City Council Discusses Traffic On Business Highway 75
(Le Mars) — The intersection of Business Highway 75 and 18th Street, along with the entire Business Highway 75 corridor stretching from 24th Street to the Dairy Queen corner was discussed again during the recent Le Mars city council meeting. City Administrator, Jason Vacura informed the council the
Public Safety Committee recently met and determined two radar speed signs would be posted in the area that will display the speed of the traffic.
Vacura says based upon accident data provided by Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte, there has not been an increase of accidents at the intersection in question.
Vacura informed the council of the police department’s recommendation, at least during the short-term.
The city administrator told the city council that Police Chief Vande Vegte had further sub-divided as to the time that most of the accidents had occurred at the intersection of Business Highway 75 and 18th Street Southwest.
Vacura says before the city decides to do anything with the intersection, a traffic study may be needed. Vacura and Public Works superintendent Scott Kniep informed the council that such a study could cost in the range between eight and 15-thousand dollars. Kniep says there may be some cost sharing available for a traffic control light through the Iowa Department of
Transportation. Councilman Clark Goodchild asked if it would be more appropriate to designate a specific truck route beginning on 24th Street southwest near Lamberts Lumber. Goodchild further mentioned, “Trucks going into the industrial area is not the problem. Its the trucks leaving the industrial area that is our problem.” Vacura reminded the city council that since the
intersection is close in proximity to the start of the municipal airport’s runway, the Federal Aviation Administration would also need to give their approval before any action for traffic signal lights could be installed.
Richard and Angela Buman Named Chamber “Employees Of The Year”
(Le Mars) — Two Hy Vee employees were honored Wednsday during the Chamber of Commerce weekly coffee hosted by Hy Vee. Richard and Angela Buman of Le Mars were given the recognition of “Employees of the Month.” The husband and wife pair were nominated by store manager Randy Ritt and the staff of Hy Vee. Both Richard and Angela do an amazing job for Hy Vee and they truly exemplify the “Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” slogan. They are both very involved with community organizations like the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce as Ambassadors, and other Chamber events, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Pioneer Village, school groups, Plymouth County Fair events, church groups and many
more. The Bumans have decided to start the next chapter in their lives and will be leaving Le Mars at the end of February. Th Bumans will own and operate a restaurant located at Harlan, Iowa. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they have don for Hy Vee and the entire community of Le Mars. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Richard and Angela Buman as the February 2020 Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Employees of the Month. After accepting the plaque, Richard Buman informed the gathering at the weekly Chamber Coffee, the restaurant of which the Buman’s have purchased, was the site for his and wife Angela’s first date.
Richard and Angela Buman (center) of Le Mars and both employees of the Le Mars Hy Vee store were honored with the Chamber of Commerce “Employees of the Month” during the weekly Chamber Coffee event hosted by Hy Vee. Store manager, Randy Ritt (far left) and Chamber representative, Kevin Eekhoff (far right) share their congratulations. The Bumans will be leaving Le Mars and will move to Harlan, Iowa to own and operate a restaurant.
Driver Has Accident As A Result Of A Medical Condition
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office responded to a one-vehicle accident that happened Tuesday afternoon at about 2:45 p.m. 74-year old John Bunch of Sioux City was traveling north on County Road K-22 in his GMC Sierra pickup when he suffered some type of medical condition which caused him to lose control of his vehicle. He initially had swerved to the west, crossing the center line. An on-coming vehicle then swerved to the east on to the road’s shoulder to miss the first vehicle, but struck a “No Passing Zone” sign. The second vehicle ended up in the ditch, while the Bunch vehicle hit a field drive and went airborne, landing in the ditch. Bunch was transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars by the Merrill Ambulance.
Former State Representative Ralph Klemme To Give Announcement With Iowa 4th District Congressman, Steve King
(Wall Lake) — Republican Iowa Congressman, Steve King and former State Representative Ralph Klemme invite area residents to a meet and greet at the lower level of the American Bank in Le Mars on Friday, February 21st at 3:30 p.m. Former State Representative Klemme will be making an announcement about the 4th District Congressional race. Ralph Klemme served in the Iowa House from 1992 to 2004. King and Klemme served together while Congressman King was an Iowa State Senator from 1996 to 2002.
