Fire Department Issues Quarterly Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its quarterly report. During the last three months, the fire department responded to 115 total calls, of which consists of 28 fire calls, 21 rescue calls, 28 investigations, 33 requests for services, and five mutual aid calls.
Students Enjoy Field Tour To Local Farms
(Le Mars) — More than 300 third and fourth grade students from elementary schools from Le Mars and Remsen had the opportunity to see agriculture up close and personal as they participated on a farm field tour. The event was held on Wednesday and was sponsored by the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee. The students visited Mark and Lori Loutsch’s sheep farm, a dairy farm owned by Jim Tentinger, a pork operation demonstrated by Roger Schroeder, and a beef operation by Tony and Shirley Schroeder. The farmers that open their farms to host the student agriculture tour have done so for many years. Shirley Schroeder says it is important for young students to visit the farms and to get a better idea of Plymouth County agriculture as told by people who make their livihoods from the farm.
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Schroeder says the students respond well to seeing the activities associated with a farm.
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Schroeder says many times, the students remember their farm visits for a long duration of time, often times approaching Tony and Shirley and reminding them that they had visited the Schroeder farm in previous years. Schroeder says she doesn’t expect the student to retain all the information that is shared, but she is hopeful the students are able remember the big picture.
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Following the tour, the students had a picnic lunch at Cleveland Park served by members of the Le Mars Chamber Agriculture Committee featuring food items that were highlighted during the tour that included grilled hamburgers, pork burgers, and lamb burgers with cheese, chips, milk and ice cream.
Tyson To Add Jobs At Its Council Bluffs Plant
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Tyson Foods is adding 60 jobs at one of its Council Bluffs plants a month after closing a beef plant in Denison, Iowa.
Tyson officials said Wednesday that the Council Bluffs plant would add jobs to help produce pork chops and roasts.
The plant that specializes in retail-ready beef and pork products already employs about 1,100. Plant manager Doug Griffin says he’s excited to be creating more jobs in Council Bluffs.
A month ago, Tyson eliminated about 400 jobs about 70 miles away in Denison when it decided to close the beef production plant there. At the time, company officials said it needed to reduce its beef production capacity.
Two Members Of U of I Search Committee Admit To Meeting Presidential Finalist
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Two more University of Iowa’s presidential search committee members met eventual pick Bruce Harreld during his campus visit several weeks before his name was released as a candidate.
Business school dean Sarah Gardial and Faculty Senate President Christina Bohannan confirmed Wednesday they attended a speech Harreld gave at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in July and had lunch with him.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Harreld also met Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter and search committee chair Jean Robillard. Robillard had invited the former IBM executive to talk about business leadership to UIHC administrators, and he did so without charge. No other candidates were invited for similar presentations.
Harreld was announced as a finalist Aug. 31 and was announced as the new president just days later. Critics say he received special treatment.
