(LE MARS)–Heating, cooling and ventilation systems will be upgraded to meet newly identified needs at the Le Mars Convention Center.
Karl Seggerman is a consultant to the city of Le Mars who explained results of recent evaluations on the system in the former Westmar Commons built in 1967. Seggerman reviewed this finding about air handlers when he met with the Council Tuesday.
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The tests followed previous information given to the Council about the need for a 163-thousand dollar project for the city campus property. Including administration costs, the project is now estimated at 240-thousand dollars.
Saying he was speaking for himself, Council member Rex Knapp said he wanted the project done once, he wanted it done right and he wanted it to work.
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Council member John Rexwinkel asked Seggerman about the option being considered.
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The current heating system needs to be replaced before the fall heating season because it’s no longer operational. Some of the costs would be offset by a state energy grant and rebates from MidAmerican Energy.
Ice Cream Days promotion grant awarded
(RED OAK)–The 2011 Ice Cream Days will be promoted by the Le Mars Convention and Visitors Bureau with grant funds.
The Western Iowa Tourism Region awarded the Le Mars Convention and Visitors Bureau one-thousand dollars. The money is to be used for radio, newspaper and television advertising to promote Ice Cream Days 2011.
The annual celebration sponsored by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce is Wednesday, June 15th through Saturday, June 18th of next year.
The Western Iowa Tourism Region works with the Iowa Tourism office and the Iowa Department of Economic Development to offer the competitive grant programs.
Stacy Rosemore of the Advertising Grant Committee says selecting grant recipients is an increasingly difficult task because the industry continues to grow more sophisticated and grant dollars continue to decrease.
Christian Needs Center needs food donations
(LE MARS)–There’s a need for a group that serves those with a need.
Jessica Larson of the Christian Needs Center explained they’ve helped many families in recent weeks.
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The Christian Needs Center, supported by individuals, groups, businesses and churches in the Le Mars Area, has a great response of donations around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. Donations that make a difference for people living in Plymouth County drop off at this time of year.
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The Christian Needs Center is meeting household and clothing needs, but Larson says that’s not true of food.
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Cash and gift cards may also be donated for food purchases by the Christian Needs Center. Donors are asked to check the expiration dates on any donated food items. Donations may be left Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. to Noon and from 1-3 in the afternoon and on the first Saturday of the month from 9-11 a.m. The center is at 900 Sixth Street Southwest.
Candidates must file by August 25
(LE MARS)–Candidates for local office are returning nomination papers.
According to Plymouth County Deputy auditor Cheri Nitzschke, Tom Pick of rural Le Mars has turned in completed nomination papers for Fredonia Township clerk and Mike Detloff of rural Le Mars is a candidate for Fredonia Township Trustee. Both Pick and Detloff are incumbents.
Fredonia Township is the only township in Plymouth County that elects township officers. Township residents will consider having future openings filled by the board of supervisors. The appointment question will be on the November General Election.
Chad Banks of rural Westfield is a candidate for Plymouth County Extension Council who returned nomination papers.
Candidates for Fredonia Township Clerk and Trustees, Extension Council and Plymouth County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners have until 5 p-m next Wednesday (August 25th) to file for the November 2nd General Election.
Dordt moves up in ranking
(SIOUX CENTER)–Dordt College is announcing a third place ranking in U-S News and World Report’s list of best colleges.
The Best Regional Colleges in the Midwest ranking is the 19th year in a row Dordt has been on the list and the seventh time Dordt College has been in the top ten.
With a third place ranking, Dordt moved up one place from the U-S News and World report ranking one year ago.
According to college officials, for the first time, Dordt was named to the “A Strong Commitment to Teaching” list, ranking second among regional colleges.
Dordt College President Dr. Carl Zylstra says, “As a Christian college, we are committed to excellence in every respect, and we are glad the rankings once again reflect that attainment.”
Teen charged in fatal accident
(STORM LAKE)–The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office has charged a teen who was a driver in a chain reaction crash that claimed a life near Rembrandt last week.
Authorities reported a car driven by 15-year-old Cole Moens of Albert City drove away from a stop sign and struck a semi. The sheriff’s office reported the collision caused the semi to collide with another semi and the driver of that truck, 35-year-old Gerald Boge of Humboldt, died.
Sheriff’s Deputy Doug Simons reports Moens is charged with violation of a school permit and failure to yield at a through highway.
