Chamber Agriculture Committee Awards Television Set To Drawing Winner
(Le Mars) — If you visited the famous round barn this past week during the 75th
anniversary of the Plymouth County Fair, you may have tried guessing the number of
corn kernels that were in a glass jar. Eight different people came closes to the
actual number by offering a guess of 10,500 kernels. Those eight names were then
placed in a hat for a random drawing. The winner of a new 42 inch flat screen
television set is Maria Blackmore of Merrill, Iowa. Le Mars Area Chamber of
Commerce Vice President for the Agriculture Committee, Cole Sitzmann presented the
television to Blackmore on Tuesday evening. The actual number of corn kernels in
the glass jar was 10,469.
Woodbury County Computer Files Hacked
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors has approved an
investigation into a cyberattack that compromised about 3,700 county files last
month.
The board voted unanimously Tuesday to work with Cleveland-based law firm
BakerHostetler, which conducts data security incident response investigations.
Human resources director Ed Gilliland says the source of the cyberattack July
20 was ransomware that was delivered through an email. Ransomware is software that
locks files on a computer and demands a payment for their release.
Gilliland says nothing was lost because the Woodbury County Information
Communication Committee backs up files every night. Emails requesting ransom for
the files have been deleted.
Gilliland says the investigation will help determine which specific files were
targeted and whether there will be any long-term consequences.
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President Obama Commutes Sentences On Drug Offenders
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Three Iowa men convicted on drug-related charges are among
214 federal inmates to have their sentences commuted by President Barack Obama.
The White House said Wednesday sentences for David Dean Millard of Grimes and
Michael Sandmeyer of Rockford were commuted to expire on Dec. 1.
Millard was sentenced to life in October 1996 for methamphetamine distribution
and Sandmeyer began serving 20 years in 2003 for methamphetamine distribution and
possession of a firearm by a felon.
The life sentence for Martin Ruiz Singh of Marshalltown was commuted to 20
years. He was sentenced in 2006 for distribution of methamphetamine and possessing
a firearm as a felon.
The White House says those receiving commutations were imprisoned under
antiquated, overly harsh sentencing laws. Almost all were serving time for
nonviolent drug offenses.
New Trial Set For Murder Suspect Following Supreme Court Action
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A new trial has been set for a man whose murder
conviction in a 2009 slaying was overturned by the Iowa Supreme Court.
The trial for 25-year-old Justin Marshall, of Iowa City, has been set for Sept. 27.
In June, Iowa’s high court ordered a new trial for Marshall because
authorities relied on the testimony of a jailhouse informant, which a split court
said violated Marshall’s right to an attorney.
The case upholds court precedent that jailhouse informants violate a
defendant’s rights when the informant is working on behalf of police or prosecutors
to get information about a crime.
In Marshall’s case, an informant convinced Marshall to write down details in
which Marshall admitted to accidentally shooting an apartment complex landlord.
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Principal Resigns Following Banned Substitute Teacher Is Hired
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The longtime principal of a Cedar Rapids high school has
resigned following questions about his response to an incident involving a
substitute teacher charged with having sexual contact with a student.
KCRG-TV reports (https://bit.ly/2aGR5jp ) Ralph Plagman announced Tuesday that
he will retire Wednesday after 35 years as principal at Washington High School.
Plagman says in a statement that he’s leaving the position at the request of school
district officials.
In his statement, Plagman alluded to the case of 24-year-old Mary Haglin, who
was charged last month with sexual exploitation by a school employee.
Although the district initially barred Haglin from teaching at district
schools, miscommunication enabled Haglin to work briefly as an elementary
substitute at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.
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Eastern Iowa Community Offered Utility Discounts To Elderly
CASCADE, Iowa (AP) – State auditors say an eastern Iowa city has been giving
utility discounts to senior citizens that aren’t allowed under Iowa code.
An audit report released Wednesday said the discounts were discovered as
auditors looked into allegations that some Cascade city workers were given
exemptions to penalties on late utility payments.
City administrator Deanna McCusker said officials weren’t aware the discounts
were considered discriminatory rates and weren’t allowed. She says she’s
recommending the council eliminate the discounts at its meeting Monday. She would
not comment about their original adoption.
The auditors say the discounts have cost the city around $149,000 since July
2009.
Regarding the penalty exemptions, the auditors found 16 accounts with
exemptions from paying a total of nearly $866 in penalties. Four others granted the
exemptions incurred no penalties.
Parade Entry Shows Hillary Clinton In Prison
ARCADIA, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa parade drew complaints from some not amused
by a makeshift jail cell holding a man wearing a Hillary Clinton mask.
Two men built the cell on a trailer, and then towed it Saturday in the parade
celebrating the Arcadia Fire Department’s 100th anniversary. Inside was a man
wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and Hillary Clinton mask. A sign reading “Hillary
For Prison” was displayed.
Children were encouraged to throw water balloons at the cell.
Kyle Julin, of nearby Manilla, drove an ATV pulling the cell, which he and a
friend built.
Some in Arcadia, a city of 500, laughed but others groaned.
Carroll County Democrats Chairman Tim Tracy called the display “sad.”
Julin says he wasn’t worried some were offended.
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Iowa DNR Investigates Fish Kill
YARMOUTH, Iowa (AP) – Environmental specialists and fisheries biologists from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are investigating a second fish kill in a week in southeast Iowa likely caused by aerial spraying of crop fields.
A fish kill near the headwaters of Big Creek about a mile west of Yarmouth includes several species of dead and stressed catfish, bullheads, bass, suckers and creek chubs. Dead fish were observed about a half mile downstream late Wednesday morning. Late last week a fish kill was reported on Cedar Fork Creek about five miles to the east near Mediapolis. More than 53,500 fish valued at more than $8,000 were killed along a 7-mile section of the creek.
The DNR says an investigation is continuing to determine the responsible parties.
