Home News KLEM News Update- May 23, 2010

KLEM News Update- May 23, 2010

Akron)  The Akron Fire Department was on the scene of an electrical fire in Westfield for about 25 minutes Saturday evening.  According to a written report from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s office, firefighters were dispatched to a transformer on fire in Westfield around 9 pm last night.   Akron Fire personal returned to base approximately 9:30 pm.

(Le Mars) Plymouth County cyclists are making final plans for their third annual invitational bicycle ride.  Tour de Plymouth will be held the weekend of Le Mars Ice Cream days June 16 through 19.  Riders will have a choice of a 22 mile ride or longer route of 60 miles.  Registration begins at 7 am on Saturday, June 19, at the Hy Vee Parking lot, with the ride starting at 8 am.  More information is available on the club website at www.plymouthcountycyclists.com.

(Le Mars)  The second annual Woof-Stock is set for Saturday, June 5th at the Plymouth County Historical Museum.  This years emphasis on homeless dogs.  Canine festivites begin at 10 am with a ‘poochi’ parade around the Museum block.  Noah’s Hope, an animal rescue unit from Sioux City will be on hand with animals and information about their mission to save as many dogs as possible.  The Sioux City Animal Shelter will also have dogs available for adoption during the festival.  Co-chairing the fund-raising for the Museum are Mary Valentine, Museum volunteer, and Judy Bowman, administrator.

(Sheldon) The fourth annual Linda K. DeGroot / Village Northwest Spirit of Caring Scholarship was awarded to a 2010 graduate of Sheldon Community High School.  Kendra Hall will receive a 1000 dollar scholarship established by Village Northwest Unlimited in honor and memory of Linda DeGroot, and to encourage graduation seniors to further their education in career fields that focus on working with individuals who have a disability.  Mr. Kendall DeGroot, husband of Linda, and Mr. Barry Whitsell, Village CEO presented the award to Ms. Hall during the Awards Day ceremony at Sheldon High School on   May 19. 

(Spencer)  ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ finalist and Poison front man Bret Michaels is scheduled to perform this fall in northwest Iowa.  Michaels Roses and Thorns World Tour 2010 will be a featured Grandstand event at the Clay County Fair on Sunday, September 19. Bret Michaels first gained fame with the band ‘Poison’ in the 1980’s.  The band reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988 with “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn.”  Other top chart singles include, “Unskinny Bop”, “I Want Action” and “Something To Believe In.”  In 2007, Michaels starred in the VH1 reality show, “Rock Of Love.”  Most recently, Michaels has been a contestant on the NBC realty show ‘Celebrity Apprentice.”  The title for ‘Celebrity Apprentice” will be announced this evening on NBC.

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A panel of the Democratic National Committee has approved a rule allowing Iowa and three other states to hold delegate selection events ahead of all other states in the 2012 presidential nominating process. Iowa Democratic Chairman Michael Kiernan says the panel’s vote Saturday doesn’t settle the issue but is a first step toward Iowa retaining its leadoff spot in the presidential calendar. That status gives the state huge attention from candidates and the media. 
Other states allowed to hold early voting were New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. Republicans have taken similar steps as the two parties coordinate the early tests on the political calendar.  Kiernan sits on the panel that approved the exceptions at a meeting in Washington.

 

WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) Crews have found a single-engine plane that made an emergency landing in a soybean field just north of Winterset.  Authorities say the pilot was trying to land on Highway 169 Saturday morning when the plane disappeared from radar displays.  Madison County Sheriff Craig Busch says he was in contact with the pilot by radio before the landing. He says no one was injured. 
Emergency crews had trouble finding the plane after the landing. Eventually it was located in the field about 10 miles north of Winterset.  It was not immediately clear how many people were aboard the plane.  The Federal Aviation Administration says the aircraft is a 1988 single-engine A36 Beech.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) One driver has taken it all in the Des Moines bus “roadeo.”  Ron Bienfang has been a driver for the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority for about three years. He’s been a trainer for a year.  Competitors are judged on how well they navigate the 25-foot and 40-foot buses through an obstacle course complete with tight turns and narrow passages.  Bienfang placed first in both the small- and large-bus divisions of the bus roadeo on Saturday. It’s the first time in the event’s three years that one driver has won both top spots.  Bienfang and the second- and third-place winners now advance to the state bus roadeo in Sioux City, where they’ll have a chance to qualify for the national competition.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Cedar Rapids officials are upset that more than 100 flood-damaged homes and businesses remain untouched as the two-year anniversary of the record flood approaches.  Flood waters submerged about 10 square miles of the city in June 2008 and more than 18,000 people were affected.  The mucky, moldy homes remain in disrepair even as neighbors have rebuilt next to them.
Mayor Ron Corbett and council member Don Karr say something needs to be done to deal with flood-damaged buildings that remain in shambles.  The city’s flood-recovery director, Greg Eyerly, says the city will use a new state law that makes it easier to identify and abate flood-related nuisances.  He says the city is in the process of buying out 100 commercial properties and about 1,300 homes.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) The Fort Madison School District is aiming to catch drivers who illegally pass school buses as children are picked up and dropped off.  The district has installed a camera on the outside of one of its buses.  It’s illegal to pass a school bus when its yellow lights or red lights are flashing.  District spokesman Steve Carle says the camera begins recording when the bus is started. When someone passes the bus illegally, the driver pushes a button that marks the video. The video, which shows the car and the license plate, is reviewed by school officials and the Iowa State Patrol, which can issue a ticket.  Officials say 10 people have been ticketed since the district began using the camera in early May. Tickets run $195.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A cat that survived having a three-inch nail inserted into her forehead is recovering well from surgery at a Sioux City animal hospital.  Veterinarians removed the nail Friday. They say the female calico they named Grace starting eating and purring shortly after surgery.  Animal control officers found Grace on Wednesday after receiving a tip. Spokeswoman Cindy Rarrat says it appears the nail was driven into the cat’s head with a nail gun.  Officers are still trying to find her owner and who’s responsible for inserting the nail.  Rarrat says she’s gotten lots of calls from people interested in giving Grace a new home.  The cat will be kept at the animal hospital for the next week as vets monitor her progress.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)