(BOYDEN)–Two men were injured when an S-U-V and semi collided at an intersection two miles south of Boyden.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s office reports the S-U-V driven by 27-year-old Joshua Livingston of Remsen struck a semi driven by 24-year-old Patrick Schmidt of Tecumseh, Nebraska.
The semi trailer loaded with chickens went into the south ditch and rolled onto its right side and burned. Livingston’s S-U-V came to rest on its top in the ditch.
Livingston was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Sheldon and then was transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City. The sheriff’s office listed Livingston’s injuries as head and neck injuries.
Schmidt was taken by ambulance to a Sheldon hospital to be treated for injuries the sheriff’s office listed as head and upper extremity injuries.
According to the report, several hundred chickens died in the accident reported around 10:30 Tuesday night.
Private label brand growth fuels new business
(LE MARS)–A start-up company locating in southwest Le Mars may use a regional resource to help train its workforce.
Bret Peterson is C-F-O of North American Co-Pack. The new business will process meat products for private label customers including grocery store brands.
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According to Peterson, North American Co-Pack pursued training options through Western Iowa Tech Community College.
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Incentives for the new Le Mars employer are being provided through the city of Le Mars and the state of Iowa.
Public art will be popular for pictures
(LE MARS)–A man creating fiberglass sculptures of six-foot ice cream cones for Le Mars got into his career by accident.
Mary Reynolds of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce is working with businesses and individuals for the public art ice cream cone project.
Patrick Keough of Shelton, Nebraska said it takes about six weeks to form the fiberglass cones. His earliest work was with animals.
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Keough sees a picture appeal to public art.
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Local artists will complete the ice cream cone art.
Engel sees seeds for success in adversity
(SIOUX CITY)–A Sioux City man who flunked kindergarten but graduated from the University of Iowa with the highest honor believes challenges lead to success.
John Paul Engel is a consultant for corporations and a motivational speaker.
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Engel was a volunteer with the Toastmasters International Youth leadership who contacted nationally and internationally known leaders to answer students’ questions about careers, school and success. The result was his book, “Project Be the Change.” He donates the book to schools.
UP offers fans a chance to see steam locomotives
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Union Pacific is offering railroad fans the chance to bring a steam locomotive to their hometowns.
The Omaha-based railroad is sponsoring an online contest at www.upexcursion.com where individuals can nominate towns for one of Union Pacific’s two historic steam locomotives to visit. The towns with the most votes before Dec. 6 will be considered as destinations.
Then the railroad will review the nominees and propose four finalists. People will be able to vote for their favorite route between Jan. 1-17. The winning route will be announced Jan. 18.
UP maintains the No. 3985 “Challenger” and the No. 844 steam locomotives.
The Challenger is the world’s largest operating steam locomotive. The No. 844 locomotive began duty in 1944 and pulled both passenger and freight trains. www.upexcursion.com
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Ottumwa seeks runway expansion
OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) Officials in Ottumwa are hoping for grants from the Federal Aviation Administration to cover a proposed airport runway expansion.
City officials say FAA grants could cover as much as 90-95 percent of a $3.3 million project that would increase a runway at Ottumwa Regional Airport from 5,900 to 8,300 feet.
City Administrator Joe Helfenberger says the expansion would allow companies that are dependent on air freight traffic to expand or relocate to the Ottumwa area.
Helfenberger also believes the project could lead to more jobs in the region.
Deemer conviction upheld by Appeals Court
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld the verdict of a man twice convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of his estranged wife and her friend.
A jury found Kyle Deemer of West Des Moines guilty in the deaths of his estranged wife, Jessica Deemer, and Bryce Mercer in November of last year.
The pair was gunned down along Iowa Highway 14 in Marshall County in 2008.
The court on Wednesday rejected Deemer’s claim that a prosecutor’s statement about reasonable doubt was confusing because the language was not in later jury instructions.
A district court judge sentenced Deemer to two consecutive life terms in prison. He has no chance of parole under Iowa law.
Mayor of small Iowa town dies in car accident
ST. ANSGAR, Iowa (AP) The mayor of a small Iowa town near the Minnesota border has died from injuries following a car accident.
Seventy-nine-year-old Marvin Kofoot, the mayor of St. Ansgar in north-central Iowa, died Wednesday afternoon in an accident on Highway 9.
Kofoot’s wife, Milda, was also injured and taken to a local hospital. Her condition wasn’t yet known.
The Worth County Sheriff’s Department says a semi tractor trailer was also involved in the crash. The driver of the semi was not transported to the hospital.
Icy road conditions were reported in much of northern Iowa Wednesday, but it’s not yet known if those played a role in the crash.
Family awarded $67,000 restitution in abuse case
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) A former Iowa City guidance counselor convicted of sexually abusing a fifth grader seven years ago has been ordered to pay more than $67,000 in restitution to the victim’s family.
Forty-one-year-old Donald Clark was convicted in February of second-degree sexual abuse of a fifth-grader and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Trial testimony says the victim’s parents burned through their savings, 401k accounts and sold their house to pay for a special boarding school and other educational services to help their son.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that testimony said the boy developed behavioral issues after he was regularly being taken out of class and sexually abused by Clark.
Clark disputed the restitution claim because he maintains his innocence.
Pharmacy board proposes medical marijuana bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has voted to propose legislation that would reclassify marijuana and make it easier to legalize the drug for medical purposes.
The Des Moines Register reports that the board voted 6-0 Wednesday to propose a bill defining marijuana as a Schedule II drug.
State law currently lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug which has almost no legal purposes.
Legislators would also have to approve a separate medical-marijuana program if they accept the board’s proposal.
Gov.-elect Terry Branstad, is among several state lawmakers who’ve said they oppose that idea.
Supporters of the bill say marijuana can ease symptoms for patients with cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other ailments. Opponents say the medical-marijuana campaign is a front for people who want to use the drug recreationally.
HR firm in Iowa City to add 200 jobs in 2 years
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) A human resources agency in Iowa City plans to add at least 200 jobs over the next two years.
Mercer, a company headquartered in New York, currently employs about 250 people in Iowa City and is planning to expand its operations there.
Joe Barry, who manages the Iowa City location for Mercer, says most of the new openings to be for entry-level and first-time job changers in fields ranging from software development to administration.
Barry says Iowa City’s diverse and educated work force played a key role in Mercer’s decision to expand.
Mercer employs roughly 20,000 people in more than 40 countries. It has operated in Iowa City for more than 30 years.
Police arrest Des Moines man after car, foot chase
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Des Moines police have arrested a man they say tried to elude officers in a stolen car and on foot.
Thirty-eight-year-old Dion Canady was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with auto theft, eluding, interference with official acts and assault on a police officer.
Police Sgt. John Leporte says Canady is accused of stealing a woman’s car by jumping in and driving away with it while she was warming it up.
Police tried to stop Canady after he allegedly drove away from a convenience store without paying for gas. After a chase, police say Canady ran into the woods and was arrested a short time later.
Canady was being held in the Polk County Jail on $8,000 bond.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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