Plains Area Mental Health Gets Accreditation
(Le Mars) — Plains Area Mental Health Center of Le Mars has been given
accreditation as a community mental health center by the Iowa Department of Human
Services, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Commission. The
accreditation is for three years and cover the Outpatient Psychotherapy and
Counseling, Supported Community Living, Emergency, and Evaluation services which
the Center provides. The accreditation outcome represents the highest level of
accreditation that is awarded to an organization that exhibits substantial
fulfillment of the standards established by the Iowa Department of Human Services.
This means that the programs of Plains Area are of the highest quality.
Plains Area Mental Health Center is a nonprofit community mental health
center with its main office located in Le Mars. Satellite offices are located in
Cherokee, Ida Grove, Storm Lake, Carroll, Denison, Jefferson and Orange City. And
serves residents of Plymouth, Cherokee, Ida, Buena Vista, Crawford, Carroll,
Greene, Monona, Sac and Sioux Counties. The Center has been providing a variety of
outpatient mental health services for 44 years.
Former Fair President Inducted Into State 4-H Hall Of Fame
(Des Moines) — A rural Le Mars couple was inducted into the State 4-H Hall of
Fame during ceremonies held Sunday at the Iowa State Fair. Tony and Shirley
Schroeder are the lastest from Plymouth County to receive the honor. Shirley has
been a 4-H leader for six years, and Tony is a past president and past board
member of the Plymouth County Fair Board, serving on the fair board for more than
three decades. Shirley says the honor was a complete surprise.
The Schroeders have devoted hundreds of hours for many years, volunteering to
local 4-H programs, and for the betterment of the Plymouth County Fair. Shirley
passes all the credit to her husband, Tony.
Attending the 4-H Hall of Fame ceremonies with the Schroeders were their four
sons, along with several past and present members of the Plymouth County Fair
Board, and Plymouth County Extension Services. Shirley Schroeder says she and her
husband Tony are appreciative of the honor, and for everyone that helped secure
their nomination. Shirley suggests for others to get involved and volunteer for
4-H programs, and to volunteer with the Plymouth County Fair.
Woodbury County Fatal Auto Accident
(Sioux City) — The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office along with the Iowa Highway
Patrol are investigating a fatal auto accident that happened Sunday at 8:19pm on
Old Hwy 141 and K-64 for a two vehicle collision. One vehicle was occupied by a
male and a female passenger with the other vehicle being occupied by a single
female. Woodbury County authorities are reporting the male passed away due to
injuries he sustained in the accident. Both females were transported to Mercy
Medical Center with unknown injuries.
The names of the accident victims have not been released as of yet.Iowa State
Patrol was assisted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Smithland, Hornick,
Sloan First Responders, Mercy Air Care, Siouxland Paramedics and Woodbury County
EOC.
Death of Sac City Baby Girl Being Investigated
SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) – State authorities are helping local officers investigate
the death of a baby girl in northwest Iowa’s Sac City.
The Sac City Police Department says officers and medics were dispatched to
the home Friday morning to check a report that a 1 1/2-month-old infant was not
breathing. Police say the girl died after being taken to Loring Hospital. An
autopsy was ordered.
Police identified the baby as Sydney Grimm, of Jackson, Minnesota. Police say
her father lives at the Sac City home where officers and medics were sent.
Few Tickets Are Issued For Motorists That Pass Stopped School Bus
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Few drivers are receiving the tough penalties Iowa
lawmakers approved in 2012 for illegally passing school buses when they are
stopped.
The number of people charged with violating the school bus law has declined,
and the law’s tough penalties may make prosecutors more willing to accept lesser
charges.
The law calls for a 30-day license suspension for a first offense, costly
fines and expensive high-risk insurance. The measure was prompted by the 2011
death of 7-year-old Kadyn Halverson.
The number of drivers charged with illegally passing a bus fell to 895 in
2015 from 1,030 in 2012.
Authorities say part of the problem is that the bus driver or another driver
is often the only witness, so it can be difficult to prove.
Judge Denies Landowners Request To Stop Pipeline
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A judge has denied a request by Iowa landowners to immediately halt construction of an oil pipeline on 15 parcels of their land.
District Court Judge Jeffrey Farrell says in his order posted Monday that a 1989 Iowa law requires landowners to first go to the Iowa Utilities Board to stop a utilities project.
The landowners have sued, saying the board doesn’t have legal authority to give for-profit Texas oil company Dakota Access the right to forcefully condemn private farmland under an eminent domain law for the pipeline.
The landowners’ attorney, Bill Hannigan, says the request will be filed with the board and refiled with the court if it’s rejected. He says it will be appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court if necessary.
The 1,168-mile pipe crosses 18 Iowa counties.
Wright County Supervisors Approve Prestege Foods To Set Up Pork Processing Plant
CLARION, Iowa (AP) – Wright County supervisors have approved a development agreement with a North Carolina-based company that plans to build a $240 million pork processing plant in northern Iowa.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports (https://bit.ly/2bqogca ) the supervisors unanimously approved the deal Monday with Prestage Foods, based on Clinton, North Carolina. The agreement includes building wastewater treatment facilities and improving roads near the plant, located south of Eagle Grove.
Prestage officials say they eventually plan to employ about 1,750 people, with an average salary of $47,000.
The company chose to locate in Wright County after Mason City officials in May rejected plans for the plant in that city.
Last week, a state board approved $11.5 million in incentives for Prestage.
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Deere To Lay Off Employees At Waterloo and Davenport
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – John Deere has announced more layoffs at two eastern Iowa plants.
Company spokesman Ken Golden said Monday that 115 workers in Waterloo will be laid off effective Sept 23 and 30 in Davenport effective Sept. 30.
UAW Local 838 shop chairman Tim Niedert says that the layoffs came as no surprise. On Friday the Moline, Illinois-based company announced its 10th consecutive quarter of year-over-year earnings declines, citing continuing downturns in the agriculture sector.
Golden says about 870 people are working at the Davenport plant and about 2,930 at the Waterloo plant. Those figures don’t reflect the layoffs. He says the Waterloo plant makes larger farm tractors. The Davenport plant makes construction and forestry equipment,
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Missouri Valley Man Dies From Tractor Roll-over Accident
MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a Missouri Valley man has died in a tractor accident.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office says 53-year-old Daniel Zaiser was pronounced dead at an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital, after Saturday afternoon’s accident. The office says Zaiser was driving the tractor with an attached loader down a hill when the tractor rolled.
Zaiser was president of the Missouri Valley school board.