Egg recall tied to salmonella grows to 380 million
ATLANTA (AP) A recall of eggs linked to a salmonella outbreak is being dramatically expanded to 380 million eggs.
Health officials said Wednesday that hundreds of people have been sickened in a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs in three states and possibly more. A recall first announced last week was expanded from 228 million to 380 million eggs. That’s the equivalent of nearly 32 million dozen-egg cartons.
Eggs from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa, were linked to several illnesses in the three states. Thoroughly cooking eggs can kill the bacteria. But health officials are recommending people throw away or return the recalled eggs.
Vilsack announces more money for broadband effort
URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the federal government will spend another $363 million to expand broadband access in rural areas.
The money will fund 218 projects in 16 states, including four projects in Iowa. Vilsack says that work will extend broadband to 19,700 people in Iowa, plus additional businesses.
So far the USDA has spent $3 billion to fund projects in 45 states as part of President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package.
When completed, Vilsack says the overall effort will expand broadband access to 1.2 million households.
The former two-term Iowa governor announced the funding Wednesday during a three-day trip to the state, where he is promoting Obama’s efforts to make long-term investments in rural areas that also give the economy a boost.
Victim of Dubuque apartment fire identified
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Authorities are identifying the man killed in a fire at an apartment building in Dubuque on Friday. He’s 62-year-old Michael D. Fitzsimmons.
The Dubuque fire marshal’s office said Wednesday that the medical examiner determined that Fitzsimmons died of smoke and soot inhalation. The death has been ruled an accident.
Fitzsimmons was the occupant of room 232, where the fire started.
Fire officials determined the probable cause of the fire was smoking materials. The use of bottled oxygen in the room also contributed to the fire.
Iowa court ruling keeps child-abuse list intact
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A new ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court will keep the state’s child-abuse registry intact after a previous ruling could have led to removing half the names.
Department of Human Services Director Charles Krogmeier says Wednesday the court has added language to an earlier ruling that will mean about 28,000 names will stay on the list.
He says the issue is a category of abuse in which people fail to provide proper supervision for children in their care, such as by getting drunk or high.
Krogmeier says it’s important because the list is used to screen people seeking to work around vulnerable people.
The court put that category in jeopardy in July when it ruled the department exceeded its authority by putting a domestic violence victim on the list because she failed to protect her children from her abuser.
More Iowans seek treatment for gambling addiction
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) As the recession drags on, more Iowans are seeking treatment for gambling addiction.
From fiscal 2006 to 2009, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported a steady decline in the number of people seeking help for gambling addiction, from 1,205 to 905.
But that changed this year. State gambling treatment coordinator Mark Vander Linden says preliminary figures show 948 people sought treatment in 2010, about a 10 percent increase.
Experts say the down economy could be fueling the trend as some Iowans who are hoping for a quick fix to their financial problems head for the casinos or online gambling sites.
Ill. marketing firm settles on Iowa AG complaints
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Illinois direct marketing company has agreed to refrain from violating Iowa consumer laws and pay $225,000 to the state in a deal with the attorney general.
Attorney General Tom Miller says in a news release Wednesday that it’s part of a voluntary agreement with United Marketing Group of Schaumburg, Ill.
The release says UMG sells “membership programs” through arrangements with third parties over the Internet, direct mail and telemarketing.
Miller alleged UMG was charging Iowans for memberships through their credit cards or through other methods, and consumers were paying for memberships they didn’t know they had.
Among other things, UMG agrees to check with its members at least once every nine months to ensure they are aware of their membership and fees.
Company spokesman Ben Bradley notes UMG did not admit to wrongdoing and says it believes its offers have always followed applicable laws and regulations.
Corn stalk with 27 ears puzzles farmers in Iowa
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) North Iowa farmers are puzzled by a curiously bountiful corn stalk growing in front of a restaurant in Mason City.
The more than 5-foot-tall plant in front of the Wild Horse Western Cafe has 27 ears of corn on it. Usually a single corn stalk has two or three ears.
Osage area farmer Don Ahrens says he has never seen or heard of anything like it. He says a genetic mutation might have caused it, but he’s not sure.
Cafe owner Ilene Mittag says she got three plants from a Minnesota farmer in June when they were about a foot tall. Two grew up normally, but she says one went “out of control.”
Mittag isn’t sure why it grew so many ears, but she said that compost has been applied to the area. She figures that must be it.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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