County Supervisors To Convene For Meeting
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene for their weekly meeting today at 9:30 a.m. at the Courthouse Boardroom. It is expected the county governing board will approve the second reading of a resolution authorizing a loan agreement and providing for the issuanace of
$3,295,000 G.O. refunding bonds, Series 2019 and providing for the levy of taxes to pay the same. The county board of supervisors will hear from Al Fagen as he seeks approval of a minor subdivision, R&G Peterson Addition in Stanton township. Representatives from Premier Communications will appear
before the supervisors seeking approval of a resolution supporting the installation of fiber optics by Premier Communications to the rural area of Akron. County Engineer, Tom Rohe will also appear before the supervisors
with construction permits from Frontier Communications for Elkhorn township, and a tile crossing permits for America township and Fredonia township. Rohe will also discuss with the supervisors a technician position.
School Board Hears About New Testing Assessment Program
(Le Mars) — At last evening’s Le Mars Community Board of Education meeting, Curriculum Director Rachel Leavitt shared with the school board a new assessment program that has been adopted by the state. Leavitt informed the board that the school has not yet received the testing scores from the assessment from last spring, but did indicate to expect the scores by October 22nd. Leavitt told the board, the students will take the
assessment test, only once a year, as opposed to former testing which required the students to complete the assessment tests twice a year. In other action, the school board approved the superintendent’s goals and implementation of programs to accomplish those goals.
City Officials Warn Of Possible Discolored Water Following Scheduled Flushing Of Water Main
(Le Mars) — City officials have announced that Well’s Enterprises will conduct fire pump testing on Thursday, September 26th. Wells will start with the North Ice Cream Plant at around 7:30 a.m. and then move to the South Ice Cream Plant at around 9:00 a.m. The city water department will
flush the water main around the North Ice Cream Plant after the flow test.
If residents around the North Ice Cream Plant should experience discolored water after 11:00 a.m., you are asked to notify the water department at 546-5555.
Iris Hemmingson Inducted Into State 4-H Hall Of Fame
(Des Moines) — The Iowa State 4-H Association has announced that Iris Hemmingson of Le Mars was inducted into the 2019 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, Aug. 18. Ninety-six Iowa counties participated this year and selected 135 inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H.
Hemmingson was nominated by Plymouth County 4-H program. Inductees or their surviving family members were presented a certificate by the Iowa 4-H Foundation President, Curt Lang, State 4-H Program Leader, Debbie Nistler, as they were introduced on stage.
Iris Hemmingson got her 4-H roots started in Mitchell County. She was a member from age 10 through high school graduation. She then attended Iowa State University to study Home Economics because of her connection with the ISU Home Economist while in high school. She felt it was a valuable degree
any woman could attain for managing a family, household, and caring for a husband.
Following college she married Dr. Les Hemmingson. They would settle in Plymouth County in 1965 where she became active in the Le Mars community.
She helped start the first all-day kindergarten in which she was the classroom aid. She later became the Food Service Supervisor at Floyd Valley Hospital. She also worked for the state health department for area nursing homes. Iris is very active in preserving the history of Le Mars, where she serves on the Historical Preservation Committee. She also coached Little
League and served as a Girl Scout leader. She received the Chamber of Commerce’s “Citizen of the Year” award in 2012.
Iris’s contributions to 4-H began during her college years. She would help 4-H’ers during the summers with their fair exhibits and other 4-H activities in Appanoose and Washington counties. She then judged numerous county fairs throughout the state of Iowa. Iris help start a 4-H club in Plymouth County and would later be a leader of the Young Americans 4-H Club. She has volunteered on the Fair Communications Committee for many
years and served on the 4-H & Youth Committee. She currently still serves on the Record Keeping & Awards Committee, Fair Sub-Committee, and is a Plymouth County Fair volunteer. Iris states that 4-H is a valuable and worthwhile activity for youth. It stretches each person in ways that are suitable for them. It encourages organization and teaches skills they will use forever.
