Fire Leaves 11 People Homeless
(Le Mars) — An overnight fire leaves eleven people homeless after the fire destroyed their home. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was called to 301 Central Avenue for a house fire that started at about 11:45 p.m. Fire fighters were on the scene and battled the blaze for nearly four hours. The two-story home serves as two apartments. A total of eleven people with three adults and eight children were at the home when it started on fire. When firefighters arrived, flames were seen coming from the windows.
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Two people, a 40 year old male and an eleven year old male, suffered injuries and were transported to the Floyd Valley hospital Both are thought to have suffered burns as well as smoke inhalation. Fire Chief Dave Schipper says the fire was so hot, that he was concerned about the possibility of neighboring houses catching on fire.
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The fire spread from the main portion of the home to the garage, where it then caught a car on fire. Schipper explains the tactics used to bring the fire under control.
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The Le Mars Fire Department received mutual aid assistance from the Orange City Fire Department. The American Red Cross also responded to the scene to offer assistance to the displaced families. Fire Chief Schipper says he has not had the opportunity to visit with the family, or to determine the origin and cause of the fire. He says fire investigators will examine the scene during the daylight hours in hopes to determine what may have started the fire. Also assisting at the scene was the Le Mars Police, Le Mars Ambulance, and MidAmerican Energy Company.
Le Mars Community Schools Has Enrollment Of 2,126 Students
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community School Board was informed the school district has a total of 2,126 students currently enrolled for the 2014-2015 academic school year. Assistant Superintendent Steve Webner told the board of eduation that the certified number indicates an increase of 38 students from last year’s numbers.
Jimmie Johnson Racing Helmet Makes A Visit To Le Mars
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community School Foundation Board showed off the helmet of NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson to selected students Monday afternoon. The helmet of the race car driver is on tour as part of the “Helmet of Hope” campaign. It is appearing at the Le Mars Community Schools since Le Mars was one of the national winners of a $25,000 grant from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. The Le Mars Community Foundation Board visited each of the three high school English classrooms that received laptop computers as a result of the grant. Blue Bunny ice cream is also a sponsor of the “Helmet of Hope”
Optimist Club Hosts “Just Say No” Assembly
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Optimist Club hosted a “Just Say No” assembly consisting of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from the Le Mars elementary schools. The speaker at this year’s annual program was the Director of Training for the Pizza Ranch franchise, Chad Klocke. Klocke used a motivational speech asking the students “what is their story?”
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Klocke, a former 3rd grade teacher, kept the students’ attention by relating personal experiences he encountered flying on Southwest Airlines.
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He also told the students about a waitress that made him feel special while ordering coffee at Carribou Coffee.
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The students were given free t-shirts, designed by a Kluckholn student, with a large moustache printed on the front with the saying “If you moustache, I don’t do drugs, with a play on the words moustache to represent the words “must ask”.
Chamber of Commerce Selects “Little Ambassadors”
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce has announced its selected group of “Little Ambassadors”. The Little Ambassadors will assist the Chamber in publicity efforts for the Ice Cream Days, as well as other Chamber-sponsored events like the upcoming Halloween party at the Olson Cultural Events Center. The “Little Ambassadors” are all between the ages of four to six and they include : Amiah Means, daughter of Micheal and Gina Means; Britt Hessenius, daughter of Shane and Andrea Hessenius; Dalani Youngers, the daughter of Aaron and Katie Youngers; Delainey and Payton Kerns, daughters of Jake and Missy Kerns, and Kynlee Schmidt, the daughter of Adam and Amy Schmidt. The boys include : Dylan Kramer, the son of Chad and Theresa Kramer; Colin Murphy, the son of Mike and Melanie Murphy, Jordan Pedroza, the son of Christal Pedroza; Damian Feller, the son of Brandy Feller; Drake Peters, the son of Nate and Krista Peters; and Gavin Clarey, the son of Casey and Krystle Clarey.
Supervisors To Meet This Morning
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors is expected to release a mortgage for a lot sale in the Le Mars Industrial Park, second addition when they convene for their weekly meeting this morning at the County courthouse. The county supervisors are also expected to approve and sign the 2014 Homestead, Military, and Disabled veteran credit application. Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo is scheduled to appear before the supervisors to offer his quarterly report. Attorney Craig Bauerly will be seeking approval of a minor subdivision located in Johnson township, and County engineer Tom Rohe will offer a construction update.
Prosectutors Keep Secret Plea Agreement Involving Day Care Provider
ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – Prosecutors are keeping secret, for now, the details of a plea agreement with an Iowa daycare provider charged with fatally injuring a three-year-old girl in her care.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the Sioux County attorney refused Monday to release the agreement reached with 34-year-old Rochelle Sapp of Orange City.
Judge Edward Jacobson had signed an order requiring the agreement to be released Monday. The attorney general objected, saying both sides agreed the deal would be publicly filed “at or before” Thursday’s plea and sentencing.
Jacobson issued an amended order Monday, agreeing the deal could be filed then.
Sapp’s charged with first-degree murder in the October 2013 death of three-year-old Autumn Elgersma. Investigators say she slammed the toddler to the floor, causing head injuries that killed her days later.
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