Man’s Body Found At Little Sioux River
(Cherokee) — Divers have recovered a 65 year old Cherokee man who had drowned in the Little Sioux River near Quimby. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call on Wednesday afternoon at about 2:30 p.m. indicating a possible drowning. It was reported that an adult male, Bustos Bartolo Rodriguez, had gone under water in the Little Sioux River and
never surfaced. Area dive teams, including the Plymouth County Dive Team as part of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux County Dive Team responded to help search for Rodriguez. Three cadaver dogs from Central Iowa and South Dakota were deployed for the search. The recovery operation
covered two full days and on Friday morning, the third day, Rodriguez was recovered out of the Little Sioux River approximately one-half mile from where he was last seen by members of the Quimby Fire Department. Nearly 20
entities, along with public volunteers assisted with the search.
Marcus Community Fair
(Marcus) — The Marcus Community Fair is now underway, having started on Thursday. Kirk Letsche serves as the president of the Marcus Community Fair, and he says the small community fair is celebrating its 83rd year.
Letsche says the Marcus Fair attracts exhibitors from nearby counties which makes for a competitive judging contest.
Letsche says Saturday morning will feature the beef show, among other fair highlights.
The Marcus Community Fair is one of the oldest and most successful fairs. Letsche says it is the community support that makes the Marcus Fair so special.
The Marcus Community Fair continues through Sunday with the horse show and the antique tractor pull.
Lake View Man Dies From Grain Bin Accident
LAKE VIEW, Iowa (AP) – Western Iowa authorities say a 58-year-old man died after becoming trapped in a grain bin.
Firefighters, medics and Sac County deputies were sent to the Lake View location around 3:40 p.m. Thursday. Officials say Garry Leonard became stuck after he entered the partially filled bin to break up some corn clotting. Another worker tried to pull him free but failed.
The corn was removed, and firefighters were able to get him out
about 45 minutes later. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Leonard lived in Lake View.
Farmers And Ethanol Producers Upset With EPA
(Des Moines) — Corn growers and ethanol industry officials are upset with the Environmental Protection Agency after it was announced on Friday the government agency has granted 31 additional waivers to oil refineries to not to include ethanol into the gasoline. Curt Mether, a farmer from Logan, Iowa, and currently the president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, says “Granting of the additional 31 refinery exemptions are ridiculous and a slap in the face to farmers. The Renewable Fuels Standard could be one of the most effective energy policies in our country’s history, but the waivers gut the policy and destroy corn demand for farmers that are faced not only with challenges from mother nature, but market destruction. It is time for
President Trump to step in and uphold his promise to farmers and to the Renewable Fuels Standard.”
Many ethanol plants across the nation are already hurting due to trade tariffs, and this action may cause several of them to shutter production, or close all together. Plymouth Energy of Merrill has suspended operations until such time the economic conditions improve for the ethanol industry.
Simpson College President To Step Down
INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) – The president of a private college in southern Iowa intends to leave his post.
Simpson College President Jay Simmons says he’ll continue his duties until his successor is selected.
Simmons says he believes it’s time for new leadership as he enters his seventh year as president of the United Methodist Church-affiliated school. It is situated in Indianola.
Simpson has been struggling financially, cutting 23 positions last
year.
Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Gather At Clear Lake
(Clear Lake) — Democratic Party faithful from four northern Iowa counties hosted the largest gathering yet of Democrats for president in 2020 at the iconic annual Wing Ding event in Clear Lake. Twenty-two candidates were allotted five minutes each to introduce themselves – or remind future caucus voters why they are still viable party leaders since the 2016 election.
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren went directly to the specifics of Iowa’s rural economy – small hospitals, factory workers and farming.
The loudest applause—before, during and after he went on stage—was for Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
In his five minutes, Buttigieg did not call President Trump a white supremacist, but says he is “coddling white nationalism.” He said the flag does not belong to any one party and symbolizes that…
Other candidates targeted the president more directly. Bernie Sanders vowed to defeat the “most dangerous president in the history of this country.”
Senator Cory Booker spoke after a somber video speech by Beto O’Rourke, who chose to stay in El Paso after the past week’s mass shooting targeting Hispanic shoppers, to make sure his community is “strong and fortified.”
Booker, picking up on O’Rourke’s tone, began quietly with a charge to the two thousand party faithful in the ballroom:
Booker quickly ramped up – bringing the crowd to one of a handful of standing ovations of the night, as he described being a witness to gun violence and was inspired by community leaders who did not leave.
Economist and entrepreneur Andrew Yang celebrated Thursday’s news that he had qualified for next month’s televised candidate debate. The self-described “Asian man who loves math,” says winning the election is about math … in Iowa.
Nine have now qualified for the next national debate.
Cedar Rapids To Hold Urban Deer Hunt
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The eastern Iowa city of Cedar Rapids is preparing for its annual Urban Deer Hunt, which allows some deer hunting inside city limits.
This year’s season opens on Sept. 14 and runs through Jan. 10. Hunting is limited to those using archery equipment, and participants must complete a bow hunter’s class and attend an urban deer hunting rules and regulations class. Participants must also pass an annual proficiency test and complete a special application before being issued a permit for the urban hunt.
Participants must also provide a completed land owners permission form.
The intent of the urban hunt is to thin populations of deer living
within city limits and residential areas.
