Fire Department Announces Fire Prevention Week Breakfast To Be Cancelled This Year
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Schipper announced earlier this week during the Le Mars city council meeting that due to the concerns with COVID-19, there would not be any “Fire Prevention Week Breakfast” held this year. Normally, the firefighters would host a pancake and sausage
breakfast on the first Sunday in October to kick off the week calling attention to Fire Prevention Week. Schipper says although the event is not intentionally used to be a fund raiser, it generally has meant people have donated money. The Le Mars fire chief says those donations are used to cover expenses, that are not covered by the city budget, such as sending
firefighters to state training programs.
Pioneer Village Winter Wonderland Is Cancelled For 2020
(Le Mars) — Organizers of the Pioneer Village Christmas Wonderland have decided to cancel the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 virus. In a Thursday news release it states: “It is with our deepest regrets that we are going to postpone the 2020 Pioneer Village Christmas Wonderland until 2021. With the
Covid 19 going so strong yet in our community, we feel we can’t safely hold our village, it would be very difficult to manage all the aspects and meet all of the safety requirements. We had a board meeting the other night and decided the best and safest thing to do this year was just cancel the event for the 2020 year. Hopefully things will change by next year and we can have
a bigger and better event than ever.
Floyd Valley Issues Public Notice Regarding Trustee Vacancy
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Healthcare has issued a public notice regarding the vacancy of the board of trustees. Floyd Valley is looking for a dedicated individual to fill a temporary opening as a member of the Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees from January 2021 to December 2021. After that time, the individual could run for the position in the November 2021 election. If you would like to be considered for this position, please respond with your letter of interest by Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. Submit your letter either by mail to Dustin Wright, CEO – 714 Lincoln St. NE, Le Mars, or via email to dustin.wright@floydvalley.org.
The letter of interest should include the following information: name, contact information and brief description as to why you would like to serve as a Trustee. A Trustee does not have to be a resident of Le Mars, but must reside in the Floyd Valley Healthcare service area. The FVH Board of Trustees will consider the responses at their regularly scheduled meeting in October 2020. This 12 month appointment will begin January of 2021 and serve through December of 2021.
Dordt University Sees Record Enrollment
(Sioux Center) — Dordt University’s overall enrollment for the fall 2020 semester is 1,666 – the largest enrollment in the institution’s history. In addition to the largest total student enrollment ever, Dordt has its largest full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment ever, a measure of how many credits students are taking, at 1,467 students.
Dordt welcomed 397 freshmen to campus this fall, which is the second-largest incoming freshmen class in 10 years.
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
(Le Mars) — Today, (Friday) marks the end of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Northwest Iowa is fortunate to have several cross country over-the-road trucking firms, and here in Le Mars is the Schuster Trucking firm. Jeff Arens serves as the general manager for the Schuster Trucking company and says many people may not realize the economic impact that
Schuster has on the community. Arens says the local trucking firm started in the 1950’s with one truck owned by Orville Schuster.
Arens says Schuster’s has a line of nearly 1000 trailers as part of the fleet.
He says this year has been especially challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arens says Schuster’s is fortunate to be a hauler for many companies such as Wells Enterprises, Tyson’s and Bomgaars.
Arens says Schuster’s trucks travel throughout each of the 48 continental states and also into Canada, which can add up to a lot of miles.
The Schuster Trucking Company official says when traveling on the road, make certain you give trucks enough room, and to respect their speed and weight.
Arens says females make up about 10 percent of the drivers
Month Of August Deadly On Iowa Roads
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Transportations reports 51 people were killed in crashes on state roads during the month of August.
That’s the highest single-month total in 10 years – tying the number in August 2015. The Iowa State Patrol says it is still seeing an increase in the number of speeding tickets to drivers who were going more than 100 miles-an-hour. The spike in those types of tickets started during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. Troopers say drivers apparently thought less
traffic would mean less of a chance of getting caught. Iowa has recorded 228 traffic fatalities this year through the month of August.
Branstad To Help Republican Campaigning In Iowa When He Returns Next Month
(Beijing, CN) — U-S Ambassador to China Terry Branstad says he will work to help Republicans campaigning in Iowa when he returns next month. Branstad is giving up his U-S State Department in Beijing after three years at the post. The 73-year-old politician says he will work to help President Donald
Trump, U-S Senator Joni Ernst, and others, but won’t have an official role.
Branstad says his son is already involved in the Trump campaign and the former Iowa governor says he will be a volunteer. Branstad was Iowa’s governor for 22 years.
Ottumwa Police Arrest Teenager In Series Of Suspicious Fires
(Ottumwa, IA) — Ottumwa Police have arrested an 18-year-old suspect in a series of suspicious fires. Tanner Stone Simmers is accused of setting fire to debris outside three businesses during the early morning hours of August 27th. The first fire was reported just after 3:00 a-m, then officers were called to a second fire a few minutes later. Two hours later, the third fire
was reported in an area behind a Hobby Lobby store. Police reviewed surveillance video from Ottumwa’s street camera system to identify the vehicle Simmers was driving. He is charged with three counts of felony second-degree arson. No injuries were reported, although the buildings containing the businesses all suffered some minor damage.
UI Says Resumption Of Football Season Won’t Impact Decision To Cut 4 Sports Programs
(Iowa City, IA) — University of Iowa athletic director Gary Barta says the decision by the Big Ten Conference to have a fall football season won’t have any effect on the school’s decision to cut four sports programs. Men’s tennis, men’s gymnastics, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving were eliminated last month. At the time, Barta said the changes were caused by
the coronavirus pandemic. Just hours after the Big Ten announced the Hawkeyes and the other 13 football teams in the conference would play starting next month, a news conference was called to seek the reinstatement of the four programs. The athletic department says the decision to cut the sports is final.
