(LE MARS)–Chamber work is a way one Le Mars woman is giving back to her hometown.
The volunteer spirit Theresa Westra brings to the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Main Street Committee is being recognized with the Chamber’s Main Street “Volunteer of the Year” Award.
Westra enjoys the people who work together to better the community through the Main Street Committee.
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Westra’s favorite Main Street Committee activity is happening again this December 31st.
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Westra’s volunteer work has a communitywide focus.
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Westra is the receptionist at American Bank in Le Mars, She became involved in the committee about three years ago after being contacted by Main Street Manager Mary Reynolds.
Man charged in deadly fight in Sioux City
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) Sioux City police say a man is charged with involuntary manslaughter after he allegedly punched a man who later died.
Police say 29-year-old Bradley Gregg, of Sioux City, is accused in the death of 28-year-old Joseph McDonald of Ida Grove.
According to Associated Press, police say McDonald was punched in the face during a fight outside a club in downtown Sioux City early Saturday. Police say McDonald later died.
Lt. Mark Kirkpatrick issued written information late this morning stating the incident began when a man assaulted a woman.
Gregg remains in the Woodbury County jail on Monday on $20,000 bond. (Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
String of rural residential burglaries under investigation in western Woobury County
SIOUX CITY)–Burglary suspects driving a dark-colored car are being sought by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant Chief Deputy Doug Boetger says a string of residential burglaries occurred in the western part of Woodbury County. He’s asking residents to watch for a vehicle with two men.
Boetger reports the suspects are two white males, one in his 40s and the other in his late 50s or early 60s, who are driving a small black passenger car. License information is not available.
The sheriff’s deputy asks anyone who sees men matching the description or any suspicious activity to contact the sheriff’s office.
Confinement theft, burglary leads to four arrests
(SAC CITY)–Four people face charges in Sac County after a theft and burglary investigation at a turkey confinement in rural Sac County.
Sheriff Ken McClure says the investigation began when six electric motors were taken from the poultry facility last week and sold at a salvage yard.
A second burglary involved tools and a television with a value of more than 10-thousand dollars. A sheriff’s deputy found the burglary and a vehicle containing some of the items in Sac City.
Other stolen property was found by the confinement owner in a gravel pit near Nemaha.
Those charged include 43-year-old Sharon Anthon Thorpe; 45-year-old Donald Thomas THorpe; 37-year-old Shane Hankinson and 15-year-old Terry Russell Lane, all of Sac City.
Bridge completion delayed near Spencer
(SPENCER)–Weather conditions have delayed completion of a project on a highway near Spencer.
Mike Kruger of the Iowa Department of Transportation reports high water levels prevented progress on the Highway 18 bridge construction project.
The work is on Highway 18 and Clay County Road M-50 near Spencer.
Completion is expected in June of next year.
Where to vote Tuesday in Plymouth County?
Polls will be open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm on Tuesday, November 2nd in all 13 Plymouth County voting precincts. Voters going to the polls will be voting for offices ranging from Governor to County Board of Supervisors. Voters must be 18 years of age and be registered to vote to be eligible to vote at the polls, or the EDR (Election Day Registration) process can be used at the polls to register prior to voting. Unofficial election results will be madeavailable on the Plymouth County website at www.co.plymouth.ia.us after the polls close at 9 pm once they are tallied.
The Plymouth County election precincts are as follows:
PRECINCT #1 Town of Akron, Portland Township Akron Library Conference Roo 350 Reed St.
PRECINCT #2 Town of Craig, Grant Township, Craig City Hall Preston Township Main St.
PRECINCT #3 Town of Struble, Elgin Township, Le Mars Public Library
America Township 46 1 st St. S.W.
PRECINCT #4 Town of Brunsville, Washington Township Brunsville Legion Club Johnson Township 305 Oak St.
PRECINCT #5 Town of Remsen, Town of Oyens, Remsen Library
Fredonia Township, Marion Township 211 Fulton St.
Meadow Township, Remsen Township
PRECINCT #6 Town of Westfield, Sioux Township Westfield Community Center
Westfield Township 215 Linden St.
PRECINCT #7 Town of Merrill, Liberty Township Merrill Civic Center
Stanton Township, Plymouth Township 321 4 th St.
