(LE MARS)–A building on a dairy near Struble was reported on fire about mid-morning (Friday).
Le Mars Fire-Rescue responded to the report of a fire in a metal-covered building at Dykstra Dairy. The blaze was under control in about an hour.
No one was injured and the fire did not involve livestock. Fire fighters left the dairy about 12:30 this afternoon.
Great Iowa Treasurer Hunt has Plymouth County listing
(DES MOINES) At least 25 people may be able to claim found money in Plymouth County.
State treasurer Mike Fitzgerald is kicking off another Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program by listing the names of individuals who are or have lived in the county and have unclaimed cash in savings, checking, and utility security deposit accounts or life insurance, stocks and safe deposit box contents.
The assets are reported to the Treasurer’s office by businesses that include financial institutions. The latest list includes a student from the former Westmar University which closed in 1997 as well as a Hinton business and care center residents.
Fitzgerald places the names of those who have unclaimed assets on the website for his state government office. More than 100 million dollars in unclaimed property has been returned to more than 300-thousand individuals through the Great iowa Treasure Hunt program.
For more information www.greatiowatreasurehunt.com
Project list continues to be checked off for city work
(LE MARS)–The effects of rainwater on drainage are a focus of some work for city of Le Mars crews.
City administrator Scott Langel says work at Little League Ballfields at the West Floyd Ballpark is part of drainage issues. Construction continues in southwest Le Mars, too.
Listen here
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Progress is being made on repair work by three contractors on settled street surfaces throughout Le Mars. Some streets are reopening.
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Work ahead includes grinding and seal coating the surface of Business Highway 75. A contractor for the Iowa Department of Transportation will work on the intersection of Business Highway 75 and Highway Three yet this fall.
BCU candidates include two form Plymouth County
(SIOUX CITY) Students from Akron and Hinton are candidates for 2010 Homecoming King at Briar Cliff University.
Coronation of the Briar Cliff 2010 Homecoming King and Queen begins at 8:30 tonight during a pre-game pep rally at the Newman Flanagan Center .
Members of the Homecoming Court include Jordan Hohenstein who is the son of Mike and Val Hohenstein of Akron. Jordan is a mass communication major involved in campus internet news, radio, and the student alumni association. He’s also co-president of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).
The other king candidate with Plymouth County connections is Jeremy Schindler of Hinton. The son of Kevin and Lisa Schindler is majoring in history. Jeremy is a football player; Education Club co-president, a Briar Cliff University ambassador and involved in Campus Ministry.
Charges files for accident that claimed lives of motorcyclists
LITTLE SIOUX, Iowa (AP) A Nebraska man has been charged in a crash that left four motorcyclists dead along Interstate 29 near Little Sioux.
Court records filed Friday in Harrison County show Andrew Schlichtemeier of Murray, Neb., is charged with four counts of vehicular homicide.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety says Schlichtemeier had a blood-alcohol level more than four times the legal limit and marijuana in his system after the Aug. 9 crash.
The motorcyclists killed were Dennis Chaney and Dale Aspedon, both of Glenwood, Steven Benscoter of Pacific Junction, and Jay Bock of Omaha, Neb.
Officials say Schlichtemeier has until noon on Saturday to surrender to authorities.
His attorney, Steve Lefler, says he’s making arrangements for Schlichtemeier to turn himself in.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Iowa homeless shelter fights bedbugs
Furniture problem changes donations
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) A homeless shelter is Iowa City is saying “no thanks” to furniture donations after a bedbug infestation that likely came from a donated couch.
Crissy Canganelli of the Shelter House told the Iowa City Press-Citizen that the couch was donated in July. The bedbugs showed up at the end of August. She says they were likely spread after a resident slept on the couch.
The couch was taken to the landfill. And, despite weeks of cleaning, the bedbugs remain.
Canganelli says Shelter House has been at its current location since 1983, with no bedbugs reported until now. The shelter will be moving to a new facility in November.
As a result of the infestation, which is a growing problem nationwide, Canganelli says no donations of furniture will be accepted.
Iowa daycare reopens after carbon monoxide
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) An Iowa City daycare and preschool is to resume classes after unsafe levels of carbon monoxide were found.
The Hawkeye Area Community Action Program called off classes at a Head Start program on Thursday after workers discovered unsafe levels of carbon monoxide in the building.
Director Christi Regan says a cleaning crew that stripped and waxed the floors used a propane buffer without ventilating the building, allowing CO levels to rise. The levels dropped by late morning.
Regan says classes were to resume on Friday.
Former Iowa police officer appeals termination
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A former Des Moines police officer accused of using excessive force during a 2008 traffic stop is appealing his termination.
The Des Moines Register says Mersed Dautovic’s case went before the city’s Civil Service Commission on Thursday.
A police union leader says the officer should regain his job, claiming he was wrongly fired. Police administrators maintain he should have been removed.
The commission’s ruling is expected by Jan. 1.
Dautovic and another officer pulled over a car when the driver allegedly failed to yield to an emergency vehicle. During a confrontation, the officers hit the passenger with batons 14 times.
An internal police investigation determined the officers used excessive force. Facing termination, both officers resigned in 2009.
DEA and police work to take back unused medication
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowans who have unused or expired prescription drugs can turn them in during a nationwide drug take-back program.
The Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration are working together to collect prescription tablets and capsules at the Iowa Department of Public Safety Building in downtown Des Moines.
The prescription medications will be accepted from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Intravenous and injectible drugs and syringes will not be accepted. Illegal drugs also will not be accepted.
Officials say unused or expired prescription medications can lead to accidental poisoning, overdose and abuse and are a public safety hazard.
Officials say people can turn in prescription medications anonymously. TRAIN TRAFFIC
Bellevue changing traffic because of trains
BELLEVUE, Iowa (AP) Traffic changes are coming to Bellevue because of train traffic.
After months of debate, the City Council on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Canadian Pacific Railroad that will alter the city’s downtown and residential traffic patterns.
According to the Telegraph Herald, seven of the city’s 15 street and track crossings will close and the maximum train speed through town will go from about 10 mph to 20 mph.
Train speed will increase in increments until about April, when they can go 20 mph.
Working on closing the crossings will begin soon, as well upgrades to the crossings remaining open.
Information from: Telegraph Herald, https://www.thonline.com IOWA-SPECIALTY CROPS
Iowa specialty crops get grant money boost
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Specialty crops in Iowa will get a boost from more than $230,000 in federal funding.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said Thursday that it will award the grant money to 15 eligible groups in the state.
Groups like the Iowa Christmas Tree Growers Association and the Iowa Fruit and Vegetables Growers Association will receive money to work on projects that foster the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crops industry. For example, the Mississippi Valley Growers Association will get $20,000 to promote specialty crops at farmers markets.
The money comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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