City Council Approves Wiltgen Brothers, Incorporated As Construction Manager For Community Wellness Center Renovation Project
(Le Mars) — In action taken by the city council on Tuesday, the council approved Wiltgen Brothers, Incorporated as the Construction Manager to supervise the expansion and renovation building project for the Community Wellness Center, or also known as the Le Mars YMCA. The council has established October 15th as the date for a public hearing to further discuss a five-year lease agreement with Iowa State University Extension
and Outreach – Plymouth County to rent office space in the lower level of the Le Mars Convention Center.
New Skate Board Park To Hold Grand Opening On Sunday
(Le Mars) — This coming Sunday, October 6th, the new Le Mars Skate Board Park located at O’Tool Park at the north end of Central Avenue will hold its grand opening, and showcase an exhibition of professional skate boarders performing a variety of jumps and tricks. Mike Wells is helping coordinate the featured event that is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. He says
professionals from all across the Midwest will come to Le Mars to show off their skills.
Wells, himself, is a skateboard enthusiast and says the new skateboard park in Le Mars is one of the better skate parks he has seen.
Wells says the new skate park has attracted the attention of younger people, and it has quickly become a teenage destination.
In the future, Wells hopes the new skate board park will attract skate board and BMX competitions and tournaments.
As for the event scheduled for Sunday, it is free to the public. Wells says bleachers will be brought in surrounding the skate board park, allowing people the opportunity to view the exhibition of extreme sports.
He says several vendors will also be at the grand opening event selling food and beverages.
Time To Get Vaccinated Against Influenza
(Le Mars) — It’s that time of year again when we need to start thinking about being vaccinated against the flu. Tara Geddes is the Community Health Manager with Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars and says nearly everyone should get a flu shot. She explains why it is important to be vaccinated against the flu.
She says there is either an injection or a nasal mist vaccine.
The Community Health Manager explains the strains of influenza that are targeted with the vaccination.
Some people pass on getting vaccinated believing that they will get influenza as a result of being vaccinated. Geddes says that is simply a myth.
Geddes says the flu vaccine may not guarantee that you won’t contract the flu, but your symptoms should not be as severe.
Influenza can occur anytime of the year, but Geddes says it is most common during the months of October through March.
The cost for the flu vaccine runs at $25, but in some cases, financial assistance may be available.
Once again, Floyd Valley Healthcare will go around to the various
communities of Plymouth County to administer the flu vaccine.
Geddes encourages everyone above the age of six months to be vaccinated.
If you do show signs of having influenza, Geddes recommends you stay home, especially if you have a fever.
Fort Dodge Pastor Robbed And Murdered
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a man has been arrested in the slaying of a pastor at a church in Fort Dodge.
Police say the Rev. Allen Henderson was found by officers sent
around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday to St. Paul Lutheran Church. Henderson was pronounced dead later at a Fort Dodge hospital.
Police have arrested 36-year-old Joshua Pendleton and charged him with robbery and first-degree murder. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for him. He remained in Webster County Jail on Thursday.
The 64-year-old Henderson was senior pastor at the church and had been chaplain for several area first responder agencies.
Bondurant To Get New Business That Would Hire 1,000 Employees
BONDURANT, Iowa (AP) – Officials in a Des Moines suburb have approved plans for a warehouse and distribution center that would create more than 1,000 jobs.
The company behind the project to be located in an industrial area of Bondurant is confidential.
City Administrator Marketa Oliver confirmed Wednesday the City
Council gave initial approval for the development called Project Bluejay at its Monday meeting.
Plans submitted to the city by contractor Ryan Companies appear to call for a 780,000-square-foot building up to five stories high on just over 100 acres.
The massive project appears to have more than 1,800 parking spaces around the building. There are plans for over 370 trees planted on the property.
City officials agreed to seek a state grant to help with up to $14
million in street improvements to improve truck access. The city says it will provide up to $8 million from tax increment financing for the project.
A timeline has road work scheduled for next year and a project
completion date of July 2021.
Bondurant is a city of about 6,000 people, about 10 miles northeast of Des Moines.
Governor Reynolds Says She Doesn’t Want To Comment On Impeachment Charges On President Trump
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says until the U.S. House votes on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, she’s not convinced there’s a case.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday Reynolds said, “until they take a vote and I know what they’re accusing him of, I don’t think there’s anything there.”
Reynolds, a Republican, is an honorary state chairwoman of Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign.
GOP leaders have aggressively defended Trump against accusations that he abused his power when he asked the Ukrainian president to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son. Trump has since suggested people leading the inquiry should be arrested and
charged with treason.
Reynolds says the House should focus on issues such as a trade
agreement with Mexico and Canada, the details of which are being negotiated between the White House and House leaders.
She also says she’s hopeful to hear something from the White House this week on a new ethanol policy that would boost production.
Deere And Company To Have Job Lay-offs
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Deere & Co. plans to lay off more than 110 workers at its plant in Davenport by Nov. 18.
The company also said Tuesday that it would lay off about 50
workers later this month from its Harvester Works plant in East Moline, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from Davenport.
Deere public relations director Ken Golden says Deere has lowered its expectations for sales and net income because of decreased customer demand. He says the layoffs are a result of the market conditions.
He says no other Deere plant is included in the layoffs.
The company makes equipment for construction, agriculture and
landscaping.
