
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Trade Group Offers An Endowment To Give Incentives For Workers To Enter Vocational Trade
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A statewide trade group representing commercial, industrial and public works construction contractors says it has established a $5 million endowment that will fund programs to attract people to construction trade jobs.
Master Builders of Iowa has created a nonprofit board that will each year fund projects that introduce students and adults to the building trades and help attract them to training programs to be a carpenter, electrician, welder or plumber.
Chad Kleppe, the organization’s CEO, says schools, charities and
nonprofit organizations can submit proposals for projects that will be funded in the range of $5,000 to $75,000.
Projects could focus on exposing high school students to commercial construction jobs through hands-on opportunities or on adults who want a career change, including veterans returning to civilian life.
The organization announced the endowment fund Tuesday with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in collaboration with her Future Ready Iowa initiative. That program focuses on training workers for jobs that businesses say are hard to fill.
Des Moines City Council Considers Ban On High Capacity Gun Magazines and Trigger Devices
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Des Moines City Council is considering a ban on high-capacity magazines and trigger devices that make guns even more deadly.
The Des Moines Register reports that the council unanimously backed a motion Monday to prepare ordinances prohibiting the magazines and trigger activators such as bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic assault rifles to fire nearly as fast as fully automatic weapons.
Councilman Chris Coleman says city leaders aren’t coming “after every gun in town” but that they want to “protect our citizens from mass shootings.”
The federal government banned bump stocks following their use in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting .
Several states and cities have banned high-capacity magazines such as those used last week by a man who killed 12 people at a municipal building in Virginia .
Animal Rescue League Removes 100 Cats And 200 Cat Carcasses From Central Iowa Home
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An animal rescue group says it’s removed around 100 cats from horrid conditions at a central Iowa residence where around 200 cat carcasses were found.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says in a news release that the cats and carcasses were discovered Tuesday in several buildings at the undisclosed site.
Rescuers had to wear respirators and protective suits because of the garbage, cat feces and carcasses inside the buildings. The league says dozens of cats were pressed up against open windows, trying to get fresh air.
League CEO Tom Colvin says it’s by far the worst hoarding case the Iowa organization has seen in more than 10 years.
The names of the property owners or residents haven’t been released.
