Authorities Identify Motorcycle Accident Victim
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim from that motorcycle accident that happened Sunday afternoon, north of Oyens. The victim has been identified as 67 year old, David Poppen of Boyden. Poppen was airlifted to Mercy One in Sioux City, where at last report, he remains in critical condition.
Kingsley Police Chief Arrested For Domestic Assault
(Le Mars) — The Kingsley chief of police has been arrested for a charge of domestic assault. On Friday, July 19th, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office received a call in regards to a past incident involving a domestic assault that occurred in Kingsley. As a result of the investigation, Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 51-year old Joseph Hoover of Kingsley on a charge of domestic abuse assault, a serious misdemeanor. Hoover was transported to the Plymouth County jail.
County Road K-49 To Have New Layer Of Asphalt
(Le Mars) — Road construction on county road K-49 is set to start on Tuesday. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe says a stretch of highway measuring eight miles is set to have a new layer of asphalt.
In addition to placing a layer of asphalt, contractors will also widen the road.
County road K-49 is now the second north-south road under construction as repairs are also being made to Highway 75, making it even more difficult to travel from south to north or vise versa. Rohe explains the detours that have been established during the anticipated two months of construction.
Rohe anticipates the construction project to be completed in late September.
Country Store To Offer Home Made Goods At Fair
(Le Mars) — This year’s Country Store at the Plymouth County Fair will offer everything from baked goods to books, almost like a one-stop shop.
Once again the Country Store in the historic Pioneer Village will be filled with treasures provided by the Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars during the coming Plymouth County Fair.
The treasures for the store will be in the form of baked goods, garden produce, and homespun items, along with candy and ice cream for kids of all ages.
The Country Store will open at noon, Wednesday, July 24, and remain open each day until about 10 p.m. through Sunday, July 28, the final day of the fair.
All kinds of baked goods — fruit pies, cakes, bars, cookies, candy and bread — are needed for the store. If possible, the name of the baker and the recipe should be attached. Anyone unable to deliver the baked goods to the fairgrounds may call 539-0223 for pick-up service.
The Museum needs garden produce and homespun items for the Country Store. For many years, Lynn Buss has provided sweet corn grown at rural Le Mars. It has been a feature at the Country Store and will continue to be sold this year.
The store is located next to the country school in the Pioneer Village.
Plymouth County Fair To Begin On Wednesday
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Fair, slated as the Best Five Days of Summer, begins on Wednesday, and fair board president, Rich Benson says he is grateful for the break from last week’s hot temperatures.
Benson says the fair board made a land acquisition adjoining the grounds to the east to expand on the parking space. Benson says the land deal keeps the fair board’s options open.
The fair board president recaps this year’s entertainment scheduled at the Pioneer Village stage.
On Wednesday evening, the McEwyn Band will perform, as well as the crowning of the fair queen and king. Thursday evening at the Pioneer Village stage the entertainment will be split between Due North, an acapella group, and The Nadas. Friday will feature Brent Husmann, a hypnotist, and A.C. Jones, a country singer. Saturday, will showcase the group Menace, a classic rock group, Brent Husmann is scheduled to perform again, and the feature attraction will be Country Singer Jason Pritchett. Sunday afternoon, the local group The Jammers will take the stage at 3:00 p.m. followed by the annual chain saw carvings auction, and The Browns will round out the evening. Benson highlights the grandstand entertainment during the fair.
Other entertainment venues includes a children’s stage featuring the Los Moralitos circus, and under the covered show arena will be the popular Farm Olympics scheduled for Thursday, and Impact Pro Wrestling is scheduled for Friday evening. Benson says the Plymouth County Fair is fortunate to draw people from neighboring counties, as well as other states.
When Benson was asked what is the one thing attendees to this year’s fair don’t want to miss, he responded by saying the famous round barn.
Benson says admission is the same as in the past. Daily walk-in admission is $10, walk-in season ticket wrist bands sell for $20, and a vehicle pass that will allow up to four adult passengers sells for $40. As mentioned, the fair begins on Wednesday and continues through Sunday.
Iowa State University Praises Employee
CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State University is dropping claims of wrongdoing against a former employee and paying her $225,000 to resolve a legal dispute over its popular outdoor sculptures made from Legos.
