(LE MARS)–The 4-H Sheep and Horse Shows are underway at the Plymouth County Fair. Tonight at six, the 4-H and F-F-A Dairy Show begins.
The Grandstand action is the Tuff Truck Competition, beginning at 6:30 p-m.
Pioneer Village entertainment begins at five this afternoon with Country Vocalist Marissa Harvey of Akron.
Harvey is followed at 6:00 p.m. by vocalist Danika Portz of Remsen. At 7:00 p.m., Marcoux Corner, A Cappella performs followed by a second performance at 8:00 p.m. by Danika Portz. Marcoux Corner, A Cappella returns at 9 tonight to round out the Pioneer Village Entertainment.
Employee is honored for more than three decades of service
(LE MARS)–A new Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Employee of the Month is described as kind, caring and compassionate.
Linda Durr of The Abbey was surprised with the honor Wednesday afternoon. She is a medication aide.
Durr has worked at The Abbey for 32 years. Administrator Don Butcher says Durr has always gone the extra mile from what is expected. Butcher describes her devotion to the residents and facility as unquestionable. He points out she is always willing to do extra shifts and come into work on short notice.
Daugaard: Iowa casino might not hurt SD
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Republican governor candidate Dennis Daugaard (DOO’-gahrd) says it’s still not known if South Dakota will be hurt by an Iowa casino being built just a few miles from Sioux Falls.
He says it’s possible that people attracted to the area by the $120 million Lyon County Resort and Casino in northwest Iowa will make trips to Sioux Falls for shopping or alternate entertainment.
Daugaard’s comments came after Democratic governor candidate Scott Heidepriem (HY’-duh-prim) said if elected he would convene a task force to study options such as building a competing casino.
Daugaard says he doesn’t know if South Dakota residents would be enthused about another big casino, but that he would be open to considering the idea.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Trial begins for SD church arson suspect
YANKTON, S.D. (AP) Trial for a teenage boy accused of setting a Yankton church on fire began this week but was delayed indefinitely when a subpoenaed witness failed to appear.
St. John’s Lutheran Church sustained $2 million in damage in the April 2009 blaze the day before Palm Sunday. Members of the congregation numbering 1,250 worshipped at Mount Marty College during the year of rebuilding.
The boy, who was 14 at the time, has not been identified because he is a juvenile. His trial is not open to the public.
If he is found at trial to be a delinquent child, he could be imprisoned until he is 21, be fined or lose his driver’s license.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Man accused of Iowa kidnapping to claim insanity
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Court documents show a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a convenience store clerk in Cedar Rapids plans to use an insanity or diminished responsibility defense.
The documents were filed Tuesday in Linn County District Court in the case of Keith Elson Jr.
He’s accused of kidnapping the woman at knife point from a Kwik Shop in the early-morning hours of May 17. Police found the woman and Elson at his apartment about seven hours later.
Elson is charged with first-degree kidnapping. His trial is set for Aug. 23.
The Associated Press does not identify victims of sex crimes.
Trial delayed for Iowa man in pacemaker attack
MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) There’s another delay in the trial of an Iowa man accused of cutting his father’s pacemaker from his chest with a pocketknife.
Jesse Fierstine of Manchester, is charged with attempted murder and willful injury. His trial, which had been set for Aug. 4 in Delaware County District Court, is now scheduled for Sept. 15.
It’s the fourth continuance in the case.
Fierstine is accused of attacking his father, Charles Fierstine, on April 25, 2009. Charles Fierstine, who recovered from the attack, died July 12 after a lengthy illness.
Crop duster crashes in Iowa
MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) Authorities say a pilot walked away with only minor injuries when his crop duster plane crashed in rural Jackson County in eastern Iowa.
The sheriff’s office says 22-year-old Austin Niederhauser, of Bedford, apparently flew into a power line, hitting the plane’s tail and causing him to lose control.
Officials say the single-engine plane flew for another mile before it crashed about 5 p.m. on Wednesday about 11 miles north of Maquoketa (muh-KO’-kih-tuh).
Niederhauser walked away from the wreckage and refused treatment.
Pilot injured in helicopter crash in NE Iowa
ELKADER, Iowa (AP) Authorities say a pilot suffered only minor injuries when his crop-dusting helicopter crashed into a field in Clayton County in northeast Iowa.
The sheriff’s office says the crash happened about 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday when the chopper hit a power line.
KCRG-TV of Cedar Rapids reports the pilot was taken to a hospital in Elkader (el-KAY’-duhr) with minor injuries.
The sheriff’s office says Thursday that more information is expected to released later in the day.
Ottumwa investigates rash of car fires
OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) Authorities are looking for clues in a rash of car fires in Ottumwa.
There have been four cars fires since last weekend.
The first was early Saturday. The next was Monday afternoon. A third car fire was reported early Tuesday. Authorities were called to another car fire Wednesday afternoon.
Assistant Fire Chief Bill Trout says that many fires are unusual, but he says it could be just a coincidence.
Trout says most car fires start under the hood. A smaller number start in the dashboard. Trout says those are usually older cars with old wiring.
Police Lt. Tom McAndrew says there doesn’t appear to be a connection between the fires.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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