Lawsuit Filed By Family Members Of Airplane Crash
(Le Mars) — A series of lawsuits have been filed by the family members of the victims of a fatal airplane crash involving people from the Le Mars area.
The Piper plane piloted by Ed Anderson of Le Mars crashed into a pasture near Guthrie Center, Iowa, on November 9, 2018. The lawsuit names Ultra Flight L.L.C., an aviation maintenance facility located in Le Mars, and Tom Mullally as its owner, as the defendants. The National Transportation Safety Board issued an investigation report in December of 2018 revealing a two-inch long crack in the engines aft exhaust muffler. The inner surface of the muffler heat shroud was coated in sooty and grey colored deposits. Similar deposits were also present on the inner surface of the cabin heat hose that ducted air from the shroud to the cabin heat distributor box assembly. Toxicology testing performed by the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s office revealed elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the blood of all four occupants. Killed in that plane crash were 49-year old Ed Anderson of Le Mars, 36-year old Patrick Kellen of Le Mars, 15-year old Samantha Clark of Le Mars, and 28-year old Tyler Douvia of Merrill. The lawsuits seeks unspecified damages.
(photo contributed.)
Authorities Identify Victims Of Fatal Traffic Accident
(Le Mars) — Authorities have identified the victims from the accident that happened Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 3 and 140, near the Golden Pheasant restaurant on the east side of Remsen. Killed during that accident was 68-year old Israel Verategui of Worthington, Minnesota.
Verategui was heading north on Highway 140 driving a 2003 Dodge Intrepid, when he failed to yield to the Highway 3 traffic. 34-year old Jose Everado Cutino Ramirez, also of Worthington, Minnesota, was a passenger with Verategui but sustained only minor injuries. The other vehicle was a 2000 Chevy Venture van heading eastbound on Highway 3 and being driven by 69-year
old Jerry Ashenfelter of Le Mars. Ashenfelter sustained minor injuries from the traffic accident. Both vehicles were listed as a total loss.
County Roads Department Closes Road For Culvert Installation
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department have closed 220th Street from Nature Avenue going east for one mile to Noble Avenue. The road is closed so work crews can replace an old bridge with a box culvert.
Construction is expected to wrap up by October 21st.
Governor Reynolds Scheduled To Visit Le Mars Today
(Des Moines) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will be visiting Le Mars this morning. The governor’s office announced through their public schedule that Reynolds along with Lt. Governor Adam Gregg will make a stop at Floyd Valley Healthcare this Friday morning to visit with the officials at the TestIowa
clinic. The TestIowa clinic has been in operation for nearly a month at the Floyd Valley facilities. Earlier this week, Governor Reynolds had announced during her news conference that both the Orange City Health Systems and Sioux Center Health Center would also be starting a TestIowa COVID-19 testing sites. During the past few weeks, northwest Iowa has had the highest
positivity percentage of COVID-19. Tara Geddes, Plymouth County’s Community Health Director will be one of the officials to greet the governor. Geddes says she wants to emphasize with the governor the continued importance of testing.
Plymouth County And Northwest Iowa Positive COVID-19 Cases Remain High
(Le Mars) — It has been seven months since we first have had COVID-19 virus strike Plymouth County. Although mitigation efforts such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing has helped, Plymouth County and all of northwest Iowa continues to see a high rate of positive cases. Tara Geddes
serves as the Plymouth County Community Health Director, and says the trend for positive coronavirus cases since late August has been on the increase.
Geddes says large group gatherings such as weddings, funerals, and other family gatherings. Geddes echoed Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ comments saying the outbreak is affecting all age group demographics. Geddes says during this past week has been a slight decrease in the numbers of positive COVID-19
cases.
Geddes says they have seen how face masks have helped contain the spread of the virus by observing our schools that have mandated face coverings or masks be used by students, faculty and staff.
The Plymouth County Health Director says it may be quite sometime before concerns about COVID-19 virus are behind us. She says it is possible we may be dealing with the virus for another year, depending upon when a vaccine will be introduced to the public.
Le Mars Fire And Rescue Department Issues September Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its September monthly report. All total, firefighters responded to 58 calls in September.
Of the 58 total, there were 14 fires and 15 rescues. 21 times the Le Mars Fire Department was asked to conduct an investigation consisting of odor investigations, alarms, or illegal burning. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department assisted the Oyens Fire Department twice during September for mutual aid responses. The local fire department had requests for services on
six different occasions. During September, 67 people were taught and certified in confined space entry, that included city staff and industry staff.
Purchasing Reusable Shopping Bags To Benefit Fire Department
(Le Mars) — During the entire month of October, when you purchase a red colored Hy-Vee canvas reuseable shopping bag, you will be helping the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department. The bags cost $2.50 each, but with every bag purchased, one dollar will go to the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department.
