Firefighters Battle House Fire
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was called to another house fire Monday afternoon. The fire was reported at about 4:13 p.m. at 208 6th Street Southwest. This was the second residential structure fire within the last three days. According to Fire Chief Dave Schipper, the fire
started in the kitchen area of the home. The owner of the house arrived home to find his kitchen was on fire.
Firefighters found the dog lying in the living room and had inhaled a great deal of smoke. The dog was near death when firefighters rescued the dog and brought it outside and started giving the dog some oxygen.
The fire was able to be confined to the kitchen area, but Schipper says it is inhabitable.
Schipper explains how the fire started.
Firefighters were on the scene for nearly one and a half hours.
Remsen Fire Chief Passes Away From Brain Cancer
(Remsen) — The former Remsen Fire Chief has passed away as a result of cancer to the brain. Kevin Ortmann was 40 years old when he died on Sunday.
Ortmann was not only a firefighter, but also volunteered as an EMT for the Remsen Ambulance Service. Ortmann was also the maintenance director for the city of Remsen. A community wide benefit fundraiser was held on behalf of Ortmann in May of 2018 that attracted thousands of people. Funeral Services are scheduled for Thursday, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. Additional information can be seen on
the obituary page from the KLEM website.
County Supervisors To Hear From Animal Rescue Organization
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will finish canvassing the ballots from the election, as they will approve the final votes for both the Kingsley-Pierson and the Remsen-Union school board votes. The county governing board will also hear from Angel Anderson, the president of the Wet
Nose Animal Rescue organization, as the newly formed group will seek funding from the county for the fiscal year 2020-2021. Surveyor, Wayne Schlotfeldt will appear before the supervisors looking for approval of a subdivision in Section 33 of Meadow township. Kelly Beitelspacher will again appear before
the supervisors for an approval of a subdivision. County engineer Tom Rohe will also appear before the Plymouth County Supervisors to offer an update on construction projects.
Le Mars City Council To Discuss Engineering Agreement For Plywood Recreational Trail
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council have a short agenda for today’s meeting. There is only one action item listed on the agenda, and that is an engineering agreement regarding the proposed Plywood Recreational Trail.
Grassley Discusses Gun Control During News Conference
(Washington) — U-S Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa addressed the issue of gun control Monday during his weekly news conference with reporters.
The U-S Senate has been pressured to pass additional gun control bills. Grassley was asked if the U-S Senate is likely to take up some type of gun control bills since there were two mass shootings at California schools over the weekend, and another mass shooting reported Monday at a Walmart store in
Oklahoma. Grassley says he has introduced a bill that would utilize measures the Secret Service currently uses to identify mentally ill people that could be identified as a potential mass shooter. Grassley says he would like to see the program expand to include other people, and not just law enforcement officials.
Senator Grassley says that he and Texas Senator Ted Cruse have re-introduced legislation that should help cut down the number of mass shootings.
The Iowa Senator says California has some of the toughest gun laws on the books, but it obviously doesn’t stop mass shootings from occurring.
Johnson County Prosecutor Clears Iowa City Officer Of Shooting
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Johnson County’s top prosecutor has cleared an Iowa City officer who shot a woman who’s accused of shooting him with a BB gun.
County Attorney Janet Lyness says in a report issued Monday that Officer Michael Clark acted with reasonable force on July 29.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says the exchange of shots occurred after police were called to check a shoplifting report. The officers found a suspect who was later identified as 25-year-old Cierra Lewis. Police say she shot Clark several times, including in the face. He then fired five shots at her, striking her in a hand.
Lewis has pleaded not guilty to theft, willful injury and assault with a weapon on a peace officer.
A mental competency hearing is scheduled for Dec. 16 to determine whether she can go to trial.
Firefighters Find Body In Mobile Home Fire
HAMILTON, Iowa (AP) – Crews have found the body of a woman while fighting a mobile home fire in the tiny southern Iowa city of Hamilton.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says firefighters found the body of 56-year-old Rhonda Kiler early Monday after being called to the fire.
Firefighters worked for about 45 minutes to douse the fire before finding Kiler’s body in the home.
Local and state investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
Hamilton is about 45 miles southeast of Des Moines.
Jury Awards $1.4 Million for Wrong Surgery Procedure
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A jury in Iowa has awarded $1.4 million to a Burmese immigrant who wanted a circumcision but instead got a vasectomy.
The Des Moines Register reports that the jury last week leveled a $2 million judgment against Dr. Kevin Birusingh, who performed the vasectomy.
But jurors decided the man who filed the lawsuit, Zaw Zaw, was 30% responsible.
Zaw is a 41-year-old refugee from Myanmar. He sued in November 2017, nearly two years after the errant procedure.
Birusingh’s attorney says Zaw, who is not fluent in English, signed two informed consents that were translated into Burmese, and completed four consultations before undergoing the procedure.
The lawsuit says there’s no word for “vasectomy” in Burmese.
Zaw’s attorney, Marc Harding, says a doctor’s referral documents showed Zaw was seeking a circumcision.
Woman Found Guilty Of Medical Scam
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – A Waterloo woman has been found guilty of scamming a couple out of thousands of dollars by saying she had a kidney transplant, tumors and other medical problems.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 47-year-old Shawn Adams, also known as Shawn Tomkins, was convicted Friday of theft and false reports.
Prosecutors say she got nearly $58,000 in aid from the Waterloo couple after telling them her tale of woe. Prosecutors say she accused one of one of them of sexually abusing her son when they discovered her scam.
In June she was sentenced in Grundy County for an unrelated theft. Prosecutors say she took people to a farm in rural Dike in December 2017, selling them items that she falsely said were hers.
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Arrest Made After Standoff
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a man arrested after a nearly four-hour standoff at an apartment complex in eastern Des Moines.
Police say 25-year-old Troy Ruggles is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and two counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for Ruggles, who lives in Des Moines.
Police say officers responding to reports of gunfire shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday found a man later identified as Ruggles on a second-floor balcony. Police say he fired at officers, and two officers returned fire before he retreated inside an apartment.
Ruggles was arrested without incident nearly four hours after police arrived. He was alone in the apartment.
No injuries have been reported.
