Home News Saturday Afternoon News, August 24th

Saturday Afternoon News, August 24th

Firefighters Called For An Oven Fire

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department were called this morning at about 11:18 a.m. for what was reported as a fire inside an oven.
Firefighters were dispatched to 39 18th Street southeast. Officials say the home was filled with smoke when they had arrived on the scene. Firefighter used industrial fans to help ventilate the smoke from the premises.

 

 

Iowa SIDS Foundation Holds Fund Raising Event In Le Mars

(Le Mars) — Several hundred people walked around the Le Mars Municipal Park and Willow Creek Golf Course this morning to raise awareness and funds for the Iowa SIDS Foundation.  SIDS stands for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome which affects one of every 1000 births.  In Iowa, as many as 40 infants die
each year from the deadly disease.  For unknown reasons, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome generally affects babies within the first year after being born.
Little is known about the deadly disease, but walks like today’s held in seven different Iowa locations helps build awareness and research funding.
Patty Keeley is the executive director with the Iowa SIDS Foundation and attended the Le Mars event, and says Sudden Infant Death Syndrome remains a mystery.

Keeley says today’s fund raiser is the major event held each year for the Iowa SIDS Foundation. She says the funds go to help offer support to families who had a child die as the result of SIDS, a portion of today’s funding will go to educating the public about the disease, and a third portion is donated to on-going research. This is Keeley’s first visit to the Le Mars SIDS event.

Le Mars serves as the only western Iowa location for the SIDS walk for the future. The SIDS Foundation executive director hopes someday to have an event located somewhere in southwestern Iowa, but she says it all depends upon volunteers.

Keeley says they are always looking for volunteers to help with such events like today, or for contributions and donations.

 

 

MidAmerican Energy To Set Up Automobile Charging Stations

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – MidAmerican Energy has announced its plans to erect fast-charging stations for electric vehicles in more than a dozen Iowa cities.

The Des Moines-based energy company says it plans to build the publicly-accessible stations, with two charging plugs per station, in 15 urban and rural communities. A DC fast-charger, also called a “Level 3” charger, can generally charge an electric vehicle in 20 to 45 minutes.

MidAmerican seeks to install the stations in Altoona, Avoca, Carroll, Clarinda, Davenport, Dexter, Early, Emmetsburg and Iowa City, as well as Fort Dodge, Little Sioux, Oskaloosa, Sheldon, Sioux City and Waterloo.

Once MidAmerican Energy selects site hosts, the company plans to begin building the stations by the end of the year.

Charging station hosts will set their own usage fees.