(Le Mars)–You’ve probably seen her work around Le Mars. Bob’s Drive Inn, St. Joe’s, The Foster Park Carousel Gazebo, The Postal Theater and the Round barn now located at the Fairgrounds, are just a few examples of Jane Schultz’s LeMars scenes that you’ll see around town and on postcards.
Jane says she got started in art by watching a relative do oil paintings.
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She further explains why she settled on watercolor instead of oils.
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Jane grew up in Le Mars and when she and her husband moved back to town in the ’70’s, she was surprised to see her subject matter chance from flowers and landscapes to architecture .
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Over the years Jane has done quite a bit of commissioned work painting the homes and barns of many people in the area.
Every artist has a different creative process, Jane explains hers.
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When looking at her work you can see that she plays with scale, color and shadow to make things more whimsical than a plain photograph would express.
Jane has now been working with watercolor since 1974. In her 35 years of painting she has taken many workshops to develop her talent. She guesses her lifelong body of work is nearing the one thousand mark. Jane’s current project is a series of 5 pictures for St. John’s Lutheran Church.
If you want to see or buy any of her pictures, she has a studio in her home and is up for visitors anytime, as long as you call ahead. To see some of Jane Schultz’s work, log onto KLEM1410.com.
(LE MARS)–A study of the Le Mars Wastewater Treatment facility is expected to be presented to the City Council in January or February.
City Administrator Scott Langel predicts a first draft of current and future treatment needs and facilities could be available this month.
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The report would then be presented to the City Council.
The engineering consultant, Bolton and Menk of Ames, was hired about six months ago.
(ORANGE CITY) — For some people it wouldn’t be Christmas without “It’s a Wonderful Life.” This tradition took the stage in Orange City over the weekend, and three performances remain Thursday December 16th-Saturday the 18th. Cody Bauer of the the School House Theater Company is the director of the production. He says that the story line holds true to the classic movie.
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The style Bauer mentioned is a radio play.
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“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play” features Patrick Giannantonio, of Orange City as George Bailey. He is joined by Linda Dykstra as his wife Mary, Lois Estell as Violet, Kailen Philo-Fleck as Mr. Potter, and Nick Rohlf as Clarence, the angel. There will also be holiday music and many sound effects to bring the production to life.
You can get tickets to “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play” by calling 712-722-3211 or emailing boxoffice@theshc.org. Show time is 7:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at City Hall in Orange City.
Local Lending Program Completed
(LE MARS)–A business programs specialist in Northwest Iowa for U-S-D-A Rural Development has completed a lending program.
According to Bill Menner of U-S-D-A Rural Development, the Iowa Banker’s Association Commercial Lending School training was completed by Kim Clay.
Clay is a business programs specialist in the Le Mars office of U-S-D-A who works with lenders and businesses in northwest Iowa counties including Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury.
Funds are used for home mortgages, improvements to community facility and infrastructure projects such as health clinics, community centers, public safety buildings and water and wastewater systems as well as business and economic organizations.
Wind picks up as storm blasts through Iowa
AMES–Much of Iowa was under a wind-chill advisory on the heels of a winter storm that brought blizzard conditions to the upper Midwest.
The storm that started Saturday brought blinding snow and strong winds. The National Weather Service reports that more snow fell in the northern part of Iowa, with many places seeing 8-10 inches. Waukon reported up to 12 inches. Communities in the southern part of the state got 1-3 inches.
Most of Iowa was under a wind-chill advisory until Monday morning. The weather service’s office in Des Moines was forecasting gusty winds that would make the temperature feel like 20-below in some places.
The storm forced the closure Saturday of portions of Interstates 29 and 80 in western Iowa. They reopened Sunday.
Trial rescheduled for January in fatal Iowa crash
COUNCIL BLUFFS–The trial for a Nebraska man charged in an Iowa crash that killed four motorcyclists has been rescheduled for January.
Andrew Schlichtemeier of Murray, Neb., faces four counts of vehicular homicide in the crash. Authorities say the 22-year-old was drunk when he swerved into oncoming traffic on Interstate 29 near Little Sioux, killing the motorcyclists.
Schlichtemeier has pleaded not guilty.
Court records show a trial set for this past week was postponed until Jan. 11.
Schlichtemeier remains in jail on $200,000 bond.
Killed in the Aug. 9 crash were Dennis Chaney and Dale Aspedon, both of Glenwood, Steven Benscoter of Pacific Junction and Jay Bock of Omaha, Neb.
Iowa woman accused of stealing from auto shop
BURLINGTON–A West Burlington woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the auto shop where she worked.
The Burlington Hawk Eye reports that 39-year-old Gidget Linkin turned herself in to police on Friday on a charge of first-degree theft. She’s since been released from jail.
Police say an audit of Carquest Auto Parts’ finances showed questionable invoices dating to January 2009. An estimated $39,000 was missing from the business.
Police say Linkin told investigators that she falsified receipts and took money.
Jurors to begin deliberations in Iowa arson case
BURLINGTON–Jurors are expected to begin deliberations Monday in the trial of a Burlington man accused of burning down his house.
The Burlington Hawk Eye reports that a Des Moines district judge gave the case against Kenneth Dix to the jury late Friday afternoon but postponed deliberations until Monday.
The 66-year-old Dix is charged with arson and criminal mischief in the October 2009 fire.
Prosecutors say Dix called authorities and asked if it was illegal to burn his own home. Authorities say Dix then told a Des Moines County sheriff’s deputy to call the fire department and hung up. The state fire marshal’s office ruled the fire an arson.
Dix’s attorney says no crime was committed because no insurance claim was filed and Dix and his wife owned the house outright.
Iowa gets $469K to prosecute sexual predators
DES MOINES– Iowa has been awarded $469,000 to investigate and prosecute sexual predators who target children.
A release from the state Division of Criminal Investigation says the grant will be used by investigators in its cybercrime and sex offender registry units. The money will cover new computer equipment for online investigations, overtime pay and training for staff and educational materials for the public.
The grant is among 24 awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Iowa man shot in chest by another deer hunter
BOONE– A Boone man has been hospitalized after being shot while hunting deer in Boone County.
A release from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says 27-year-old John “Randy” Roberts was shot in the chest with a shotgun about 10 a.m. Sunday. He was flown to a Des Moines hospital with an injury believed to be non-life-threatening.
State officials say Roberts was shot by 19-year-old Austin McBirnie, of Boone, who was part of a group hunting along the Des Moines River between Madrid and Luther. The Natural Resources department says McBirnie was shooting at a deer that had run between him and Roberts.
Air Force jets were too low during Iowa flyover
IOWA CITY– Air Force jets were flying at a fraction of the minimum altitude required during a military flyover before a University of Iowa football game last month.
An architect says the top of the Kinnick Stadium press box is 137 feet above ground level. Videos and witness accounts show the four Talon T-38 Trainer jets appeared to be at or slightly above that level during the flyover before clearing the south scoreboard, which is 112 feet above the ground.
Under Air Force regulations, jets generally must have an altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level when they are flying over populated areas. The precise altitude of the jets is unknown and will be determined as part of the internal investigation into whether the flyover violated Air Force rules.
