(LE MARS)–From the public, to attorneys and police, paperless is the way business is being done in the Plymouth County court system.
Plymouth County is the first in the state to try or “pilot” the new Electronic Document Management System known as E-D-M-S.
Charlene Peterson is the state clerk of court in Plymouth County.
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In the first five months of the pilot project, more than 13-hundred cases had been e-filed and about 300 attorneys and other users, including government agencies, had registered to use the system.
Equipment is available for the public to electronically file cases such as small claims or to look at records.
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Peterson says the process has included law enforcement agencies that had filed many tickets by mailing them to the clerk of court.
The clerk of court in the county selected as the first pilot project is pleased with the electronic system.
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The process of finetuning computer programs and adding users to the system will eventually lead to a paperless system for judges who won’t need to open a paper file when they sit in a courtroom and who can issue an order from their computer while still in court. After all the testing is completed, the project will be piloted in Story County.
(Rock Valley)–The 13th annual American Cancer Society Sioux Relay for life raised nearly 150-thousand dollars. Organizers say the Relay in Rock Valley Friday and Saturday topped previous Relays in Sioux County in several areas.
Co-chair Nancy Dickman says the relay attendance and energy were incredible. According to co-chair Alma Post, they were able to support cancer fighters across the county.
More than 100 cancer survivors were honored with a dinner and victory lap to kick off the Relay. This was the largest number of survivors in recent years. The 727 luminarias placed around the track honoring and remembering loved ones involved in the fight against cancer was a record.
Twenty-seven teams for Relay for Life raised an average of more than 47-hundred dollars per team for a total of 128-thousand dollars. This also set a record for the event.
The fund raising total was 147-thousand dollars compared to 138-thousand 790 from the Sioux Relay for Life in Hawarden a year ago.
The top team this year was the first at the Sioux Relay to earn diamond status based on its fund raising total. Team Tyler of Rock Valley raised more than 22-thousand dollars. Their fund raising included an original cantata. The team honors a young man who would have graduated from high school this year, but died from complications of cancer. Team Tyler also had the best campsite with a tribute design .
An estimated 160 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Sioux County in the next year. The fund raiser proceeds will support research and education.
Those who were unable to participate in the Relay may contribute by contacting co-chairs, committee or team members.
(SAC COUNTY)–A groundbreaking ceremony for a long awaited road project is this afternoon at 1:30 in Sac County.
The ceremony to break ground for more work to four-lane Highway 20 is on the right-of-way for re-located four-lane Highway 20 one mile north of Lytton, off Sac County Road N-28.
Guests expected to attend the groundbreaking are Iowa Transportation Commissioners Debi Durham of Sioux City and Barry Cleaveland of Council Bluffs; State Representative Gary Worthan; northwest Iowa Congressman Steve King of Kiron, and John Moyna of Moyna and Sons of Elkader which is the contractor for the project.
The ceremony has been delayed by weather conditions.
RUTHVEN, Iowa (AP) Two trumpeter swans are to be released in northern Iowa as part of the state’s efforts to restore a wild population of the birds.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans the release for Thursday just north of Ruthven at Long Island Marsh. The release is to include a short presentation on swans and wetlands and there will be a chance to view the swans.
Iowa natural resources experts say the white trumpeter swans were once common in the state but by in the early 1930s just 69 trumpeter swans remained in the continental United States.
Experts say the swans are the largest waterfowl in North America and can weigh up to 32 pounds with a wingspan of 8 feet.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
DELHI, Iowa (AP) Authorities in eastern Iowa say a man known for an interest in extreme sports has died after jumping into the Maquoketa River from the Lake Delhi dam.
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office says the man jumped Saturday at least 50 feet into the water. Sheriff’s officials say a witness said the man was active in “extreme risk” sporting events.
The Lake Delhi Recreational Association owns the dam. Association board president James Willey says the death wasn’t an accident or suicide. Instead the man jumped intentionally, thinking he would survive.
The man’s identity wasn’t immediately released pending notification of family. Authorities have recovered his body from the water.
Delaware County authorities say the death is under investigation.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Four months after the state pharmacy board recommended Iowa legalize medical marijuana, its future is unclear because a legislative leader and a board official say the other needs to act.
As part of its unanimous recommendation in February, the board asked the Legislature to create a committee to consider how a medical marijuana program could be implemented.
But House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy says the board can authorize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes without the Legislature getting involved.
Pharmacy board executive director Lloyd Jessen disagrees, saying lawmakers need to decide on matters such as medical conditions that qualify and penalties for violating the law.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Police in West Des Moines have identified an Illinois motorcyclist who they say died in a vehicle accident.
West Des Moines police said Sunday that 55-year-old John Longman of El Paso, Ill., died in the Saturday crash on Interstate-80 in West Des Moines. Police say Longman was pulling a motorcycle trailer westbound on the interstate when his motorcycle crossed into the eastbound lanes.
Police say Longman fell from the motorcycle and was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound, described as a white SUV. Longman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say the accident remains under investigation.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Students looking to find an off-campus apartment at the University of Iowa can now turn to an improved school-run website to help in their search.
University officials say they hope the new website helps students, parents, faculty and staff as well as local property owners and managers. The school says it updated the website after it received requests for more specific information. Now the website has floor plans, maps and photographs of properties.
The new website has a searchable database of housing units in the Iowa City area. The service is free for searchers but those listing a property will have to pay a fee.
Message boards to find roommates and buy and sell furniture also are available.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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