(OKLAHOMA CITY)–A rural Cherokee County man is a new member of the Rodeo Hall of Fame.
The Rodeo Historical Society announced the induction of longtime bull riding and rodeo promoter Bob Barnes of Petersen. The Rodeo Hall of Fame is in the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Barnes has been a member of the Rodeo Cowboys Association for sixty years. Today, the Barnes organization produces rodeos and bull riding events in more than 30 states.
Barnes will bring his “Rawhide Bull Riding Challenge” to the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City January 20-22nd. Tickets will be sold beginning November 26th.
Council assists LBIC with theatre project
(LE MARS)–Detailed financial and economic impact numbers based on a Le Mars City Council decision will be available for the public soon.
The Council voted four-to-one Tuesday to provide 150-thousand dollars toward renovation of the Royal T III Theatre in downtown Le Mars.
Neal Adler of the Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation (LBIC) told the Council about 200-thousand dollars in movie ticket sales is lost to areas north and south of Le Mars.
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Armond Bartsch of Le Mars opposed city involvement comparing it to the city decision to purchase Westmar University.
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Eric Hilsabeck plans to make the Royal T III Theatre his fifth restoration project. Hilsabeck estimated 37-thousand movie tickets would be sold in a year.
Council member John Leonard asked Hilsabeck about the impact of a restored theatre on other businesses such restaurants.
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Council member Delana Ihrke favored treating some of the city assistance as a zero-interest loan comparing it to Council support of Le Mars Area Dialysis Services (LADS).
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Council member Rex Knapp asked for details of the impact of Council decision to be available by the next meeting , November 16th or sooner. Knapp wanted the numbers to include new revenue projections for Hotel Motel (HMST) and Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) due to the theatre’s reopening.
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Ihrke voted no on the Council approval of 150-thousand dollars. Hilsabeck plans to keep the facade of the 1900s downtown Le Mars theatre, but provide a three-screen, state of the art theatre.
FSA election for committee opening voting begins today
(LE MARS)–Partisan elections are over, but a vote for another group begins this week.
Farm Service Agency County Committee elections start today (Friday) with U-S-D-A mailed ballots to eligible voters.
Plymouth County Farm Service Agency executive director Jeff Davis says there are two candidates for one three-year term.
They are Clark Tindall of rural Le Mars and Brad Harvey of rural Akron. Tindall and Harvey are seeking the committee office that’s been held by Kent Brown.
The opening is for a committee member representing eight townships. They are America, Elgin, Grant, Johnson, Portland, Preston, Washington and Westfield Townships.
The deadline to return the U-S-D-A ballots to the Plymouth County F-S-A office is December sixth.
If a farmer is eligible to vote in the committee member election but does not receive a ballot, the farmer may contact the F-S-A office.
Hull teen faces drug charge
(ORANGE CITY)–A Hull teen faces a drug charge are a three-month investigation by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office.
Seventeen-year-old Kody Foote is charged with felony delivery of marijuana.
Foote was arrested on Wednesday and was released to his parents. The case was transferred to Juvenile Court.
Parking restrictions in effect in Le Mars
(LE MARS)–Odd and Even Parking is in effect until April.
The city of Le Mars regulation of parking on streets began November first.
Drivers are asked to park on the odd-numbered side of the street on odd-numbered calendar days. On even-numbered calendar days, drivers are asked to park on the even-numbered side of the street.
Le Mars Police will issue tickets for violations of odd and even parking when a snow emergency is declared by Public Works Superintendent Steve Hansen,
KLEM 1410 AM and 96.9 FM announces snow emergencies.
Northbound I-29 reduced to one lane for sign work
(SERGEANT BLUFF)–Work on a changing message sign near Sergeant Bluff will change traffic patterns today (Friday).
Greg Mulder of the Iowa Department of Transportation in Des Moines reports northbound Interstate 29 will have lane restrictions from two this afternoon until eight tonight.
The outside lane of northbound Interstate 29 will be closed between exit 141 and exit 143. The area is between First Street and Sioux Gateway Airport and Singing Hills Boulevard and Iowa 376.
Service Day drew waiting list
(LE MARS)–Gehlen Catholic students and staff gave back Thursday.
They were out of the classroom to rake leaves, wash windows, trim bushes and help those who need an extra hand in the Le Mars area.
The Fall Service Day is a tradition at Gehlen Catholic which is experiencing a growth in enrollment for the sixth year in a row.
