School Officials Schedule Alternative Date For Graduation Ceremonies
(Le Mars) — School officials with Le Mars Community School District are hoping for a second date will work for commencement graduation ceremonies.
In a letter addressed to families of graduating seniors, School
Superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner says, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to make many difficult decisions regarding the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This, unfortunately, also includes our normally scheduled graduation
activities on May 17. This letter is to inform you that the Le Mars
Community High School is postponing the 2020 commencement ceremony date to June 14, 2020. At least one week prior to June 14, we will reassess the situation and notify you if the ceremony will proceed based on guidance from Iowa and Plymouth County Public Health Departments. Should we not be able to
provide a traditional graduation ceremony on June 14th, the “live” graduation ceremony will be cancelled and we will move to a “virtual” ceremony on the same date, where graduates will have the opportunity to receive their diploma, wearing their caps and gowns, during an individually scheduled time at the school.
Again, this is not how any of us wanted to end the school year. Commencement is one of the greatest days of the year for senior students, their families, and for a proud school district. However, we must implement very safe coronavirus mitigation practices in order to protect students, staff, families, and the community. We will do the best we can with what we are given to provide the seniors with commencement exercises. Dr. Iverson, LCHS
Principal will be providing further details regarding commencement. Please stay safe.
In a separate letter addressed to high school families, Dr. Steven Webner, the school’s superintendent indicated the annual prom festivities would be cancelled for this year. Webner writes: “As you may know, Governor Kim Reynolds announced on April 17, 2020 that all Iowa schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year. Many important events around the state,
within the community of Le Mars, and activities at Le Mars Community Schools, are being cancelled in efforts to mitigate the coronavirus. At Le Mars Community, our top priority is making sure our students and community are safe and healthy. As a result, the Le Mars Community High School 2020 Prom
has been cancelled. We understand that this will be disappointing to many students and families, and we agree. However, we must take these actions to decrease the impact of the life-threatening coronavirus (COVID-19) within our community. Thank you for your cooperation.
Dr. Steve Webner, Superintendent
Gehlen Catholic has not yet scheduled an alternative date for their commencement or prom ceremonies.
Akron Fire Department Called To A Shed Fire
(Akron) — Akron Fire Department was called to a shed that had caught on fire at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday evening. The fire was located at 20513 County Road C-38 approximately ten miles west of Le Mars. Akron Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Small says he isn’t certain as to what initially ignited the fire.
Prior to arriving at the scene, the Akron fire official says a one hundred pound cylinder propane tank near the burning shed had exploded. Small says due to the extreme dry conditions, the fire had quickly spread to a nearby ditch creating a grass fire.
Akron battled the blaze with their engine plus three pickup trucks grass rigs to contain the spreading flames. The Le Mars Fire Department was requested to respond and provide mutual aid with two tankers for additional water and manpower.
Small says he isn’t certain as to the estimate of damage as a result of the fire. He says the shed did contain several antique auto parts which is now lost.
Le Mars Police Arrest Two Individuals On Various Charges
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Police have arrested two individuals on various charges from burglary to possession of a fire arm and criminal mischief. The arrest was made Tuesday evening, April 21st at about 12:22 a.m. when officers located two individuals walking eastbound at the 300 block of Plymouth Street
Southwest. The individuals matched the description of two people caught on home security cameras video committing various crimes. Between April 19th and April 21st, the Le Mars Police Department received reports of several burglaries to motor vehicles, theft of a firearm, damages to personal property and damage to motor vehicles. The individuals arrested have been
identified as 18-year old Dawson Miller of Le Mars, and a 17 year old male juvenile. Miller was transported to the Plymouth County Jail and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, two counts of burglary in the 3rd degree, criminal mischief in the 5th degree, theft in the 4th degree, and transferring a firearm to a person under the age of 21. The 17-year old juvenile male was transported to the YES Center in Cherokee and was charged
with possession of a stolen firearm, two counts of burglary in the 3rd degree, criminal mischief in both the 3rd and 5th degrees. The investigation continues.
