Lawmakers Hold Legislative Public Forum
(Le Mars) — Legislators Chuck Soderberg and Bill Anderson have scheduled a legislative forum to be held on Saturday at the Le Mars Public Library. The Republican lawmakers will discuss various issues concerning the 2014 Legislative Session. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the meeting and address any issues of concern. That legislative forum is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.
County Political Parties To Hold Conventions
(Le Mars) — Both the Republican and the Democrat political parties will hold their county conventions today. The Republicans will convene at the Le Mars Community High School at the little theater, and the Democrats will hold their convention at the Le Mars Public Library. Those political conventions are both scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Bradenburg Selected As Chamber “Employee Of The Month”
(Le Mars) — At the Le Mars Expo Friday evening, the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce honored the March Employee of the Month. Dave Grosenheider, Director of Sales with Powell Broadcasting submitted the nomination. KLEM’s own Sue Bradenburg was awarded the honor. Sue Bradenburg is one of those behind the scenes heroes of KLEM Radio. Her position at the front desk involves a host of activities from entering sales orders to answering the phones. But it doesn’t stop there. Sue selects the KLEM Citizen of the Day honorees…she schedules the guests for the “What Now” program…keeps the community announcements up to date…and organizes the many Radio Auctions (one of her favorite duties). That’s just the tip of the iceberg for what she does.
Sue Bradenburg is the coordinator of this year’s KLEM Home Expo, adding her special touches and ideas, and taking care of a million details. Sue is great at organizing events!!
Sue began her employment at the radio station in 2002. She often plans station get-togethers and noon lunches…keeping the family atmosphere at KLEM. Her service goes well beyond station duties. She is a true community leader working tirelessly with organizations from the Optimists Club to the Scouts to her church. Over the years she has been at the forefront for the “Just Say No” program…food stands at the Plymouth County Fair… and Catholic Daughters events.
As KLEM kicks off it’s 60th Anniversary Celebration, we are proud to name Sue Bradenburg as the March Le Mars Area Chamber Employee of the Month.
Murder Suspect Leads Authorities On Chase Through Sioux City And Plymouth County
(Sioux City) — A SUSPECT WANTED FOR THE MURDER OF HIS UNCLE IN YANKTON, SOUTH DAKOTA WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY AFTER LEADING AUTHORITIES ON A CHASE THROUGH THE SIOUX CITY AREA AND BACK INTO SOUTH DAKOTA.
28-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA HUDSON WAS SPOTTED DRIVING HIS GREEN PICK UP ON A WESTSIDE SIOUX CITY STREET.
HE WAS WANTED IN THE DEATH OF 46 YEAR OLD TODD HUDSON, WHOSE BODY WAS DISCOVERED AROUND 7:30 AM IN HIS YANKTON RESIDENCE.
WOODBURY COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY DUSTIN DEGROOT (DE-GROAT), SAID HUDSON, WHO WAS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS, REFUSED TO PULL OVER.
DEGROOT AND SIOUX CITY POLICE PURSUED HUDSON THROUGH THE NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE CITY OUT OF TOWN AND INTO PLYMOUTH COUNTY.
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THE SUSPECT SPED ALONG COUNTY ROAD K-18 BACK INTO SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE AUTHORITIES DEPLOYED STOP STICKS TO BRING THE CHASE TO AN END:
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HUDSON WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY NEAR JEFFERSON, SOUTH DAKOTA.
Penn National Challenging Gaming Commission’s License Decision
ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) – Lawyers for the owners of a riverboat casino in Sioux City have scrutinized the wording of documents by officials who later denied renewing their gaming license.
Lawyers for Penn National Gaming made the arguments Thursday during a two-day hearing that took place before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission and Administrative Law Judge Christie Scase.
Penn is challenging the commission’s decision to reject a one-year license renewal for the Argosy riverboat casino. The commission says it had issue with the Argosy’s dissolving partnership with a nonprofit group.
Penn has also criticized the bidding process for a license that later went to another developer for a Hard Rock casino in downtown Sioux City.
The commission will make a ruling on the renewal issue in April.
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Lawmakers Work On Bullying Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Cracking down on bullying in Iowa schools has been a priority this year for Governor Terry Branstad, but lawmakers have criticized two competing bills and are seeking changes to the proposals.
A bill in the House and another in the Senate both focus on giving schools the tools and authority to better address bullying, but neither seems close to being approved and sent to Branstad.
Representative Quentin Stanerson, a Republican from Center Point, says lawmakers have promised to propose amendments to the House bill. And Democratic Senator Robert Hogg, of Cedar Rapids, says the Senate bill has received significant Republican opposition.
Lawmakers agree that bullying is a pressing issue in schools across the state. The trouble, they say, is determining the best solution to prevent it.
Train De-rails In Northeast Iowa
SHELL ROCK, Iowa (AP) – Officials say no one was injured following a freight train derailment in the northeast Iowa city of Shell Rock.
Iowa Northern Railroad Company says the early Friday incident near a railroad crossing involved some train cars going off their tracks. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office says it received a report around 2 a.m. about train crossing signals that were continuously on.
Company officials responded to the scene. They did not request cleanup or repair assistance from local authorities. Additional information was not available.
Messages left for the company were not immediately returned Friday night.
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Statistics Show It Was A Cold Winter
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – If you think this was a brutal winter, there’s data to back it up: Iowa officials say it was the ninth coldest in the state since record-keeping began more than 140 years ago.
Harry Hillaker, state climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, compiled data on the meteorological winter season that ran from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28. He says the past winter was also the coldest in 35 years.
Temperatures this winter season averaged 14.7 degrees. Hillaker says that’s 7.2 degrees below normal.
The data show temperatures varied from about 10 degrees below normal in northeast Iowa, to 4 degrees below normal in the southwest part of the state.
Daylight Savings Time Hurts Sleep Deprived
(Des Moines) — This weekend marks the beginning of daylight savings time which means losing an hour of sleep. Iowa Sleep Disorder Center founder, Steven Zorn, says it’s hard for some people to recover from the loss of sleep.
Listen to
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Dr. Zorn says going to bed twenty minutes earlier leading up to the time change can ease the transition, and if that doesn’t work, a short nap on Sunday afternoon can help. Zorn, says people in general don’t get enough sleep and this time change makes it worse.
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Zorn says while some believe setting the alarm an hour later will help, sticking to a normal schedule is the best way to adjust to the time change.
