Hinton Imposes Snow Emergency Ordinance
(Hinton) — Hinton city officials are implementing the city’s snow emergency ordinance. The City of Hinton Snow Emergency is in effect : No parking of any vehicle on any public street, alley or city owned off street parking. It is in effect for the duration of the snow or ice storm and the 48 hour period after cessation of the storm or when the streets are fully plowed.
Le Mars To Host Crop Advantage Meeting Today
(Le Mars) — Le Mars will be the site for the next 2017 Crop Advantage Seminar scheduled for Tuesday at the Le Mars Convention Center and sponsored by the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Joel DeJong, Iowa State University
Extension Crops Specialist says the Crop Advantage meeting will feature two well-known and respected speakers with Elwynn Taylor, Extension Climatologist and Chad Hart, Iowa State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist.
DeJong says Timmy’s Catering of Le Mars will provide the noon lunch. Then following the lunch break, the seminar will continue featuring break-out sessions of various topics.
The Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist says registration is set at $60, and you are encouraged to contact the Plymouth County Extension and Outreach office to register for the meeting.
Supervisors To Continue Budget Discussions
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will again discuss the county’s budget for the next fiscal year when they meet at the County Courthouse today.
The county supervisors will hear from Executive Director of the County Conservation Board, Nick Beeck as he submits the budget request for the upcoming fiscal year. Plymouth County Treasurer Shelly Sitzmann will also appear before the supervisors to request funding and to review the budget request for the next
fiscal year. County engineer Tom Rohe will appear before the county board to seek approval on tile crossing projects in Lincoln and Meadow townships. The county supervisors will discuss hiring another jailer, and they are expected to appoint
former county supervisor Jim Henrich of Akron to a five-year term on the zoning board.
School Board Discuss Technology In Classrooms During Retreat
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education held a retreat and discussed the topic of technology in the classroom. The school board heard a report from Bruce Ludwig and Mark Walz explain how many, and of what type, of computer devices, or I-pad tablets are currently being used within each of the
school buildings. The two answered questions regarding the capacity of the school’s computer network service, and the cost to upgrade or replace existing technology devices. Tracey Wingert and Eric Peterson explained how teachers are implementing technology within the classroom. School superintendent, Dr. Todd Wendt handed out a survey that was taken by 1529 students from the 3rd grade to 12th grade. The survey asked the questions how many have access to a desktop
computer or a lap-top computer at home? The result was 83 percent. 79 percent of the students that responded indicated they have access to a tablet or I-Pad at home. 67 percent of the surveyed students indicated they have a personal smartphone with access to the internet. Nearly nine out of ten, or 91 percent of the Le Mars Community students said they have access to the internet at home. The same percentage, 91 percent, said they use a technology device at home on a daily basis. With the question, how many use a technology device in a classroom
setting on a daily basis? The answers were varied. Franklin and Clark Elementary schools indicated an answer of nearly 100 percent, while Kluckholn students said they use a technology device only 70 percent of the time. The middle school responded by saying they use technology devices 65 percent, and the
high school uses technology devices 77 percent of the time.
Republicans Release Plan To Cover The State’s Budget Shortfall
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have introduced their plan for closing the state’s budget shortfall, and it proposes fewer cuts to state agencies than a plan originally backed by Gov. Terry Branstad.
A GOP-led Senate panel approved a bill Monday proposing some Iowa departments cut about $88 million in spending for the budget year that began last July. Branstad sought agency cuts of about $110 million.
Sen. Charles Schneider, a West Des Moines Republican who oversees a key budget committee, says the plan would still cut over $115 million. He says the rest would be achieved in part by not enacting some tax deduction rules.
Schneider says other Republicans, including Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, support the bill. It requires more Senate votes before it can reach the House.
Iowa Man Exonerated After Police Misconduct
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa man who spent 32 days in jail has been exonerated after prosecutors learned that his drug conviction was based on misconduct by Des Moines police officers.
Polk County Judge Gregory Brandt on Monday vacated the conviction of Kyle Jacob Weldon.
Iowa’s Wrongful Conviction Division says the exoneration is the first connected to two Des Moines officers who resigned last month after they were accused of planting evidence on a suspect in at least one case.
Weldon was jailed after his Jan. 1, 2015 arrest on a charge of possessing methamphetamine. A complaint alleged that he had a “rocklike substance” in his pants that later tested positive to being meth.
After 32 days, he pleaded guilty and was released. A judge gave him credit for time served, fined him $625 plus surcharges and revoked his driver’s license for 180 days. Polk County later sought to collect $1,875 from Weldon for the costs of his jail stay.
Waukee Farmer Sentenced To 15 Months In Prison
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A Waukee farmer has been sentenced to 15 months in prison and must repay the U.S. Department of Agriculture more than $321,000 after
pleading guilty to making false statements to obtain a farm loan.
Donald Lynn Embree pleaded guilty in September in federal court in Des Moines acknowledging he obtained three loans from the Commodity Credit Corp. in March 2015 by falsely certifying he had corn and soybeans stored on his farm to serve as collateral for the loans.
U.S. Attorney Kevin VanderSchel says Embree entered a plea agreement that says he had sold much of the grain before the loans were approved and did not have the grain to pledge as collateral.
Embree also must serve three years of probation after his sentence.
