KLEM News Update, December 18th 2010

(EVERLY) A nativity scene in the Everly City Park was vandalized Thursday night or early Friday morning.  According to the Clay County Sheriffs Department an Everly City employee noticed that the nativity scene at the city park had been vandalized and that baby Jesus was missing yesterday morning. The employee followed several sets of foot prints to the old school and noticed that the windows in the front door were broken out. 

A Clay County Deputy was able to follow the foot prints in the snow to a residence on Wilson Street. After speaking with several subjects the deputy determined that these people were the subjects that had vandalized the city park.

Three subjects were then taken into custody and transported to the Clay Co Jail. All three were booked in for 5th Degree Theft and Criminal Mischief. These subjects were held on a $300 bond. 
Clay County Sheriff Randy Krukow stated that additional information came forward and Baby Jesus has been recovered and will be returned to the City of Everly.

LeMars Convention Center Heating System Ready for Rentals

(LE MARS) Le Mars City Administrator Scott Langel said that the HVAC update is far enough along at the Le Mars Convention Center for all rooms to be used this winter.

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Langel said that work remains regarding the controls and air conditioning system.  Work began on the Convention Center’s HVAC system in October.

Plymouth County Fair asks for Funds

(LE MARS) At the supervisors meeting earlier this week, Plymouth County Fairboard President Terry Reuter asked the County Board of Supervisors for $10,000 to go toward the fair.  Reuter explains what the money is used for. 

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Reuter said the $10,000 given by the county covers about 60% of those costs.  According to Reuter the Fair is now out of debt and they are looking forward to making building improvements.  Upcoming projects include a new rabbit barn for this year and the possibility of a new livestock barn the following year.

The board will decide what money will go to the Plymouth County Fair when they go through approval of the budget next year.

Pet Licenses Need to be Obtained by January 1st

(Le Mars) The deadline for re-licensing your pet is January 1st. City Administrator Scott Langel tells owners where they can get that done.

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If a pets shot records are not up to date, that will have to be done before a license can be obtained.

Tonic Sol-Fa in Sioux City Tomorrow

(SIOUX CITY) Tonic Sol-fa will be presenting their Holiday Show at the Orpheum Theater tomorrow night in Sioux City Sunday.   

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Shaun Johnson is one of 4 singers with the male accapella group.  He says their music is a mash of all different styles.

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They also write a lot of their own songs, including this Christmas original, Sno.

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Shaun says this years Holiday Show, will be different than years past.

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Tonic Sol-fa has a Le Mars connection.  Shaun explains their work with Blue Bunny.

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The Tonic Sol-fa Holiday Show is tomorrow, December 19th at 7:30pm at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City.  Tickets range from $24.50 to $29.50 and are still available at www.ticketmaster.com.

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Iowa GOP lawmakers vow to try to oust 4 justices

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Several Republican state lawmakers say they will try to impeach four Iowa Supreme Court justices who joined in a unanimous 2009 ruling that legalized gay marriage in the state.

Voters in November removed three other justices from the seven-member court after a campaign that focused on the gay marriage ruling. Those justices were up for retention elections in which voters can oust judges near the end of their terms.

Incoming House member Kim Pearson says the remaining justices should be impeached because she feels they overstepped their authority by overturning a state law that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.

To succeed, an impeachment measure would require a simple majority of the Republican-led state House and a two-thirds majority of the Democratic-led state Senate.

Software company to bring 250 jobs to Ames

AMES, Iowa (AP) A software company that helps customers file electronic documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission has announced plans to bring 250 jobs to Ames.

WebFilings LLC has received a $2.26 million grant from the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Company CEO Matt Rizai tells The Tribune that the grant and $12.5 million in other funding will allow the company to expand to serve a growing market.

He says the grant will help the company position itself for high growth to meet increasing demand

Dan Culhane, president of the Ames Chamber of Commerce, says the job announcement is one of the biggest ever by an Ames company.

Iowa court reverses life sentence without parole

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a sentence of life in prison without parole for a man convicted of kidnapping when he was a juvenile, saying the sentence is cruel and unusual.

The court ruled Friday that Julio Bonilla should be eligible for parole.

Bonilla was convicted in 2005 as an adult of first-degree kidnapping. The charge carries a sentence of life in prison without parole, but the U.S. Supreme Court recently banned such sentences for juveniles convicted of crimes that did not include homicide.

The Iowa Supreme Court ordered the district court to resentence Bonilla.

Bonilla’s attorney was out of the office and not available for comment.

Iowa attorney general spokesman Geoff Greenwood says the ruling was expected and the Legislature will need to address the issue. EXPLICIT PHOTOS SENT

Iowan admits hacking into ex-girlfriend’s accounts

WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) A 28-year-old Westgate man who hacked into his ex-girlfriend’s e-mail and sent explicit photos to her parents has pleaded guilty.

The Gazette of Cedar Rapids reports that Jonathan Steinbronn admitted in Fayette County District Court to the charge of unauthorized computer access.

In June the University of Iowa police told the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office that Steinbronn had accessed a student’s e-mail account.

The criminal complaint says Steinbronn used the woman’s college account and her social network accounts to send the photos because her family wouldn’t open e-mails sent from his accounts.

Fort Dodge barber convicted of drug possession

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) A Fort Dodge barber has been found guilty of selling drugs from his shop, which prosecutors say was a front for the drug deals.

Benjamin Clement was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. The charges are punishable by up to 10 years and 5 years in prison respectively.

The Messenger says Clement is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 18.

Prosecutors say authorities seized a package containing marijuana mailed to Clement’s barbershop from a phony address in Fresno, Calif. They also say they observed people coming and going from the shop during hours not posted on the door and for short periods of time.

Clement’s attorney, Joe McCarville, says he and Clement are disappointed in Wednesday’s verdict.

Judge orders ex-owners of Kosher plant to pay $2M

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) A judge has ordered members of the family that owned a Kosher meatpacking plant in Iowa to pay more than $2 million after defaulting on financial agreements with one of their former banks.

U.S. District Judge Edward McManus on Thursday ruled in favor of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Value Recovery Group and against brothers Sholom and Tzvi (tee-AHTS-vee) Rubashkin and their father, Aaron.

The family owned the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, which closed after a 2008 raid in which 389 illegal immigrants were detained.

The ruling stems from a $300,000 loan the Rubashkins received from Omni National Bank for their rental property company and several equipment leases with the bank for Agriprocessors. Omni sued to collect the money, but collapsed last year. FDIC was appointed its receiver.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)