Strong Storms Create Busy Sunday Afternoon For Le Mars Fire Department
(Le Mars) — Strong winds combined with heavy rains, with one report as much as four inches of rain fell on Le Mars Sunday afternoon created street flooding, down tree limbs and even some power outages. The storm was responsible in part, for creating a busy Sunday afternoon for the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department. The fire and rescue department responded to five calls with four coming within 15 minutes of each other. At 8:45am the Fire-Rescue Department responded to an alarm at Floyd Valley Hospital. Steam from a water heater set off the alarm system.
At 2:24pm the Fire-Rescue Department responded to a single vehicle rollover accident at near the intersection of Hwy 75 and Hwy 60. This occurred during a heavy rain and thunderstorm. Firefighters were on the scene for one hour, and one person was taken to the hospital. Firefighters returned to the station at 3:24pm.At 3:36pm the Fire-Rescue Department was called to 308 Central Ave. S.E. for smoke coming from a structure. While en-route to this call the Fire-Rescue Department was called at 3:38pm to a fire alarm at 1650 21st SW. The smoke call was a wood burner in a garage/shed. There was no fire, the smoke was hanging low due to the heavy rain. The fire alarm was due to a power outage which triggered the alarm. While at the fire alarm call the Fire-Rescue Department was called at 3:49pm to a third call for a wire down and possible fire at 121 1st Ave. N.W. Upon arrival firefighters found a tree that had fallen in the backyard at 121 1st Ave. N.W. The tree ripped the electrical service wire from the apartment building and also pulled a service wire loose from a house across the alley from the 121 address. Both the house and the apartment building were checked by firefighters. The power line that was down was still energized. MidAmerican Energy was called to the scene and assisted with the power issue. Firefighters were on the scene for a little over an hour.
Akron Has Tree Damage Due To Sunday Storm
(Akron) — Akron reported some tree limbs down as a result of Sunday’s storm. Bruce Small serves as the assistant fire chief for the Akron Fire Department and offers an account of the damage.
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Was there any structure damage reported in the Akron area?
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Saturday Evening Auto Accident Send Two Teens To Hospital
(Le Mars) — A personal injury accident occurred on Saturday evening at about 10:45 p.m. on county road K-49, about a half a mile north of County road C-60. 16 year old Randall Plendl of Kingsley was operating a 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo driving southbound on K-49. Plendl lost control of the car, causing the vehicle to enter the east ditch. The vehicle struck a creek bed and came to rest in the ditch. 17 year old Breanna Schoenrock of rural Hinton, was a passenger with Plendl. Both were transported to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux city by Hinton ambulance. The vehicle was a total loss. The collision was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol with assistance from the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department and the Hinton Fire and Rescue Department. The collision remains under investigation by the State Patrol.
Clovis Schedules Political Rally In Le Mars For Tonight
(Le Mars) — Republican Senate candidate Sam Clovis has scheduled a political rally to be held Monday evening at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars Clovis will answer questions from attendees between 6 and 7 p.m. Clovis is in a five-way race for the U-S Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Senator Tom Harkin.
Hadden Seeking County Supervisor Position
(Le Mars) — Tuesday, is primary election day, and for Plymouth County Republicans, besides voting for a senate candidate and a governor candidate, they must also choose a between two county supervisor candidates. Last week we heard from John Meis, and today we learn a little more about Harold Hadden. The former extension official, now a seed sales representative says he was contacted by a friend about running for county supervisor.
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Hadden says he doesn’t have a particular interest if he is elected to the county board of supervisors, but he does want to focus attention on the safety of the county residents.
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The republican supervisor candidate says this is the first time he has ever pursued a public office, and he wants to maintain low taxes for Plymouth County.
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Polls will be opened from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Precinct 1 will vote in the Akron Library, precinct 2 will vote at the American Bank Conference Room in Remsen, precinct 3 will cast their votes in the courthouse annex lower level, precinct 4 will vote at the Brunsville Legion Club, precinct 5 will vote at the Remsen Library, precinct 6 will vote at the Westfield Community Center, The Kissinger Community Center in Merrill is the location for precinct 7 voters, precinct 8 will cast votes at the Perry Township Hall, precinct 9 will vote at the Hinton Community center, and precinct 10 will vote at the Kingsley Community Center. Voters living in Le Mars that comprises of precincts 11, 12, and 13 will all vote at the Le Mars Convention Center lower level.
Branstad and Perry Comment On BPI Lawsuit
(Le Mars) — Last week the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that Beef Products, Inc. of Dakota Dunes could proceed with a multi-million dollar lawsuit against ABC News for defamation resulting in the news network characterization of finely textured beef. BPI claims the news network reference to the product as “pink slime” caused consumers to believe the product was not safe to eat, and resulted in the shutdown of four processing plants and the layoffs of more than 700 employees. ABC News had asked the courts to throw out the case. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has long said ABC News used a “smear” campaign against BPI. While visiting Le Mars on Thursday, Branstad was asked about his thoughts regarding the South Dakota Supreme Court decision.
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Branstad says he’s pleased to see the lawsuit can now proceed.
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Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry accompanied Branstad on his campaign tour last week, and like Iowa, Texas also had a plant shut down after the “pink slime” allegation.
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Fire Fatality
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in western Iowa say a woman has died in a fire just east of Council Bluffs.
Two other people in the house escaped the blaze, which was reported around 7 p.m. Saturday. Firefighters from several departments fought the flames.
The names of the fire victims and other details have not been released. An autopsy was scheduled on the woman’s body.
Hunter Shot
HUDSON, Iowa (AP) – An 18-year-old Jesup man has been hospitalized after being shot after coyote hunting in northeast Iowa.
The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office says Alex Bratten was one of four people who’d been hunting and had returned to a residence southeast of Hudson on Saturday night. A news release says one of the four pointed a shotgun in the direction of Bratten and the gun fired.
Bratten was hit in his right shoulder. He was taken to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo and then transferred to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
The wound is not considered life-threatening.
The shooting is being investigated.
Town Burns Down Old Elementary School For Fire Training
EXIRA, Iowa (AP) – Officials in western Iowa have set a nearly century-old elementary school on fire as they look to save money and offer training.
About 100 firefighters from a dozen departments turned up Sunday in Exira to participate in the controlled burn. Most of the large brick building’s interior was burned within two hours.
Dozens of residents gathered across the street to watch the blaze. Some called the burning bittersweet. Others said the building, which closed in 2011, needed to come down for safety reasons.
The Exira Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District says the controlled burn will save them up to $60,000 in demolition costs and offer critical training to area firefighters.
The building is located near the center of Exira, a small town about 60 miles west of Des Moines.
