Gehlen Homecoming Royalty Crowned
(Le Mars) — The colors of green and gold, and black and gold could be seen throughout the downtown area today as Gehlen Catholic and Spalding Catholic celebrated their Homecoming festivities. Gehlen’s pep rally and coronation was held over the noon hour at the Reardon Family gymnasium, and Here is how the royal couple were introduced….
Listen to
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This year’s Gehlen Homecoming queen is Shannon Smith, the daughter of Steve and Gina Smith
Gehlen’s king is Michael Whitehead, the son of Erv and Lisa Whitehead. At Spalding, the new king and queen honors were awarded to Dakota Hansen, the son of Ric and Janet Hansen of Alton; and Maggie Schroeder, daughter of Dan and Julia Schroeder of Granville. The Granville-Spalding football team will face the Okoboji Pioneers at the Jim Lorenzen Field.
Motorcycle Accident Injures Hinton Man
(Hinton) — An early morning motorcycle accident left a Hinton man in serious condition. 59-year old Darrel Hansen of Hinton was riding his motorcycle on County road K-22 at about 6:10 a.m. when he came upon a deer carcass lying in the middle of the road. The deer had been hit by a previous passing vehicle, but was not removed from the roadway. Hansen tried braking, but could not avoid hitting the carcass and rode over the deer causing him to lose control of his motorcycle. The Hinton Ambulance and the Hinton Fire Department responded to the accident. The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department and the Hinton Police assisted with the accident. Hansen was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City with was was referred to as incapacitating injuries.
Brown Honored As Chamber Boss of the Quarter
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce has awarded its 3rd Quarter Boss of the Quarter to Jodi Brown. Jodi is Vice President and head of the deposit services area of Primebank’s Operations Division. She is responsible for the over-all supervision of the customer service, teller, and reception staff in Primebank’s three locations. The nomination, submitted by Ann Schulz says although being “boss” to over 25 employees can sometimes present special challenges, Jodi is always quick to rise to the occasion with her own special insight and humanity allowing her to find both effective and mutually-satisfying solutions. A true mentor, Jodi is always quick to encourage her staff in both professional, as well as personal, growth. Jodi wants her staff to experience success, and is willing to invest of her own time and efforts to help them achieve this success. A graduate of Le Mars Community School and Minnesota State University, Jodi has been with Primebank for over ten years. Our congratulations to Jodi Brown for being named the Chamber’s Boss of the Quarter.
Mr. P’s Raises Money For Ronald McDonald Houses
(Le Mars) — This coming Tuesday some of what you pay for dinner could go to The Siouxland Ronald McDonald House Charities. Joe Sitzman, owner of Mr. P’s in Le Mars, says that Tuesday from 5-8pm a portion of proceeds will go to a charity that’s near and dear to his heart.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/September 2012/P’s 1.mp3{/audio}
That same son, who is soon to be three, has cerebral palsy and continues to need extended care. The Sitzman’s have been grateful for Ronald McDonald House Charities near the hospitals where he has received his treatment over the last three years including Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Kansas City, where Joe’s wife and son are currently staying.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/September 2012/P’s 2.mp3{/audio}
From 5-8pm Tuesday, October 2nd, the regular menu will be available and Mr. P’s Pizza and Sports Grill. Volunteers from the Siouxland Ronald McDonald House Charities will be on hand to answer questions and serve customers.
Casino Omaha To Re-Open
ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – Nebraska’s Omaha Tribe says it plans to reopen its flood-damaged Iowa casino by the end of the year.
CasinOmaha was shut down by flooding in June 2011.
The tribe says the casino will have a new look when it reopens and a new name, Blackbird Bend Casino.
Construction is expected to start next week with doors opening in late December.
The casino is situated near Onawa, between Omaha, Neb., and Sioux City.
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Spencer Man Charged With Killing Burglary Victim
SPENCER, Iowa (AP) – Another man has been charged with killing a 59-year-old man during a burglary at his home in northwest Iowa.
Authorities say 21-year-old Cody Millard was arrested on Thursday and is being held on $250,000 bail.
He and 21-year-old Christopher Fitzpatrick, of Spencer, have been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Edward Kitto. Kitto was found beaten and unresponsive in the backyard of his Spencer home on Aug. 27. He died at a hospital on Sept. 8.
Fitzpatrick has pleaded not guilty to the murder and two other charges. Millard’s attorney, Jack Bjornstad (BYORN’-stad), declined to comment on Friday.
UN Secretary General To Visit World Food Prize
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Secretary-General of the United Nations plans to speak in Des Moines at the World Food Prize awards ceremony in October.
World Food Prize Foundation President Kenneth Quinn says Ban Ki-Moon has accepted an invitation to speak Oct. 18.
Quinn, a former U.S. ambassador, says it is especially meaningful for the top U.N. executive to speak at this year’s award ceremony because this year’s winner has worked to build peace
throughout the Middle East.
Daniel Hillel helped develop micro-irrigation technology in Israel and has worked to spread it to some of the world’s driest climates. The technology carries water through narrow plastic pipes to plants, where it drips or trickles onto the roots in a continuous way.
He was named winner of this year’s $250,000 World Food Prize in June.
Report Shows Iowa Schools Are Failing
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A new report shows more Iowa schools are failing to meet federal performance standards.
The report released Friday says the number of schools that fell below the standards jumped by 55 percent this year.
Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass told the Des Moines Register (https://dmreg.co/OtP5wa ) that the increase was due to new, tougher statewide assessments that caused a drop in test scores. Glass also says a federal No Child Left Behind formula does not adequately consider year-to-year progress.
The number of Iowa schools that missed annual performance targets rose to 800 out of 1,381 schools statewide. Schools that missed goals for two consecutive years increased by nearly 20
percent.
Students took the new, tougher test for the first time during the 2011-12 school year.
Judge Tells School Board To Re-Hire Principal
DURANT, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa judge is threatening members of a local school board with jail time if they don’t comply with a court order to fully reinstate a high school principal who was fired.
District Court Judge Mark Smith found the Durant School Board members in contempt Friday. The judge ordered them each to serve 30 days in jail and pay a $500 fine, unless they restore all of the
duties, privileges and rights that the principal previously enjoyed.
The Quad-City Times reports that Durant High School Principal Monica Rouse was fired in 2010, but appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court and won.
She returned to her job, but board members later admitted that she wasn’t allowed access to student records, her old computer or to the entire high school.
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