PRECINCT #8 Hancock Township, Perry Township Perry Township Hall C-60
PRECINCT #9 Town of Hinton, Hungerford Township Hinton Community Center
Lincoln Township 205 West Main
PRECINCT #10 Town of Kingsley, Union Township Kingsley Community Center
Elkhorn Township, Henry Township 207 E 1 st St. Garfield Township
PRECINCT #11 Le Mars Ward #1 Le Mars Convention Center
301 12 th St. S.E.-lower level
PRECINCT #12 Le Mars Ward #2 Le Mars Convention Center. 301 12 th St. S.E.-lower level
PRECINCT #13 Le Mars Ward #3 Le Mars Convention Center
301 12th St. S.E-lower level
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Plymouth County Auditor’s Office at 712-546-6100. Stacey Feldman is the Auditor and Commissioner of Election and Cheri Nitzschke is the Election Deputy.
Culver, Branstad make final push before election
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The candidates for governor, Democrat Chet Culver and Republican Terry Branstad, are touring Iowa, making a last pitch on key campaign issues of taxes, spending, the budget and jobs before Tuesday’s election.
Culver, who is seeking a second term, is traveling by train on Monday, beginning in Davenport and ending in Des Moines.
Branstad, who trying to regain the job he held for four terms from 1983 to 1999, is flying across the state, starting in Ames and ending the day in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale.
The last poll by The Des Moines Register on Sunday found Branstad with a 50 percent to 38 percent lead over Culver.
Poll show tea party retains support in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A Des Moines Register poll shows tea party support is holding steady in Iowa during the 2010 campaign.
The poll published Monday shows 40 percent of likely voters say they identify with the loosely affiliated advocates of government restraint. Fifty-one percent did not identify with the tea party, while 9 percent refused to say or weren’t sure.
The new poll reflects effectively the same support found in a poll early in the year.
Tea party supporters represent a cross-section of Iowa voters. Almost half identify with the GOP. Independents represent 39 percent, while Democrats make up 11 percent.
The telephone poll was conducted Oct. 26 to 29 and has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points.
Fire damages restaurant in eastern Iowa
ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) Fire has destroyed a family restaurant in Anamosa in eastern Iowa.
Firefighters were called to McOtto’s shortly before 5 a.m. on Monday. No injuries were reported.
Fire Chief Jeff Swisher told The Gazette that the first reports noted thick black smoke in the area.
Swisher says flames were shooting through the roof when firefighters arrived. He says they tried to enter the building but the fire was too intense.
Owner John Danneman says he intends to rebuild the restaurant, which was originally built in 1984.
The state fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
$57M in construction for University of Dubuque
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) A new performing arts center and additional student housing are in the works for the University of Dubuque.
The Telegraph Herald reports that the school’s board of trustees recently approved $57 million in construction.
University President Jeffrey Bullock says a $30 million performing arts center and a $27 million housing project are to be built simultaneously with a groundbreaking ceremony in May 2011.
The three-story performing arts center, featuring glass, steel and brick, is slated to be finished in the fall of 2012.
The university plans to complete construction of three suite-style student residences in August 2012. The buildings will provide housing for about 500 undergraduate students.
Expansion of Amtrak in Iowa gets mixed reviews
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Plans to expand Amtrak passenger service between Iowa City and Chicago are getting mixed reviews.
The Illinois and Iowa departments of transportation have been awarded a $230 million federal grant, with service beginning in 2015.
The Des Moines Register on Monday reports that critics says it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money and an investment in second-rate transportation.
Public policy analyst Randal O’Toole argues high-speed rail will drag down the economy because of “all the subsidies” to build it, operate it and maintain it.
Backers say high-speed rail presents a unique opportunity.
Richard Harnish of the Midwest High-Speed Rail Coalition in Chicago, says the economy is changing rapidly and Americans should change with it by embracing high-speed passenger service.
Iowa agency appeals cut in fine for Texas company
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An Iowa agency that enforces state labor laws is appealing a judge’s decision to cut a proposed fine against a Texas company accused of underpaying several mentally disabled men.
Henry’s Turkey Service housed the men in an old bunkhouse and put them to work at a turkey plant in West Liberty. The company is accused of 9,000 violations of state labor law.
After the bunkhouse was closed, Iowa Workforce Development proposed a fine of $1.1 million. The company appealed, and an administrative law judge cut the fine to $175,000.
The Des Moines Register says the agency is appealing the decision, arguing workers will be at increased risk of exploitation.
The company claims the turkey plant employed the men, so any violations should be attributable to that company.
Survey suggests slower Midwest, Plains recovery
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) An October survey of supply managers in nine Midwestern and Plains states suggests that the regional economy will continue to grow, but at a slower pace.
The Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped for the fourth time in the past five months, to 52.3 last month from 56.3 in September.
The new figure is the lowest for the region since December.
The survey and report use a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth in the next three to six months, while a score below 50 suggests a contracting economy.
States in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Submit your news release, confidential news tip or news idea by email klemnews@lemarscomm or by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.
