Semi Truck and Tanker Trailer Overturns Spilling Corn Syrup
(Le Mars) — A semi truck and tanker trailer overshot a highway intersection and overturned spilling corn syrup into the ditch. The accident occurred early Wednesday morning at about 2:25 a.m. at the junction of Highway 60 and Highway 75, near Fedder’s RV Sales, about a mile north of Le Mars. The male driver was
exiting Highway 60 heading southwest on the off ramp when he missed turning on to Highway 75. The truck and tanker then went into the north ditch and rolling on its side. The accident caused the tanker trailer to be punctured causing corn
syrup to spill. The Iowa Department of Transportation was called to the scene to help with traffic control, as well as to bring in a load of sand with a payloader construction tractor. The sand was dumped it in the ditch to create a dam to prevent the corn syrup from flowing into a waterway, and to act as an absorbent. The driver was conscious after the accident and sustained non-life
threatening injuries and was transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars by means of the Le Mars Ambulance Service. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, along with the Le Mars Police and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office
all responded to the accident scene. Two other semi truck drivers that witnessed the accident claim the overturned tanker narrowly missed colliding with their trucks when the accident had occurred.
City Council Approves Vande Vegte As New Police Chief
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council officially voted and approved Le Mars Police Officer Kevin Vande Vegte as the next Le Mars Police Chief during the city council meeting held Tuesday at the city council chambers. Several members of the Le Mars Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and other
law enforcement agencies were on hand to witness the event, and to offer their congratulations to Vande Vegte. Upon being approved as the next police chief, each member of the city council, along with Le Mars mayor Dick Kirchoff shook
Vande Vegte’s hand and welcomed him as the new police chief. Vande Vegte thanked the council for their support, and informed the gathering that Le Mars is a good community. Vande Vegte reiterated his comments from his interview, stating he wants to be vital part of the community, and will have the Le Mars
Police Department work on building community relations.
Remsen To Restrict Water Use
(Remsen) — The dry conditions are forcing communities to look at rationing water usage. The City of Remsen has issued a water restriction. Remsen city officials are asking citizens to refrain from watering yards during the hours of 8am-7pm.
Although no action has been implemented for Le Mars residents to restrict water usage, city administrator Scott Langel asked the city residents to use good judgement when using water. Langel says that we can all implement some water conservation methods that will extend the supply of city water. During the city
council meeting, Langel suggested for people to use a bucket full of water when washing their vehicles, instead of a hose with running water. Langel also suggested people fill their sinks with water, instead of having running water when washing dishes. The city administrator suggested businesses and residents
to water their lawns during the early morning hours. Langel says we all can use voluntary methods to conserve water so restrictions won’t be necessary. Langel says city officials will continue to monitor the situation. If the dry weather
persists, Langel says then later on, city officials may have to resort to limitations on the city’s water use.
Crops Showing Stress From Dry Conditions
(Le Mars) — The hot, dry, conditions seem to continue without any relief in sight, and farmers are starting to worry about their crops.
For many farmers within the Siouxland area, it has been several days, weeks and even months since the last substantial rainfall. The abnormally dry conditions are placing stress on the crops. Paul Kassel serves as the Iowa State University Extension Crops Specialist for northwest Iowa based in Spencer.
Kassel says crops in his area are showing signs of stress from the lack of moisture.
Kassel says since the corn is now entering the pollination stage, it requires additional water, now more than at any other time during its growing stages.
The Iowa State University crops specialist says the adequate supply of moisture that was in the soils during early spring has been depleted. He says most areas have received less than half the required moisture needed to produce a good corn crop.
According to the latest drought monitor, nearly 50 percent of the state is abnormally dry. Certainly, our weather patterns have been difficult to fully understand this year when we have the extreme dry conditions here in northwestern Iowa, yet in eastern Iowa they have had too much rain, causing some
flooding.
Bowers Honored As July Employee Of the Month
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce today honored a long time employee of Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, or otherwise known as NIPCO. Larry Bowers began his career with NIPCO in 1974 as an Engineering Aid in the Engineering and
Operations Department. In 2002, Larry was promoted to Vice President of Information Systems and when the NIPCO Telecommunications Department was folded into the IT area in 2012, creating the new Information Technology and Infrastructure Department, Larry Bowers assumed leadership and became Vice President of Technology and Infrastructure. Today, Larry oversees all corporate IT, Telecommunications and SCADA operations as well as cybersecurity education
and awareness training the NIPCO staff. After 43 years with NIPCO, Larry Bowers has announced his retirement. Our congratulations go to Larry Bowers for being
named the July Chamber of Commerce Employee of the Month.
Kevin Eekhoff (right) presents the Chamber of Commerce “Employee of the Month” plaque to Larry Bowers.
Two Organizations Oppose Large-scale Livestock Operations
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A citizen activist group and an environmental organization have filed a petition asking the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to improve the state’s livestock farm permit process.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch say the permit system established 15 years ago fails to give local officials enough control over where large hog, cattle and chicken farms locate.
The petition filed Tuesday asks the DNR for several changes to the master matrix system including stricter pollution requirements and increased distance requirements from schools, homes, waterways and wells.
County officials say permits they reject are nearly always approved by a state governor-appointed board. DNR records show only 2 percent of applications have been denied.
Iowa has 9,000 large-scale animal farms producing 22 billion gallons of manure a year.
Jury Awards $2.2 Million To Former Iowa Senate Aide
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A jury has awarded $2.2 million to a former Iowa Senate Republican caucus aide who sued the state and others for sexual harassment.
The Des Moines Register reports (https://dmreg.co/2tn55tM ) that jurors handed down the award Tuesday to Kirsten Anderson, who was fired in 2012 as the caucus communications director hours after handing in a memo detailing rampant
sexual harassment in the caucus office.
The 39-year-old Anderson testified at trial last week that sex, race and sexual orientation were regular topics of conversations and jokes in the office.
Republican officials had denied she was harassed and argued she was fired because of poor job performance. But several other current and former staffers corroborated her claims of a hostile work environment.
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