School Board To Hold Retreat
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education is scheduled to hold its special retreat on Monday. The school board will learn more about the technology intergration in the elementary grades, and they will also examine the Iowa Core Unpacking Standards, and they will have TLC updates.
Gehlen Catholic Schools To Celebrate Catholic Schools Week
(Le Mars) — With the theme: “Faith, Knowledge, and Service” Gehlen Catholic Schools, and Catholic schools across the nation are celebrating Catholic Schools Week. At Gehlen today, Reverend Douglas Klein, a 1983 graduate of Spalding Catholic school will discuss Faith, Knowledge, and Service through unification. The program is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. and will be held at the All Saints Parish, St. Joseph’s church in Le Mars. Tuesday, Gehlen Catholic will honor and offer appreciation to the faculty, staff, and volunteers. Wednesday, Mrs. Judy Stokesberry will discuss “Faith, Knowledge, and Service Through Benefactors and Alumni. Thursday, Gehlen Catholic will host the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Coffee as they acknowledge the contributions of the entire community. Gehlen will also hve the annual Catholic School’s Week Family Picnic with parents on Thursday over the noon lunch hour. On Friday, Gehlen Catholic will honor the students by having an appreciation day, along with a Dad’s Pancake breakfast.
Citiy Council To Hold Special Budget Meeting
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the city hall council chambers. The purpose of the meeting is to review the proposed city budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Planning And Zoning Commission To Hear Kellen’s Proposal
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a special meeting this afternoon beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the city hall chambers. The planning and zoning commission will hear and decide upon a proposed development area to be located on 12th Street Southeast and county road C-30 to be located on the southeast corner of Le Mars. Bruce Kellen will be presenting his idea for a development area to include larger than normal lots. During a recent city council meeting, Kellen informed the council he is seeking approval for the larger lots to allow home owners the opportunity to also have a storage facility for their boats, recreational vehicles, all terrain vehicles, and other such additional vehicles. Kellen says he envisions a development area that would feature homes that would be classified as upper middle class.
Anderson Address Transportation Issues And Funding During Legislative Forum
(Le Mars) — State Senator Bill Anderson and State Representative Chuck Soderberg held a legislative forum in Le Mars on Friday over the lunch hour. Transportation was an issued that was discussed and Anderson informed the gathering he has a goal to get Highway 20 finished. He says money needs to be directed to help repair Iowa’s roads and bridges, but he isn’t certain as to the method of funding.
Listen to
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Sioux City Selected As Start For RAGBRAI
(Des Moines) — The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, or better known simply as RAGBRAI announced the route and the host towns for the upcoming ride to be held this summer. Sioux City was chosen as the starting point for the cross-state bicycle ride. Other overnight stops will include : Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Eldora, Cedar Falls, Hiawatha, Coralville, and finishing at Davenport. There are a total of 462 miles for what will be the 43rd annual event.
Presidential Hopefuls Courting Christian Conservatives
ATLANTA (AP) – Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney are courting the Republican Party’s elite donors in the early maneuvering for the 2016 presidential race.
But several other potential Republican candidates are concentrating their efforts on Christian conservatives.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal hosted a prayer rally in his home state, where he called for a national spiritual revival.
Doctor Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, spoke and attended services this weekend at a Houston, Texas megachurch conference billed as an effort to “restore the soul of America.”
Several White House hopefuls also addressed social conservatives at the Freedom Summit in Iowa, which hosts the nation’s first caucuses in 2016.
Republicans agree that religious conservatives still are an important voting bloc. The challenge for a GOP nominee is securing that support while reaching the wider electorate.
Branstad Wants Broadband Internet Bill To Pass
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – As Governor Terry Branstad prepares to introduce legislation aimed at expanding broadband Internet in Iowa, members of a committee tasked with giving him key recommendations for a bill say it’s a complex issue that they’re still sorting out.
Members of a broadband committee within a science, technology, engineering and math advisory council say they’re still deciding what the state’s overall goal should be with expanding high-speed Internet, also known as broadband.
John Carver, superintendent of the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District in northeast Iowa, is committee co-chair. He says there’s a shifting national definition of what constitutes high-speed Internet.
Branstad is once again making expanded broadband Internet a top priority this session. He has set aside $5 million in his budget proposal.
Des Moines To Interview Finalists For Police Chief Position
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The four finalists to be Des Moines next police chief will be interviewed this week as officials prepare to make their choice.
The final four candidates will go through a series of public events and interviews this week.
The finalists are Northwestern University police chief Michael Davis; Des Moines police Captain Allan Tunks; Des Moines police Major Stephen Waymire; and Des Moines police Major Dana Wingert.
A public reception will be held for the candidates on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the World Food Prize building. They will meet privately with top city officials on Friday.
Former Des Moines Police Chief Judy Bradshaw retired in October and is now assistant director of the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
Iowa Couple Claims $1 Million Powerball Prize
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – A Johnston couple have claimed a $1 million Powerball prize they won in the New Year’s Eve drawing.
Friedel and Michele Djordjevic went to Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive on Friday to turn in the ticket that Friedel Djordjevic bought at a Johnston convenience store.
Once he and his wife were certain that five of the six numbers on the ticket matched the numbers pulled Dec. 31, they put the ticket in a fireproof box and began planning what to do with their winnings. They told lottery officials that they intend to put away some money for retirement, buy a new home, pay bills and share with their adult children.
Friedel, who is originally from Germany, says they also plan to take trips there to visit friends.
