Le Mars To Hold Spring Clean Up Days
(Le Mars) – The City of Le Mars is declaring an amnesty from the Landfill Disposal cost for Spring Clean up Days. Spring clean up days begins today, May 2nd through Saturday May 7th from 8am to 4pm, and from 8am to noon on Saturday at the Plymouth County Landfill. Only Le Mars residential properties can participate. Assistant City Administrator Jason Vacera tells us more.
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Vacera then went on to talk about the Appliance/Tire drop off on May 11th
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Vacera also talked about the PC Sweep scheduled for May 21st at the City Hall parking lot
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Le Mars Fire and Rescue Respond To 45 Calls In April
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its April monthly report. During the month of April, the fire department responded to 12 fires, performed 6 rescues, conducted 7 investigations, 16 times were asked for request for services, and provided mutual aid to Merrill on two occasions, Oyens, and Orange City. Fire Chief Dave Schipper says a total of 273 people were trained in the correct manner of using fire extinguishers, including the city council and city hall administration staff. During April, the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department placed into service a pickup truck to serve as a grass wildfire rig.
Treasurer’s Staff To Set Up Office In Communities To Assist People Eligible For Tax Credit
(Le Mars) — Staff from the Plymouth County Treasurer’s office will be visiting Plymouth County communities to help those who qualify for a state credit on their house taxes, mobile home taxes, or for rent reimbursements. To qualify, and receive a credit on your real estate taxes, Iowa residents who own their own homes must be at least 65 years of age or older as of December 31, 2015 or be totally disabled and 18 years or older, and have a total household income under $23,360 for 2015. If you own and live in a mobile home, you are eligible to claim a reduced tax rate if your 2015 combined household income was less than $22,360 and were 23 years of age or older as of December 31, 2015. The State of Iowa also offers a rent reimbursement program to assist elderly or disabled low income individuals. Sign up must be done by June 1st. Residents can bring their 2015 income tax returns, social security statement of earnings, and the amount of any other income that you received in 2015 to one of the following locations. Plymouth County Treasurer’s staff will be at the Hinton Community Building on Tuesday, May 3rd beginning at 9:00 a.m. and will be there until 10:00 a.m. Then from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. they will set up office at the Merrill Senior Center. The Plymouth County treasurer’s staff will be in Remsen on Tuesday, May 3rd between 11:30 to 12:30. The following day, Wednesday, May 4th the staff will be at the Kingsley City Hall from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. They will be in Akron at the Akron Library Community Room from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and at the Westfield City Hall from 1:30 to 2:30. Eligible residents can stop at the Plymouth County Courthouse in Le Mars at the Treasurer’s office anytime from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and must do so before June 1st.
Money Is Being Raised For Center For Abused Children
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A center for abused children in Sioux City is raising $2 million for an expansion project.
The project will roughly triple the size of the Mercy Child Advocacy Center to 9,000 square feet.
The project will create a stand-alone facility and add two more interview rooms and another examination room.
Plus, it will make the facility more secure and give it a separate entrance. Currently families enter the center through the endoscopy unit at the hospital.
Holz Disappointed Water Quality Bill Did Not Get Through Legislative Session
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa lawmakers put aside philosophical differences to adjourn the legislative session Friday, because at one point their disagreements on the multi-billion dollar state budget came down to less than $15 million.
The Republican-controlled House wanted to stop giving state dollars to family planning facilities like Planned Parenthood that provide abortions. The state funding in question totaled less than $500,000, and the proposal was ultimately dropped.
Lawmakers were also at odds over $9.7 million for salaries to the Iowa Department of Transportation. House Republicans said the agency shouldn’t get additional money for salaries amid a recent increase in the state fuel tax. The Democratic-majority Senate challenged that, and lawmakers agreed to provide half the requested money.
Differences on water quality and medical marijuana couldn’t be resolved this session. Le Mars State Representative Chuck Holz completed his first year as a state legislator. He says he was most disappointed over the fact the lawmakers couldn’t resolve the issue of water quality.
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Women Who Were Breast Feeding Asked To Leave Capital
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Women who were breast-feeding at the Iowa Capitol as part of a campaign say they were asked to cover themselves despite a law that allows them to nurse in public.
The Des Moines Register reports that the women were part of the Nationwide Nurse-In, an event designed to draw attention to each state’s breast-feeding laws. The Iowa group included eight adults and 10 children who were invited inside because of chilly outdoor temperatures, but asked not to breast-feed their children. Iowa law allows women to breast-feed their own children in any public place where they are otherwise allowed.
Tami Wiencek of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services later issued a statement apologizing to the women.
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Drunk Drivers Increase In Numbers
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The number of drunken driving deaths on Iowa roads has been increasing over the past few years, but the number of driver’s license revocations is down.
There were 123 drunken driving deaths last year. That’s up from 110 the year before and 114 in 2012.
Last year, 13,938 driver’s licenses were revoked for drunken driving in the state. That number has been steadily declining. In 2014, 14,515 licenses were revoked and in 2012, 17,708 licenses were taken.
Officials with the state Transportation Department and law enforcement say the decline is a result of having fewer officers on the road because of budget cuts and fewer arrests. Also, more people may be getting rides home after drinking.
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