Firefighters Respond To Grain Bin Fire
(Le Mars) — Firefighters are still at the scene of a grain bin that had caught on fire. The fire was reported at the 220th Block of Nature Avenue at about 11:13 a.m. Smoke could be seen coming from the grain bin’s ventilation system. Fire Chief Dave Schipper believes the fire started beneath the stored grain from a shaft that got hot. The farmer and firefighters are removing corn from the bin on to grain trucks and grain wagons in hopes to salvage as much of the good corn as possible.
Firefighters had to cut a hole near the bottom of the bin in order to get a hose inside and begin extinguishing the fire. The grain bin holds approximately 15,000 bushels and was nearly full when the farmer noticed the fire. It is not known as to how much corn was damaged as a result of the fire.
Homeowners May See A Reduction In Insurance Rates Due To Le Mars Passing A Fire Protection Inspection
(Le Mars) — Le Mars homeowners may see their insurance rates go lower, or at least retain some stability as a result of the city’s passing a fire protection inspection. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper offered a report to the city council on Tuesday. Schipper says the Insurance Service Organization, or ISO has a community rating scale from 1 to 10 with one being the best and ten being the worst. Schipper says a few years ago, Le Mars was able to be placed within the top four percent of similar sized
communities and received a rating of a three. Schipper informed the city council the inspection took place Tuesday morning with the local fire department, city water department, and the county’s communications center.
Schipper is hopeful with the many improvements to the city’s infrastructure, Le Mars may be able to earn a better rating.
Possible Propane Shortage May Occur This Autumn And Winter
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say a late harvest, wet corn and the fall chill have combined to multiply demand for propane in Iowa and other states.
Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig told The Des Moines Register that the demand has “created a supply pinch” as farmers rush to bring in their crops. And he says nearly every bushel of corn needs to be dried.
Record flooding and heavy spring rains delayed planting.
Federal ag officials say only 43% of Iowa’s corn crop has been brought in and the harvest is 11 days behind the typical figure at this time of year. In neighboring Nebraska, Monday’s U.S. Department of Agriculture report shows 60% of the state’s corn has been harvested, compared with 69% for the five-year average.
Lynne Schuller is executive director of the Nebraska Propane Gas Association, and she says the shortage is more of a transport problem in meeting the propane demanded by farmers, grain elevators and rural residents.
Man Sentenced To Seven Days In Jail For Torturing Dog
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) – A northeastern Iowa man has been sentenced to 30 days in jail – all but seven days of it suspended – for torturing the family dog and making his children watch a video of the torture.
The Buchanan County prosecutor’s office says in a news release that 42-year-old Jason O’Neil Johnson, of Independence, was sentenced Tuesday. He was found guilty by a jury in August of animal torture.
Johnson will spend only seven days in jail if he successfully completes a year of probation, psychological evaluation and treatment and 16 hours of community service.
Prosecutors say Johnson held down the dog, named Daisy, in May and repeatedly beat her with a belt and closed fists for chewing on a pair of sunglasses he had left out. Johnson made his son record the beating to send to his other children, whom he blamed for failing to securely kennel the dog.