King Sends Letter To President Trump Requesting Action For Ethanol
(Washington D.C.) — Iowa Republican Congressman, Steve King, a member of the Congressional Biofuel Caucus, has sent a letter to President Trump requesting the President to “make a declarative statement that a minimum of 15 billion gallons will be blended annually and that all gallons actually waived will be annually recaptured under the Renewable Fuels Standard. The letter was prompted by both the Environmental Protection Agencies use of small refinery exemptions to undermine the volume requirements contained in the Renewable Fuels Standard, and also the failure of that agency to guarantee that 15 billion gallons of ethanol will be blended under the Renewable Volume Obligation rule the have announced for 2020. The EPA’s failure to enforce the volume requirements has led to an unfair advantage for petroleum, and “cumulatively, these exempted gallons frustrate the intent of the RFS, thereby compromising the livelihood of our nation’s farmers and the ability of our citizens to obtain the cleaner, efficient fuel that they increasingly demand.
King has introduced two bills that contain recapture provisions, and King reminds President Trump that “the foundation of the objective: announced after the September 12th Oval Office meeting, was “to ensure that at least 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuels are blended, accounting for waivers by using a three-year rolling average of actual volumes waived by SRE’s. A core deficiency of the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced rule is that “it does not rely on actual volumes waived by SRE’s in order to account for waivers, but instead relies on the recommendation of the Department of Energy.
Auto Dealer Placed On Probation For Fraud
DENISON, Iowa (AP) – A man who’d operated a vehicle dealership in western Iowa has been fined and placed on probation for fraudulent sales practices.
Crawford County court records say 59-year-old Robert Adams pleaded guilty Tuesday before being fined $750 and given a deferred judgment and three years of probation. Under a deferred judgment, his conviction could be removed from his record if he were to successfully complete the terms of his
probation. Prosecutors dropped several other charges in return for Adams’ plea. Customers say Adams didn’t forward to the appropriate agencies or entities money paid for title transfers and warranty contracts and protection plans.
Man Killed From Building Collapse Has Been Identified
REMBRANDT, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of an employee killed when equipment collapsed inside a barn in northwest Iowa. Buena Vista County authorities say a structural failure early Friday morning at the Rembrandt Foods facility just east of Rembrandt caused a catastrophic collapse of equipment inside the building. The victim had been working inside. He’s been identified as Humberto Jesus Lopez, who lived in Worthington, Minnesota. A search for him was suspended Friday evening because of safety concerns for rescue workers. Authorities say the search resumed Saturday, and his body was recovered around 2 p.m.
Dubuque City Council Approves Dock For River Touring Boats
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – The Dubuque City Council has approved an agreement to split the nearly $1.8 million cost of building a dock so Mississippi River cruise ships could stop and let off passengers to explore the city. The 20-year agreement with Viking Cruises passed by the council Monday calls for
the dock to be built near Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark. The Telegraph Herald reports that Viking also would pay the city $1 for each passenger on the boats that dock in Dubuque. The money will help pay for maintenance and operational fees. Viking plans to begin the cruises in June 2022.
Davenport Business Owner Sentenced For Tax Evasion
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – A Davenport business owner has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for tax crimes. Federal court records say Jonathan Folker also was ordered at his sentencing Thursday in Davenport to pay restitution of nearly $257,000. He’d pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion and one of filing a false tax return. A plea agreement says Folker didn’t file individual returns for 2001 through 2011 or 2013 through 2017. It says that when he filed a return for 2012, he reported less income than he earned. The agreement also says Folker didn’t file some returns for his company, Nerdwerx.
Trial To Begin Involving Death Of Motorcycle Passenger
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – An April 14 trial start has been scheduled for a Dubuque man charged with the crash death of his motorcycle passenger.
Dubuque County court records say Shannon Katka pleaded not guilty Monday to vehicular homicide while under the influence. Investigators have said Katka was driving the motorcycle the night of Aug. 29 in Dubuque when he lost control on a highway entrance ramp and crashed. His passenger was thrown
from the bike and died at the scene. She’s been identified as 43-year-old Shelly Brenke. Police say a blood sample taken at a hospital showed Katka’s blood alcohol level was well above the legal limit to drive.
