Le Mars Police Arrest Female Suspected Of Cooperating In Sioux Falls Homicide
(Le Mars) — A call from a female claiming to need assistance from an assault has turned into an arrest of that female subject as an accessory to a Sioux Falls homicide. Le Mars Police and the Plymouth County Sheriff’s office responded to a call at the Le Mars Truck Stop at about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. The alleged victim reported that she had been held at gun point by Jared Stone, a suspect in a homicide at a casino in Sioux Falls. Le Mars Police Lieutenant Bob Bendlin describes the incident from early Tuesday morning.
The female victim has been identified as 26 year old LaChara Bordeaux. Bendlin says officers took Bordeaux to the Plymouth County jail for further questioning. He says the Le Mars Police were then notified by the Sioux Falls Police of the connection between Bordeaux and the prime homicide suspect Jared Stone.
Detectives from the Sioux Falls Police Department arrived in Le Mars Tuesday to further question Bordeaux. She is being held in the Plymouth County jail under the warrant of arrest from Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The warrant is for one count of accessory and harboring or concealing a homicide subject, and one count of providing aid. Bond has been set at $1 million dollars cash. Lieutenant Bendlin says they don’t believe the subject, Jared Stone is still in Le Mars, but they also can’t rule it out either. Bendlin says police believe their stopping at Le Mars was by chance, instead of having any connections to Le Mars. The suspect, Jared Stone, has not been located and the vehicle in which he was operating has not been located. The vehicle is described as a dark blue 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, bearing South Dakota license plates 52DC99. An arrest warrant for murder in the first degree has been issued for Stone. He is considered armed and dangerous and the public is warned not to approach but to call law enforcement immediately. Stone is described as 20 years old, 5 foot 7 inches and 150 pounds witih black hair and was last seen wearing a black tank top t-shirt, dark colored sweat pants and tennis shoes. Stone was wearing a “bennie” type stocking cap. Any information concerning the whereabouts of this subject should be forwarded to the Plymouth County Sheriff, Le Mars Police Department, or the Sioux Falls Police.
Remsen Cancels Scheduled Power Outage (Updated)
(Remsen) — The city of Remsen has cancelled the previously scheduled power outage that was to have taken place today. Isolated power outages originally scheduled for today, Wednesday, April 27th, to make necessary repairs to the electrical system. The City of Remsen apologizes for the inconvenience and short notice.
County Supervisors Inspect Pick Up Truck Grass Fire Rig
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors saw what once was a pickup truck that was previously owned by the county and used for the Emergency Management Services, now has been converted to be used as a grass wildfire rig. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper appeared before the county supervisors to thank the county for allowing the city of Le Mars, and specifically, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department to purchase the used pickup truck. Schipper informed the county governing board how the pickup truck will be used to fight grass and field fires. Schipper says the grass rig will be used for rural services, as well as during the Plymouth County Fair, and will be available for mutual aid to several other communities. Schipper reminded the county supervisors that the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department is responsible for fire protection in Struble, Seney, Brunsville, and during the day hours provides assistance to both Merrill and Oyens. Schipper told the county supervisors that the pickup truck, and all of its equipment, were purchased through private donations. He says the pickup truck was purchased from Plymouth County through a $15,000 donation from Wells Enterprises. In other action, the Supervisors approved construction contracts involving four culvert installation projects.
Le Mars School District Foundation Awards Banquet Scheduled For Tonight
(Le Mars) — This evening the Le Mars Community School District Foundation and the Le Mars Community Alumni Association will honor the “Teacher of the Year”, the Distinguished Alum, the school district’s “employees of the month”, as well as those faculty and staff members who have served the Le Mars Community for at least 25 years. In addition, the Le Mars Community High School Seniors that have achieved an academic status placing them within the top five percent of their graduating class will also be honored. It is all part of the Le Mars Community School Annual Foundation awards banquet which will be held at the lower level of the Le Mars Convention Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tracy Wingert will be officially recognized as the 2015-2016 Le Mars Community “Teacher of the Year”.
Wingert has been teaching at Le Mars Community for ten years and serves as a technology coach to both faculty members and students.
Wingert will receive the honored “Crystal Bell” and he will be presented a check for $500 to be used for his school curriculum, as well as a $500 check for his personal use.
Soil And Water Conservation Week Is Celebrated
(Le Mars) — Each year, the equivalent of a dump truck filled with soil, or about five tons of topsoil is lost on each acre of Iowa farm ground due to either wind or water erosion. This week is recognized as Soil and Water Conservation week as proclaimed by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad. John Vogel a conservationist with the Plymouth County Soil and Water Conservation district office says soil erosion has been a concern for farmers, landowners, and conservationists since the Great Dust Bowl era in the 1930’s. He talks about how much soil is lost in Iowa each year due to erosion.
Vogel says many farmers have implemented various types of conservation practices that have helped protect the soil and reduce erosion.
Vogel says cover crops offer several benefits, not only do they help protect the soil from eroding, but cover crops also help replenish the soil with valuable nutrients, and cover crops act as a buffer or filter to reduce nitrate runoff into our waterways.
Other conservation methods include grass waterways to help channel running water and buffer zones near streams and creeks to help filter soil sediment and nitrates from entering our waterways.
Vogel says both the state and federal governments offer several cost-share programs to assist landowners and farmers to implement conservation practices. Last year, many people may recall Governor Branstad had proclaimed this week as Soil and Water Conservation Week while visiting the Bob and Lisa Puetz farm located east of Le Mars. At that time, Branstad was given a tour of the Puetz farm and shown different conservation practices and was informed about the Deep Creek Watershed Project that is educating farmers and landowners about the benefits of protecting the soil and the water.
House Passes Bill That May Change The Make Up Of The Des Moines Water Works Board
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled House have passed a budget bill that could change decision-making within a Des Moines utility that sued three Iowa counties over polluted water.
The chamber voted 52-39 Tuesday for the standing bill, which often includes language on unrelated projects. The legislation is expected to be sorted out in a special committee.
The House bill would change the board that oversees decisions by Des Moines Water Works to ensure representation from different areas in which the utility provides services.
The utility blames high nitrate levels in its water on fertilizers washing out of farm fields. The issue prompted water quality proposals that have stalled in the Legislature.
Some House Republicans say the board should reflect the utility’s regional growth. Some Democrats questioned the proposal’s motives.
