Knights of Columbus Phone-a-thon Reaches Goal
(Le Mars) — The 38th annual Knights of Columbus phone-a-thon benefiting Life Skills Training Center wrapped up last evening at 9:00 p.m. Jordan Sitzmann, this year’s phone-a-thon chairman offers the final tally from the day-long session of phone calls requesting for donations.
Sitzmann says if you were missed, or did not have the opportunity to donate to Life Skills, but would like to do so, you can make your donation at your local bank.
Le Mars Gets New Ambulance
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Ambulance Service recently received its latest and newest ambulance. Members of the city council and other city leaders, along with city staff members took the opportunity to view the new ambulance following the
Tuesday city council meeting. The new ambulance is similar in looks to the previous ambulance. Both Le Mars ambulances are blue and black in color.
Merrill Ambulance Service Needing More Volunteers
(Merrill) — That new Le Mars ambulance may be needed to respond to emergency calls from the Merrill area. Like many small towns across the state, the Merrill Ambulance Service is finding itself in a position where there are too few volunteers to be available to respond to calls. Carmen Breuer (Brewer) serves as the director for the Merrill Ambulance Services. She explains what city leaders have decided regarding the Merrill Ambulance Service.
Breuer explains the problem is a result of not having enough volunteers to cover all schedules, plus the cost and time commitment to be a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
Breuer says a possible solution is for the county to set up a full-time funded emergency services.
The Merrill Ambulance Services director says it costs approximately $2500 for one individual to become trained and certified as an EMT.
Siouxland Paramedics Ambulance To Stop Service
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials in northwest Iowa are scrambling to line up an emergency ambulance service after a nonprofit announced it’ll cease service at the end of the year.
Siouxland Paramedics Inc. announced last month it’ll cease 911 services in Sioux City and North Sioux City as it tries moving toward a more sustainable
model.
Sioux City Fire Rescue Chief Tom Everett says officials are considering absorbing future 911 services into the department or contracting with another private company.
North Sioux City Fire Chief Bill Pappas says officials hope to form a partnership with Sioux City, but are also considering how to raise money to staff the city’s own service.
Outlying cities in nearby rural areas are also waiting to see how their service will be affected.
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Chamber Mystery Dinner Theater Scheduled For Tonight
(Le Mars) — Get ready to go back to your elementary school days when you attend the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Mystery Dinner Theater which is scheduled for this evening at the upper level of the Le Mars Convention Center. 18 people from the general community are cast in the play to determine “What happened to the lunch lady?” A few seats remain for the show which will begin with a buffet dinner at 7:00 p.m. and social hour will start at 6:00 p.m.
The play is being written by Mary Reynolds, Dave Grosenheider and Rich Ziettlow. Danna Schuster will serve as the director for the 8th year. Tickets are selling for $40 a piece.
Emmetsburg Woman Arrested For Drug Charges
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office have arrested an Emmetsburg woman on various drug charges. 38 year old Jessica Reis-Altenberg, was stopped Sunday evening at Highway 3 and 14th Avenue NE for equipment violations. Reis-Altenberg was arrested for driving with a suspended license times 8 and jailed at the Plymouth County Jail. Her license was suspended for non-payment of fines, and non-payment of child support. She was also found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Reis-Altenberg was charged with possession of
a controlled substance 2nd offense (aggravated misdemeanor), possession of drug paraphernalia (simple) and driving while suspended (simple). Bond was set at $2,000.
Woman Dies At South Sioux City’s Police Station Parking Lot
SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) – Authorities say a woman died after being shot in a police station parking lot in northeast Nebraska. The shooting occurred around 8:10 a.m. Wednesday in the east lot at the Law Enforcement Center in South Sioux City. Police Chief Ed Mahon (MAYE’-hahn) says the woman died at a Sioux City, Iowa, hospital after 11. A man found in the area was taken into custody, and is being questioned. Police say no officers have been injured and say the shooting may have
stemmed from a domestic situation. The two arrived in separate vehicles. Police did not immediately release the names of the man and woman. Dispatchers and some Nebraska State Patrol employees work in the police department’s building.
Woman Arrested Following Rest Stop Shooting
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A woman has been charged with murder in the shooting of a trucker found dead in his cab early Wednesday at a rest stop along Interstate 80 in Iowa. The Iowa County Sheriff’s Office says 43-year-old Mariana Lesnic, address
unknown, is being held in jail on a $1 million cash-only bond. The sheriff’s office says in a press release that it received a report of a shooting at the rest area near Victor at 2:37 a.m. Responders found a male truck driver dead from apparent gunshot wounds in his tractor trailer semi, and Lesnic was taken into custody. Authorities are withholding the name of the shooting victim pending notification of relatives. —
Statewide ACT College Entrance Test Scores Drop
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials say Iowa’s 2017 composite ACT score dropped to 21.9 from 22.1 for the class of 2016. Score reports released Wednesday from Iowa City-based ACT also say 24 Iowa students scored a perfect 36 in tests taken in spring, compared with 10 last year. Two-thirds of Iowa students who graduated in 2017 took the college entrance exam, compared with 60 percent nationally. ACT says 56 percent of the Iowa students indicated they plan to attend college and earn bachelor’s degrees, and 27 percent said they’ll seek graduate or
professional degrees. Nationally, 41 percent said they’ll seek bachelor’s degrees and 34 percent graduate or professional degrees.
Creston High School Students Disciplined After Dressing Like KKK
CRESTON, Iowa (AP) – A southern Iowa high school says it has disciplined several students who appeared in a photo on social media wearing white hoods and waving a Confederate flag next to a burning cross. At least one of the five people pictured is holding what appears to be a gun. Creston Community High School Assistant Principal Jeff Bevins first told the Creston News Advertiser that the school became aware of the photo early
Wednesday morning. Principal Bill Messerole told The Associated Press that the students involved have been disciplined, but would not say what that discipline entailed, citing student confidentiality. Messerole said school officials met with the
students, but declined to comment on what was discussed. The photo, Messerole said, was not taken on school grounds. Creston is a city of more than 7,800 about 70 miles (112.65 kilometers)
south of Des Moines. —