Credit Unions Propose Merger
(Sioux City) — Two regional credit unions are proposing a merger. Siouxland Federal Credit Union with locations in Sioux City, Iowa, South Sioux City, Nebraska and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota and N.W. Iowa Credit Union in Le Mars, Iowa have announced a merger, pending member approval. Merging the two organizations will result in a merged credit union with approximately $245 million in assets and approximately 24,000 members.
The Board of Directors of N.W. Iowa Credit Union and management support this merger. The merger must have the approval of a majority of the members of NWICU who vote for the proposal. All ballots are due by close of the business
day on June 25, 2020, with the intentions to merge on July 1.
The proposed merger combines two established entities that share similar values and commitment to personalized service and financial empowerment to our members. By combining these two organizations, the Continuing Credit Union will be in a strong competitive position to offer members even greater value and will benefit members, the community, and its employees for the long term.
All accounts will continue to be Federally Insured though National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF).
Bridge To Be Closed To Traffic While During Construction
(Le Mars) — Road construction is scheduled to start again for the bridge located on County Road C-44, just east of Merrill, which means the bridge will again be closed. According to a news release from the Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department, the bridge will close on Monday, April 27th beginning at 8:00 a.m. and will remain closed until Friday, May 22nd. County
road officials say the bridge will be closed in order to pour the approach paving, install guardrail, and resurface the roadway.
Reynolds Says Iowans Are Immediately Responding To Assessment Tests
(Des Moines) — Just one day after introducing a new testing and assessment program called “TestIowa.com” Governor Kim Reynolds on Wednesday announced several thousand Iowans have already gone on-line to take the assessment.
During Wednesday’s daily news briefing she also talked about some new testing locations being scheduled for drive through testing, especially for first responders.
Reynolds suggests people to take the assessments more than once, especially if you have been around people that have been found to have a positive case of coronavirus. To qualify to be tested you must either have symptoms, interacted with someone who’s already tested positive for COVID-19, or been in a virus “hot spot” like New Orleans or Chicago.
Health Official Says There Are Lessons To Be Learned From COVID-19
(Des Moines) — COVID-19 has been around for a little more than a month, and according to Sarah Reisetter, the Deputy Director with the Iowa Public Health Department, health officials are learning something new about the virus each and every day. Reisetter talks about the different types of testing.
However, she says there are still many things we don’t know about the coronavirus.
Secretary Of State Paul Pate Urges People To Cast Absentee Ballots
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says voters can avoid the risk of spreading COVID-19 by voting absentee starting today (Thursday).
Pate says voting from home is the safest way to cast a ballot. Pate’s office has sent absentee ballot request forms to every registered voter in Iowa.
You should get yours next week. Using the pre-paid postage provided, you have until May 22nd at 5:00 p-m to return your absentee ballot to your county auditor’s office. The in-person absentee voting period starts May 4th.
One Person Rescued From Ankeny Apartment Fire
(Ankeny, IA) — One injured person was rescued from a burning apartment in Ankeny Wednesday afternoon. Fire crews were called to the scene at about 4:45 p-m. The injured person was taken to a hospital. Authorities haven’t released the victim’s name or said how severe the injuries were. Four neighboring fire departments joined Ankeny firefighters in knocking down the
flames.
Conviction In Eastern Iowa Scam Sends Romanian Man To Prison
(Davenport, IA) — A man from Romania has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a scam in eastern Iowa. Information in his plea agreement shows 21-year-old Romica Martuica entered the U-S illegally in 2016 and was arrested in Hiawatha in 2019 along with two other people. The three had more
than 90 counterfeit credit and debit cards on them. The cards had account information that had been acquired by using card skimmers on A-T-Ms. Martuica used fake cards more than 70 times and withdrew around 86-hundred dollars before the police caught him. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in
prison and ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
