Home News KLEM News PM Update December 22, 2010

KLEM News PM Update December 22, 2010

(LE MARS)–A partnership is expected to increase areas for public hunting in northeastern Plymouth County.

The Herb and Eileen Kohler family and the Plymouth County Chapter of Pheasants Forever are donating more than 11 acres to Plymouth County.

A member of the family contacted Pheasants Forever after Eileen Kohler died in August. Chapter President Bob Puetz describes the agreement for the land in Fredonia Township section 25.

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Conservation Board Director Dennis Sohl told Supervisors Tuesday that part of the county is lacking wildlife habitat.

According to County Attorney Darin Raymond, Eileen Kohler was the third individual owner of the land which has not been tilled.

Supervisor Don Kass extended appreciation for the donation.

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A sign noting the donation by Kohler family and Pheasants Forever will be placed on the property.

The ownership change is expected to be handled by the end of the year.

January court date for Kingsley man

(HINTON)–A Kingsley man has a January court date for four felony charges filed after an investigation by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

According to charges in the Plymouth County Clerk of Court’s office, 42-year-old Bryan Korynta  is charged with theft;  on-going criminal conduct; fraudulent practice for filing a false tax return; and tax evasion.

Korynta is accused of taking motor vehicle fuel in excess of 10-thousand dollars belonging to the Hinton Coop. He’s accused of having possession or control of the fuel between January of 2005 and September of 2008. The on-going criminal conduct; fraud; and tax evasion charges are for the same time and relate to the fuel.

Korynta  was arrested Sunday by the Sheriff’s office and was held in jail until he posted bond of 50-thousand dollars Monday.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing January 3rd.

Conviction in Sioux County leads to prison sentence

(ORANGE CITY) A Le Mars woman has been sentenced to prison for two felony convictions in Sioux County District Court.

Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister reports 26-year-old Brandi Thillen of Le Mars was sentenced Monday for O-W-I and eluding.

The charges followed an arrest by a sheriff’s deputy after a pursuit in May and a traffic stop for an equipment violation by an Iowa State Patrol officer in June that led to the O-W-I.

Thillen was sentenced to up to five years for each of the felony convictions and fined more than 38-hundred dollars.

Iowa may see 3-5 inches of snow before Christmas

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) At least two inches of snow is expected to fall across much of Iowa and parts of eastern Nebraska later this week just as many people hit the road for Christmas.

The National Weather Service says 3 to 5 inches of snow is expected to fall across a wide swath of Iowa beginning on Thursday afternoon and continuing Friday morning. The Weather Service says larger amounts of snow will also possible in some areas.

The forecast calls for 1 to 3 inches of snow in the southwest and northeast corners of Iowa.

In eastern and northeast Nebraska, 2 to 4 inches of snow are predicted.

Medal of Honor winner in NYC for New Year’s Eve

NEW YORK (AP) The Times Square New Year’s Eve countdown will be launched with military precision this year by the 2010 Medal of Honor winner.

New York City Hall and the Times Square Alliance said Wednesday that Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta (JUHN’-ta) will join Mayor Michael Bloomberg for the countdown.

They will press the ceremonial button at 11:59 p.m. to signal the lowering of the ball, and will lead revelers in the 60-second countdown to 2011.

The 25-year-old soldier from Hiawatha, Iowa, was awarded the Medal of Honor in November.

Giunta received the award for his bravery in Afghanistan.

He exposed himself to enemy fire in order to pull a soldier back to cover when his platoon came under attack in 2007.

He also shot two insurgents who were trying to carry off another U.S. soldier.

Branstad retains Rich at Iowa Lottery

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Gov.-elect Terry Branstad is retaining Terry Rich as the chief executive officer of the Iowa Lottery, leaving him in charge of a $250 million operation he’s run since February of 2009.

The lottery generates $60 million annually, which goes to the state’s general fund and the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. Before being named to the lottery post, Rich was head of Iowa’s Blank Park Zoo, and was vice president for marketing of Heritage Communications Inc.

Ex-assistant principal gets prison in sex case

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) A former assistant principal at a public school in Dubuque has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student.

The Telegraph Herald reports that former Hempstead High School Assistant Principal Shane Oswald must also register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of probation after his prison term.

Oswald was sentenced by Judge Monica Ackley on Tuesday at the Dubuque County Courthouse.

He had entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation by a school employee in October. Prosecutors dismissed charges of felony drug distribution and supplying alcohol to a minor under the deal.

Iowa teen arrested in crash that killed passenger

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) An 18-year-old Urbandale High School student is facing a charge of vehicular homicide in connection with a fatal rollover crash last month.

The Polk County Sheriff’s office says the 18-year-old lost control of a 1998 Chevrolet Camaro while driving on state highway 415 south of Ankeny on Nov. 18.

The Des Moines Register reports that the 18-year-old’s car rolled several times, and 17-year-old Steven Lollman of Urbandale was killed. Lollman was a passenger in the Camaro.

The sheriff’s office says the car was speeding and the 18-year-old was driving recklessly before the crash.

Copper thieves return to Iowa school project site

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) Thieves searching for copper to sell as scrap appear to be targeting a school construction site in Waterloo.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that someone took copper welding leads and other equipment valued at $2,800 from a school construction site on Dec. 16.

Last month, copper thieves tore copper wiring and pipes from three vacant homes near the school construction site. The Waterloo Community School District had obtained the houses earlier this year to make room for a new elementary school. The homes were to be moved or torn down.

The equipment taken this month had been stored inside a shed at the construction site. Police reports say investigators believe the thieves used a wheelbarrow to load the equipment into a vehicle.

2 Keokuk businesses close over safety concerns

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) Two businesses in downtown Keokuk have temporarily closed because of safety concerns about their buildings.

Fire Chief Mark Wessel  told WIUM radio that a foundation wall shared by the buildings is crumbling. He says a structural engineer told the city that the buildings are unsafe.

The businesses, Younggren’s Shoes and Personalized Designs, shut down Monday and will stay closed for now.

The Daily Gate City newspaper in Keokuk says officials believe the deterioration can be blamed on the age of the buildings and perhaps the vibration from traffic. Another possible problem could be water seeping from the roof into the basement.

Another building in Keokuk collapsed in July 2009. The three-story brick building was about 150 years. No one hurt and no other property was damaged.

Foundation gives $600K to Waterloo sports complex

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) A private foundation has donated $600,000 over eight years to a proposed sports complex in downtown Waterloo.

It’s the largest grant in the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa’s history. Of the grant, $500,000 will go toward construction and $100,000 will be used to create an endowment fund.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says the Sportsplex is a $26 million facility that will include indoor soccer fields, basketball courts, swimming pools and a workout area. It is being built mainly with private money.

More than $17 million in private funding as already been secured.

Construction could begin as soon as next summer and the facility could open in November 2012.

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

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