(Le Mars) — Authorities are investigating a one-vehicle accident that happened on
Highway 75 at about 6:25 a.m. this morning, south of Merrill. The Merrill Fire
Department and Merrill Ambulance responded to that accident, as did the Hinton Fire
Department. One victim was injured during the accident and was transported to
Unity Point-St. Luke’s hospital. The extent of the injuries and the name of the
victim have not been released at this time.
(Le Mars) — City officials are announcing Vander Pol Construction will be closing
down the outside South bound lane between 4th St . S.W. and 2nd St. S.W. sometime
Tuesday May 31st in the evening to start construction of the new water main going
in on the west side of Business 75, they will also be closing down the S.W part of
the intersection at 4th St S.W. and 75 to do some boring underground then within a
couple days they will have the S.W. part of the intersection closed at 3rd St. and
75 . The water main replacement is to start at the intersection of 4th St S.W. and
continue on all the way up to 4th St N.W. and take approximately 12 weeks, they
plan on doing two blocks at a time so there will be other intersections and parts
of business 75 that will be affected as they move North, Citizens are being asked
to drive with caution and slow down as they drive through the construction zone. We
will try to keep everyone updated to what roads will be affected as they move
North.
(Le Mars) — In another water related announcement from Le Mars city officials,
City Water Superintendent Gayle Sitzmann has issued a notice that the water to
Armel Acres will be shut off on Wednesday, June 1st beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Sitzmann offers the reason why the water will be shut off.
The water is expected to be off for a period of three hours.
Sitzmann says anytime water is shut off there is a chance for discolored water when
turned back on. Sitzmann advises residents in Armel Acres to run your hard cold
water until the water clears. Residents should use an alternative water or boil
the water for drinking purposes. Sitzmann says the city doesn’t anticipate any
problems, but he says it is a Department of Natural Resources regulation.
The city water department will be testing the water for two days for bacteria.
(Le Mars) — Tuesday, June 7th is the day for the primary elections. In Plymouth
County republican voters will need to decide upon two candidates seeking the
District 5 county supervisor position as being vacated by Jim Henrich of Akron.
Gary Horton of Akron and Dan Smith of Merrill are both seeking the supervisor
position. Horton has been a city employee for Akron for more than 30 years. He
says he has experience with economic development and believes he can help Plymouth
County secure additional economic development opportunities because of his Akron
city experience.
Smith, is a former director with the Le Mars Community Board of Education. He says
one of his goals would be to have the supervisors conduct some meetings away from
the County Courthouse board room.
Road and bridge repairs make up a large portion of any county’s budget, both Horton
and Smith agree that the Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has done a good
job of maintaining Plymouth County infrastructure system.
Smith says he doesn’t have any specific goals in mind as a supervisor, other than
to have good communication with officials from the county departments and from the
communities within Plymouth County. Smith says he can draw upon his salary
negotiation experience from when he was a school board director.
Horton says one of his goals as a county supervisor is to watch over spending and
to keep the property tax levy at a low rate.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad has signed into law new state
oversight of Iowa’s Medicaid program under private management.
Branstad announced the approval Friday amid final decisions on a number of
bills, including several dealing with Iowa’s $7.35 billion budget, which takes
effect in July.
Branstad kept language negotiated by the split Legislature that will add more
state oversight to Medicaid, the program that provides health care to poor and
disabled people.
Some Democratic lawmakers in the Senate had demanded additional oversight of
the program because of concerns about the transition to private management on April
1. Branstad says in a message his approval means the state’s Medicaid program will
be one of the most transparent.
The governor had 30 days after the legislative session adjourned to deal with
remaining legislation.
—
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The possibility of an American Indian burial site in
Iowa may require relocation of a crude oil pipeline route which would further delay
the beginning of construction in the only one of four states where work hasn’t yet
begun.
The Dakota Access pipeline passes through the Big Sioux Wildlife Management
area and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe leaders say there is a burial site. The pipeline
also goes through the Dakotas and Illinois.
