Lisa Niebuhr Honored By Diocese
(Le Mars) — A well-known and long-time staff employee of Gehlen Catholic has been named as a recipient of the Good Shepard Award as presented by the Sioux City Diocese. Dan Ryan, the superintendent of schools for the Sioux City Diocese was in Le Mars on Wednesday to make the announcement following Mass at the St. Joseph Catholic church. This year the honor was awarded to Development Director Lisa Niebuhr.
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Lisa Niebuhr will be joining Bishop Walker Nicklass for the annual Bishop’s Dinner scheduled for October. Ryan says the Diocese recognizes those in education with the Excellence in Education award and for others, it is the Good Shepard Award. Ryan tells why Lisa Niebuhr was selected.
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The Diocese official says although Lisa Niebuhr would never accept the credit, and always remained in the background, she never-the-less has been instrumental in numerous projects involving the St. Joseph parish and with Gehlen Catholic Schools.
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Ryan says Lisa Niebuhr works hard and has truly dedicated her life for the betterment of others at Gehlen.
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The Bishop’s Dinner is a fundraising event for the entire Sioux City Diocese and is scheduled for Sunday, October 12th at Sioux City. This year’s key-note speaker is ESPN football commentator and former NFL coach for Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Herm Edwards.
Le Mars Chamber Receives Grant From Hotel/Motel Tax
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce was awarded $600 from Le Mars Hotel/Motel Sales Tax receipts. Funds will be used to market the Scoop the Loop event and for miscellaneous expenses. Mary Reynolds, Main Street Coordinator says “The Le Mars Main Street Program is very grateful for the CVB funding that helped promote Scoop the Loop.”
The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce was one of 11 applicants receiving funding this year. Funding recommendations of the Convention and Visitors Bureau advisory Board were approved by the Le Mars City Council on March 4, 2014.
The CVB Advisory Board received 15 application requests totaling $55,594.14 for the 2014-2015 budget year. There was $35,000 available to be awarded to qualified groups.
The mission of the CVB Advisory Board is to attempt to fund as many qualifying projects with enough money to be useful toward completion of the project goal. Qualifying projects meet state code regarding the allocation of revenues generated by the hotel/motel sales tax. Priority is given to projects that encourage growth of tourism to the City of Le Mars.
Congressman King Concerned President Obama May Legalize Undocumented Immigrants
(Le Mars) — Iowa 4th District Congressman Steve King is concerned President Obama may take advantage of the Congressional summer recess and implement a plan to legalize between 5 million and up to 9 million undocumented immigrants. King says over the last month, President Obama has said he may implement the plan under his executive powers. However, the Iowa Republican says if President Obama chooses to follow through with his threats, then the president would be violating the U-S constitution.
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King says the President has no regard for the separation of powers as described in the Constitution.
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King told KLEM news if that happens, he would be on the first plane back to the nation’s capital to call his colleagues for immediate action.
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The often times controversial and outspoken Republican stopped short of calling for an impeachment, but indicated severe and harsh action of the president should be taken by Congress. King says President Obama has been “acting like a school yard bully and its time to stop the bully”.
State Senator Sorensen Pleads Guilty
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Former Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his switch of support from one Republican candidate for president to another before the 2012 caucus campaign.
In a Justice Department news release, federal officials say the 42-year-old Milo Republican received “under-the-table payments” when he changed loyalties in the campaign’s closing days.
Although Justice officials wouldn’t say, Sorenson was the state chairman for U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann’s campaign beginning in June 2011. He admitted receiving and lying about monthly payments of roughly $8,000 from another campaign from October to December. Six days before the Jan. 3 caucuses, Sorenson declared his support for then-U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.
Sorenson pleaded guilty to causing a campaign to falsely report expenditures and obstruction.
A call to Sorenson wasn’t immediately returned.
Supreme Court Studies Proposal To Elminate Bar Exam For Iowa Law Graduates
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court is hearing attorneys, judges, and law professors give their opinions on what would happen if the state eliminated the requirement that all attorneys must pass the bar exam before beginning practice.
Currently only Wisconsin allows attorneys graduating from in-state law schools to skip the test.
The Iowa State Bar Association has suggested Iowa adopt the policy called diploma privilege allowing students graduating from law schools at Drake or the University of Iowa to practice law without taking the bar.
Supporters say it will help reduce the debt of law students by allowing them to enter the work force sooner and may help slow declining law school enrollment.
Opponents say the bar exam serves an important gatekeeping purpose of weeding out lawyers unprepared to begin practicing law.
Attorney General Office Investigated
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A legislative oversight committee will investigate a program administered by the Iowa attorney general’s office.
Rep. Kevin Koester, a Republican from Ankeny who chairs the House Government Oversight Committee, says Wednesday the panel will review some of the practices of the office’s Crime Victim Assistance Division.
According to a news release, the committee will look at the funding that goes to programs around the state that assist crime victims.
The committee will meet Sept. 8 to question staff from the attorney general’s office. Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller, says the program was managed responsibly and the office looks forward to discussing operations with the committee.
