Tax Free Weekend Scheduled For Friday and Saturday
(Le Mars) — Parents of school aged children always look forward to this coming
weekend as a time the state of Iowa gives them a break for back-to-school expenses.
This Friday and Saturday, August 5th and 6th is known as “Tax Free Weekend”.
State Representative Chuck Holz of Le Mars says several years ago, the state
legislature passed a bill allowing for the purchase of clothing and shoes not to be
subject to sales tax.
Holz isn’t certain as to how much revenue the state forfeits from having the tax
free weekend, but estimates it could be in the millions of dollars. Iowa is one of
only 17 states to offer a tax free weekend for the purchase of clothing and shoes.
The Iowa Department of Revenue says only wearable clothing and shoes are eligible
for the tax free weekend. It does not include watches, jewelry, umbrellas,
handkerchiefs, sporting equipment or other recreational equipment, or footwear
designed primarily for athletic acivity or protective use and not usually
considered appropriate for everyday wear. Holz says the tax free weekend is only
for Friday and Saturday. Sunday sales are not a part of the tax free weekend.
Holz says no one item can cost more than $100.
Le Mars Airport Has New Look
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Municipal Airport Terminal building has a new look.
Renovation and remodeling of the terminal is now completed. Assistant Airport
Manager Tom Mulally says the terminal has a fresh look that offers visitors a
better “impression” of Le Mars.
Mulally says the renovation took three months to complete, and he talks about the
specific changes and additions to the terminal lobby area.
The renovation was financed in part by the city of Le Mars, and also in part by
Well’s Enterprises. Mulally says the airport board has other ideas for the future
of the airport.
In addition to the terminal being updated and modernized, new signage, and a new
logo have been added.
Mulally says many people may be surprised to know how much air traffic uses the Le
Mars Municipal Airport.
The city will hold an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for
Thursday, August 18th beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Construction Nearing Completion On 12th Street
(Le Mars) — Construction on 12th Street southwest is nearing completion, according
to Le Mars City Administrator, Scott Langel. Crews have been pouring concrete for
the last couple of days. Langel had thought that paving was going to be delayed
because the concrete was not immediately available.
Langel says now that the fair is over, construction on the intersection of Central
and Plymouth will get started soon. He anticipates the construction work will be
finished by early September. Langel also reported to the city council that the
dredging work at the municipal park pond is now completed.
Langel says the city council also approved an alley paving project during their
last council meeting.
City Council To Hold Special Meeting
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will hold a special meeting on Friday, August
5th at 11:00 a.m. The special meeting will be held in a closed door session so the
council can discuss a real estate transfer.
Floyd Valley Board of Trustees To Meet
(Le Mars) — The regularly scheduled meeting of the Floyd Valley Healthcare Board
of Trustees to be held on Tuesday, August 9th has been moved to Tuesday, August
16th at 7:30 a.m. There will be a special Closed Session per Iowa Code 388.9 of the
Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees held this coming Tuesday, August 9, at
7:30 a.m. in place of the regularly scheduled meeting. The meeting will take place
in the Floyd Valley Healthcare Administrative Boardroom – Upper Level.
Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Lottery Ticket Theft
STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa woman accused of stealing a winning
lottery scratch game ticket has pleaded not guilty.
Ashley Bosler, of Sioux Rapids, entered the pleas Monday in Storm Lake to
charges of theft of a lottery ticket or share and abetting theft of a lottery
ticket or share. Her trial is to begin Nov. 15.
Prosecutors say Bosler was working at a convenience store when she found the
winning ticket by scratching off a corner and scanning the bar code that confirmed
it was a winner of a $250,000 prize.
Prosecutors say she hadn’t paid for the ticket and was too young to play, so
she asked a co-worker to sign it and eventually her boyfriend, who tried
unsuccessfully to claim it.
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Open 4 Business Winners Announced
(Mason City) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) hosted the Main
Street Iowa Open 4 Business State Contest on Tuesday.
Debi Durham, IEDA director, served as the emcee for the event as businesses made
their pitch in front of a panel of judges for a chance to win $20,000 to execute
their business plans. The five contestants included Wendy Klein, Bella Ragazza in
Burlington; Whitney Henze with Wize Bize Wholesale in Hampton; Ellen Paulin with
the Hotel Greenfield, Greenfield; Susan Watts of Olson Larsen Galleries in West Des
Moines; and Amanda and John Rhomberg with One Mission Fundraising in Mount Vernon.
Each district winner was awarded $8,000 and a year of business coaching services
from Action Coach, Andy O’Brien.
Each business submitted an application outlining their business plan and had 15
minutes to pitch their business idea to the panel of judges before a live audience.
Judges for the event included Nancy Dunkel, State Representative and Main Street
Advisory Board member; Doug Moss, Area Director for Rural Development with UDSA;
Vada Grantham, Director of Entrepreneurship at DMACC; Amelia Lobo, Director of
Credit and Lending at the Iowa Center for Economic Success; and Lisa Shimkat, State
Director of the Iowa Small Business Development Center.
In a last minute twist of events, co-winners were announced as Bella Ragazza and
One Mission Fundraising. Instead of a first prize of $20,000 and a runner-up award
of $2,000, the co-winners will each receive $11,000 to advance their business
plans.
This is the second year of the Open 4 Business contest which is open to businesses
located in the 52 Main Street Iowa districts across the state. The grants are
administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa
programs. The funding will assist with business expansion projects for each of the
businesses.
Landfill Theft
SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – A former manager of the Fremont County landfill in southwest
Iowa has been accused of stealing from it.
Online court records say 31-year-old Dusty VanRenan is charged with two
felonies: theft and ongoing criminal conduct. He didn’t immediately return a
message left for him Thursday at a phone listing in Percival. His attorney declined
to comment.
A state auditor’s investigation says VanRenan used a country truck to haul
pallets he sold for recycling in Council Bluffs. The auditors say the nearly $5,500
paid for the pallets wasn’t turned over to the county account. Authorities also say
about $2,000 in gas purchases on a county credit card appeared to have been made
for VanRenan’s personal use.
He was hired in March 2014 and resigned in September 2015.
Des Moines Water Works Detect Algae In Drinking Water Source
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials at Des Moines Water Works say they’ve detected a
water contaminant produced by blue-green algae in the city’s drinking water but
it’s at levels considered safe by federal regulators.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says if microcystin is present at
elevated levels for 10 days users of public water supplies must be notified. Water
Works officials say they voluntarily notified customers after two days of higher
levels out of an abundance of caution.
The toxin is created when nitrogen and phosphorous levels rise during warm
summer months. Consuming high levels of microcystin may cause liver, nervous system
and gastrointestinal problems.
Water Works officials detected the toxin in the Raccoon River so they switched
to Des Moines River water on Monday. They say farm runoff is responsible for the
problem.