The possibility prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which owns the
property, to revoke a construction permit for the area and issue a stop work order
to Dakota Access until further notice.
A spokeswoman for Dakota Access says if something is confirmed the company
will work with the appropriate agencies to make any necessary adjustments.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police have identified the man who was killed in an
overnight shooting in Des Moines.
Police responded to the 4000 block of Crocker Street on city’s west side after
receiving calls about gunfire around 11 p.m. Thursday. Authorities found the body
of 44-year-old Scott Perez Sr., of Des Moines, and are investigating his death as a
homicide.
A suspect has not been identified as police continue to interview witnesses.
Crocker Street has reopened between 40th and 41st after police finished processing
the scene.
Authorities say the shooting is the city’s fourth homicide of the year.
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – Democrats vying to challenge Republican Sen. Charles
Grassley in his upcoming re-election race have used a televised debate in Iowa to
criticize the longtime senator’s involvement in a Supreme Court nomination fight.
The four candidates, including former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge and state Sen.
Rob Hogg, used the hour-long debate Thursday night in Johnston to highlight
Grassley’s decision not to hold hearings for President Barack Obama’s U.S. Supreme
Court pick. The issue is seen by Democrats as an opening to seriously challenge
Grassley in November.
The candidates, including attorney Tom Fiegen and former state legislator Bob
Krause, were also asked about their plans to address issues ranging from water
quality to the minimum wage.
The debate comes less than two weeks before Iowa’s June 7 primary.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say an 8-year-old boy was injured after being
struck by a pickup while riding his bicycle in Sioux City.
Sgt. Judy Kellen with the Sioux City Police Department says the boy had been
following his friend through an alley Thursday and did not check oncoming traffic
before he rode out into the street. Kellen says the boy was hit by a Chevrolet
Silverado.
The boy was taken to a hospital. Kellen says the child suffered scrapes and
abrasions, but did not appear to have injuries that are considered to be life-
threatening.
Kellen said that she doubts any citations will be issued.
—
IONIA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have recovered a body from a quarry near the
Little Cedar River in northern Iowa.
Mason City television station KIMT reports (https://bit.ly/1Ugoz7e ) crews
began searching for the missing swimmer Wednesday night after they were called to
Chickasaw Park, which sits about two miles west of Ionia.
A Chickasaw County Emergency Management official says a dive team discovered
the body of an 18-year-old in the water around 3 p.m. Thursday. An autopsy has been
scheduled. The person’s identity has not been released.
Iowa Department of Natural Resources officers and a spokesman for the
Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office didn’t return calls Thursday from The Associated
Press.
—
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A man’s body has been recovered from the Des Moines river.
Police and firefighters responded to the river Thursday afternoon after
someone walking on the Southeast 14th Street bridge in Des Moines called 911 and
reported seeing a body among debris in the river.
Authorities did not provide details about the cause of death. The Des Moines
Register (https://dmreg.co/1RuCUZr ) reports that police say the body will be taken
to the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – One man has been killed in an overnight shooting in Des
Moines.
Police found the man at the 4000 block of Crocker Street on city’s west side
after receiving calls about gunfire around 11 p.m. Thursday. Authorities are
investigating the death as a homicide.
Police say they’re still investigating, interviewing witnesses and processing
the crime scene. Crocker Street was expected to remain closed between 40th and 41st
for several hours.
The victim has not been identified.
Authorities say the shooting is the city’s fourth homicide of the year.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Six states and the Federal Highway Administration have
agreed to make the roadsides along Interstate 35 friendlier for bees and
butterflies to help the insects boost their declining populations.
The 1,500-mile stretch of road between northern Minnesota and southern Texas
is a path for monarch butterflies that migrate between Mexico and Canada. Both the
butterflies and bees pollinate plants that produce much of the nation’s food.
Officials from Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas and the
federal government signed an agreement Thursday to improve the habitat and develop
a branding campaign informally naming the interstate the “Monarch Highway.”
Honeybee and monarch butterfly populations have been dwindling in recent
years.
