County Assessor Named Chamber’s “Boss Of The Quarter”
(Le Mars) — The latest honoree for the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce “Boss of the Quarter” was awarded to the Plymouth County Assessor. The award was presented to Jill Renken Wednesday morning at the county courthouse. Renken
has worked at the county assessor’s office for the last 30 years, first as the clerk for the office, then as Deputy Assessor, next came the position of Chief Deputy Assessor, and since 2016 as the Assessor. The nomination was submitted by all the staff members of the county assessor’s office. Jill has many qualities that make her a great candidate for boss of the quarter. She
shows dedication and is conscientious about her work by going the extra mile for inquiring tax payers. Her professionalism and kind personality is top notch even in the times of stressful situations. She is humble and treats others like she would like to be treated.
Jill treats her co-workers and employees with great respect. Her years of knowledge and dedication make the day to day questions and inquiries easy to solve. She is respected by her co-workers and employees due to her leadership skills, hard work, and dedication. She is truly a one of a kind boss that treats her employees like family. Our congratulations go to Jill
Renken for being named the Chamber of Commerce’s “Boss of the Quarter.”
November Is Hospice Awareness Month
(Le Mars) — November is Hospice Awareness Month, and a hospice representative says many people may have the wrong idea as to what hospice is, and what services hospice provides. Megan Juilfs is the Community Representative with Care Initiatives based at Sioux City. She says hospice
is to help both the patient and the family deal with a diagnosed terminal illness.
Juilfs explains how a patient can qualify and obtain hospice care.
Juilfs says once a patient is admitted for hospice care, then it becomes a team approach to offer the patient better quality of life as opposed to quantity of life.
The Care Initiatives representative says hospice is not just for the patient, but there are services offered for the patient’s family to better prepare for the final outcome.
A diagnosis of a terminal illness can be depressing for both the patient and the family. Juilfs says hospice tries to lift the spirits to help combat depression.
The community representative says a misconception that she once held was that all hospice care is the same, and she soon learned that is not always the case.
Juilfs says hospice is to make conditions more comfortable for patients.
Animal Rescue League Of Iowa Rescues 21 Dogs From Home
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials say more than two dozen animals have been removed from a feces-filled home of a hoarder in Des Moines.
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says it took 21 dogs and five cats and kittens from the house Tuesday. A news release says the animals were “crawling with fleas and reeking of urine.” Feces and trash were found all over the living space.
The release says the dogs’ nails were so overgrown it was impossible for them to walk comfortably, and at least six of the dogs “will need extensive behavioral rehabilitation before they’re ready for new homes.”
It’s unclear whether the person or people living with the animals
will face any criminal charges.
Amazon Announces It Will Have Delivery Station At Grimes
GRIMES, Iowa (AP) – Amazon has confirmed its plans to open a delivery station in the Des Moines suburb of Grimes.
The Des Moines Register reports that Amazon broke the news Wednesday in a news release. The “last mile” distribution site is expected to open in 2020. Such sites are the last stop from Amazon’s delivery centers to customers’ homes.
Amazon says the station will speed up deliveries for customers in
the Des Moines area and will create hundreds of part-time and full-time jobs starting at $15 an hour. Amazon has already been posting job some job openings for the delivery station.
Grimes Mayor Scott Mikkelsen says Amazon’s announcement shows the city’s “ability to provide a top-quality workplace and living environment.”
UPS To Hire 1000 Employees For The Holidays
(Des Moines) — Many Iowa employers are hiring seasonal workers who will help out through the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Jon Bowers, director of learning technology at United Parcel Service, says very few other employers in the state will be ramping up staffing quite like U-P-S.
U-P-S plans to hire more than 300 workers in Des Moines alone, most of whom will be based at the international airport location.
Depending on the job, pay ranges from 14 to 30-dollars an hour and there are part-time and full-time positions available.
Some of the seasonal jobs can extend well beyond the holidays. Bowers says 35-percent of the temporary workers go on the acquire permanent positions.
www.upsjobs.com
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Iowa City Office Manager Of Development Group Faces Federal Charges
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The former office manager of the Iowa City Area Development Group is facing federal charges for a 13-year theft scheme in which she misspent more than a half-million dollars.
Court documents filed Wednesday show that Sheri Jelinek is charged with seven counts of wire fraud.
A plea agreement signed earlier this month calls for Jelinek to
plead guilty to those charges, which each carry up to 20 years in prison.
It comes about five months after a state audit documented her
embezzlement from the nonprofit, which promotes workforce and economic development and is funded by local businesses.
A charging document alleges that Jelinek used the group’s money from 2004 to 2017 for more than 10,000 unauthorized purchases on its credit card that totaled $502,000. The charges were personal in nature and included a wide array of online shopping, groceries, insurance and more.
In the plea agreement, Jelinek admits only that her theft was more than $150,000 and the full amount will be determined by the court.
