Granite Avenue To Close For Bridge Repair
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has announced they will close Granite Avenue from 240th Street to County Road C-44 beginning today. The road is scheduled to remain closed until October 7th as the county road crews replace a wooden bridge with a culvert pipe.
Book Tells Of Northwest Iowa Pork Industry
(LE MARS, Iowa) —The history of the pork industry’s prominence in Lyon, Sioux and Plymouth Counties is the focus of a new book Pigs! Lifting Mortgages, People and Communities being released by pork producer associations within the three counties.
Bill Tentinger of Le Mars, immediate past president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said the book includes not only an overview of historical data on the hogs’ early arrival in the area and the industry’s early struggles, but stories and accompanying photos of current day producers meeting their own challenges of today.
Also included are chapters on what the industry has meant to communities in northwest
Iowa and additional interviews and photos with those in industry-related businesses and industries.
The soft-cover history was compiled by Jolene Stevens, of Sioux City, a veteran agriculture and newspaper writer with additional experience in television and public relations as well as with the National Pork Producers Association and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. She is presently a freelance writer/photographer for several agricultural publications.
The book will be available through pork producer association members within the three-county area and from the Dordt College Book Store, Sioux Center, at a cost of $10 with a handling charge for copies mailed out.
Harvest About To Begin
(Le Mars) — Most farmers in Plymouth County and surrounding areas are only days away from starting this year’s fall harvest. Joel DeJong, Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist for northwest Iowa says, in general, the crops are in good shape.
DeJong says farmers may not see any record yields due to the delayed planting and lack of sufficient rainfall, but still, expectations call for a good harvest.
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DeJong breaks it down even more by saying the soybean harvest may start by the end of this week, and from what he has seen in area fields, soybean production has a good stand with several filled pods.
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As for corn, the agronomist says additional drying days are needed, but never-the-less area corn crops are looking good.
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DeJong suggests farmers to study their corn hybrid varieties to determine which should be harvested with priority.
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DeJong also cautions motorists, as the fall harvest begins, to be aware of the large slower moving farm equipment on the roadways, and for farmers to check their equipment, including all lights, before starting with harvest.
Floyd Valley Hospital To Host Health Fair
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Hospital will sponsor the “WELL AWARE” Community Health Fair on Wednesday, October 9, from 2:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The Health Fair will be held at the Le Mars Convention Center on the upper level. The fair is free of charge for participants. The public is invited to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about health-related services available within the Le Mars community and surrounding area. There will be over 50 exhibitors.
Various medical providers will be offering many health-related services and information. Other points of interest include flu shots being offered for $25 by the Community Health Department. The location of the flu shots will be in the upper level, board room. Mercy Air Care helicopter, from Sioux City will be on display, weather permitting. The Le Mars Police Department and D.A.R.E. Le Mars are proud to sponsor “Project Safe Meds” a program to help households safely dispose of prescription drugs. Le Mars Police Department will be accepting prescription drugs at the health fair. Drugs should be left in the package the medicines were dispensed. Sharp objects, thermometers, home based care or durable medical equipment supplies are not accepted. Additionally, car seat checks are available from 2:00-5:00 p.m. courtesy of Mercy Medical Center Safe Kids.
Fair goers can take advantage of learning opportunities including a wide array of educational information on nutrition, cancer, blood and organ donation, exercise, radon detection, mental health and a lot more. Light refreshments and door prizes available!
Sioux Rapids Man Burns To Death
(Storm Lake) — Buena Vista authorities responded to a rural residence on Tuesday evening for a report of a man that was on fire. Responding to the incident were Buena Vista County sheriff’s deputies and the Sioux Rapids Fire Department. Apparently, the man identified as 64 year old Lawrence “Larry” Vaughn of Sioux Rapids, was burning debris in a large burn hole on his farm. It appears that while doing so, the victim slipped into the hole which was about nine feet deep and could not escape the fire burning in the hole. Results of the autopsy are still pending from the state medical
examiner’s office. The investigation is continuing.
Three Restaurant Owners Charged With Violating Immigration Laws
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Attorney’s Office says three Iowa restaurant owners has been sentenced on immigration-related charges.
The office announced Wednesday the final person was sentenced Friday after convictions for harboring people in the country illegally and filing false statement on tax returns. Each received two years of probation and must pay more than $15,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.
In the last case, Chief Judge James Gritzner sentenced 60-year-old Ali Bayram, of Oskaloosa. On Aug. 15, Gritzner sentenced 59-year-old Fikret Bayram, of Monmouth, Ill.
On Aug. 9, Judge Ronald Longstaff sentenced 44-year-old Ali Sengul, of Pella.
Ali Bayram and Fikret Bayram, who operated the Oskaloosa Family Restaurant, also must pay $10,000 fines.
Sengul operated the Tulip Garden Restaurant in Pella.
They hired people in the country illegally and provided housing.
Des Moines Police Dismantle Explosive Device
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police dismantled potentially explosive material found by a city worker.
Sgt. Jason Halifax says police were called Wednesday morning after a city worker found a bag near an intersection. The worker picked up the bag and drove into Union Park, then heard metal rattling inside. He stopped, looked inside the bag and found what appeared to be two pipe bombs.
The worker put the bag on the ground and called police.
The department’s bomb squad responded and put the items into a trailer designed for explosives. The items were taken to another site where they were dismantled.
Technicians say the items contained “energetic material” that could have exploded if they’d been ignited.
Parents Arrested After 14 Month Old Suffers Broken Ribs
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The parents of an Iowa child diagnosed with 14 rib fractures have been arrested and charged.
24-year-old Clayton Fischer and 21-year-old Hollie Fischer, of Knoxville, face the same charges: four counts of child endangerment causing serious injury and one of neglect. Polk County Jail records
say both Fischers remained in custody on Thursday. Online court records don’t list the names of their attorneys.
The child was taken to a hospital in July. Officials say the baby’s injuries didn’t match the parents’ description of how the baby had been hurt. In addition to the injured ribs, the child had a dislocated hip and a fractured wrist and femur.
Authorities issued warrants for the Fischers’ arrests, and they turned themselves in on Monday.
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