Livestock Entries Holding Steady At This Year’s Fair
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Fair livestock entries are again holding steady with past years according to Ann Schoenrock, co-coordinator, with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with Plymouth County. Schoenrock says the “Adopt-a-Pig” program has witnessed an increase with participation.
Schoenrock says the cattle entries are staying relatively the same as past years.
The Dairy Cattle Show is scheduled for Friday afternoon. Schoenrock says although the number of entries may be small, it is actually increasing.
Live Milking Demonstration Featured At The Plymouth County Fair
(Le Mars) — A new feature at this year’s Plymouth County Fair is the live milking demonstration trailer classroom. The live milking demonstration is part of the overall “Discover Dairy” exhibit sponsored by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee. Callie Toews is the instructor for the milking demonstration trailer.
Toews says the milking trailer has sparked interest among the Plymouth County fair attendees.
Toews says she focuses on the nutrional benefits of consuming dairy, as well as the life of a cow.
Toews recites some of the more common questions that come from people when viewing the live milking demonstration.
Toews says as more and more people get further removed from a farm, they tend to not know the origins of milk and other dairy products.
The live milking demonstration classroom can be seen just south of the Kiddie Barn with demonstrations scheduled at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and at 7:00 p.m. each day of the fair.
Judge Rules Man Competent To Stand Trial
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A judge has found an Iowa man mentally competent to stand trial in the slaying of a Nebraska man in Sioux City.
Woodbury County District Court records say Judge Patrick Tott said in his ruling issued Tuesday that 31-year-old Daniel Levering may not be willing to assist in his defense but is competent to do so.
Levering has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder.
He’s accused of stabbing to death 36-year-old Vincent Walker on July 23, 2017. Walker lived in Winnebago, Nebraska.
A trial starting date hasn’t been set.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man accused of trying to kill someone he thought would provide drug trafficking information to police has pleaded guilty.
The Sioux City Journal reports that 23-year-old Isaac McDonald
pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to several crimes, including tampering with a witness by attempting to kill a person.
Prosecutors say McDonald conspired with three other people to kill John Mercure. Court documents say McDonald used a handgun to shoot Mercure as Mercure was driving down a Sioux City street last Aug. 1. Mercure soon crashed into a tree but survived.
—
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Former Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven says he was unexpectedly asked to resign by the governor last month after he objected to the governor’s request that he continue paying the salary of a woman moving from his department to the governor’s office.
Foxhoven, who gained national attention last week after The
Associated Press reported on his admiration for the late rapper Tupac Shakur, says he declined to approve paying the salary of Elizabeth Matney.
She left DHS on May 17 to accept a job as Reynolds’ adviser on health policy.
Foxhoven says he was concerned about the legality of using DHS funds to pay the salaries of the governor’s staff and wanted to seek an attorney general opinion but was asked to resign before he could get an answer.
Documents obtained by the AP show a memorandum of understanding between the governor’s office and DHS was signed on June 19, two days after Jerry Foxhoven was asked to resign. His name appears on the document but is crossed out and replaced by Gerd Clabaugh, the interim director named by
Reynolds to replace Foxhoven. Clabaugh signed it.
Foxhoven was asked to resign on June 17. Until Wednesday he had declined to specify it was the reason for his departure.
A Reynolds spokesman says Foxhoven never raised such a complaint to her office.
