Museum To Sell Produce As A Fund Raiser
(Le Mars) — “Grow the Museum,” a garden produce stand, will open at the Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars Monday, July 27, and remain open all week as a fund-raiser for the Museum.
The garden produce stand on the Museum’s south lawn is a substitute for the Country Store that is closed this year on the fairgrounds, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The stand will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day during fair week, Monday, July 27, to Saturday, Aug. 1, on the Museum’s south lawn.
Anyone willing to donate garden produce to the Museum should call 546-7002 prior to July 27 and make arrangements to deliver the produce to the Museum during the week of sales. All proceeds will go to the Museum.
Customers will be able to park near the produce stand for curbside service and are encouraged to remain in their vehicles.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair has been cancelled, but 4-H and FFA youth will be participating in the 2020 Gold and Clover Class Schedule on the fairgrounds July 27 to Aug. 1.
The Museum, located at 335 First Avenue Southwest in Le Mars, will offer a variety of produce, including locally raised sweet corn, donated for many years to the Country Store by the Lynn Buss family. All proceeds will go to the Museum.
The Plymouth County Historical Museum remains closed to visitors due to the pandemic.
Census Workers Will Begin Canvassing Neighborhoods To Collect Census Data
(Le Mars) — Every ten years the U-S government conducts a census of the nation’s population. Census officials say in the coming weeks, census workers will be going door-to-door to collect information from those people that hadn’t responded to the census questionnaire. Greg Smidt serves as the
city’s liaison officer with the U-S Census. He says overall, Iowans, and residents of Plymouth County and Le Mars have done a good job of responding to the census report.
Smidt says of those that have already responded to the census survey, most did so on-line.
Smidt says the goal is to have every one counted for a 100 percent return rate. The census liaison officer says it is still not too late to complete the 2020 census report and either submit it online, or mail it. He says it is important for people to complete the census as it helps determine future federal funding to our community and region.
In addition to allocating future funding, Smidt says the census is used to help determine government representation.
Smidt says census workers will be canvasing the area to visit with residents that have not yet completed the census questionnaire. He says that information stays with only the census agency, and is not shared with other government entities.
Smidt says census workers will be wearing proper identification establishing they are gathering information for the U-S census. In the era of COVID-19 concerns, Smidt says people may be able to share the information by telling the census worker through their door.
Restaurant Industry Asks For More Regulations During COVID-19 Era
(Des Moines) — Governor Kim Reynolds has extended her public health emergency proclamation that requires social distancing measures for businesses and other establishments for another month. The extension comes as the President of the Iowa Restaurant Association is calling out establishments that aren’t in compliance. Jessica Dunker says 99 percent of the 63-hundred bars and restaurants follow the protocols — and many go above and beyond them.
Dunker says there also needs to be more enforcement for those not following the temporary regulations.
She says Iowa can’t handle setbacks that have happened in other states.
She says an outbreak of COVID-19 caused by a restaurant that is not following the rules could impact every establishment in the state.
Dunker says they are working with customers to ensure that everyone can follow the guidelines.
The proclamation had been set to expire Saturday, and will now expire August 23rd. The measure covers bars and restaurants, gyms, casinos, salons, theaters, along with doctor and dentist visits.
Reynolds Extends Public Health Emergency Proclamation For 30 Days
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds signed a new proclamation today continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency for another 30 days (Friday).
The move extends COVID-19 mitigation measures already in place for Iowa businesses. They include six feet of distance between tables or patrons in bars and restaurants, and that operators maintain increased hygiene practices. Social distancing and other measures to reduce the risk of transmission remains in place for gyms, casinos, salons and theaters. One provision not extended will require retailers to resume accepting empty cans
and bottles on Sunday. The new proclamation is in effect until August 23rd.
451 New COVID-19 Cases in Iowa, 5 Additional Deaths
(Des Moines, IA) — State health officials are reporting 451 new positive COVID-19 tests, increasing the total to 40-thousand-960 cases since the start of the pandemic. Five more Iowans have died from the coronavirus, which increases the state’s death toll to 820. Two-hundred-30 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, 72 patients are in intensive care and 27 are on ventilators. The Iowa Department of Public Health says 29-thousand-148 are
considered recovered. There are currently 21 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.
Victim in Pleasant Hill Shooting Dies in Hospital
(Pleasant Hill, IA) — Pleasant Hill police say a 25-year-old woman who was in critical condition after being shot in the head early Thursday has died.
Bethany Castro of Des Moines died at the hospital and charges against 32-year-old Phillip Koromah of Pleasant Hill have been upgraded to first-degree murder. Officers say they found Koromah driving at an excessive speed away from the location. He is also facing first-degree robbery and several other charges.
Iowa High School Football Season Adjusted To Deal With COVID
(Boone, IA) — The Iowa High School Athletic Association has approved a shortened scheduled for the upcoming football season. The plan features a seven game regular season with all teams qualifying for the playoffs. I-H-S-A-A spokesman Chris Cuellar says they learned from the baseball season that they had to offer flexibility due to the pandemic and the nine-game schedule they had planned was not feasible with all the travel. Cuellar says under the plan a team’s postseason hopes won’t be ended by a positive test. Practice is still set to begin August 10th and the first Friday of the regular season will be August 28th.
Dry Conditions Worsen For Western Iowa
(Des Moines) — A new map from the National Drought Mitigation Center shows dry conditions worsening in western and central Iowa. State climatologist
Justin Glisan says 15 counties are now in what’s considered severe drought.
Glisan says he’s constantly asked about when and if any significant rainfall is coming to Iowa.
Glisan says he remains hopeful the situation may change soon.
A very hot weekend is ahead but the forecast calls for the chance of rain Sunday night, moving into Monday. Severe drought is shown in part or all of these 15 counties: Adair, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Dallas, Greene, Guthrie, Madison, Polk, Sac, Shelby, Story and Webster.
