Floyd River Rises Above Flood Stage, Again
(Le Mars) — While people were enjoying the Ice Cream Days activities, the Floyd River quietly rose above its crest in Le Mars last evening, causing some flooding in the low lying areas. The Floyd River exceeded its banks at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday evening. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper has been monitoring the movement of the Floyd River for the last couple of days.
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Schipper says the Floyd River rose fairly quickly during the early evening hours.
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The Le Mars Fire Chief anticipates the Floyd River will continue to rise.
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Unlike with last year’s flood during the Memorial Day weekend, this year, it is only the Floyd River that is overflowing. Schipper says the Willow Creek is doing fine.
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Schipper says any flash flood has the potential to be dangerous, but he believes we are in a better position this year compared to last year’s flooding. He says the river is flowing faster and doesn’t have as much debris as compared to last year. Schipper says the flooding will affect those communities downriver from Le Mars… Merrill, Hinton and eventually Sioux City.
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{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2014/Schipper flood5.mp3{/audio}
Volunteers From Remsen Help With Pilger Tornado Clean Up
(Remsen) — A group of volunteers from Remsen are organizing to assist with the clean up duties following the Pilger, Nebraska tornado. The volunteers left this morning from the Remsen St. Mary’s church. Doug Heeren of Le Mars discusses the plan.
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Heeren says the volunteers will return to Remsen by 5:00 p.m.
Donations are also being accepted to be delivered on Monday, June 23rd. New or gently used household items, furniture, clothing, water, food are all needed to distribute to the Pilger residents. Heeren says the residents of Pilger lost everything and are in need of everything.
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For more information about donating items, people can contact Laurie Gerrietts at (712) 539-2729.
Ice Cream Days Focuses On Youth
(Le Mars) — Ice Cream Days continues today with the focus on the youth. Brad Pick, Vice President with the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce on events and marketing highlights today’s schedule.
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Pick says the fun continues Friday afternoon, especially at the Le Mars Public Library.
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Pick says at 2:00 p.m. at the Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars will be the children’s annual smile contest. Later in the afternoon, Pick says children will want to gather at the Cleveland Park.
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{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2014/Pick Friday3.MP3{/audio}
Storm Lake Counselor Charged With Sexual Abuse
STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A former juvenile court worker in Storm Lake has been accused of offering perks to a 14-year-old in exchange for sex acts.
The Storm Lake Police Department says 26-year-old Trent Prather, of Estherville, was arrested Monday on suspicion of third-degree sexual abuse. His attorney declined to comment.
Prather is accused of engaging in a sex act with a teenager while she was in the juvenile court system in 2008. Prather was a community service supervisor for the Buena Vista County Juvenile Courts Office at the time.
Police say Prather promised to eliminate the girl’s community service requirements in exchange for sex acts.
Prather was a fourth-grader teacher during the most recent school year. His next court appearance is scheduled on July 1.
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Lake City Man Accused Of Murder
GLIDDEN, Iowa (AP) – A 53-year-old Lake City man has been arrested and charged with murder in the deaths of a mother and son in western Iowa.
Thomas Henderson was arrested on Thursday. Carroll County jail records say Henderson remained in custody on Friday. Online court records don’t list the name of his attorney.
Henderson is accused of killing 48-year-old Tammie Lee Devore and her 30-year-old son Karl Allen Devore. Authorities found the bodies after the sheriff’s office received a 911 call on May 18 about an unconscious person at a mobile home park in Glidden.
Two Fort Dodge Boys Are Missing
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – A search is expected to resume Friday in Fort Dodge for two children that witnesses say went under the swiftly flowing water of the Des Moines River.
Boats and aircraft were deployed to help searchers, who also scoured the banks Thursday.
Authorities say witnesses called for help after spotting two children go underwater on the east bank. But authorities also say they’ve received no reports of missing children.
Fort Dodge Fire Chief Kent Hulett said Thursday night that “we want to account for these kids.” He said he hopes they got out safely.
Police Chief Tim Carmody says “a rescue operation is in place until we verify they’re not missing.”
Banker Survey Shows Slower Economic Growth
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The overall index for a monthly economic survey of bankers in 10 Midwestern and Plains states has fallen from May but remains in positive territory, suggesting slower growth in the near future.
The Rural Mainstreet Index fell to 53.6 in June from 55.6 in May.
The survey indexes range from 0 to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth in the months ahead.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey from Omaha. He says June’s results indicate that areas highly dependent on agriculture and energy are experiencing slower growth than a year ago.
Almost half of bankers surveyed reported that higher beef and pork prices have increased overall economic activity in their area.
Bankers from Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota and the Dakotas were surveyed.
