(LE MARS)–The 2010 Plymouth County Fair Royalty begin a year-long reign on a picture perfect day of fair weather.
The 2010 Fair Queen Kristen Ahlers also is Miss Congeniality. She is the daughter of John and Debra Ahlers of rural Le Mars.
“I’d just like to thank you and this is an incredible honor,” Ahlers told the crowd in the Pioneer Village Wednesday night after she was crowned.
The 2010 King is Andy Bainbridge, the son of Tom and Colleen Bainbridge of Kingsley. The Kingsley Krowners 4-Her will pursue a degree in ag production at Iowa Lakes Community College this fall. He credited his experience on the 4-H Council as contributing to his fair royalty experience. He’ll show sheep at the fair.
The Fair Princess crowns are being worn by Brittany Jaminet, the daughter of Mike and karen Jaminet of rural Le Mars and Holiday Robley, the daughter of Eric and Christina Robley of rural Akron
Named Mr. Personality was Addison Zellmer, the son of Carl and Darla Zellmer of rural Kingsley. Addison is also a Fair Prince. The other Fair Prince is Tyler Vreugenhil, the son of Brad and Deb Vreugenhil of rural Akron.
Fair Board President Terry Reuter honored Dr. John Conley for 50 years of service and dedication as fair veterinarian. “He spends a lot of time out here solving about any problem an animal can have from cattle, hogs, sheep down to the pet show, even,” Reuter said.”Fifty years went by like five or six years,” Dr. Conley said in accepting the golden anniversary honor. He also thanked his wife, Barbra Conley, for assisting him for 35 years.
The newest member of the Plymouth County Fair Hall of Fame is Verl Lehner of Le Mars who has attended the fair for 60 years. He raised livestock and crops. The green grounds of the fair reflect his dedication to maintenance of the fairgrounds acres on the east edge of Le Mars.
Mild temperatures and opening day of the fair activities filled the grounds with fairgoers. Motocross, a new event, packed the grandstand.
Opening day fair attendance is five-year high for attendance
(LE MARS)–Fair weather and opening day activities and events brought an estimated Plymouth County Fair attendance of 15,500.
The opening day number is the highest estimate for opening day since the move to a Wednesday opening, five-day fair began in 2005.
Five years ago, the number of people on the fairgrounds was estimated at 15-thousand. The 2010 estimate is up 500.
Thursday, July 29
(American Bank Day)
7:00 a.m. 4-H & FFA Horse Check-in – Horse Arena
8:00 a.m. 4-H & FFA Horse Show – Horse Arena
8:30 a.m. 4-H & FFA Sheep Show – Covered Arena
9:00 a.m. 4-H Exhibit Building Open
10:00 a.m. Open Class Exhibits Open
12:00 p.m. Blair House Open
1:00 p.m. Midway Rides Open
1:00 p.m. Chain Saw Artist – A.J. Lutter – West
Commercial Area
1:00 p.m. Educational Presentations – Century Hall
2:00 p.m. Commercial Exhibit Buildings and Round
Barn Open
4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Lego Booth – Building West of Pioneer
Village Stage
6:00 p.m. 4-H & FFA Dairy Cow Show – Covered Arena
6:30 p.m. Tuff Truck – Grandstand
10:00 p.m. Open Class, 4-H Exhibit Building and Blair
House Close
10:00 p.m. Commercial Exhibit Buildings and Round
Barn Close
Pioneer Village stage:
5:00 p.m.Marissa Harvey, Country Vocalist -Sponsored by Linda Mayrose Real Estate & Farmers Coop of Hinton, Akron, Oyens and Le Mars
6:00 p.m.Danika Portz, Female Vocalist – Sponsored by Farmers Savings Bank – Remsen and Channel Bio
7:00 p.m.Marcoux Corner, A Cappella – Sponsored by American Bank, Le Mars
8:00 p.m.Danika Portz, Female Vocalist – Sponsored by Le Mars Agri-Center Inc. & Mr. P’s
9:00 p.m.Marcoux Corner, A Cappella – Sponsored by Remsen Farmers Elevator& Evans Repair
Two departments fight farm building fire
(LE MARS)–Damage from a rural Le Mars farm building fire could be more than 50-thousand dollars.
Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper reports the department was called to a fire east of Le Mars at 35713 C-30 around 7:30 last (Wednesday) night. The property is owned by Doug Langel.
Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to another machine shed building about three feet from the single-story, wood frame shed that had flames coming from the building.
Schipper reports the most probable cause of the accidental fire was an electrical problem with a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle (ATV).
The fire-rescue chief lists the building as a total loss. A four-wheeler, two small tractors, a skid loader, lumber and other items were destroyed. Damage estimates could reach 70-thousand dollars.
Oyens Firefighters provided additional water and staff. Firefighters were on the scene for about two hours. There were no injuries.
Musical showcases all generations
(Le Mars) Holy Cabooses! The musical “Hello, Dolly!” is playing to sold out crowds at the Le Mars Postal Playhouse.
The musical, which is about a feisty widow named Dolly who meddles in people’s love-lives, is being presented by The Le Mars Community Theater.
Producer Audrey Scholten said that working with director Danna Schuster on this show has been a joy. “Hello Dolly” has big musical numbers, dancing and a fun script, which adds up to an experience that has something for everyone to enjoy.
Scholten also said that one of her favorite parts of producing “Hello Dolly” has been working with a 15 member cast that come from all different generations.
“Hello Dolly” has been featured on Broadway, and was brought to life on the big screen in 1969 with Barbara Streisand playing the title role. Here in Le Mars , Dolly is being played by Scholten’s daughter Jennifer.