Gehlen Catholic President Rev. Kevin Richter describes the service day as an opportunity for the students and staff to use their God-given gifts and talents for the common good and to build together a strong sense of community.
Due to the large number of requests, Gehlen Catholic Principal Jeff Alesch says a waiting list has been started.
Fair Board annual meeting is Thursday
(LE MARS)–The annual meeting of the Plymouth County 4-H and Agricultural Society will be held next week. The society organizes the Plymouth County Fair each year.
The annual meeting is next Thursday, November 11 at 7:30 p-m at the Plymouth County Extension office in the lower level of the Le Mars Convention Center in Le Mars.
Directors whose term expire at the annual meeting include Tom Galles, Brad Harvey, Bob Kabisch, Jeff Klemme, Candice Farrer, Matt Reuter, Gregg Roepke, Loren Schnepf, and Gail Schoenrock.
Items on the annual meeting agenda include the election of Fair Board members, a recap of the 2010 fair, fair queen remarks, suggestions for the 2011 fair, and other businesses.
Membership in the Plymouth County 4-H and Agricultural Society is open to any county resident who pays a $5.00 one time membership fee.
Gronstal says he won’t allow gay marriage vote
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Despite big Republican gains in the Legislature, a Democratic leader says he will block any effort to refer a constitutional amendment to voters that would ban gay marriage.
Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal told The Des Moines Register on Wednesday that the easy political move would be to allow the vote, but that would violate his principles.
To amend the Iowa Constitution, a measure must gain the approval of legislatures formed in consecutive elections, then be approved by voters.
Republicans have pushed hard to begin that process but Gronstal and other Democrats have blocked any votes.
The GOP will be in position to exert more power in this session, with Republicans controlling the House and possibly sharing leadership in the Senate.
Branstad says he’ll seek resignation letters
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) Republican Gov.-elect Terry Branstad will request resignation letters from all state agency heads and urged officials to delay filling vacancies on the Iowa Supreme Court until he takes office.
Two days after he was elected to his fifth term, Branstad called for the letters, saying he’d review them and decide who would be asked to keep their jobs.
Branstad noted he might offer Democratic Secretary of State Michael Mauro a job, saying he’s been fair. Mauro lost his re-election bid Tuesday.
Asked about the three justices, who were removed in a retention vote Tuesday, Branstad noted nominations for new judges should wait until he’s in office.
Branstad, a former four-term governor, spoke Thursday on the public television program, “Iowa Press.”
Iowa minister pleads guilty to sex abuse
WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) An Iowa pastor from Fayette County has pleaded guilty to three counts of sex abuse.
The Rev. Timothy Parker of Westgate entered the guilty pleas Wednesday to two counts of third-degree sexual abuse. The charges involved a child. The 40-year-old pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church is to be sentenced Dec. 13.
Parker is held without bail.
Iowa City police investigating church burglaries
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Police in Iowa City say they’re looking for suspects in burglaries and vandalism at least a dozen area churches and campus ministry centers.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that police say they’re not sure if the crimes are related, but it’s possible. Iowa City Police Investigations Unit commander Lt. Doug Hart says he thinks authorities will “find most of these are crimes of opportunity.”
Kevin Kummer is chairman of the Association of Campus Ministry. He says nine of 13 campus ministries were broken into or stole from. Two don’t have buildings and two Jewish campus groups weren’t victimized. Three churches have been struck as well. Religious groups say cash and gift cards have been stolen and doors have been forced in.
1 dead in Seymour house fire
SEYMOUR, Iowa (AP) State fire officials say one person has died in a house fire in south central Iowa.
The Iowa State Fire Marshal said Thursday that two people were inside the Seymour home when the fire was found. One person got out of the burning building and the other person died. Authorities did not immediately release the identification of the person pending notification of relatives.
State officials say the home suffered extensive fire and smoke damage. A cause of the blaze is undetermined.
Man who hurt himself found near school
ADAIR, Iowa (AP) Iowa law enforcement says a man found seriously injured and lying in a ditch near Adair-Casey High School in Guthrie County was suffering from self-inflicted wounds.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation announced Thursday that 59-year-old Robert Zimmer of Altoona was the man found Wednesday morning near the school in west-central Iowa.
Investigators have assured parents and students that people at the school were never in danger, and on Thursday they added that Zimmer was the one who caused the serious cuts to his neck. He was taken to a Des Moines area hospital, where his wounds were determined to not be life-threatening.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
