Oyens and Le Mars Fire Departments Respond To Tire Fire
(Oyens) — The Oyens and Le Mars Fire Departments were called overnight to a semi-truck and trailer fire located near Highway 3 and county road K-64.
Apparently, the rear tires on the livestock trailer had caught on fire. Fire fighters used both water and fire foam retardant to extinguish the blaze. A second semi truck and trailer was called in to unload the hogs from the first livestock trailer and transferred to the second trailer. That fire was reported
at about 1:45 a.m.
Plymouth County Engineer Offers Supervisors End-of-Year Report
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County engineer Tom Rohe gave an end of the year report regarding the road and bridge construction projects that were completed during this past construction season. All total, the county worked on and completed 28
different construction projects. Rohe mentioned there were two road projects, the first consisting of three miles of paving on county road K-42 from County road C-38 to Highway 3. The second was a grading project on County road C-60 from Highway 140 heading west. Plymouth County installed one concrete bridge this past summer, and three steel beam bridges. There were ten different locations throughout the county where either contractors, or county employees, installed a pre-cast box culvert. Corrugated Metal Pipes were installed at 12 locations. Rohe says contractors worked on 13 county construction projects, while county employees did the work on 15 separate projects. The grand total for road and bridge repair projects in Plymouth County during 2016 was listed at $5,141,256.83. Rohe says contractor roadway repairs amounted to more than $2.6
million dollars. While contractor constructed bridge and culvert repairs totaled nearly $2.1 million dollars. The amount spent for projects that were completed by county employees was listed at $421,172. Rohe admitted to the county board of supervisors that both the Local Options Sales Tax money, and the
new revenue from the increase in fuel tax, allowed work crews to complete more construction projects.
Supervisors Hear Budget Funding Request
(Le Mars) — Representatives from the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence appeared before the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, to formally request funds for the upcoming fiscal year. The agency that assists
the abused and battered, is asking the county to consider contributing $25,000 in order to maintain the provided services. The amount requested is larger than from previous years. Margaret Sanders informed the supervisors that in past
years, the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence greatly appreciated, being an agency, that received money derived from the Local Options Sales Tax.
This year, however, the supervisors are devoting all funds from the local option
sales tax for road and bridge repairs. Sanders says the increase request in
money is to compensate for the absence of L.O.S.T. funding.
Kathy VanMaanen says the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence has had to tell people “no”, because the need for assistance is greater than the available funding.
VanMaanen says many times the agency is not able to assist people for immediate safe and secure housing, if in fact they have a back bill with a utilities company.
Schuch Honored As Chamber’s “Boss Of The Quarter”
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce has awarded its “Boss of the Quarter” to Tom Schuch (Shook) of Sharon’s Embroidery. The presentation of the honor took place on Tuesday afternoon. The employees of Sharon’s Embroidery
nominated Schuch after only a year since he purchased the company. The nomination states in the past year, we could give several reasons why Tom Schuch deserves the honor. The main reason for the nomination is his all about family.
One employee has a special needs child and they have to travel to the Mayo Clinic several times a year. Tom does not hold that against them for missing work, and even allows them to make up hours they miss, and when it works for the employee. Tom is a family first boss and that is very hard to find these days.
Another employee had family issues come up as well and Tom is always understanding with us all. Tom is known by many in the community and is well respected in Le Mars. He is currently learning all of our positions at Sharon’s Embroidery and is very helpful every day to everyone. He is not a boss that puts in 8-to-5 hours as he stays late if we stay late, and many times he stays later than the employees. No matter what question, issue, or help we ask for, he listens, and tries to help and find the right answer in a reasonable time frame.
(photo contributed)
Tom Schuch is the best role model we could have, and we are more than proud to call him “Boss”. The employees at Sharon’s Embroidery are proud to recognize him as the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce 4th Quarter Boss of the Quarter. He is very deserving of this award. Our congratulations go to Tom
Schuch for being named as the Chamber of Commerce “Boss of the Quarter”.
Wanatee Trial Declared As Mistrial
(Sioux City) — After 11 hours of deliberations, the jury in the trial of a Sioux City man accused of first degree murder has failed to reach a verdict in the case. Judge Duane Hoffmeyer says a hung jury has been declared in the trial of Elias Wanatee as jurors informed him they could not reach an unanimous verdict. Wanatee is charged with the fatal stabbing of 50 year old Vernon Mace outside of west 1st Street home on February 7th. Mace was stabbed nine times during the altercation. Attorneys and the judge must now set a date for a new trial. Wanatee will remain in custody in the Woodbury County jail until then.
Democrats Continue To Question Privatized Medicare
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Democrats in a health oversight committee say they continue to have questions about the performance of Iowa’s privatized Medicaid system.
A handful of Democrats in the bipartisan Health Policy Oversight Committee expressed skepticism Tuesday about a quarterly report released last month by the Iowa Department of Human Services.
DHS officials say they’re seeing improvements in the system that’s now run by three insurance companies. The officials add they’re collecting data that should soon reflect performance trends.
But Democrats continued to share anecdotal reports about problems regarding patient care and reimbursements for service providers. A DHS spokeswoman says any lingering reports are being addressed, a point that’s been reiterated for
months.
The committee was formed as the state moved its Medicaid program for poor and disabled residents to privatization.
Iowa Farmland Values Continue To Drop
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The average value of Iowa farmland declined 6 percent over the past year, and this is the first time those values have dropped for three years in a row since the 1980s farm crisis.
Iowa State University estimates that Iowa farmland is now worth about $7,183 per acre on average.
But assistant Iowa State University economics professor Wendong Zhang says the state is unlikely to see another crisis soon because farmers are generally in better financial shape.
Most Iowa farmers increased their financial reserves during the boom that preceded the current drop in crop prices. And Zhang says government safety nets are better than they were in the 1980s and interest rates remain low.
Plus, the overall debt level for farmers remains lower.
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