Three Car Chain Reaction Accident Occurs Near Bob’s Drive In.
(Le Mars) — Traffic congestion over the lunch hour on Hwy 75 near the Bob’s Drive-In led to a three-car chain reaction accident that happened Wednesday afternoon at about 12:20 p.m. The Le Mars POlice, Le Mars Fire and Rescue, and the Le Mars Ambulance all responded to the scene of the accident. One victim was transported to the Floyd Valley Hospital. The Le Mars Police Department is investigating the accident. No other details are known at this time.
Plymouth County Fair Has Large Number Of Unique 4-H Static Exhibits
(Le Mars) — The Best Five Days of Summer, also known as the Plymouth County Fair, has now started. Ann Schoenrock, the Plymouth County 4-H and Youth Director says there are a lot of unique exhibits featured this year at the 4-H Exhibit Building.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/July 2013/Schoenrock 4H1.mp3{/audio}
Schoenrock says surprisingly, the photography exhibits are down a bit this year, but there are more home improvement projects.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/July 2013/Schoenrock 4H2.mp3{/audio}
The Clothing Review was held at the Century Hall, during the afternoon, and Schoenrock says the judging took place in early July, but the 4-H members use the time during the fair as a clothing
fashion review show.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/July 2013/Schoenrock 4H3.mp3{/audio}
Other highlights for the first day of the fair include : Commercial Exhibits and the Round Barn open at 2:00 p.m. The Midway will start its rides at 5:00 p.m. The Motorcross will start at the grandstand at 6:00 p.m. and the crowning of the Plymouth County Fair King and Queen will be held at the Pioneer Village Stage at 7:00 p.m. The acapella group, Home Free, is scheduled to perform this evening at 6:00 and again at 8:00 at the Pioneer village stage.
Iowa May Need To Import Corn
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An analyst says Iowa will likely have to import corn to meet the demand of ethanol producers and livestock operations.
Iowa is the nation’s top corn-producing state, but economic policy analyst Ross Korves says a delay in spring planting due to flooding and last year’s reduced yields due to drought mean the state won’t
have enough corn to meet demand.
Korves works for Michigan-based ProExporter Network and spoke Tuesday at an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation event in Ames.
Korves says forecasts call for 149 bushels an acre this year. That’s better than last year but far below the state’s normal output.
The reduced yield comes as ethanol plants are resuming full production and poultry and pork operations see a small expansion in their operations.
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Glenwood Man Accused Of Setting Fire To Mills County Sheriff Office
GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – A 22-year-old Glenwood man is accused of trying to burn the Mills County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say three fires were set on the property early Tuesday morning, and they were handled by the Glenwood Fire Department.
The sheriff’s office says Adam Houchin was arrested and is charged with arson and possession of an incendiary device. Authorities say Houchin and his girlfriend were involved in a domestic dispute on Monday evening and that she was in jail when the fires were started.
Houchin remained in Mills County Jail on Wednesday, pending $35,000 bail. His attorney declined to comment.
Motorist Drives Away With Bag Of Money
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say a motorist drove off with a bag of money that fell out of an armored van near downtown Des Moines.
The incident happened Wednesday morning as the armored van was leaving the Community
Choice Credit Union.
Sgt. Jason Halifax say a bag of money fell out of the van when a door malfunctioned as the vehicle was turning a corner.
Halifax says the driver of a car stopped, picked up the bag and drove off.
Police know the license plate number and are seeking the car.
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Non Profit Advocacy Group Plans To Sue Iowa Department Of Human Services
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A nonprofit government funded advocacy group for people with disabilities says it plans to file a complaint against the Iowa Department of Human Services. The complaint will allege that several children kept in isolation at a state-run home for children in Toledo were denied their federally guaranteed right to public education.
Disability Rights Iowa wants the state to pay the cost of additional schooling or tutoring and related expenses, such as transportation.
The federally funded organization that advocates for the disabled says children who were living long term in isolation cells at the Iowa Juvenile Home were denied individualized instruction and only given worksheets or instructional packets to complete on their own.
Federal law requires states to provide public education to children with disabilities.
Environmental Groups Upset With Iowa DNR & EPA
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Environmental groups are angered that federal and state officials held a private meeting in Des Moines to talk about the state’s enforcement of federal clean water regulations without them and with no public input.
EPA spokesman Kris Lancaster has confirmed to The Associated Press a meeting was held Tuesday but he declined to discuss it further.
Gov. Terry Branstad’s spokesman says it was a work session to discuss regulations the EPA is pushing the state to enforce and that Branstad’s staff attended to help EPA understand the impact on
farmers.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, an activist group, says water quality enforcement must be transparent and holding a meeting in secret gives the appearance officials are about to run over the
public interest in the service of a corporate agenda.
