(Sioux City) — A new camp ground for the disabled held ground breaking ceremonies today at noon.
Camp High Hopes is a year-round recreational facility exclusively designed and operated for people with special needs. The new camp is located near Bacon Creek Park on the northeast side of Sioux City. The camp’s mission is to provide campers the opportunity to build self-esteem, and independence by providing recreational and theapeutic and educational programs.
(LeMars) — The LeMars Community School District has 20 fewer students attending school this year than last year. The enrollment numbers were announced by Assistant Superintendent, Steve Webner during last evening’s school board meeting. The total enrollment for the LeMars Community School District numbered 2109 students. A year ago, the total enrollment was 2129 students. The high school had an increase of 12 students at 647 students over a year ago figures, but the middle school and the elementary schools saw a drop of 44 total students. Webner says the trend from the last few years has shown a decline in student numbers.
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The school official says when enrollment drops, it becomes that much more costly for the school district.
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LeMars isn’t alone in this situation, Webner says nearly every school in Iowa has witnessed declining enrollments.
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Webner says it is difficult to project future enrollments as there are so many variables and unknowns that need to be factored in the equation. Webner offered the example if a local factory was to shut down which could mean several families leaving the community, that action would adversely affect school enrollment.
(LeMars) — This is National Fire Prevention Week and LeMars Fire Chief Dave Schipper says in addition to smoke detectors, each home should be equipped with at least one fire extinguisher.
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Schipper says when fires occur in the kitchen, a common mistake is that people will use water to attempt to put out a grease fire.
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(LeMars) — The city of LeMars has started its flushing of hydrants and other water lines. City water superintendent, Gayle Sitzman says the flushing is needed to help break up the mineral deposits found in the water lines.
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Sitzman says the city will conduct flushings on a more frequent basis than in the past.
(LeMars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Road Department has announced Nature Avenue from 270th Street to 280th Street will be closed for the next ten days due to grading and ditch cleaning.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A survey released by the Iowa Department of Public Health suggests that although only 1 percent of Iowans have are pathological gamblers, 13 percent are at risk of
developing serious gambling problems.
A news release from the department says that of the 1,700 Iowans interviewed for the survey, 91 percent said they’d gambled at least once in their lives and 69 percent reported gambling in the past year.
The 13 percent reported one or more symptoms of problem gambling in the past 12 months. Among the symptoms are gambling to “get even” for previous losses and lying to conceal the extent of gambling.
The University of Northern Iowa Center for Social and Behavioral Research conducted the survey. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.4 percentage points.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Protesters say they have applied for a permit to stay on the grounds at the Iowa Capitol rather than face being arrested.
The Occupy Iowa protesters say they expect to receive a permit that will allow them to return to the Capitol grounds Tuesday night.
Thirty-two protesters were arrested Sunday because they didn’t leave the Capitol grounds before the 11 p.m. curfew. Occupy Iowa is an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement
that started in New York City to protest corporate greed. Protesters returned to the Capitol Monday night but moved across the street before 11 p.m. No arrests were reported.
Occupy Iowa demonstrators have also been camped out at an Iowa City park but no arrests have been made.
