(Le Mars) Plymouth County was able to collect more than $114,000 during this last quarter through the county recorder’s office. JoLynn Goodchild, the county recorder delivered her quarterly report to the county board of supervisors during their regular weekly meeting.
Listen here
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Goodchild offers a more detailed account of the revenue.
Listen here
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Due to a workshop training session held in Storm Lake, the Recorder’s office will be closed today between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Hospital has hired a Foundation Manager. Accepting the position is Chuck Jespersen of Sioux City. This is a new position for Floyd Valley Hospital, and Jespersen will coordinate all gifts to Floyd Valley Hospital including planned giving and estate planning. Jespersen received his Bachelor’s of Science Degree from the University of South Dakota. He worked in donor recruitment at the Siouxland Community Blood Bank and most recently, served as the Director of Student Ministries at Sunnybrook community Church for the past eleven years.
(Le Mars) — Today is the day Le Mars’ new assistant fire chief, Mike Wise, will be officially sworn in for his duties. Wise started working for the fire department on July 2nd. He has been a fire fighter for more than twenty years, most recently serving at Omaha and Red Oak, Iowa. Swearing in ceremonies will occur at Fire Station number 1 and will take place at 10:00 a.m. The ceremonies are in conjunction with the Fire Station hosting the Chamber of Commerce coffee.
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office has released the details concerning a farm accident that happened last week. At about 1:45 p.m. Thursday afternoon, 72 year old William Renken of Brunsville was working on his tractor when it unexpectedly lunged forward and ran over him. Renken was transported to Mercy Medical Center by the Le Mars Ambulance.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Des Moines-based Planned Parenthood
affiliate faces allegations that it fraudulently billed Medicaid
from 2002 to 2009 for nearly $28 million.
A federal whistle-blower lawsuit filed by a former clinic
director, Sue Thayer, says Planned Parenthood of the Heartland
billed Medicaid for blood tests and other procedures related to
elective abortions but not for the actual abortions.
The lawsuit was filed in March 2011 but didn’t proceed until
federal and state prosecutors decided against intervening.
A Planned Parenthood representative, Shelby Cloke, said the
organization hadn’t had a chance to review the allegations but said
the lawsuit “follows a pattern of harassment” against Planned
Parenthood affiliates.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has medical centers and
education and resource centers in Des Moines and the Nebraska
cities of Lincoln and Omaha.
ANKENY, Iowa (AP) – Fire officials say a bottle under pressure
exploded in a lab and may have exposed a worker to vapors at a
Monsanto Co. facility in Ankeny.
The Des Moines Register (https://dmreg.co/LG7cO ) says the bottle
was under high pressure during a chemical process when the incident
happened Tuesday afternoon.
Ankeny Fire Chief Rex Mundt says the bottle was less than a
gallon in size. He couldn’t immediately say what chemicals it
contained.
Monsanto spokeswoman Kelly Clauss says one worker was taken to a
hospital for observation and was released.
Clauss says the procedure being done when the bottle ruptured
was a normal one and the chemicals are regularly used.
According to the seed company’s website, the facility is a
global hub for breeding research.
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state worker’s union has filed a
complaint against Gov. Terry Branstad over asking workers to pay
part of their health care premiums.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Employee Relations Board on
Tuesday
The complaint says health insurance is covered under collective
bargaining laws and the governor is prohibited from approaching
workers about making changes.
Branstad signed an executive order last week allowing state
workers to voluntarily pay 20 percent of their premiums. He says he
and the lieutenant governor will do so beginning Aug. 1.
Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht says it’s outrageous that
Iowans, who pay their own health care costs, are forced to foot the
bill for state workers.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Some corn farmers are mowing down fields
as the drought in the middle of the country worsens.
The most severe drought in nearly 25 years spreads from Ohio to
California. Some of the hardest hit areas are in the corn belt,
where the lack of rain has combined with unusual heat to damage
plants.
David Kellerman says he and the neighbor he farms with cut down
their corn near Du Bois, Ill., after more than a week of
temperatures over 100 degrees.
Corn doesn’t develop properly if temperatures rise above 95
during pollination.
Matt Johnson’s popcorn fields in Redkey, Ind., have been burning
up by day, and he expects his insurance adjuster to tell him to mow
them over if no rain comes by next month.
