Street Department To Close 3rd Avenue S.E.
(Le Mars) — Le Mars City Street Department has closed a section of 3rd Avenue Southeast, just south of 12th Street Southeast near the outdoor swimming pool and Rejoice Community Church, for some street repairs. Scott Kneip, the superintendent for the city’s public works department anticipates the street closure will last a week.
County Supervisors To Visit With Pride Group About Sale Of Facilities
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will hear from Joe Stnesifer to review a parcel split for a minor subdivision when they convene for their weekly meeting scheduled for today at 9:30 a.m. at the County Courthouse Boardroom. The county governing board will also hear from Pride Group’s C-E-O, Sarah Jackson, as Pride Group discussed purchasing the Residential Care Facility currently owned by the county. County Engineer Tom Rohe will submit contracts for sealing coat projects for county roads. Rohe will also submit for approval a construction permit by MidAmerican Energy for American township.
City Council To Discuss COVID-19 Emergency Government Fund
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council will discuss only one action item featured on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. The action item deals with the Iowa COVID-19 Local Government Relief Fund. The funds are to be used by local governments for direct expenses incurred in response to the COVID-19 emergency. For federally eligible costs, there is a 75 percent federal and 25 percent local cost share with the state covering the local share. The city administration is recommending approval on the measure.
Knights Of Columbus To Hold Annual Phone-A-Thon For Life Skills
(Le Mars) — The Knights of Columbus chapters of Plymouth County will again be going to the phones on Wednesday to help raise money for the Life Skills Training Center. This marks the 40th year for the annual K-C Phone-a-thon. Shelly Thomson is the Marketing and Development Director with Life Skills Training Center and says in the past, Plymouth County residents have been very generous.
Thomson says the Knights of Columbus throughout the county will assist with the fund raising activity.
The Life Skills official talks about the other Plymouth County communities and their efforts assisting with the annual phone-a-thon.
Thomson says the Kingsley K-Cs usually write letters to those living within the Kingsley area asking for donations. Thomson says if you are unable to make a contribution on Wednesday, the day of the phone-a-thon, but wish to donate to Life Skills, donations can be made at area banks.
Another major fund raising event for Life Skills is the annual quilt auction that is normally held during the Plymouth County Fair, but this year, because of the COVID-19 virus, there wasn’t any fair. However, Life Skills was still able to conduct an auction by having it featured on-line. Thomson says the results were positive.
Thomson says this year, six long-time clients of Life Skills will serve as the honorary knights to the phone-a-thon. The Knights of Columbus 40th annual phone-a-thon for Life Skills Training Center is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 2nd.
North West REC To Hold “Member Appreciation Event”
(Le Mars) — Members of North West Rural Electric Cooperative of Plymouth County are reminded of the “Member Appreciation Picnic” scheduled for this evening beginning at 4:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds, and according to North West’s R-E-C executive director, Lyle Korver the event will be held outside to accomodate social distancing. Korver says the members will be served a meal until 6:30 p.m. and then “The Browns” musical family will perform and entertain the members.
Crops Begin To Mature With Drought Conditions
(Des Moines) — Continued dry conditions are accelerating the maturity of Iowa’s crops as harvest season will begin within a few weeks. The latest weekly crop condition report issued Monday shows corn at 95 percent in the dough stage or beyond, over two weeks ahead of the previous year, and six days ahead of the five-year average. Almost three-quarters of the state’s corn crop was in, or beyond, dent stage, over two weeks ahead of the previous year and one week ahead of average. The crop seems to be speeding towards maturity with 11 percent of the crop mature, 18 days ahead of last year and six days ahead of average. Corn is rated as 45 percent good to excellent, a drop of five percentage points from last week, and the lowest level since October of 2013. Soybeans setting pods were over two weeks ahead of last year, and four days ahead of average at 96 percent. 29 percent of the state’s soybean crop is already changing colors. That is the highest percentage of soybeans coloring by August 30th since 2012. Soybean condition fell again this week with the crop now rated as 50 percent good to excellent, the lowest level so far this season. One agriculture official is predicting harvest may begin within a couple of weeks, and it could be finished by late October.
No Change In Unemployment Rates
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa Workforce Development says the unemployment rates paid by businesses will remain unchanged in 2021. Businesses pay unemployment taxes into a trust fund so unemployment benefits can be paid out — and there was some question whether the increase in unemployment brought on by the pandemic would cost them more. I-W-D says the governor has put 490 million dollars of federal coronavirus relief money into the pool — and that will allow the rate to stay the same. I-W-D is required to set the new unemployment tax rate each year based on the trust fund balance at the end of the fiscal year June 30th.
Iowa City Vandals Use Spray Paint To Damage Structures
(Iowa City, IA) — Iowa City is reporting numerous public and private properties were vandalized with spray paint as part of ongoing protests in an around downtown Iowa City over the last three nights. A statement says city crews will be cleaning up graffiti on public property as time allows. It says many crews are currently assigned to storm recovery efforts. Private property owners, businesses, and residents can report damage to their property by calling the Iowa City Police at 319-356-6800. Anyone with information related to acts of vandalism can also contact the Iowa City Police Department.
ISU Will Allow Fans For Football
(Ames, IA) — Iowa State’s football team is playing this season and Athletic Director Jamie Pollard says they will allow only 25-thousand fans into the season opener against Louisiana on September 12th in Ames. Pollard says there will be no tailgating allowed and fans will be required to wear face coverings. Jack Trice Stadium will be mapped out to allow for social distancing. Pollard says if fans don’t follow the protocols set for the game – then the October fourth game against Oklahoma could be played without any fans allowed in.
Man Breaking Into Homes Shot To Death
(Palo, IA) — Authorities in Linn County say a man suspected of breaking into homes was shot to death shortly before 3:00 a-m Monday. Several people had called 9-1-1 saying a man had tried to get into their homes. Deputies were responding to the emergency calls when another caller reported a man had broken into a home and threatened the people inside – before the homeowner shot him to death. No names have been released. Emergency responders weren’t able to save the suspect and he died before he could be taken to a hospital.
Democrat Party Files Counter Lawsuit In Ballot Cases
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Democratic Party is filing a lawsuit seeking to overturn the rulings in Woodbury and Linn Counties in favor of the Republican Party and the Trump campaign. The ruling said absentee ballot forms violated a state order because voter I-D numbers were included — and the secretary of state had ordered all forms to be blank. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Mark Smith spoke about the lawsuit in an online news conference. “The Iowa Democratic Party and our partners are fighting back against these voter suppression tactics,” Smith says. Johnson County also sent out the same type of ballots and the G-O-P lawsuit challenging them will be heard next week.
Kaynye West Will Be On 2020 Ballot
(Des Moines, IA) — A three-member panel has dismissed objections to Musician Kanye West’s name being included on the Iowa ballot as a 2020 presidential candidate. The decision was made by Republican Secretary of State Paul Pate, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, and Democrat State Auditor Rob Sand. The panel dismissed questions of whether 19 of the signatures on West’s petitions were valid because West had more than enough signatures to qualify even if those signatures were not counted. The group dismissed a second complaint asserting West was required to disclose he’s a registered Republican on his nominating petitions.
