Clarey Pleads Not Guilty To Domestic Assault and Kidnapping
(Le Mars) — A Le Mars man has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman and keeping her from calling for help. John Clarey, age 37, filed his written plea in Plymouth County District Court to charges of willful injury resulting in serious injury, third-degree kidnapping and domestic abuse assault. According to court documents, Clarey, on December 23rd assaulted a woman with whom he lived and took her cellphone. She was unable to call for help or get medical treatment for five days, police said. A trial date has yet to be scheduled.
Medical Officials Warn People About Frost Bite
(Le Mars) — When temperatures start dropping to single digits, and combined with the strong winds, its not long before we start talking about wind chill index, and then as medical personnel suggests, we need to be concerned about frost bite.
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Jody Hoffman, Supervisor of Nursing at Floyd Valley Hospital says frost bite can occur before we even realize any symptoms.
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Hoffman says symptoms can vary depending upon the severity of the frost bite.
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The Floyd Valley Nurse says it is at that point when you should seek medical attention. In treating frost bite, Hoffman says to move the person to a warm area and keep the extremities elevated.
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Wasendorf Faces 50 Years In Prison
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The founder of a brokerage firm who hid his theft of customer funds for 20 years is about to face the moment he always wanted to avoid: being sentenced to prison.
A federal judge in Iowa will sentence Peregrine Financial Group chairman Russ Wasendorf Sr. on Thursday. Federal prosecutors are asking for the maximum 50-year prison term. Even supporters of the
64-year-old say he’s accepted the likelihood that he’ll die behind bars.
Wasendorf attempted suicide last summer outside Peregrine’s headquarters in Cedar Falls, shortly before regulators learned that $200 million in customer funds was missing.
Wasendorf later pleaded guilty to fraud and embezzlement charges. He admitted that he created fake documents to cover up the theft of funds that he used to expand the business and support his
lavish lifestyle.
Harkin Introduces Retirement Bill
(Washington) — Saying America is facing a “retirement crisis,” Iowa Senator Tom Harkin is proposing legislation to create a new way for people to sock away money for their golden years. Harkin, a Democrat, says a new study has found workers across the country simply aren’t saving enough green for when they turn gray.
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He says Iowans have saved only 32-percent of what they will likely need for retirement, ranking the state toward the bottom. Harkin blames the situation on what he calls the breakdown of the traditional three-leg stool of retirement security — Social Security, pensions, savings. His new proposal is called the U-S-A Retirement fund, standing for universal, secure and adaptable.
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He thinks the measure can win support in Congress.
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Harkin announced last weekend that he will not seek reelection when his term expires in 2014. A reporter asked about the fact Harkin’s introducing major retirement legislation a matter of days after announcing his own retirement. It’s coincidence, Harkin says, as he’s been working on the legislation for several years.
Ethanol Producers Looking At Using Garbage
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Ethanol producers have talked for decades about using plant residue, wood scraps and even garbage to produce the fuel additive, but now companies finally are building
full-scale refineries.
About 70 cellulosic ethanol projects are under way, reflecting billions of dollars of private investment.
The breakthrough comes at a key time, after the drought heightened criticism about the vast amount of corn used to brew up ethanol rather than be used for animal feed or other foods. Drought
left the corn crop smaller than expected, and livestock groups blamed ethanol producers for soaring corn prices that hurt their profits.
The push for more ethanol production comes amid federal requirements that the petroleum industry mix 36 billion gallons of the additive into the nation’s fuel supply by 2022.
