(Le Mars) — The weather was nearly perfect for the annual Avenue of Flags Memorial Day program held this morning at the Plymouth County Courthouse grounds. This year a total of 46 additional flags were dedicated bringing the total to 1266 flags. The Wasmer Post #241 acknowledged two veterans that have been members of the local legion for 50 years and 60 years. Post Commander Wayne Schipper presented certificates to Emmet Sitzmann and Paul Kurth. As part of the tradition of the dedication of flags of fallen veterans, Pat Murphy again read all the names of the individuals being represented by the flags on display. The Le Mars Municipal Band performed several patriotic and military themed songs for the ceremony. And of course members of the American Legion Wasmer Post #241 held a 21-gun salute followed by the hallowed tune of taps.
(Hawarden) — Thick, black smoke could be seen for miles as a result of a hog confinement facility catching on fire. The fire was located at 1825 470th Street, southwest of Hawarden in Sioux County. Nine different fire departments consisting of Hawarden, Ireton, Maurice, Sioux Center, Orange City, Alcester, South Dakota, Hudson, South Dakota, Akron, and Rock Valley were called to help battle the blaze. Fire officials indicate the alarm was sounded at about 8:46 a.m. Saturday morning. Hawarden Fire Chief John Strong believes the fire was started when one of the pigs dislodged a heat lamp causing it to fall onto the straw bedding. Fire investigators from the State Fire Marshal office will be contacted to help determine the cause of the fire.
Two large confinement barns are a total loss. It is thought that approximately 5,000 head of hogs had perished in the fire. Fire officials had some difficulty maneuvering in the farmstead due to the muddy conditions from last night’s rain. Fire officials were on the scene for more than five hours.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – A Freedom Rock completed last fall in Cedar Falls has been vandalized days before Memorial Day.
The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports (https://bit.ly/1U64ON7 ) the vandalism occurred Saturday night at the Freedom Rock in Cedar Falls Veterans Park.
Spray paint was used to damage the rock, along with a fence and utility box.
Tom Hagarty, commander of the Cedar Falls American Legion No. 237, says a Memorial Day ceremony planned for Sunday night was going ahead.
Greenfield artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II painted the rock, which includes images of the Five Sullivan Brothers killed in World War II and Taylor Morris, a Navy explosive ordnance disposal expert who lost portions of all four limbs in a bomb blast in Afghanistan.
Sorensen wants to paint Freedom Rocks in all of Iowa’s 99 counties.
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HOLSTEIN, Iowa (AP) – Veterans of service in Iraq and Afghanistan are being asked to serve in a different way.
Membership in such groups as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars is shrinking as World War II and Korean War veterans age and die. That leaves the groups with fewer members to carry on basic functions such as providing color guards at veterans’ funerals.
The groups have met varying degrees of success as they try to attract younger veterans. In the American Legion’s northwest Iowa district, 18 of 89 posts have met their 2016 membership goals ahead of the June 30 deadline.
In Holstein, Of Post 225’s membership of 130 in Holstein, nearly a third served in what’s termed the Persian Gulf era.
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(Orange City) — Sioux County authorities have arrested an 18 year old Granville woman following an investigation of a report of a disturbance at a Granville residence. The arrest was made Friday evening, and upon further investigation, deputies discovered that Jenna Meines was in possession of a controlled substance. When Meines was arrested and brought to the jail, an additional amount of a controlled substance was found in her possession. Meines was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of contraband in a correctional institute.
