Home News Friday News, October 9th

Friday News, October 9th

Firefighters Respond To Round Baler/Field Fire

(Le Mars) — Le Mars firefighters responded to a round baler that had caught on fire. The alarm was heard at about 5:20 p.m. Thursday afternoon at 34596 220th Street, about three miles south of Le Mars. Smoke from the fire could be seen for a couple of miles and when fire officials arrived on the scene,
the Vermeer round baler was fully engulfed. The farmer was baling harvested corn stalks into round bales. Fortunately, the fire started while the tractor and baler were at the end of the field, with the southeast winds pushing the blaze away from the open field. An area approximately the size of half a football field had burnt. Speculation is the baler perhaps had a worn bearing that created friction and started the fire, and ignited the baler.
The baler, and one round bale of cornstalks, were lost in the fire. The Vermeer baler was a total loss. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a nearby brush pile, and away from buildings. Firefighters were on the scene for slightly more than an hour. One firefighter appeared to have had suffered from heat exhaustion and was transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare for further observation. Firefighters throughout northwest Iowa
were again busy with fighting field fires. There were several reports of field fires on Thursday, at least seven fires occurred in Plymouth, Sioux and Lyon Counties.

 

 

Traffic Accidents On The Rise

(Le Mars) — Recently, Plymouth County has seen a rash of vehicle accidents with two fatalities that have occurred within the last two weeks, and four accidents involving semi trucks. The Iowa State Patrol is concerned about the recent collisions and remind motorists when we take the wheel, we need to
make certain our total focus and concentration is with driving, and to make certain we are aware of our surroundings.

That’s Iowa State Patrol trooper John Farley. Farley says traffic had initially decreased on the roadways at the start of the pandemic, and as a result, we had fewer traffic accidents. But since that time, traffic has again gone back to pre-COVID numbers, and unfortunately we have seen a rise in traffic accidents, especially with fatal traffic accidents.

The Iowa State Patrol trooper says there is on average nearly one fatality traffic accident every day of the year somewhere across the state.

Farley says too many times, people don’t take special notice when they are informed of a fatal traffic accident.

With Plymouth County’s last two fatality accidents, in both instances, the vehicles failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with another vehicle at the intersection. Farley says drivers need to think back to the days of driver’s education and remember to do the simple things we were taught.

With harvest now in full gear, Farley wants motorists to be expecting the unexpected. He says the roads now have more semi trucks traveling, as well as farm equipment, and drivers need to be thinking that those vehicles often drive slower, they may make a left-hand turn without signaling, and they may
appear suddenly, just over a hill.

 

 

 

Gehlen Catholic Celebrating Homecoming

(Le Mars) — Gehlen Catholic is celebrating its Homecoming festivities today.
Of course, it has already been previously announced that the annual parade has been cancelled for this year, but Gehlen Catholic Development Director Amy Jungers says the school still plans to hold coronation ceremonies this afternoon.

Jungers lists the names of the Gehlen students who are competing for the title of Homecoming King and Queen.

The 7th through 12th grade students will participate in various fun activities this morning as part of the Homecoming celebration. Gehlen Catholic will compete against South O’Brien Wolverines this evening with kick-off scheduled at 7:00 p.m. to be held at the Le Mars Community Stadium.

 

 

 

Congressman King Comments On Vice President Debate

(Le Mars) — Like many Americans, Iowa 4th District Republican Congressman Steve King watched the Vice President Debate Wednesday evening, and came away saying he was impressed with the performance of Vice President Mike Pence.

King and Pence used to serve together on the House Judicial Committee when Vice President Pence used to represent Indiana in Congress. King says he hasn’t always been impressed with Pence’s debating style.

King says if anybody didn’t already know, they could clearly see the contrast of personalities between Vice President Pence and President Trump. King says Pence’s calm and cool demeanor helps win support for the president.

The out-going Congressman says he has been campaigning for the president in his re-election efforts.

 

 

 

Iowa Health Officials Report Record 448 COVID Hospitalizations

(Des Moines, IA) — The latest White House Coronavirus Task Force report shows Iowa currently has the sixth highest rate of COVID transmission in the country. The state’s coronavirus website says 449 patients were in an Iowa hospital Wednesday night– topping Tuesday’s all-time record of 444 patients.
More than 15-hundred people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. The two-week positivity rate was more than 15 percent in 15 counties – and Lyon, Sioux, Taylor and Page counties top the list with rates above 20 percent. Five more Iowans died of coronavirus complications which brings the
death toll to one-thousand-419.

 

 

 

USDA Secretary Perdue Announces $9.3 Million in Renewable Fuels Grants

(Mason City, IA) –– U-S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the U-S-D-A is awarding nine-point-three million dollars in grants to increase ethanol and biodiesel sales in the state of Iowa. The money may be used to install new storage tanks or new fuel pumps for biodiesel or higher blends of ethanol. Perdue appeared at a Mason City ethanol plant Thursday to
announce the opening round of a 100-million-dollar program he unveiled in May. Perdue said, “many stations had hidden that E-15 pump out in the back…now, we’re taking those skulls and crossbones off those pumps, putting them out there with a single blended type of pump.” Ankeny-based Casey’s is getting a four-point-nine-million dollar grant to replace 346 dispensers at
70 fueling stations across the Midwest. West Des Moines-based Kum and Go will use a one-and-a-half-million-dollar grant to install 128 dispensers at 17 fueling stations in six states, including Iowa.

 

 

 

Iowa AG Joins 27 Others For $5M Judgment Over Data Breach

(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa’s attorney general has joined 27 others in a five-million-dollar judgment against a Tennessee hospital group. The settlement announced this week resolves the investigation of a 2014 data breach that affected more than seven thousand Iowa patients. The breach exposed the names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, and
addresses of the patients. Nationwide, more than six million were impacted at 206 medical centers owned or operated by C-H-S-Community Health Systems, Incorporated. Iowa’s portion of the settlement is a little under 39 thousand dollars.

 

 

 

Inmate Dies Just Hours After He Was Booked Into Linn County Correctional Center

(Cedar Rapids, IA) — Investigators say their review of cellblock
surveillance video has shown no apparent cause for the death of an inmate at the Linn County Correctional Center Wednesday. It appears 40-year-old Ryan Edward Bailey of Marion suffered a medical emergency just hours after he was booked into the facility. Inmates notified staff members of the problem at
about 4:20 p-m. Deputies found that Bailey wasn’t breathing. He was rushed to a hospital, but doctors weren’t able to save his life.

 

 

 

Cedar Rapids Ready To Spend Another $7.4M On Flood Control

(Cedar Rapids, IA) — The city of Cedar Rapids plans to open bids this month for another series of flood control projects. The estimated $7.4 million dollars in work will include the demolition of a bridge and the construction of a permanent levee and gatewell. Bids will also be opened for construction of a flood wall, pump stations, and a water main which would protect the Quaker Oats plant at the riverfront area. City officials are hoping some of the work can start next month. The city’s historic flooding in 2008 wiped out many downtown neighborhoods.

 

 

 

West Des Moines Driver Cited For Causing Damage to Polk County Courthouse Gate

(Des Moines, IA) — A 32-year-old West Des Moines man has been cited for hit-and-run and failure to maintain control over an accident last week.
Emmanuel Cooper is accused of causing damage to the Polk County Courthouse gate. Deputies say Cooper drove away after the accident October 1st at 2:00 a-m. Surveillance video showed him failing to make a turn and slamming into that gate. No injuries were reported.