State Revenue Estimates Are Better Than Earlier Expected
(Le Mars) — The latest state estimated revenue report was issued Wednesday, and it appears as though the state did not lose as much money as was earlier thought, and as a result, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says she will not call for
a special legislative session, but instead will borrow money from the state’s reserves to cover the state’s expenses. The expected shortfall for Iowa’s FY 2017 budget is $14.6 million. Gov. Reynolds will combine $13 million from the state’s economic emergency fund with the $1.6 million ending balance. This is
the final action on the FY 2017 budget, which ended June 30, 2017. The state has $605 million in reserve funds after closing the FY 2017 books. State Representative, Chuck Holz of Le Mars says he is relieved to learn that a special session is no longer needed.
The republican law maker says the first item of business for the state legislature next January is to pay back the money the state borrowed from the reserves.
Many people wonder if the state’s recent tax credit program and tax breaks for commercial businesses is the reason for the state’s budget shortfall.
The Le Mars state representative says the use of tax credits will probably be a controversial topic that will be debated during the next legislative session.
City Council Agrees To Replace Two Police Officers
(Le Mars) — During the city council meeting held Tuesday, council members approved a plan to hire two replacement police officers, as well as include the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Cherokee Police Department as part of the Special Response Team. The S-R-T is a strategic arm of the law enforcement
agencies that already consists of members of the Le Mars Police Department and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Sioux county Sheriff’s Office. The two replacements will fill the void left from a promotion, and the other as a result of a retirement.
Police Department Issues Quarterly Report
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department has issued its quarterly report.
During the time period from June 1st to August 31st, the police responded to 1608 calls, investigated 275 complaints, issued 125 parking tickets, 132 traffic citations, and gave 303 traffic warnings. The Le Mars Police Department responded to 43 accidents, and made 105 arrests. The police department began a
new category with the installation of chief Vande Vegt, community contacts which numbered 167. Some of the activities during the quarter included hosting the National Night Out open house at the police department, attended many community
events and service clubs, and started a walk through of all the schools in Le Mars by an uniformed officer during the school day. The police also conducted some active shooter training at schools and businesses.
Primebank Contributes Donations For Hurricane Victims
(Le Mars) — Members of the Primebank staff helped load collected donations into a pick-up truck this week with the destination, initially going to the Siouxland Red Cross, but with a final destination to help victims that have been hit by
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. For the past few weeks, Primebank at Sioux Center, Le Mars and at Sioux City have collected essentials such as drinking water, diapers, toilet paper, and other items following the disasters brought about by
the recent hurricanes.
Le Mars Rotary To Host Regional Conference
(Le Mars) — The Rotary of Le Mars will host the 2017 District 5610 Conference, scheduled for October 13 -14 in the Le Mars Convention Center. Nearly 200 attendees from communities in Northwest Iowa, South Dakota, northeast Nebraska
and southwest Minnesota are expected to attend this 2-day informational event.
The attendees will be offered tours of local Le Mars sites including the Plymouth County Museum, Alley Art, Veteran’s Park and Round Barn. The showcase entertainment of the Saturday evening closing session will be The Browns Family.
John Schneider, District Conference Chair says “The Le Mars Rotarians are very proud that our member, Steve Harington, is District 5610 Governor and excited that we can showcase our community to Rotarians all across the district.”
Businesses Encouraged To Enter “Dream Big Grow Here” Contest
(Le Mars) — The economic development organizations in northwest Iowa are once again teaming up to offer the “Dream Big Grow Here” business grant contest to our region. The Dream Big Grow Here contest is an opportunity for entrepreneurs
and small business owners to fulfill their dreams of self-employment or expansion of their current business. The contest allows entrepreneurs the chance to submit their dreams to start or expand a business, then encourage friends, family, and customers to vote for them online. The finalists will present their
idea to an audience and judges in a pitch-off event for a chance to win thousands in cash prizes.
From now until September 30th, entrepreneurs in Cherokee, Lyon, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury counties can submit their business or startup ideas to www.DreamBigGrowHere.com.
Voting on the submitted ideas will take place October 9th- 20th.
The regional contest will be held the evening of Thursday, November 16th in Orange City, Iowa at the Prairie Winds Event Center. The finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their ideas with first place receiving $4,000, second place receiving $2,000 and third place receiving $1,000 to grow their small
business.
The Northwest Iowa regional contest is sponsored and organized by the economic development organizations that are a part of Iowa’s West Coast Initiative and Northwest Iowa Developers and includes the following counties: Cherokee, Lyon, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury. To learn more or to enter the contest, please visit www.DreamBigGrowHere.com
Mother Who Abducted Children Is Arrested
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have arrested an Iowa woman accused of abducting her three daughters.
Police say 25-year-old Danica Noel Arzaga was arrested in Sioux City Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities had been searching for Arzaga since she allegedly abducted her three children from Royal, Iowa, on Tuesday morning. An Amber Alert was issued and then canceled after the three young girls were found abandoned in Sanborn, in northwest Iowa, late Tuesday.
Arzaga faces three counts of third-degree kidnapping.
The children were taken to an undisclosed location by the Iowa Department of Human Services. They had previously been removed from Arzaga’s custody and placed in another relative’s care.
Spirit Lake Man Crashes Into East Lake Okoboji After Chase
SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA (AP) – A man has died after crashing his pickup truck near a northwestern Iowa lake during a police chase.
26-year-old Colton Baschke, of Spirit Lake, died in the Tuesday crash.
Officials say the crash happened after Spirit Lake police initiated a traffic stop of Baschke’s pickup around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police say Baschke sped away, and police soon lost him. The truck was found a short time later after it had traveled through a yard, hit a small utility shed and come to rest of the East Okoboji Lake shore.
Police say Baschke was thrown from the truck from the vehicle. He later died at a hospital.
The crash is being investigated by the Iowa State Patrol.
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Supreme Court Hears Case Over Camera Speeding Ticket
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has taken the unusual move of hearing a small claims case stemming from a speeding ticket. The court Wednesday heard a case brought by 67-year-old Marla Leaf, who argued her constitutional rights were violated after an automated camera ticketed her for speeding on a freeway in her hometown of Cedar Rapids. It was
her first speeding ticket, and Leaf says she wasn’t speeding. Her attorney, James Larew, argued Cedar Rapids violates equal protection and due process clauses of the Iowa Constitution in part because it delegates police power to a private, for-profit company. Attorneys for Cedar Rapids say the city’s system abides by state law. After the hearing, Leaf said she pursued the case simply because, “Why should I pay for a ticket I didn’t do?”
Senator Ernst Joins Maine Senators For Agricultural Export Bill
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Maine’s two senators are part of a push to increase funding for American agriculture promotion programs. Republican Sen. Susan Collins and independent Sen. Angus King say a bill they are helping to introduce would help American farmers get an edge in the world market. They say the bill aims to revitalize the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s export promotion programs. Collins and King are introducing the bill along with Republican Sen. Joni Enrst of Iowa and Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana. They say the export promotion programs generated a net return of more than $28 per dollar
invested between 1977 and 2014. The bill would double funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program incrementally over five years. That would increase
funding to nearly $470 million combined.
