(LE MARS)–A Le Mars City Council member is urging caution along a Highway Three detour route in Le Mars.
Union Pacific Railroad is replacing the crossing on Highway Three/Plymouth Street, east of downtown Le Mars.
Council member Rex Knapp says the route being used by the Iowa Department of Transportation was not the one approved by the City Council.
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Knapp is in business on Second Avenue Northwest which is part of the detour route. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, the railroad project is to be completed by next Monday.
Future of Merrill School is August 9th agenda item
(MERRILL)–The future of a Le Mars Community School District Elementary building will be discussed at a meeting next month.
As part of cost savings measures following state funding cuts and declining enrollment, the Board of Education voted to close Kissinger Elementary in Merrill. The attendance center was closed when classes ended in May. Students will attend classes at one of three elementary buildings in Le Mars.
During the Board of Education Monday night, board member Dan Smith of Merrill brought up the disposition of the building
Smith has been asked about the building’s future. Smith indicated the city of Merrill was interested in the school building, if it was very affordable.
Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt plans to place the building’s disposition on the board’s August 9th agenda
New Plymouth County Conservation Board Member appointed
(LE MARS)-The newest member of the Plymouth County Conservation Board is from rural Le Mars.
Cindy Lloyd of rural Westfield; Penny Eickholt of rural Hinton; Stuart Dekkenga and Bob Schlesser, both of rural Le Mars; and John Lucken of rural Akron sent letters of interest in filling the vacancy.
There were two votes by supervisors due to a tie between Schlesser and Lucken on the first paper ballot vote during the supervisors’ meeting Tuesday. Supervisors’ chair Jim Henrich announced results of a second paper ballot.
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The term for the volunteer position Schlesser was appointed to is through December of next year. Supervisors Craig Anderson and Don Kass were among board members expressing thanks for the interest in the Conservation Board opening. Anderson asked Auditor Stacey Feldman to send out results of the board action.
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The vacancy occurred when Clark Goodchild of Le Mars resigned.
Seven sentenced in Sioux County
ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister says authorities have sentenced seven people five from Guatemala, one from Mexico, and one from Nicaragua for identity theft and/or possessing fraudulent documents.
All of the seven drew suspended sentences on some charges, and most received short jail terms on other counts.
The Guatemalans sentenced Monday were 36-year-old Raul Niz-Lopez, 43-year-old Jose Sebastian-Bartolon, 39-year-old Nicolasa Lopez-Ramos, 20-year-old Enrique Fermin Chilel-Sebastian, and 18-year-old Javier Lopez-Ramos.
The Mexican native sentenced was 35-year-old Maximiliano Perez, while the Nicaraguan was 42-year-old Henry Araica.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a hold on each of the seven. When their jail terms expire, ICE will begin deportation proceedings against them.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Northwest Iowa family deals with rabies after trying to raise a skunk as a pet
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) State health officials say a northwest Iowa family has learned the hard way that some cute little animals should be left alone.
Someone in the family found a baby skunk and brought it home to raise as a pet, but after several weeks the skunk became ill. A veterinarian found it had rabies.
All five family members are receiving rabies vaccine. In addition, more than 20 other family members and friends who came in contact with the skunk are being tested for rabies, and at least six others are receiving rabies shots.
Officials say the family dog did not have a rabies vaccination and will either have to be put into quarantine for six months or euthanized.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Man who drowned identified
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) Authorities in Marshalltown have released the name of a man who drowned while swimming with friends.
Rescue crews were called to Highway 330 south of the town of Albion late Monday afternoon when a group of people who were swimming in the Iowa River reported a man going under the water.
Crews brought a boat and search equipment to the scene and found the body of 18-year-old Joseph Gutierrez Monday night.
Authorities said Gutierrez, his brother and a friend were jumping off a railroad trestle bridge and swimming in the river. Gutierrez was overtaken by the deep and strong current.
Waterloo schools give clothing a close look
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) The implementation of a new dress code by Waterloo Community Schools means the clothing of students, teachers and administrators will be scrutinized.
The new rules mean jeans, T-shirts, open-toed shoes, short skirts and anything showing cleavage are out. Collars, sleeves, dress pants and skirts reaching to at least the knees are in.
In an e-mail, associate superintendent Bev Smith says a professional standard of dress is one way administrators and teachers can model the kind of behavior expected of students.
While some schools have implemented the student dress code for this year, all schools must have rules in place by fall 2011. The student code specifies solid-colored tops and bottoms with no patterns, colored trim or decoration allowed.
The employee code requires men to wear shirts with collars while women can wear blouses, knit shirts, turtlenecks and sweaters.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Report: National GOP gave $1 million to Branstad
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Terry Branstad has criticized Gov. Chet Culver about a Democratic-led campaign before the Republican gubernatorial primary, but new disclosure show the GOP nominee also has received big money from his national party.
Reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board show that the Republican Governors Association contributed roughly $1 million to Branstad, about half of the money he raised in the last six weeks.
Democrats say its hypocritical for Branstad to criticize Culver for accepting national donations, then to take such money himself. But Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht says the GOP funding is different because much of the Democratic money financed a $780,000 ad campaign that accused Branstad of being too liberal in an effort to hurt his primary election chances.
Bedbug outbreak may be sabotage
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Des Moines city officials say they believe a saboteur unleashed bedbugs inside the city’s Armory Building.
City Manager Rick Clark said Tuesday the pests were discovered three weeks ago. He says chemicals have been applied several times to eradicate the bugs, but haven’t totally wiped them out.
The Armory Building houses Des Moines’ Community Development department, which issues building permits, handles property inspections and oversees various development and strategic planning efforts.
Clark says whoever infested the building with the bedbugs took a misguided action, noting the it houses city employees who are “out there trying to protect people and property.”
Bedbugs live in the crevices and folds of mattresses, sofas and sheets. They emerge to feed on human blood.
Authorities say they are trying to determine how the bugs were released. They haven’t named any suspects.
Curfew request goes to Dubuque Council
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Members of Dubuque’s Safe Community Task Force say not enough parents are keeping track of their children, making it time for the city to impose a curfew.
It was a string of stabbings, shootings and robberies that led Dubuque officials to create the task force. Now some members say the best way to cut down on crime is to give the police department all the resources they need.
One of the ways that can be done task force members say is to impose a curfew for children under the age of 18. Not all members agree.
Janice Craddith says people need to take care of themselves, their kids and watch out for each other.
The task force also wants stronger rental property maintenance rules and a stricter government housing program.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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