Le Mars Police Involved With A High Speed Motorcycle Chase
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Police were involved with a high speed motorcycle chase last evening (Thursday). The incident began shortly before midnight at around 11:44 p.m. when officers were called to the 10 block of Central Avenue to investigate an intoxicated man making threatening statements. As officers
arrived on scene, the male subject who was later identified as Christopher “CJ” Ulrich, fled on his motorcycle at an extremely high rate of speed going southbound on Central Avenue. After a brief pursuit, Ulrich stopped the motorcycle east of county road K-49 on 220th Street in rural Le Mars. While officers were approaching the motorcycle, Ulrich was seen reaching into his
leather vest. As Ulrich was ordered to dismount the motorcycle, a brief violent struggle ensued as Ulrich produced a small caliber handgun from his vest. Officers were successful at disarming Ulrich and rendered the incident safe. Officers then transported Ulrich to the Plymouth County Jail, where he was charged with O-W-I, second offense, aggravated misdemeanor; carrying a
concealed firearm without a permit, an aggravated misdemeanor; possession of methamphetamine, also an aggravated misdemeanor; assault on a police officer
(three counts), a class D felony; eluding while intoxicated and in possession of a controlled substance, also a class D felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia, a simple misdemeanor. Ulrich was also cited for traffic offenses, failing to obey stop signs. The investigation of this incident is ongoing with the possibility of additional charges. Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.
Christopher “CJ” Ulrich
Floyd Valley Scores High In Another National Survey
(Le Mars, IA) — Floyd Valley Community Health (FVCH) was recently recognized as a 2019 Premier Performer by SHPBest. This is the fourth consecutive year that FVCH has received this honor and was one of just four programs to receive recognition this year.
The annual SHPBest™ program was created to acknowledge home health agencies that consistently provide high quality service to their patients. With the largest Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS®) benchmark in the nation, SHP is in a unique position to identify and recognize organizations that have made patient satisfaction a priority and have been rewarded for their efforts with high marks on the HHCAHPS survey.
SHPBest award recipients are determined by ranking the overall score for all SHP HHCAHPS clients. The providers that rank in the top 5% receive the Premier Performer award. In addition, all award recipients must have scored better than or equal to the SHP national average for the period for each of the 5 publicly reported domains.
Tara Geddes, Community Health Manager adds, “This recognition is a direct reflection of the care and compassion Floyd Valley Home Health staff demonstrate to our patients each and every day. Our staff is committed to ensuring our patients meet their individual goals while in the comfort of their own home. We are very proud to have received the Premier Performer award for patient experience for the fourth consecutive year and are grateful to have the privilege to provide high quality home health services to our community.”
Floyd Valley Community Health
FVCH is committed to making your home and community a healthier place to live. Clients can receive home health services such as nursing care and therapy in the convenience of their home. Homemaker services are also available to provide help with activities of daily living to allow clients to stay in their home independently and safely. More information can be found at FloydValley.org or by calling (712) 546-3335.
About Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP)
Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) is a leader in data analytics and benchmarking that drive daily clinical and operational decisions. Our solutions bring real-time data to post-acute providers, hospitals and ACOs to better coordinate quality care and improve patient outcomes. Since 1996, SHP has helped more than 6,500 organizations nationwide raise the bar for healthcare performance. For more information, visit www.SHPdata.com and follow SHP on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at @SHPdata.
State Fire Marshal Recommends Fireworks Safety Plan
(Des Moines, IA) — Some fireworks outlets are reporting increased sales as the number of Independence Day celebrations and fireworks shows dropped dramatically with concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. State Fire Marshal Dan Wood says if you decide to buy your own fireworks to celebrate —
you need to keep safety in mind. He says you should try to keep 300 feet away from buildings, have a fire extinguisher or garden hose there and be careful when lighting them. Wood says you should also make sure you understand what a firework does before setting it off. He says even simple products like sparklers can be dangerous – burning at up to two-thousand degrees. Local governments set the rules about if and when you can shoot off fireworks. Wood says you should check your local ordinances before shooting them off to see if they are allowed.
UI Health Care Reports Uptick in Employee COVID-19 Cases
(Iowa City, IA) — University of Iowa Health Care is seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases in employees as the numbers increase in Johnson County. Chief Medical Officer Doctor Theresa Brennan says there is no evidence the staff is getting the virus from patients, or that patients have gotten it from staff.
Workers that test positive are sent home to isolate until they have improved without the use of fever-reducing medicine. Brennan says cases in the staff reflect those cases in the community, which are mostly 18- to 25-year old people who went to large social gatherings. She says she’s concerned about
cases rising even more as people go out to celebrate the holiday weekend.
Brennan urges people to wear masks and social distance.
Grassley, Ernst Introduce RELIEF Act For Livestock, Poultry Producers
(Washington, DC) –– Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are co-sponsoring a bill that would provide aid to livestock and poultry producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation will provide support to producers who are faced with euthanizing their animals due to coronavirus, resources for animal health laboratories to develop solutions to emerging
disease and give additional authority to U-S-D-A to deal with removal and disposal of livestock for any public health emergency. Grassley said, “This bill will provide much-needed assistance to farmers who had to depopulate their livestock through no fault of their own.”
Dubuque Police Investigating Deadly Shooting
(Dubuque, IA) — Police in Dubuque are investigating a shooting that one person dead. Officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound Thursday night. The victim was taken to Mercy Hospital where he died. Investigators say they are searching for a suspect. The victim’s name hasn’t been
released. Police say there’s no on-going threat to the public.
