(LE MARS)–A household hazardous waste cleanup in Le Mars this fall was the largest Le Mars has had.
Plymouth County Solid Waste Agency Manager Mark Kunkel says there were 126 people who brought household waste to the Le Mars Street Department collection site October sixth.
They turned in more than 47-hundred pounds of household hazardous materials. The collection of latex paint, used oil, batteries and similar items totalled 48-hundred pounds.
The household hazardous materials were disposed of at a landfill cost of about 72-hundred dollars. The landfill staff will process the paint, oil and batteries and Kunkel says there will be numerous staff hours tied into that.
This was the first time the collection was offered in Le Mars rather than at the rural Le Mars landfill site.
Girl Scouts discuss future of Joy Hollow without a decision
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) The Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa is still considering options for keeping Camp Joy Hollow, but its future remains uncertain.
The camp near Westfield is the only Girl Scout camp in western Iowa.
Earlier this year, the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa considered selling or finding a partner in the 360-acre camp, which needs some updating.
Associated Press reports the scouting organization now says it wants to keep the camp up and running, and right now, has no plans to close it.
Scout leaders met Wednesday in Sioux City with about 100 camp supporters.
One option is partnering with the Plymouth County Conservation Board and The Nature Conservancy, which would help keep costs down.
Laura Lindstrom of the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa says a decision is months away.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Volunteers needed to help light up Pioneer Christmas Village
(LE MARS)–The weather outside is forecast to be delightful for decorating for a Pioneer Village Christmas this weekend.
Bonita Davison is coordinating volunteers who organize the December holiday celebration at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds.
Davison says lights will be put up at the fairgrounds tomorrow (Saturday) beginning at nine in the morning.
Volunteers are needed to help place holiday lights. Davison says students who have community service hours to complete for church or school could receive them by volunteering tomorrow.
The Pioneer Village Christmas will be the first two weekends in December, December 4th and December 5th and December 11th and December 12th.
Police join ‘Operation Western Expansion’ to trim traffic accidents
(LE MARS)–Le Mars Police Officers will be part of a specific traffic safety effort today (Friday) and Saturday.
The goal of “Operation Western Expansion” is to reduce crashes and traffic deaths.
Statistics from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau in Iowa show Plymouth County is in the top 22 problem counties involving crashes and deaths.
Authorities report high-risk drivers are typically found between six at night and three in the morning.
In the past five years, there have been about 2,000 traffic accidents in Plymouth County involving 21 deaths with an average property cost of 14-thousand dollars.
Sac County authorities charge two with Schaller burglaries
(SAC CITY)–Two Schaller residents are accused of business burglaries.
According to Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure, five burglaries occurred in Schaller beginning September 23rd.
The sheriff’s office arrested 20-year-old Jonathon Limbert and 27-year-old Mandi Brenner, both of Schaller on five charges each of felony burglary in the third degree.
They were booked into the Sac County Jail Wednesday.
Man killed outside Des Moines laundry mat
Child allegedly abused with hot food
STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) Storm Lake police have charged a woman with child endangerment after she allegedly put hot tortillas in her son’s mouth as a punishment.
Police were notified last Saturday by the Iowa Department of Human Services about a 6-year-old boy who was suffering from suspicious blisters around his month.
Police say Dora Angelica Lucas Oxlaj is charged with child endangerment causing injury. She’s also charged with identity theft because police say she was working under another name.
Lucas Oxlaj is being held in the Buena Vista County jail on $10,000 bond and on a detainer by immigration officials.
Police Chief Mark Prosser on Friday declined further comment on the case, but did say the boy was OK.
(COPYRIGHT 2010 BY ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Second death near Drake campus
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Des Moines police say a man was shot to death outside a coin-operated laundry in a strip mall.
Police spokesman Sgt. Jeff Edwards says 29-year-old Martin Turks, of Des Moines, was killed late Thursday in front of the strip mall near Drake University.
Police responding to a report of a shooting found Turks’ body in the parking lot.
Edwards says no suspects have been identified.
Iowa horse trainer accused of injecting horses
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A horse trainer in Iowa faces criminal charges for a horse-racing violation.
The Des Moines Register says prosecutors have charged Brian Muse with three felony counts of cheating at a gambling game. Muse allegedly injected two horses with unknown substances on Sept. 24 before a quarter-horse race at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino near Des Moines.
Muse’s attorney Paul Scott says Muse denies the allegation. Scott says the post-race tests for both horses showed no illegal substances in their system.
Polk County Attorney John Sarcone says his office does not comment on pending cases.
The Register obtained a report from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, which shows the allegation stems from surveillance camera in Muse’s barn.
Man dies in combine fire in western Iowa
ATLANTIC, Iowa (AP) Authorities say a man died after a combine caught on fire near Wiota (weye-O’-tuh) in western Iowa.
The Cass County sheriff’s office told KJAN-AM in Atlantic that 59-year-old Mark Brown, of Anita, died in the fire on Thursday.
Officials say an off-duty firefighter who was passing by reported the fire about 5 p.m. Before fire crews could arrive, the fire had spread into a soybean field.
No other details were immediately released. The fire remains under investigation.
University of Iowa to hold student tailgate party
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Despite efforts to curb underage and binge drinking, the University of Iowa is sponsoring a tailgating party for students during the Iowa-Michigan game on Saturday.
John Rigby, president of student government, says the intention behind the tailgating party is to promote responsible drinking.
Tom Rocklin, interim vice president for student services, says students have provided a good plan for safe and responsible alcohol consumption.
He says events like the tailgating party can emphasize the difference behind high-risk drinking and responsible drinking.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the tailgating party will be at Memorial Union. It will include free food at halftime and drawings for basketball tickets and T-shirts. Rigby says students can have up to two beers if they prove they are 21 years old.
Trash fire spreads in northeast Iowa
JESUP, Iowa (AP) Officials say a trash fire fueled by the wind spread and engulfed a machine shed in Jesup in northeast Iowa.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says the fire happened Thursday afternoon, and firefighters were concerned about nearby fuel tanks.
Craig Moschke told the newspaper that he was burning trash and the wind blew it into the shed.
No injuries were reported.
Jesup is about 20 miles east of Waterloo.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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