(LE MARS)–Fire safety is the reason the Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief spoke at the Le Mars City Council meeting Tuesday.
Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper told the Council backyard fire pits should have a screen cover or some way to contain the combustion. Schipper also said clean, seasoned firewood should be burned.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/firepits.mp3{/audio}
With spring weather, Schipper said he wanted to remind city residents not to set anything on fire unless it is allowed with recreational fire pits.
(LE MARS)–Indoor and outdoor activities are being added at the Le Mars YMCA.
Executive Director Todd Lancaster describes participation as good with more than 50 classes.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/yclasses1.mp3{/audio}
In a monthly report to the Le Mars City Council, Lancaster explained the Y would join a national effort this month.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/yclasses2.mp3{/audio}
A six-week Yoga Kids program will begin April 18th.
The Y will partner with the Chamber on April 23rd.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/yclasses3.mp3{/audio}
A softball pitching clinic for third through eighth grade girls April 18th with a registration deadline at the Y of April 15th.
(LE MARS)–Spring cleaning could mean an end to leftovers in homes and garages with a Household Hazardous Materials Day next month.
The Household Hazardous Materials Day for Le Mars and Oyens residents will be at the city’s Street Department Building, 331 First Street Northeast. According to Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole, the Plymouth County Solid Waste Agency is offering the free service which was highly successful last fall.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/hhwcleanup.mp3{/audio}
Hours Wednesday, May 11th are from ten in the morning until noon and from one until five in the afternoon.
Appointments for the free collections are needed and may be made by calling this city of Le Mars number, 548-4958.
(Merrill)–A reward is offered for information about a theft and criminal mischief at rural Merrill.
Sometime between last October 29th and November second, about 800 dollars worth of motor vehicle parts were taken from a vehicle and the vehicle has about another 800 dollars worth of damage.
The crime occurred at rural Merrill at 29164 Ideal Road.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Plymouth County Sheriff’s office or Crime Stoppers. A reward of up to two-thousand dollars is available for information leading to the arrest for the rural Merrill crime.
SIGOURNEY, Iowa (AP) Funeral services will be on Saturday for a Keokuk County sheriff’s deputy who was shot to death allegedly by a man with a history of mental illness who was later killed by officers after a standoff near Sigourney (SIG’-or-nee) in southeast Iowa.
Harden Funeral Home in What Cheer says services for Eric Stein will be at 1 p.m. at Sigourney High School.
The 38-year-old deputy from What Cheer was killed Monday when he and two other officers went to 53-year-old Jeffrey Krier’s (kreer) home. Authorities say Krier opened fire, killing Stein. Krier was killed after a standoff. The other officers weren’t injured.
Krier’s siblings say he struggled with mental illness for three decades.
Stein is the first Iowa law officer shot and killed in the line of duty since 1985.
MONTROSE, Iowa (AP) Officials say a 91-year-old southeast Iowa man is recovering after he crashed his pickup truck and spent the night in a ditch in rural Lee County.
The sheriff’s office says Richard Mabeus, of Wever, was driving on a rural road Sunday night when he went through an intersection and crashed in the ditch. Mabeus got out of the truck and attempted to walk to look for help, but collapsed in the ditch. He spent the night and part of Monday in the ditch before he was found by family members.
The Hawk Eye in Burlington says Mabeus was taken to a hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained in the crash and for hypothermia.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says Republicans have positioned themselves to maintain control in the Legislature despite a focus on high-profile social issues ranging from abortion to gay rights.
Paulsen says in an interview with The Associated Press that Republicans campaigned last fall on a platform of shrinking state government. He says that’s precisely what they are doing as they craft a new state budget that’s smaller than the current year’s budget.
He rejected suggestions that focusing on emotional social issues will turn off independent and moderate voters that are essential to building a majority. He says virtually all the issues Republicans have addressed this year have broad-based public support and he’s comfortable about his party’s chances heading into next year’s election.
BOONE, Iowa (AP) A Boone County sheriff’s deputy is “very sore” after his cruiser flipped during a high-speed chase.
Chief Deputy Gregg Elsberry says Deputy Andrew Godzicki (gawd-ZIHK’-ee) was trying to catch up to a car that was speeding east on U.S. Highway 30 toward Boone about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Elsberry says that when Godzicki braked hard to avoid slower traffic, he lost control of his cruiser. It went into a ditch, flipped several times and landed in the median.
Elsberry describes Godzicki as “very, very sore,” and says the deputy is recovering at home after being checked at a hospital.
As for the car and driver being chased, no arrest has been reported.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Human remains that could be up to 7,000 years old have been discovered at a construction site in Des Moines.
They were found by a state archaeology team near a site where scientists think people harvested, cooked and ate clams thousands of years ago.
State archaeologist John Doershuk (DOHR’-shuhk) tells The Des Moines Register that it’s a unique site to Iowa and the Midwest.
The site’s exact location is not being disclosed, lest looters ravage it.
But the discovery and archaeological dig is delaying a $37.8 million sewer project for at least six months. The Register reports that it’s estimated the Wastewater Reclamation Authority will have to spend an estimated $1.5 million or more because of the delay.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) One of the 13 Iowa players hospitalized after an intensive weightlifting exercise in January says he’s planning to transfer to another school.
Reserve senior cornerback Willie Lowe told ESPN.com that he’s not sure whether he’ll be able to play again. Lowe says his weight is still down 20 pounds and he’s been having headaches.
Lowe and 12 others were affected by rhabdomyolysis (rab-doh-my-AHL’-ah-sis), a condition that releases muscle fiber into the bloodstream and can cause kidney damage.
Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said in a statement Wednesday the school is honoring Lowe’s request to speak with other schools. Barta said they’d like him to remain with the team.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said two weeks ago that all 13 players had been medically cleared to practice.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Submit your news release, photo, confidential news tip or news idea by email klemnews@lemarscomm or by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.
