Union To Celebrate 100 Years
(Le Mars) — The township of Union will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend. The celebration will be held on Sunday afternoon. Bob Bohnenkamp and Hallie Evans serve as the event organizers, and they review the afternoon’s activities.
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Also included for the afternoon activities will be a toy tractor pedal pull. Bohnenkamp says at one time in history, the people of Union were believing the railroad would be built to pass through the small village. That never happened, but what did happen was the consolidation of one-room school houses to one school building.
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The parade is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. and Bohnenkamp says there will be several entries.
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Hallie Evans says people from great distances have indicated an interest in returning for the centennial celebration.
Listen to
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Union is located on county road C-44. From Le Mars, it is six miles south following county road K-49 and five and a half miles east. From Remsen, travel south for eight miles on highway 140, then head west four miles. For additional information go to their website, www.unioncentennial.com.
One Year Has Passed Since Neunaber Deaths
(Le Mars) — One year ago today, the bodies of Donald Neunaber and his wife Esther were found dead in their rural Akron home. Autopsy reports would later show that Donald died from natural causes, but Esther, it was ruled by the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office had died as a result of blunt force trauma. Law enforcement agencies quickly named son Jonathon Neunaber as a person of interest in the death of his parents. Neunaber was located a day later in La Crosse, Wisconsin by the La Crosse Police Department. He was transported back to Plymouth County and was placed in custody in the Plymouth County jail. A year has now passed, and still Neunaber has not been to trial. Neunaber’s defense attorney has asked the court to have his client tested for a psychiatric examination. According to Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo, Jonathon Neunaber remains in custody at the Plymouth County jail.
Escaped Inmate Had History Of Violence
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa inmate repeatedly fought with correctional officers and destroyed property in the weeks before he managed to escape from a maximum-security prison.
Prison records obtained by The Associated Press underscore the safety risk posed by convicted armed robber Justin Kestner, who escaped from the Iowa State Penitentiary early Sunday.
Authorities say they’re fortunate Kestner was captured in Illinois without violence hours after his escape.
The records show Kestner injured an officer June 12 by kicking him in the chest with both feet. And in April, Kestner destroyed many of his cell’s fixtures during an outburst in which he ended up being sprayed with chemical agents.
A prison judge had sentenced Kestner to one year of disciplinary detention days before the escape, citing his “history of violence.”
Branstad’s Request For Disaster Area From Bird Flu Is Denied
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Governor Terry Branstad’s request for a federal disaster declaration to respond to the bird flu outbreak has been denied.
The governor had sought a major disaster declaration from President Barack Obama for the four counties most impacted by the virus. In a letter from federal authorities dated Tuesday, the request was rejected.
The letter said the damage was “not of such severity and magnitude” that it could not be handled by the state.
The virus has infected more than 31.5 million birds in Iowa, mostly egg-laying chickens, making the state the hardest hit in the nation.
Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers said the administration was gathering information to assess whether an appeal would be effective.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Returns To Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Chris Christie is returning to Iowa for the first time since he declared he was running for president.
Campaign spokeswoman Samantha Smith said Wednesday the Republican New Jersey governor planned to make two trips to the kickoff caucus state. He’ll be in Iowa on July 24 and 25 and again on July 31 and Aug. 1.
Smith said Christie will headline a fundraiser for Sen. Chuck Grassley in the Fort Dodge area and attend a summer party hosted by prominent Iowa businessman Bruce Rastetter. He’ll also hold town hall meetings and other events to meet with Republicans.
Christie has made five trips to Iowa this year, but in recent months he has spent more time in New Hampshire. He announced his presidential bid on June 30.
Hogg Says He May Run For U-S Senate Seat
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democratic lawmaker Rob Hogg says he is forming an exploratory committee for a possible 2016 U.S. Senate bid.
The 48-year-old state senator from Cedar Rapids announced his plans Wednesday. The seat is currently held by popular Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican who has served in the Senate since 1981.
Hogg says he will start meeting with voters and raising money. He says he’ll be talking about climate change, economic growth and reforming the campaign system. He has not set a timeline to make a decision.
Hogg, who works as an attorney, is currently serving his third term in the Iowa Senate, where he is chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. He previously served in the Iowa House. He authored a book about climate change that was released in 2013.
Texas Man Wanted For Stabbing Arrested In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have arrested a man in Iowa in connection with a stabbing death in Texas.
The U.S. Marshals Service says 23-year-old Noe Lopez Trevino, of Abilene, Texas, was arrested Wednesday near an apartment complex in Des Moines.
The Abilene Police Department says Trevino stabbed 49-year-old Lewis Maston in early April at a local night club. Maston later died of his injuries.
U.S. Marshals assisting police say they developed information that Trevino may have fled to Des Moines to stay with family and friends. The agency’s local taskforce arrested Trevino without incident.
Trevino is at the Polk County jail on a charge of arrest without warrant. Records do not list an attorney.
Lawyer For Iowa Man Accused Of Robbing Motel Says Case Should Go To Federal Court
FARGO, N.D. (AP) – The lawyer for the Iowa man accused of robbing a Fargo, North Dakota hotel and shooting at police says the case could be moved to federal court.
Thirty-year-old Eric Webb of Cedar Rapids, Iowa appeared in court Wednesday.
Defense attorney Patrick Rosenquist says it would be “inappropriate” for him to comment why federal prosecutors could choose to indict Webb, but Rosenquist adds it has been related to him that that could be the case.
Webb was injured in a shootout with police on June 4th, after authorities allege he robbed a hotel. Webb is charged with robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
About two weeks after the incident, a newspaper reported receiving a letter from Webb admitting to shooting first at police. Authorities believe the letter is authentic.
Judge Overturns Conviction Of Sexual Assault Case
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former University of Iowa student is out of prison days after a judge overturned his conviction in a high-profile sexual assault case.
Evan Pfeifer was released from custody in Iowa City after his father posted a $10,000 cash bond Wednesday, which a judge set a day earlier.
The 22-year-old had been serving a 10-year term after a jury in November 2012 found him guilty of third-degree sexual abuse.
Prosecutors contended that Pfeifer had sex with another student against her will in 2010. Pfeifer has contended the encounter was consensual.
Judge Douglas Russell vacated his conviction last week, saying it was tainted by prosecutorial misconduct and errors by Pfeifer’s defense lawyer. He ordered a new trial.
After the ruling, Pfeifer was transferred from the Fort Dodge prison to Johnson County.
