Le Mars Community Board of Education To Meet
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will meet this evening and they will hear reports from each of the school district’s principals. The school board will also discuss the recent Northwest Area Education Agency legislative forum that was held in Sioux Center. The school board will be given
the initial bargaining proposal from the Le Mars Education Association for the 2017-2018 master contract. The proposal will be presented to the board of education on January 9th, 2017. The board of education will discuss the superintendent’s progress on the goals established as part of the superintendent
evaluation process. The school board will also discuss the annual retreat scheduled for January 23rd from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Education Service Center. The school board will consider the resignation of Stephanie Feenstra as the middle school and high school nurse effective January 2nd. Meanwhile, the
school board is expected to offer a contract to Sherri Permeswaran as the assistant large group speech instructor. The school board is expected to hold its second reading of the Code 701.5, dealing with food procurement. The school board will also consider designating the Le Mars Daily Sentinel as the official
newspaper for the Le Mars Community School District.
Le Mars Community School Reflects On Educational Mentor Program
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community School District is in its third year with the Teacher-Leadership Compensation program, a state funded program set up by Governor Terry Branstad and the state legislature to assist school districts by
creating a mentor system. The program was designed to have
experienced instructors “coach” younger or less experienced teachers. Recently, the Iowa Department of Education conducted a survey among schools to find out how the new program is being perceived by teachers, administrators, and school districts. Dr. Todd Wendt is the superintendent of schools for the Le Mars Community School District. He says Le Mars Community was one of the first schools chosen to offer the new education program.
Wendt offers an explanation of the educational program.
Plymouth County Fair Awarded As “Blue Ribbon Fair”
(Des Moines) — During the annual convention of the Iowa Association of Fairs and Exhibitions held this past week at Des Moines, the Plymouth County Fair was awarded the prestigious “Blue Ribbon Fair” award. The award is presented to one
county or district fair within each district. The award is given to the county fair that has shown progress in serving 4-H and FFA programs and service to their community. The selection is made by the Association’s District Directors based on their visits to the fairs in their district, and their knowledge of the progress made to the fair and its facilities.
Members of the Plymouth County Fair Board accepting the honor included from left to right (front row) Tom Lehner, Keith Koerselman, John Ahlers, Loren Schnepf, President Rich Benson, Candice Nash-Farrrer, Brad Collins, and Gail Schoenrock. Back Row: (left to right) Second from left, Dan Sheehan, Ben Vondrak, Bob Kabisch, Mike Beitlespacher, Ben Johnson, Chad Peck, and Brad Harvey.
Sioux City Officer Involved With Shooting Is Named
(Sioux City) — The policeman who shot a man during a traffic stop in Sioux City this week has been on the Sioux City Police Force for three years.
Officials released the name of the officer involved in the shooting Friday.
Officer Dylan Grimsley pulled a vehicle over on Wednesday night. Thirty-nine- year-old Melinda Benoit of Sioux City was driving the SUV. Daniel Riedmann of Dakota Dunes was a passenger.
Benoit was out of her SUV, placed in the back of the patrol car. Police say a computer check on Riedman revealed he was wanted for a felony and was considered armed and dangerous.
According to police, Riedmann locked the vehicle’s doors and refused to get out of the SUV. Officer Grimsley says he shot Riedmann as Riedmann began reaching for something inside the vehicle. Riedman was taken to a Sioux City hospital where he died a half hour later.
Police recovered a loaded handgun from inside the SUV. Officer Grimsley has been interviewed by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and remains on administrative leave, the standard protocol for an officer-involved shooting
Sibley Concerned About Odors From Plant
SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) – One northwest Iowa town is hoping to persuade a feed company that generates a foul odor at its plant to relocate.
Sibley, Iowa, has issued nearly $40,000 in fines against Iowa Drying and Processing in the past couple years because of the smell.
A disagreement over who might pay to upgrade the plant to better control odors has wound up in court, and the plant is now listed for sale for $5.5 million.
The company has operated in Sibley since 2013 at a location near downtown.
Local businessman Wade Ellerbroek says he has seen people walking down the street and covering their noses. He says the odor has definitely hurt business in town.
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Three People Killed – Eight Injured From I-80 Crash
ANITA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities believe snow contributed to a crash that killed three people and injured eight in a multiple-vehicle crash on Interstate 80 in western Iowa.
The Des Moines Register reports a westbound semitrailer truck crossed into oncoming traffic about three miles west of the Anita, Iowa, exit on Saturday morning in snowy conditions.
Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig says the semi crashed into a minivan and continued into the ditch, but the truck’s trailer remained on I-80 and an SUV smashed into it.
The collisions killed 41-year-old Rodney Sanborn of Greta, Nebraska, and 14-year-old Jameson Steckler and 11-year-old Gavin Steckler. The Stecklers from Audubon, Iowa, were in the minivan. Sanborn was in the SUV.
Ludwig says the 31-year-old driver of the semi was driving too fast. He wasn’t hurt.
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Denison Hospital Refuses To Release Settlement Figures
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A county-owned hospital in western Iowa is refusing to reveal the amount of a settlement paid to the family of a woman who died from a botched colonoscopy, despite state law that says settlements made by government agencies are public record.
Crawford County Memorial Hospital CEO Bill Bruce tells the Des Moines Register that he can’t release the settlement because of a judge’s order sealing records in the patient’s estate.
The settlement was reached in April in a lawsuit filed by the husband of Carole Christiansen, who died in November 2014.
The Carroll Daily Times Herald has asked the judge who sealed the estate records to release the settlement agreement, citing open records law.
Bruce says he will comply if the judge orders release of the settlement.
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Council Bluffs Apartment Owner Faces Fines
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – The owner of a Council Bluffs apartment building faces a $40,000 fine for failing to register with a local inspection program, and more fines may be added.
The Daily Nonpareil reports the fine against the
Colonial Plaza Apartments’ owner is the biggest one the city has imposed since changing its rental laws last year.
Steve Carmichael, who oversees the city’s inspections, says a lien will be placed on the building to make sure the fine is paid.
When city inspectors visited the building over the summer they found 183 code violations. Many of those have been addressed, but a third round of inspections this week could bring more fines or residents could be forced to
move.
The building’s owner is in federal custody in North Carolina on unrelated charges.
