Paper Recycling Will Move From O’Toole Park To Van’s Sanitation
(Le Mars) — Traditionally, the first Saturday of each month was a time Le Mars
residents could donate their old newspapers and other paper products to the Boy
Scouts for recycling. Residents would drop off their discarded newspapers at the
O’Toole Park. However, that practice has now ended. Scott Langel, the city
administrator for Le Mars says the storage shed used by the boy scouts will now be
converted to be made as a restroom for the park.
Langel says the city has partnered with Van’s Sanitation and has established a new
site for disposal of newspapers, cardboard, and other paper products.
Langel says the city is encouraging the boy scouts to utilize the facility, and
continue with their recycling program as a fund raiser.
The city administrator says the drive-through recyclable site at Van’s Sanitation
is ready for use. Langel believes the new paper recyclable site will be safer
than the former O’Toole Park site.
Langel reminds Le Mars residents that they can dispose of their paper products at
a roll-off dumpster located in the parking lot between the Hardware Hank store and
the fire station. He says people can always utilize their blue-colored dumpsters
for disposal of newspapers and other paper products.
Transportation And Emergency Personnel Discuss Accident Scenario During Seminar
(Le Mars) — A school bus filled with school children collides with a semi truck hauling toxic hazardous materials on Highway 3 and 75. The hypothetical simulated scenario was being discussed at a safety seminar held at the Le Mars Fire Station this morning. The seminar is being hosted by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Representatives from the city, county, and state law enforcement, communications, first responders, emergency crews, transportation, utility companies, tow companies, and school districts have been invited to attend the seminar. John Wilson serves as a Program Manager for the Iowa DOT. He says the purpose of the seminar is to gather all the responding agencies and discuss the possible actions.
Wilson says when an accident happens, it is the goal of everyone involved to clear the accident scene as quickly as possible to avoid a second accident at the scene.
The Iowa DOT official says having a table-top discussion can be as effective as re-creating the accident scene.
More than 45 people attended the safety seminar.
MMCRU Agriculture Students Provide Care Packages For Farmers
(Marcus) — A newly created high school student agriculture organization is
thankful for the work of area farmers, and as a way to show their appreciation,
and as a way to have farmers take a necessary rest break during harvest, the students have made care packages. Sam Green is the agriculture instructor for the MMCRU school district. She says nearly 30 students helped make the care packages which are being distributed to local farmers through the region’s grain elevators. She explains what the care packages consist of.
Green says she got the idea from another FFA chapter that does something similar.
The new MMCRU agriculture advisor says the response has been nothing but positive.
Green says this week alone, more than 100 care packages have been created. She
anticipates another 100 or more will be made next week. She says the FFA chapter
will continue the program for another week.
Mothershed Attempted Murder Trial Begins
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Opening statements are expected to be delivered Friday in
the trial of a man accused of shooting a Sioux City police officer.
Isaiah Mothershed has pleaded not guilty two counts of attempted murder and
five counts of robbery. Authorities say Mothershed pulled a gun from a couch while
his hands were handcuffed behind his back and then shot Officer Ryan Moritz in a
leg while being arrested Feb. 7. Police say that as officers struggled with
Mothershed, the gun fired again, wounding Mothershed in a leg.
Mothershed also is accused of several robberies and break-ins and of firing a
shot at a homeowner who interrupted a break-in.
President Obama Declares Northeast Iowa Counties As Disaster Area
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The governor’s office says the White House has issued a
presidential disaster declaration for eight Iowa counties hit hard by several
storms in late August.
The office of Gov. Terry Branstad said Friday that the counties are
Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell, and Winneshiek.
The governor requested the declaration on Sept. 19, after the counties sustained
damage from storms Aug. 23-27.
The presidential declaration will provide federal help under the Public
Assistance Program. Public Assistance funds may be used for emergency work and the
repair or replacement of damaged facilities and may include debris removal.
The governor’s office says this declaration is the 23rd such Iowa has
received since March 2007.
