Plymouth County Board of Supervisors To Re-organize
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will meet this morning to re-organize and elect a chairman and a vice-chairman for the board for 2016. Once the new board and chairman are selected, the county governing board will authorize claims, and payroll, investment officers and schools of instruction resolutions.
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will discuss and assign their committee memberships. The supervisors will then appoint the official county newspaper per the Iowa Code. The county board of supervisors will then re-appoint all current members to the Compensation Commission. The Supervisors are expected to re-appoint Wayne Schipper to the Veterans Affairs Board for a three-year term. The board is expected to appoint Dr. Steve Meis and Debra Ahlers to the county board of health for a three-year term. Amy Oetken is expected to be re-appointed to the County Civil Service Commission for a six-year term. The Supervisors are expected to name James Binneboese, Bill Koopman and Melvin Brown to the county zoning board each for a five-year term. Chris Beeck (Beck) will be re-appointed to serve on the County Conservation Board for a five-year term.
Democrat Martin O’Malley Makes A Le Mars Visit
(Le Mars) — Democratic presidential contender Martin O’Malley made a visit to Le Mars on Saturday evening. The former Maryland Governor spoke to about two dozen people. He informed the gathering he is the only Democratic candidate with executive experience, both as a former mayor of the city of Baltimore, and as the governor of Maryland. He says he wants to challenge Iowans to, once again, surprise the nation, by selecting a candidate that was not leading in the polls. The Maryland governor is currently in third place in the national polls, behind front runner, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
O’Malley spoke about his experience of bringing people together for the common good.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/January 2016/O’Malley2.MP3{/audio}
The former Maryland governor continued to tell people of his accomplishments.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/January 2016/O’Malley3.MP3{/audio}
The Democratic presidential contender says he practiced inclusion of people, which made the state of Maryland better than many of the surrounding states.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/January 2016/O’Malley4.MP3{/audio}
O’Malley spoke of the difference between goals and dreams, saying the difference are deadlines. He told the gathering he would like to see the minimum wage increased and be above the poverty line.
Listen to
{audio} images/stories/mp3/January 2016/O’Malley1.MP3{/audio}
Presidential Politics Enters “Crunch” Time
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – It’s been a year of town halls and weekend forums and lunchtime meet-and-greets for those who would be president.
And nights spent sparring in televised debates.
And endless days fundraising to pay for TV ads, direct-mail fliers and organizers to get out the vote.
All of it is aimed at people who only now are starting to think about their vote for the White House.
Think about it this way: What happened in 2015 was the pregame show.
The race starts in earnest this week as voters begin to tune in and the candidates try to win them over during a four-week sprint to the leadoff Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1.
It’s then that voters have their first say, moving pundits, predictions and polls aside for the voice of voters.
Cruz Picking Up In Polls Despite Cantankerous Personality
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. (AP) – Ted Cruz’s reputation as a grating ideologue might seem like a liability. But it hasn’t stopped his rise in the Republican presidential campaign.
The Texas senator is embracing that irascible persona and trying to turn what could be a liability into an asset.
At a Republican debate in October he told viewers he might not be the guy they’d want to grab a beer with. But if they needed someone to drive them home, he said he’d get the job done.
Cruz and his supporters relish his outsider status, and they highlight his conflicts with fellow Republican senators. Not one of those lawmakers has endorsed him for president.
Powerball Jackpot Could Reach $400 Million
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The next Powerball winner will have a chance to claim one of the game’s 10 biggest prizes this week when the jackpot grows to roughly $400 million.
Lottery officials say no one claimed Saturday’s $334 million prize, although someone from Pennsylvania won $2 million and three players from California, Connecticut and South Carolina won $1 million in the game.
When the jackpot reaches $400 million, it might exceed the size of the sixth-largest prize in Powerball history. That was a $399.4 million prize won in 2013 by someone from South Carolina.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
The next drawing will be held Wednesday.
