(LE MARS)–Plymouth County 4-Hers and those who help them are being honored.
The 4-H program’s membership growth places the Plymouth County program in third place for 4-Hers. The first and second place honors go to the metro counties of Scott and Polk. Plymouth County’s 4-H program has more than 500 members.
In Plymouth County, Union Livewires grew 88 percent to earn first place in club recruitment. Second place went to Union Vikings with 57 percent growth. The top two are followed by Classy Clovers with 38 percent growth, Perry Pals with 31 percent and Fredonia Country Cub with 30 percent. The High School Juniors to receive the “I Dare You Award” are Lizzy Koele of the Stanton Lucky Clovers and Katie Connor of the Classy Clovers. According to Extension Program coordinator Carol Schneider, Koele wrote that healthy living plays a major role in her every day life and 4-H has encouraged her to make health a priority. Extension Program coordinator Carol Schneider recognized Koele and Connor.
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Plymouth County Youth Coordinator Ann Schoenrock honored Lorraine DeJong with the “Leader of the Year” award.
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Schoenrock announced the Plymouth County Pork Producers group is the Partner in 4-H award winner.
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Also at the Plymouth County 4-H Recognition Program Sunday afternoon, State 4-H Council member Matt Nelson honored Wayne and Julie Beitelspacher of rural Le Mars as 4-H Hall of Fame members from Plymouth County. The Beitelspachers first received the honor during the State Fair
Dental services will be added to Greater Sioux clinic
(SIOUX CENTER)–A dental clinic is expected to open at the Greater Sioux Community Health Center in Sioux Center this month.
A 62-thousand dollar grant to expand services to the medically underserved in northwest Iowa has been awarded by the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation.
The funding will support the opening of a dental clinic, adding oral health care to the other services the Greater Sioux Community Health Center provides.
Currently only 30 percent of Sioux County residents ages one to five receive dental services and only 42 percent of Sioux County residents one to 20 years of age receive dental services.
The clinic to be staffed by dentist Ken Addink and hygienist Zabrina Treeby, is slated to open November 30th.
Convention Center project delay isn’t affecting rentals
(LE MARS)–Improvements to heating and cooling at the Le Mars Convention Center are behind schedule, but there’s heat in the building.
City administrator Scott Langel says four of the five forced air furnaces at the Convention Center are operational.
Langel says the boilers originally installed did not meet specifications. Replacement equipment has been installed.
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That is behind schedule by at least a month. Langel adds the fact that the building has heat is a plus and all rentals are going on without interruption.
Explulsions to be considered by LCS Board
(LE MARS)–Le Mars Community Board of Education members consider expulsion recommendations tomorrow (Tuesday) night.
The board is scheduled to close its meeting to the public to conduct student expulsion hearings. The meeting begins at 6:30 Tuesday night in the Superintendent’s Conference Room.
The board is slated to open its meeting for a decision regarding expulsion recommendations.
Gronstal gets another term as majority leader
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Democrat Michael Gronstal has been given another term as majority leader in the Iowa Senate.
Fellow Senate Democrats chose to keep Gronstal as leader, despite tough losses under him during the Nov. 2 election.
The party lost six Statehouse seats and clings to power by the narrowest of margins.
Gronstal says he’ll quickly begin bargaining with Republican Gov.-elect Terry Branstad over an agenda when lawmakers convene in January. Gronstal says he wants to focus on job creation efforts.
He has renewed his vow to block any efforts to move toward a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Senate President Jack Kibbie, who also won his leadership post back, says the issue may be debated and that not all Democrats share Gronstal’s views.
Justice selection will be left to new gov Branstad
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A member of the commission that will offer potential replacements for ousted Supreme Court justices says the process will begin in December, but recommendations aren’t expected until January, leaving the choice to Gov.-elect Terry Branstad.
Des Moines lawyer Guy Cook is on the Judicial Nominating Commission. He notes that the panel can’t meet until justice retention votes are certified in late November.
The commission will likely meet in December and has 60 days to make recommendation.
Branstad will take the oath of office on Jan. 14. He then has 30 days to make appointments.
The justices were voted out in a Nov. 2 retention vote after a campaign that highlighted their support of a unanimous ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Iowa.
Police to crack down on motorists bypassing gates
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa State Patrol officials say they’ll crack down on any motorists this winter who try to bypass new automated closure gates on interstates.
The Des Moines Register reports that state transportation officials are piloting the new gates at interchanges at Ames, Mason City and Missouri Valley. The idea is to block drivers from taking routes that aren’t considered safe during severe weather. The gates will be controlled remotely and monitored by video cameras.
State Patrol spokesman Capt. Mark Probst says troopers will issue $195 traffic tickets to violators.
In years past the Iowa Department of Transportation has used manually operated gates to close entrance ramps.
More deaths mean more work for Johnson County ME
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) The medical examiner in Johnson County says his office is stretched thin and his staff is faced with a mounting workload because of the increasing number of deaths under his jurisdiction.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that medical examiner Michael Hensch has asked county supervisors for more resources, including a new full-time position. Hensch says there were an all-time high 558 deaths that needed a medical examiner last year. This year he says there have been 471.
Hensch says Johnson County is second in deaths statewide because patients are often transported to area hospitals.
County supervisor Rod Sullivan says he doesn’t think the county is in the position to provide more resources.
Revamped homeless shelter opens in Iowa City
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) A renovated and updated homeless shelter has opened in Iowa City.
Shelter House has moved to its new location which has more than double the number of beds, from 29 at the old site to 70. Officials say 14 of the beds will be reserved for veterans.
Shelter House director Crissy Canganelli says the revamped center will better meet the needs in the community.
In years past, staff at the shelter has had to turn away people each night and local churches had to open overflow shelters each November.
The center will start accepting new clients on Monday.
University of Iowa cuts 6 graduate programs
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) The University of Iowa has closed six graduate programs and as many as six more could be eliminated by next summer.
The university’s dean of graduate programs tells the Iowa City Press-Citizen that the programs were cut either because they attracted few students or because they duplicated others.
The cuts were based on a task force report that looked at how to strengthen some programs and eliminate weaker ones to improve the overall quality of graduate education.
Keller says the changes aren’t expected to save money.
The programs cut in October were a doctorate in statistical genetics, master’s and doctoral programs in preventive medicine and environmental health, a master’s in Russian and two master’s programs in dentistry specialties.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
