Plymouth County Prepares For RAGBRAI
(Le Mars) — The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or better known as RAGBRAI will get started on Sunday morning with a portion of the route going through southern Plymouth County. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe explains the route that thousands of bicyclists will travel as they cross Plymouth County.
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Rohe says the county road crews have made some repairs to better accommodate the bicycle riders.
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The county engineer says work needed to be done on the roads, but having RAGBRAI cross through the county, just perhaps sped up the timeline for those repairs.
Kingsley is the first community the 20,000 plus bicyclists will pass through on their near 500 mile journey across the state. Kingsley mayor and co-chair of the RAGBRAI events, Rick Bohle says his town of 1400 are looking forward to the summer event.
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Bohle says the Kingsley city work crews have been busy preparing the town for the event.
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In addition to the variety of food being offered, the Kingsley mayor says the small Plymouth County community will feature many activities on their main street.
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Bohle is predicting the first bicycle will be seen entering Kingsley at approximately 6:00 a.m. He says the festivities will begin to shut down at around 2:00 p.m. with the hopes the bike riders will move to the next town on their way to Storm Lake.
Food Vendor Prepares for RAGBRAI
(Kingsley) — One of those 20 food vendors prepared to sell food items to the thousands of bicycle riders is Carol Kabisch of Carol’s Kitchen of Kingsley. Kabisch operates a catering business, and is perhaps best known for her variety of fruit pies. She says she has baked 80 pies for the bike riders and support people, and is capable of baking 16 pies at one time. She mentions the different types of pies that will be available for sale.
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What’s a fruit pie without ice cream? Kabisch says along with the pies, she and her husband, Bob will also be selling homemade ice cream during the bike ride event. When the bike riders enter Kingsley, Sunday morning, it will be time for breakfast, and Kabisch says she’ll be ready with biscuits and gravy along with breakfast sandwiches.
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Kabisch is a regular vendor at the Sioux City Farmer’s Market held Saturday mornings. She says she and her family started today at 2:00 a.m. preparing baked goods for today’s farmer’s market as well as tomorrow’s bike ride. Kabisch says they need to be in place for RAGBRAI no later than 4:00 a.m. Kabisch offers her expectations for the hopefully hungry crowd.
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If you think that after RAGBRAI, Kabisch will have the opportunity to get some much needed rest, just remember the Plymouth County Fair is just around the corner, and Kabisch provides many of the pies for the 4-H Food Stand.
Drake University To Accept Students Without ACT or SAT scores
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Des Moines private university is offering potential students other options if they don’t want to submit their SAT or ACT test results with their application packet.
Drake University announced on Wednesday that it’ll adopt a test-flexible admissions policy starting with applicants for the fall 2016 semester who have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and meet other criteria.
Those prospective students can keep their results to themselves and opt instead for an interview in which they can speak about their experiences inside and outside of the classroom.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the move by the university is unusual in the Midwest but gaining popularity across the country. School officials say they still find the test valuable predictors of an applicant’s academic performance.
Judge Rules Against Using Instant Messaging For Seed Patent Theft Case
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge has ruled prosecutors cannot use instant messages against a Chinese woman charged as part of a conspiracy to steal trade secrets from U.S. corn companies.
Mo Yun is accused of helping six others including her brother, Mo Hailong, steal patented seed corn from U.S. companies to reproduce its genetic traits.
She was arrested a year ago and must remain in the U.S. awaiting trial. She is married to Chinese billionaire Shao Genhou, the chairman of Beijing-based DBN Group.
The government found on Mo Hailong’s computer copies of incomplete messages with Mo Yun.
Judge Stephanie Rose ruled Friday the messages are excerpts only and may not be used as evidence.
Prosecutors said during a hearing Thursday they may drop charges against Mo Yun without the messages.
Wisconsin Governor Walker Brings Campaign To Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker saved his campaign’s most important state for last on his presidential announcement tour, arriving in Iowa for a weekend of events.
Walker, who entered the Republican contest Monday, is investing heavily in the leadoff caucus state and was greeted with enthusiasm Friday in Davenport and Cedar Rapids.
Walker characterized himself as a fighter who successfully limited union power and weathered a recall election in Wisconsin. He promised to bring that fight to Washington, saying he would repeal President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul and aggressively deal with terrorists abroad.
Walker held a moment of silence for four Marines who died in a shooting rampage in Chattanooga, Tennessee. One of them was from Wisconsin. Walker says military personnel should be allowed to carry weapons in recruiting centers.
Hillary Rodham Clinton Campaign Buys Nearly $8 Million For Television Advertising
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign says it has bought $7.7 million worth of television air time in early primary states, making its first ad buy of the 2016 election.
The campaign says it has reserved time starting in early November through the first caucus and primary elections in early February, but it could broadcast the spots sooner if necessary.
In Iowa, where caucus goers cast the country’s first ballots, the campaign paid $3.6 million for time in all eight media markets that serve the state. An additional $4.1 million of airtime was purchased in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary.
The lead contender in the Democratic field, Clinton is campaigning in Iowa before a state party fundraiser with her nomination rivals.
Clive Man Found Guilty Of Murder – Claims He Was Using Self-defense
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa man who claimed self-defense in the stabbing death of another man has been found guilty of first-degree murder.
The Des Moines Register reports (https://dmreg.co/1I9jCZs ) a jury returned the verdict Friday in the trial of 50-year-old Stephen Jonas, of Clive.
Jonas was accused of stabbing 21-year-old Zachary Paulsen in the morning hours of Aug. 23, 2014, in a lot behind Dean Paulsen & Sons Contractors in Clive. The business is owned by Paulsen’s family.
Assistant Polk County Attorney Olubunmi Salami said Jonas attacked Paulsen after a night of drinking at a bar. He said Jonas made a sexual advance toward Paulsen and the younger man rejected him.
Defense attorney Trevor Andersen argued Paulsen tried to hit Jonas was a hammer and his client was defending himself.
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After 20 Years, Authorities Make Arrest For Woman’s Death
MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities in eastern Iowa have charged a man with first-degree murder in the death of a woman found in a burning car nearly 20 years ago.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says 54-year-old Steven John Klein was arrested Friday in Muscatine in connection with the 1995 death of Susan Kersten. He is being held at the county jail on a $1 million cash only bond. Court records do not list an attorney.
Kersten’s body was found inside a burning vehicle near an Iowa highway in September 1995. An autopsy determined she died of blunt force trauma to the head sustained before the fire.
The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports (https://icp-c.com/1J5LP47 ) Klein was a person of interest for years. Authorities say there’s new information in the case, but they did not elaborate.
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