Home News KLEM News Update Sept. 11, 2010

KLEM News Update Sept. 11, 2010

LE MARS)–A Le Mars group is beginning a change to a new look.

City of Le Mars Y-M-C-A Executive Director Todd Lancaster says the changes reflect the national organization.

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The Y’s Sprint Triathlon is today. The Y’s fall programs include flag football, soccer, women on weights, and co-ed slow pitch softball.

Mayor praises fair board

(LE MARS)–A group of volunteers is drawing praise from the Mayor of Le Mars for the success of an event.

Mayor Dick Kirchoff gives the Plymouth County Fair Board his “thumbs up” award for hosting the 35th annual National Old-Time Country and Bluegrass Festival and Contest.

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The mayor describes the festival as a very successful event presented by Bob and Sheila Everhart of Anita.

Conservation Board waits for ECO Center project approval

(HINTON)–Information from an architect will determine when there is action on a proposed building project for the Plymouth County Conservation Board.

According to Conservation Board director Dennis Sohl, an architect from PLaN Architecture of Sioux City didn’t attend a special meeting of the Conservation Board Thursday night.

The board is considering bids for an environmental education center known as an ECO Center. The facility is to be built at Hillview Park, west of Hinton.

An email indicating the change in plans for an architect didn’t reach the board before the special meeting. The Conservation Board took no action on the apparent low bid from H-W Design Build of Sioux City. The Conservation Board has been having special meetings because all the bids exceeded the project budget.

The total budget, including construction and architect’s fees, is 500-thousand dollars. The apparent low bid for construction was about 23-thousand dollars higher than the total budget. The costs and gathering information about the contractor’s references have been the topics at the special meetings.

Sohl says the next step is to have a meeting at a time other than the regular monthly meeting. Sohl says that will be called by the chair person.

Minor damage in house fire

(LE MARS)—Very minor damage was reported after a fire call to a house in Le Mars around noon Friday.

Linda Morgan who is a renter at 37 Fourth Avenue Southeast reported the fire.

Fire fighters found a lamp in an upstairs room had fallen on a pair of pants on an air mattress. Morgan moved the clothing to a sink.

Fire fighters were out on the call for less than 15 minutes

Boiler available for salvage 

(LE MARS)–A source of heat for the Le Mars Convention Center is part of a bidding process next week.

Le Mars City Council members this week indicated they could meet sooner than the September 21st Council meeting to consider bids to move on a improvements to heating and cooling for the convention center. The heating system is not working and bids to be opened September 16th include a new heat source.

City Administrator Scott Langel asks anyone who’d be interested in the old boiler to contact him.

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The new heating source will be energy efficient and capable of heating some or all areas of the Convention Center.

Langel says the sooner the non-working boiler is removed the better.

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Anyone interested in the heating system is asking to contact Langel at city hall.

Three injured near Newell

(STORM LAKE)–Three people were injured in a collision about two miles west of Newell Wednesday afternoon.

Buena Vista County Sheriff Gary Launderville released information about the traffic accident Friday afternoon.

Launderville reports 64-year-old Leonard Young of Newell was driving a car erratically and struck a pickup truck driven by 27-year-old Mitch Evans of Newell.

Young, Evans and Evans’ passenger 25-year-old Amanda Evans, also of Newell, were taken to Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake.

The poor driving had been reported to the sheriff’s office by another driver. Authorities continue to investigate the accident.

Grassley, Conlin clash in first joint appearance

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) Republican Sen. Charles Grassley and Democratic challenger Roxanne Conlin clashed sharply over tax cuts and jump-starting the economy in their first joint appearance.

During the appearance Friday, Conlin also accused Grassley of ducking debates. Grassley, who is seeking his sixth Senate term, countered that he holds public meetings throughout Iowa and that citizens have the opportunity to ask him whatever they want.

When asked about the economy, Conlin responded that she opposed a second stimulus but favored targeted tax cuts for small business owners. Grassley called for much broader tax cuts.

The candidates spoke during a taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press.

Soldier from Iowa to get Medal of Honor

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowan will become the first living service member from the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq to receive the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor.

The White House says 25-year-old staff Army Sgt. Salvatore Giunta (Jinta), of Hiawatha, was serving as a rifle team leader in Afghanistan when his platoon came under attack in 2007.

The White House says Giunta went beyond the call of duty when he exposed himself to enemy fire to pull a soldier back to cover. He also shot two insurgents after seeing them try to carry away a U.S. soldier.

Giunta’s father, Steven Giunta, tells The Associated Press that he and Giunta’s mother are proud of their son but the honor is bittersweet because other soldiers died in the attack.

Giunta is now stationed in Italy.

High nitrate levels found in Dixon water

DIXON, Iowa (AP) Residents of Dixon are being warned not to give city water to infants younger than 6 months old because of high nitrate levels.

The eastern Iowa city discovered the high levels during routine testing Friday.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says nitrate in drinking water is a serious health concern for infants younger than six months. Those infants could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die if they drink water containing high nitrate.

Symptoms include shortness of breath and “blue baby” syndrome, in which the skin turns blue.

The DNR says tap water in Dixon should not be used to mix formula or juice. Boiling, freezing, filtering or allowing the water to stand won’t reduce nitrate levels.

The city is working with the DNR to fix the problem.

HUD modifies flood rules affecting Iowa businesses

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) The Department of Housing and Urban Development has modified its interpretation of a rule that will finally put more federal funds in the hands of flood-damaged businesses in Iowa.

The Gazette reports the agency has agreed to stop counting private loans that businesses took out after the 2008 floods as a duplication to be subtracted from HUD disaster awards.

The newspaper says nearly all of the $85 million in federal funds allocated for flood-damaged businesses, most in Cedar Rapids, remains unspent more than two years after the flood.

The department reversed the policy Thursday after a meeting with Cedar Rapids and state officials.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett estimates that 250 to 300 flood-damaged businesses have been caught in the duplication issue.

Wrongful death suit filed in Ill. golf-cart crash

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) The executors of the estate of an 88-year-old woman killed in a golf-car accident at a western Illinois casino are suing the company.

Virginia Armon of Peru died after a Jumer’s Casino Rock Island employee hit her with the golf cart on June 19, 2009.

A wrongful death lawsuit claims the employee was driving too fast and didn’t properly warn Armon the cart was coming toward her.

The suit also claims Jumer’s didn’t provide the employee with adequate training on golf cart safety.

The employee hasn’t been criminally charged.

The lawsuit was filed by Renee Wofford and the Rev. Kenneth Przybyla. They’re seeking at least $100,000 in damages.

A message left for a Jumer’s spokesman Friday wasn’t immediately returned.

 

Iowa police officer cleared in shooting

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) A Webster City police officer has been cleared of any criminal conduct in the shooting of a man during a traffic stop.

The police department on Friday says the Iowa Department of Justice Area Prosecutions Division has determined the officer’s use of force “was justified.” The division is in the Iowa attorney general’s office.

Officer Scot Ely  wounded Justin Jensen, of Webster City, on Aug. 26. Police say Jensen was pulled over and got out of his car with a handgun.

Jensen was flown to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Spokesman Gregg Lagan says Jensen was in fair condition on Friday.

Police Chief Brian Hughes says an internal investigation is under way to determine if any department policies were violated. He says Ely, who was on paid administrative leave, will be placed on administration duties for now.

Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email klemnews@lemarscomm.net, by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.