As part of the settlement, Iowa State has also taken several steps to restore the reputation of Teresa McLaughlin. Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen has written her a glowing letter of recommendation calling her an honest, innovative employee.
The school also will dedicate a bench for McLaughlin in Reiman Gardens, the campus landmark that McLaughlin spent most of her career building as its director.
Those steps will resolve a contentious three-year legal dispute that derailed Nature Connects, the traveling Lego art program conceived by McLaughlin.
McLaughlin had accused the university of failing to pay her commissions. The university accused her of working with the artist to market competing exhibits.
Democratic State Legislators Wanting Hearing On Foxhoven’s Dismissal
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democratic leaders in the Iowa Legislature are calling for hearings on Gov. Kim Reynolds’ refusal to discuss why she demanded the resignation of former Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven.
Senate and House Government Oversight Committee Democrats called Monday for hearings on Foxhoven’s sudden departure last month and want him to appear to explain what happened.
Sen. Tony Bisignano says a 2017 state law requires the reason for demanding a state employee’s resignation to be made public.
Reynolds has declined to explain why she asked Foxhoven to resign beyond saying there were several factors.
Foxhoven has declined to explain the factors behind his firing. He declined to comment Monday.
Republican legislative leaders didn’t immediately respond to messages.
Separately, Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, says he plans to investigate the reasons behind Foxhoven’s departure.
Durham Given Permission To Purchase Building To Combine State Agencies
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The director of two state agencies has received approval from a panel of top state officials to buy a building and locate both agencies under one roof.
Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority, received approval Monday to spend nearly $7.8 million to buy the four-story commercial office building on 10 acres. The finance authority now rents space in the building, on the southwest edge of downtown Des Moines. Continuing to lease space would have cost about $7.5 million over the next 10 years.
Durham has run both agencies since March 2018 and says merging them in one building allows her to align them more closely. The finance authority oversees housing assistance and community development programs while economic development works to attract business to the state.
The Iowa Executive Council approved the plan.
Judge Awards Settlement For Lottery Winners After Rigging Scheme
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Thousands of lottery players who bought tickets for drawings that were rigged by an insider could be eligible for refunds under a tentative $4.3 million legal settlement.
A judge still must approve the deal from lawyers for plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit and the Multi-State Lottery Association.
The settlement announced Monday would resolve claims stemming from former association security director Eddie Tipton’s long-running jackpot-fixing scheme. Tipton installed code that allowed him to predict winning numbers for drawings on certain days. He and his associates bought winning tickets worth millions.
Players who purchased tickets for drawings between 2005 and 2013 that were tainted by the scheme would be eligible.
The lottery association would establish $4.3 million fund for eligible class members, attorneys’ fees and other costs. The named plaintiff, Iowa resident Dale Culler, would receive a $20,000 incentive payment.
Remains Of Man Found In Closed Store
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say the remains of a western Iowa man who was reported missing in 2009 were found this year inside a closed supermarket where he’d worked.
The Council Bluffs Police Department said in a news release Monday that the man’s been identified through DNA analysis as 25-year-old Larry Murillo-Moncada.
Police say the Council Bluffs man fell into an approximately 18-inch (45.7-centimeter) gap between the back of a cooler and a wall at No Frills Supermarket. Former employees say it was common for workers to be in the storage space above the coolers.
Police say his parents reported him missing Nov. 28, 2009. They say he’d become upset and ran from their home.
The store was shuttered in 2016. The remains were found in January.
Businesses Still Struggling Following Flood Damage
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Some Nebraska and Iowa businesses are still struggling to recover from flooding that damaged their properties or otherwise kept customers away from their doors.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that in Nebraska alone, more than 1,000 businesses were affected by March’s severe weather.
Recurring flooding continued into May and June in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, especially along the Missouri River.
The Omaha World-Herald reports that business boosters are saying that towns and businesses haven’t been wiped out and they need customers now more than ever.
And they’re taking extra steps to get that word out. In Knox County in northeast Nebraska is handing out maps so visitors can navigate flood-damaged roads and bridge reconstruction. A Harley-Davidson store in Iowa’s Pacific Junction threw a party at the end of June to celebrate the dealership’s return to its regular location after cleaning up and repairing soggy drywall.
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