County Board Of Supervisors Now Agree To Close Courthouse
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have agreed to have the Plymouth County Courthouse and Annex be closed to the public. Until further notice, the Plymouth County Courthouse and Annex Building will be closed to the public for entrance into the building beginning at noon today, Thursday,
March 19th, 2020.
Many of the county government services can be conducted with Plymouth County online. For a full list of services available to you online please visit: www.co.plymouth.ia.us County Department email addresses are also available on the county website.
If residents are unable to complete county business online, please contact any of the County Offices via telephone and staff will be happy to assist.
Please use the mail system to send payments and documents if at all possible.
There is a drop box in the north lower vestibule of the Courthouse that is available. The north lower vestibule will be open from 8 am to 5 pm for access to the secure drop box and monitored by security at all times.
If, as a last resort, residents need to conduct essential county business in person at the Plymouth County Courthouse or Annex building, please call or email the respective department, and arrangements for an appointment may possibly be made.
Although, closing the courthouse to the public is an unprecedented decision, all residents must work together as a whole community to protect those most vulnerable to this outbreak and take all precautions possible to slow the
spread in our communities. The county board of supervisors wishes to thank the county residents for making these necessary accommodations.
Treasurer’s Office Will Now Be Closed
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Treasurer, Shelly Sitzmann has announced the Plymouth County Treasurer’s office will close to the public Thursday, March 19 at noon until further notice due to Covid-19 concerns. The office will continue to process property tax payments and motor vehicle transactions at this time, but customers will be required to conduct their transactions
through the mail, online at www.iowatreasurers.org, or by using the drop box in the lower level entryway of the Plymouth County Courthouse.
Sitzmann says property taxes are still due now and will be considered delinquent April 1st. Customers who choose to pay by mail should send payments to 215 4th Ave SE, Le Mars and mail must be postmarked by March 31st to avoid penalty.
Customers can drop off property tax payments or motor vehicle registration renewals at the courthouse in the dropbox located in the lower level entryway from 8:00 – 5:00, Monday through Friday.
Customers paying online can visit www.iowatreasurers.org. Paying by e-check or credit card are 2 convenient options. Echeck costs $.25, while a card is a fee of 2.25%.
Online payments for property tax or motor vehicle will require a receipt number or PIN that is included on the respective billing statement.
Treasurer’s staff will be available to assist with transactions, including finding your Receipt number or PIN. Property tax staff can be reached at 546-7056. Motor Vehicle staff can be reached at 546-7078.
The Driver’s License office is closed to the public. If your driver’s license has an expiration date of January 16, 2020 or later, you do not have to renew your license at this time. It will remain valid until the declared disaster is lifted.
If your vehicle registration expired January 16, 2020 or after, it will be considered valid until the declared disaster has ended.
If you purchase or transfer a vehicle, you will not be required to obtain a title and registration within 30 days. This will remain in effect until the declared disaster is over.
If you purchase a vehicle from a dealer, you will not be required to obtain license plates within 45 days. This will remain in effect until the declared disaster is over.
Craig Residents Urged To Vote By Absentee Ballot
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Auditor, Stacey Feldman, is urging Craig residents to vote by absentee ballot through the postal mail for the special election for a new city council member. Feldman says, at this time, the City of Craig Special Election to elect a city council member, is still being held
on Tuesday, March 31st, 2020 from 7 am to 8 pm at the Craig City Hall.
However, the date and time could possibly change, as the COVID-19 virus is still a very serious and fluid situation. As required by law, a voting precinct must be available in the City of Craig on election day, for new voters (election day registration voters) or anyone who was unable to absentee vote prior to election day. Due to the attempt to stop the spread
of COVID-19 the Iowa Secretary of State has granted the Auditor’s office permission to extend the deadline to mail out absentee ballots to voters to March 27th, 2020. This extension will allow for more days to facilitate voters of the City of Craig to return this absentee ballot request form to the Auditor’s office by mail and for more days for an absentee ballot to be mailed to Craig residents. To reiterate, the last day the Plymouth County
Auditor’s office can mail out an absentee a ballot is March 27th, 2020.
An absentee ballot must be postmarked on or before Monday, March 30th, in order for your ballot to count.
Iowa Department Of Public Health Reports Additional COVID-19 Cases
(Des Moines) — The number of cases in Iowa testing positive for COVID-19, the coronavirus, is now at 38. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, nine more people have the virus. Three individuals are residents of Johnson County, two are residents of Polk County, two are residents of Dallas County, one is from Washington County, and one is a resident of Winneshiek County. The Iowa Department of
Public Health has established a public hotline for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. Governor Reynolds will hold another news conference today to update the coronavirus situation.
University Employees May Be Extended Additional Sick Time
(Iowa City) — Employees at Iowa’s public universities may get an additional 80 hours of paid sick leave under an emergency measure to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Board of Regents President Mike Richards used his new emergency powers to authorize the universities and special schools to provide the extra leave.
