Home News Thursday Afternoon News, March 28

Thursday Afternoon News, March 28

Le Mars Police Investigate Burglary At Tanning Salon

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department is investigating a burglary that occurred on Wednesday evening at about 8:55 p.m. at the Season Tanning salon located at 201 Plymouth Street northeast.  The suspect entered through the rear door of the business. The subject then placed a note down on the front counter demanding the money bag. The subject then left through the rear door with no money being taken. The suspect is described as a white male, 6 feet tall,weighing around 250 pounds. He was dressed in dark-colored sweatpants and sweatshirt with his face being covered. A small, red, 2-door vehicle was also reported leaving the area shortly after. If anyone has information about this incident, please contact the Le Mars Police Department or Plymouth County Crime Stoppers at 548-4968.

 

Water Department To Flush Hydrants

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Water Department has announced it will start its spring hydrant flushing.  The city water department will start on the northeast side of town on Monday through Wednesday.  The hydrant flushing will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue through 3:30 p.m. City work crews will then flush the hydrants on the northwest part of town between April 3rd through the 5th.  The hydrants on the southwest part of town will be flushed between April 8th to the 12th, and they will conclude with the southeast part of town on April 15th through the 19th.  Residents are reminded to refrain from washing laundry during the flushing times.  If you notice discolored water you are asked to try to limit the use of the hot water until the hard cold water is again clear.

 

City To Test Warning Sirens

(Le Mars) — It won’t be long before we will need to watch the skies for threatening weather, and city officials want to be prepared.  Mike Wise, the Le Mars Assistant Fire Chief says the city will again be testing the outdoor warning sirens.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/March 2013/Wise siren1.mp3{/audio}

Wise says if there is threatening weather during the time of the testing of the outdoor warning sirens, they will delay the test.

Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/March 2013/Wise siren2.mp3{/audio}


Urban Development Consultant Says Le Mars Is Doing Well

(Le Mars) — How much has Le Mars changed and improved over the last couple of decades?  To the casual observer who resides here, significant changes may have gone almost unnoticed. But to Terry Buschkamp an Urban District Consultant with the Mainstreet Iowa program, she has witnessed many improvements to the ice cream capital of the world.  Each month Le Mars city officials submits a business report explaining the activities occurring within the community.  Buschkamp has been keeping track of the developments and she says since 1995 when Le Mars first joined the Iowa Mainstreet program, there have been dramatic improvements.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/March 2013/Buschkamp1.mp3{/audio}

Buschkamp says the people of Le Mars have invested more than five million dollars to its downtown district.

Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/March 2013/Buschkamp2.mp3{/audio}

The downtown development consultant says the most interesting statistic regarding Le Mars during the past decades are the number of volunteer hours that have been recorded.

Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/March 2013/Buschkamp3.mp3{/audio}


Storm Lake Restaurant Has High Carbon Monoxide Levels

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – High levels of carbon monoxide have been found at a restaurant that had been evacuated in northwest Iowa.
The Storm Lake Fire Department, police and Alliant Energy responded to a Burger King outlet on Tuesday night after an odor of natural gas was reported. The restaurant had been evacuated.
Authorities say no natural gas was detected, but carbon monoxide was. Firefighters determined a faulty rooftop heating unit caused the problem.
No injuries have been reported.

 

Iowa Wineries On the Increase

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – Statistics show a big jump in the number of vineyards in Iowa.
In 2000, Iowa had only five vineyards that covered about 15 acres. That’s now grown to 310 vineyards that stretch out over 1,200 acres.
Iowa’s roughly 100 wineries place the state in the top 20 nationally for the number of wineries.
Iowa State University Extension viticulture specialist Mike White says Iowa winemakers in 2012 sold a total of about 300,000 gallons of wine.
Despite the growth, some winemakers say they must offer other
features to be profitable, such as restaurants or catering.

 

Braley Picks Up Endorsements

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald are endorsing Democrat Bruce Braley for U.S. Senate.
Miller and Fitzgerald are both Democrats. They announced their support for Braley in a press release Thursday. In the statement Miller says “Braley fights for Iowa, plain and simple.”
Braley announced last month that he’d seek the Senate seat held for decades by Democrat Tom Harkin, who won’t seek re-election. The 54-year-old Braley is a four-term House member from Waterloo.
Braley also has been endorsed by Iowa Democratic Congressman Dave Loebsack and by former Democratic Iowa congressman Leonard Boswell.