As Plymouth County 4-H’s longest serving volunteer of 44 years, volunteers, staff and 4-H members have been blessed to have learned and worked alongside Iris as she has shaped the lives of so many young people in Plymouth County!
Counties select inductees for their exceptional work in contributing to the lives of 4-H members and the overall 4-H program, said Ann Schoenrock, Plymouth County Extension Program and Youth Coordinator.
Colorado Man Pleads Guilty To Throwing Water On Congressman Steve King
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Colorado man has admitted to throwing a cup of water on Iowa Congressman Steve King.
Court records show 27-year-old Blake Gibbins, of Lafayette,
Colorado, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, Iowa, to one misdemeanor count of assaulting a member of Congress.
As part of a plea agreement, Gibbins admitted that on March 22, he approached a table at a Fort Dodge restaurant and threw a cup of water at King. The Republican congressman was seated with others.
Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kelly Mahoney will sentence Gibbins at a later date. He faces a possible maximum sentence of a year in prison, a $100,000 fine and five years of probation.
King has gained national attention for his comments on many topics, especially those related to race and immigration.
Missouri River Floods Which Leads To Closing I-29
(Omaha) — The Missouri River is out of its banks, again, forcing the Iowa Department of Transportation to close a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 29 as well as a section of I-680. D-O-T engineer Austin Yates says about a mile of I-29 is underwater and the water is up to two feet deep.
Interstate 29 is closed from Council Bluffs to Loveland, 20 miles to the north, while I-680 is closed from the Missouri River to the I-29 interchange. Yates says they’re keeping a close watch on several sections of roadways in the region.
Yates says the D-O-T expects the highways to be closed all week, based on the forecasts for the Missouri River. Closures have been frequent in western Iowa due to persistent flooding since early spring.
Industrial Accident Kills One Employee Another Seriously Injured
NEWTON, Iowa (AP) – Officials at a manufacturing plant in Newton say one employee died and another was seriously hurt over the weekend.
Arcosa Wind Towers spokesman Jeff Eller told KCCI-TV the incident Saturday killed one employee and seriously injured another worker, who remained at a hospital Monday.
Names of the workers haven’t been released.
The Newton Daily News says the plant employs more than 180 people at a 335,000-square-foot facility that produces sections of wind towers.
Ames Police Searching For Man That Stabbed Woman
AMES, Iowa (AP) – Police say a man stabbed a woman during her evening run in Ames.
The Des Moines Register reports police issued an alert after the
attack about 7:40 p.m. Sunday in a residential area near the city’s downtown.
Police say the man hit the woman in the head from behind and then stabbed her at least three times on her side.
The woman was able to escape and was later treated at a hospital before being released.
Police don’t know what kind of weapon was used.
—
Jury Finds Hog Farmer Guilty Of Killing His Wife
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – A jury has convicted an eastern Iowa hog farmer of using a corn rake to kill his wife.
The Telegraph Herald reports jurors on Monday afternoon found 43-year-old Todd M. Mullis guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Amy Mullis. She was killed Nov. 10 on the couple’s farm about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Dubuque.
Jurors reached their verdict after deliberating about 7 1/2 hours
over two days.
Prosecutors say Mullis had wanted to kill his 39-year-old wife for
years and was irate over her affair.
Mullis’ attorney suggested that Amy Mullis startled someone in the farm’s shed where she was found, prompting that person to impale her in the back with a corn rake.
The first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
—
West Des Moines School Request Chaplain To Stop Praying At Games
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The West Des Moines Community School District has stopped a high school football team’s volunteer chaplain from praying with players before and after games.
West Des Moines Superintendent Lisa Remy said Monday the district received written concerns from parents that the prayers were a violation of the First Amendment.
The district then asked the self-described chaplain, Chris Barr, to
stop working with the Valley High School team while the concerns are reviewed by the district’s legal counsel.
The Des Moines Register reports that Barr did not pray with players Friday night when Valley played Waukee.
Barr doesn’t work for the district. He works with West Des Moines Community Schools Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an independent organization that works with Christian students enrolled in West Des Moines schools.
—