University Students Will Continue To Study Via On-line Services
U-S Senate Approves COVID-19 Funding Bill
(Washington) — U-S Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa told news reporters Wednesday that Congress and the Senate are working feverishly to come up with an economic stimulus package to offer help to small businesses forced to close and adversely affected by the spread of the coronavirus. Ernst says
elected government officials are looking at many ways to help.
Ernst says the Senate is attacking the situation in different phases.
According to Ernst, the bill will provide a 100 percent tax credit to those employees that are away from work, either due to being infected with the virus, or for parents needing to miss work by staying home with their children. The Iowa Senator says the bill also provides funding for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. Ernst says when the phase two of the bill is approved, she will be pushing for a phase three.
Ernst says child care centers, like other small businesses, may also need some financial assistance in order to continue doing business. Ernst says it is also important for our grocery stores and supermarkets to be adequately supplied with food, and to keep the supply chain moving.
Ernst says it will take everyone’s part to control the spread of the
coronavirus, and she urges Iowans to take the situation seriously.
Drunk Officer Fired
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The civil service commission in Cedar Rapids has upheld the firing of a police officer who’d pleaded guilty to drunken driving. The Gazette reports that the commission Monday affirmed the firing of 29-year-old Austin Mensen. Police Chief Wayne Jerman fired Mensen on Sept. 24 last year. Anamosa police arrested Mensen early in the morning of May 27 last year, and he later pleaded guilty to drunken driving, second offense. Mensen’s attorney says Mensen had diagnosed, work-related disabilities from responding to shootings. He says Mensen is weighing further action.
Catholic Priest Is Suspended
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Roman Catholic college in Iowa has suspended a longtime priest and faculty member after church officials received an allegation of sexual misconduct dating to the 1990s. St. Ambrose University in Davenport said that it was recently made aware of the complaint against the Rev. Robert “Bud” Grant and is taking the report seriously. The school said the suspension would last until the outcome of an investigation by the Diocese of Des Moines. Grant has been temporarily removed as the sacramental minister at St. Andrew Church in Blue Grass. Grant hasn’t responded to messages left at his work phone and email address seeking comment.
Food Banks Anticipate Huge Demand For Food
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Food banks and pantries across the U.S. are scrambling to meet an expected surge in demand as the coronavirus causes many people to at least temporarily lose their jobs. This is happening even as older volunteers have been told to stay home. Also, calls for social distancing are complicating efforts to package and distribute food. Pantries are shifting from letting people select items to giving them a sack filled with food to limit interaction and lessen the chance of passing along the virus. Officials say it makes them less efficient, but they don’t have better options.
Drake Relays Postponed
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Drake Relays that had been scheduled for April in Des Moines have been indefinitely postponed because of the virus outbreak. Drake University said Wednesday that organizers made the decision to protect the “health, safety and well-being” of participants and fans amid concerns about the coronavirus. The track and field event was scheduled for April 22-25, primarily at Drake Stadium. The postponement includes related activities, such as the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, Grand Blue Mile and Drake Road Races. Organizers said they would work with local, state and national officials to reschedule the event when it’s safe for all participants.
Pella Cancels Tulip Time Festival
(Pella) — Pella’s three-day “Tulip Time” festival in early May has been cancelled. The annual festival, which started in 1935, has only been cancelled once before, back in 1946. Valerie Van Kooten (KOH-ten) is executive director of the Pella Historical Society and Museums.
“It is disappointing,” she says, “and it was the product of a couple of weeks of meetings and talking and watching.” She says after the warnings about group gatherings from the Centers for Disease Control and the Iowa Department of Public Health, cancelling was the right decision for Pella residents as well as the volunteers, visitors and vendors who would be involved in Tulip Time activities. Cindi Atkins, chair of the event’s steering committee, says with this advance notice, vendors may be able to cancel purchases of the food and other items they’d hoped to sell during Tulip Time.
“That might potentially reduce the amount of money they will lose,” she says, “although it’s going to be a financial hardship for so many.” She is encouraging residents in the Pella area to shop local and support the churches and non-profit groups in the area that depend on Tulip Time revenue. The annual springtime celebration of Dutch culture HAD been scheduled for May 7th, 8th and 9th this year. In 2017, a record-breaking crowd of 200-thousand visited Pella during the festival’s three-day run.
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Des Moines Man Charged With Killing His Mother
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police have arrested a man in the death of his mother, whose body was found earlier that day in her home. Police charged 32-year-old Christopher W. Thompson, of Des Moines, with first-degree murder in the death of 50-year-old Paula Thompson. Officers were called to the Des Moines home around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check on a resident. Officers found the woman dead and police later said she had been killed Friday after arguing with her son. Police announced they were searching for Christopher Thompson, who then presented himself at the Polk County Jail and was taken to the police department. He was charged after being interviewed by detectives.
