Home News Saturday News, June 20

Saturday News, June 20

Vehicle Catches On Fire Friday Night

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was called to a vehicle fire last evening at about 11:15 p.m.  The 2013 Chevy Impala caught on fire at the intersection of county road C-12 and Highway 75, or about 7 miles north of Le Mars and a mile east of Struble.  Apparently, the engine malfunctioned causing flames to come from under the hood.  The driver and the passenger of the vehicle were able to escape the burning car and did not suffer any injuries.  Responding to that car fire were the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol.  Fire fighters were on the scene for a half an hour.

 

 

 

Museum Has Smoke From Ballast Light Fixture

 

(Le Mars) — Shortly before 2:30 Friday afternoon, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department was called to the Plymouth County Historical Museum.  Smoke was detected on the third floor near the Miller’s Lunch Stand. That exhibit is popular during Ice Cream Days because of the root beer floats that are sold to guests.  Museum administrator Judy Bowman says at the time of the alarm, the museum may have had 35 guests.  Everyone had evacuated the building, and there were no injuries.  Fire officials determine the smoke was from an old electrical ballast.  Fire officials used fans to help ventilate the smoke from the building.  Anthony’s Electric Company was called and removed the ballast.  Fire officials rendered the building to be safe and the visitors returned to view the exhibits.  There was no other damage to the museum or the artifacts.  The fire department was on the scene for about 45 minutes.

 

 

 

 

Fire Department Issues Quarterly Report

 

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its quarterly report with the statistics showing a total of 111 calls for the months of March, April, and May.  The fire department responded to 35 fire calls, 19 rescues, 25 investigations, five mutual aid calls, and 27 request for services.

 

 

 

Final Day Of Ice Cream Days

(Le Mars) — Today is the fourth and final day for Ice Cream Days.  The day will begin with a rib rally at the Olson Cultural Events Center, and of course the big parade.  Brad Pick with the Chamber’s Ice Cream Days Organizing Committee previews the parade.

Listen to

{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2015/Pick11.mp3 {/audio}

Immediately following the parade will be the Art In The Park to be held at Foster Park.

Listen to

{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2015/Pick12.MP3 {/audio}

Pick says a toy show and toy auction are scheduled for the Century Hall of the Plymouth County Fairgrounds which will begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue all day long.

Listen to

{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2015/Pick13.MP3 {/audio}

Other events scheduled for Saturday include the Scream for Fashion to be held at the Knights of Columbus hall at 1:00 p.m.  Also starting at 1:00 p.m. is the Radio Controlled Airplane and Helicopter Fun Fly which will be held at the north end of the airport on Holton Drive.  The Plymouth County Historical Museum will hold its Log Cabin Days on Saturday.  A Disc Golf Tournament is scheduled between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to be held at the West Floyd Disc Golf Course.  At noon, Bike Central will host its Summer Cross at the Municipal park.

Listen to

{audio} images/stories/mp3/June 2015/Pick14.MP3 {/audio}

The musical group “The Jammers” will perform from the Olson Cultural Events Center late Saturday afternoon, and the Fishing Derby at the Municipal Park will round out the days events.

 

 

 

Construction Accident In Ames Kills One Man

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Ames police say one man has died and another was critically injured in a construction accident at Iowa State University.
Emergency crews were called Friday afternoon to an apartment building under construction across the street from the ISU Memorial Union.
Police say the accident that killed one man and hurt another involved a fall from scaffolding.

 

 

 

Utilities Chairwoman Offers Explanation Regarding Vote On Proposed Oil Pipeline

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The new Iowa Utilities Board chairwoman is explaining her decision to participate in a vote on a major oil pipeline despite a potential conflict of interest.
In a June 8 filing, Geri Huser told parties in the case that her brother is no longer representing a farm family that has filed an objection to the pipeline proposed by Dakota Access LLC.
Huser noted that she wasn’t on the board when her brother wrote a December objection letter, which will remain part of the case file. She said any appearance of a conflict of interest has been addressed by his withdrawal from the case.
Days before Huser’s filing, a board spokesman said that Huser wasn’t planning to formally disclose the issue in the case.
The board could vote later this year.

 

 

 

New York Psychic Company Agrees To Pay Fines, Charged With Fraud

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A New York City company the Iowa attorney general says was running a fraudulent psychic mail campaign targeting elderly Iowans has been ordered to pay $200,000 to a state consumer protection fund.
Court documents filed Friday say Faircom New York Inc. and company senior account director Audrey Corvino agreed to the restitution and will permanently halt mailings to Iowans. Faircom was further ordered to ensure that no one else uses Iowa mailing lists it compiled.
Attorney General Tom Miller says the company helped fraudulent operators in Switzerland, France, and the United Kingdom distribute mailings to older Iowans and people in other states promising psychics would miraculously deliver health, wealth and happiness for a fee of $20 to $35.
He says Faircom acknowledges helping with hundreds of thousands of mailings nationwide.

 

 

 

Clear Lake Fire Department Gets Boat To Help With Fires And Rescues

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A new fire and rescue boat named after a longtime Clear Lake firefighter is ready for use. 
A christening ceremony was held Thursday for the 26-foot boat. 
Diane and Mark Holt of Mason City donated $275,000 for the watercraft. It was named in honor of Diane Holt’s late father, Frankie “Bud” Meyers. 
Meyers was assistant fire chief from 1974 until his retirement in 1993. He also was the father of current Clear Lake Fire Chief Doug Meyers.  
Frankie Meyers’ widow, Helen, also was on hand for the ceremony. 
The boat will be kept in a covered lift at City Beach until needed.

 

 

 

 

State Grants Financial Incentives To Fertilizer Plant

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state board has approved $25 million in extra tax breaks for a company building a giant fertilizer plant in southeast Iowa.
The  Iowa Economic Development Authority Board on Friday approved the tax breaks for the Lee County plant after the Iowa Fertilizer Company pledged to add 11 more jobs. The project’s total cost now totals $1.9 billion, and it will employ 180 people.
According to board documents, approval of the request brings the total amount of tax benefits the state has provided to the company to $107.5 million.
The construction of the plant near Wever is one of the largest economic development projects in state history.

 

 

 

Iowa’s Unemployment Rate Holds Steady

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate is remaining stable at 3.8 percent.
Iowa Workforce Development released the May rate on Friday and noted the number of unemployed residents dropped slightly to 64,700. That’s down from 65,600 in April.
The state unemployment rate compares to 4.4 percent in May 2014.
Workforce Development says there were about 1.6 million working Iowans. That’s about 2,000 less than in April.
The national rate for May was 5.5 percent.