12 Street Construction Nearing Completion
(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.
Tax Free Weekend This 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.
Floyd Valley Healthcare 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.
Woodbury County Investigates Cyber Security Incident
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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Sioux Rapids 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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President Obama Commutes Sentences To 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.