The show began last weekend and continues through this Sunday, August 1st. A few tickets are still available for Saturday and Sunday, and you can get on the waiting list for Thursday and Friday’s performances . (News report by Angela Drake of KLEM News)
Fair campaigns this week
(LE MARS)–Candidates will campaign at the Plymouth County Fair.
County Democratic Party Chair Jon Neunaber says Democratic Senate District 27 candidate Marty Pottebaum of Sioux City will be at the Fair Thursday from 2-10 p-m and at other times.
On Friday, Republican candidate for Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds will attend the Plymouth County Fair at 5 p-m.
Reynolds will host a meet and greet at Northwestern State Bank in Orange City at 3:30 p.m. with Representative Rod Roberts of Carroll. Roberts was a candidate for the party’s nomination for governor in the June primary.
Larson dies in crash near Yankton
YANKTON, S.D. (AP) A Volin man has died of injuries suffered earlier this week in a two-vehicle crash northeast of Yankton.
Alan Welsh of the South Dakota Highway Patrol says 65-year-old Phillip Larson died Tuesday.
The patrol says another driver, 18-year-old Brenna Rae Sibson of Vermillion, failed to stop at a Yankton County intersection and collided with Larson’s pickup, causing it to roll. The crash happened about 5:40 p.m. Monday.
The patrol says Sibson and her 17-month-old daughter suffered minor injuries.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Candidate would tackle casino competition issue
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Democratic governor candidate Scott Heidepriem says South Dakota needs to tackle what he sees as the drain of state dollars into a northwest Iowa casino being built just a few miles from Sioux Falls.
Work has started on the $120 million Lyon County Resort and Casino in northwest Iowa. It is scheduled to open next summer.
Heidepriem says as governor-elect he would convene a task force to study options such as building a competing casino that could help pay for a new events center in Sioux Falls.
He’s running against Republican Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard in the November election.
Work has started on the $120 million Lyon County Resort and Casino in northwest Iowa. It is scheduled to open next summer.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)
Due to a technical problem, sound is temporarily unavailable on the KLEM News website.
Jury awards Pella $788,000 in pool light lawsuit
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) A jury has awarded the city of Pella $788,000 over improperly installed underwater lights at a pool where two boys drowned.
After three hours of deliberation Wednesday, the jury found Central Electric Co. breached its contract with the central Iowa city when it failed disclose it installed galvanized steel electrical piping instead of the red brass specified in construction plans.
The underwater lights were last used nearly six years ago. Pella sued Central Electric in 2006 after the fixtures rusted. Company attorneys told the jury the lights were still safe and would work if the city used them.
Two Kansas City, Mo., boys 14-year-old Gael Chrispin and 15-year-old Nehmson Sanon drowned in the pool July 14, the week the trial began. It’s not known if inadequate lighting was a factor.
Sheriff shuts down biker party in Cartersville
CARTERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) Authorities say they shut down a wild party at a private pond in Cartersville on the RAGBRAI bike tour route after swimmers started taking off their clothes.
Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals says “one out of every 10” of the thousands of people estimated to be at the pond Wednesday were either not wearing shorts or were topless.
Pals says many partyers were “alcohol-impaired,” but there were no arrests.
Deputies and the State Patrol RAGBRAI alcohol team shut the party down about 2:30 p.m.
The RAGBRAI alcohol team is a special group of officers who follow the ride across Iowa, making sure that riders leave each community early enough so they’re not on the route in the dark.
Culver visits eastern Iowa to discuss flood relief
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LAKE DELHI, Iowa (AP) Gov. Chet. Culver has visited eastern Iowa to discuss flood relief efforts.
The governor toured the Maquoketa River valley Wednesday, including stops in the hard-hit Lake Delhi area, where he met with more than 60 residents.
But he couldn’t offer promises to people affected by high water and a dam failure Saturday.
Because the damage is mostly on private property and private roads, the federal government can’t offer cleanup help yet without a disaster declaration. Culver praised efforts by the lake’s property owners association to hire private contractors to pick up the debris.
The state hopes the damage assessment will be done by this weekend. That’s the first step for a federal disaster declaration and more federal aid.
Police seek 2 in fatal Des Moines park shooting
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Investigators say they’re confident they know who was responsible for a shooting that left one man dead and another injured near a park on the north side of Des Moines.
Sgt. Lori Lavorato says police believe the shooting stems from an ongoing feud since last Friday between two groups of people that involved shots fired. She says investigators are trying to find two men who may have relevant information. Police aren’t calling them suspects yet.
Thirty-year-old Daryl Kinchelow, of Des Moines, was shot in the chest early Wednesday near Evelyn Davis Park. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Eighteen-year-old Jacolby Wright, also of Des Moines, was shot in the leg. He was treated and released.
Police have been called to the area dozens of times in the past year.
4 inmates charged in beating death of prisoner
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Four inmates at the Clarinda Correctional Facility have been charged in a fatal assault against another prisoner.
Forty-four-year-old Alfred Eugene Myre died June 14.
Second-degree murder charges were filed Wednesday in Page County against 27-year-old Jeremy John McIntosh, 29-year-old Martin Edward Dahlke, 31-year-old Rolland William Jacobsen and 34-year-old Richard Jason Martin.
Myre had been serving a 50-year sentence from Pottawattamie County for second-degree murder. He had been in prison since 1991.
He was found dead at a picnic table in the prison yard. An autopsy determined he suffered numerous internal injuries including a ruptured spleen, which was fatal.
The complaints allege the 30-second assault was gang-related and directed by Dahlke.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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