Icy Roads Blamed For Wednesday Morning Accident
(Le Mars) — Icy, slick road conditions are being blamed for a two-vehicle accident that happened Wednesday at about 7:45 a.m. on Highway 3 about halfway between Oyens and Le Mars. The accident happened just east of Nobel Avenue.
Two people were transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars by the Le Mars Ambulance for what was believed to be minor injuries. Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies say preliminary investigation points to a patch of ice on
the roadway which caused the one vehicle to lose control and hit the second vehicle. A vehicle driven by 47 year old Jill Barritt was west bound on Hwy 3 approaching the intersection with Noble Ave. Barritt stated she was going around 35 MPH due to the road conditions.
Meanwhile, 47-year old Susan Baack of Le Mars was east bound on Hwy 3 just past the intersection of Noble Ave. Baack stated she was going around 50 MPH.
Barritt encountered some ice covered roads and began to lose control of her vehicle. The Barritt vehicle then crossed the center line of the roadway while sliding side ways.
Barritt says she was unable to stop and made contact with the front of her vehicle into the center of the Baack vehicle. Both vehicles then came to rest on the north shoulder of the
roadway.
No citations were issued due to road conditions. However the cause of the accident is failure to maintain control on Barritt which caused the vehicle to cross the center line. Sheriff’s deputies say road conditions deteriorated
rather rapidly with the morning snow flurries and freezing temperatures. One sheriff’s deputy indicated a stretch of Highway 3 nearly a mile long between Remsen and Le Mars was “nothing but ice covered.” Following the accident, the
Iowa Department of Transportation was seen scattering salt and sand on Highway 3 with particular focus to the area of the scene of the accident. Both the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department and the Oyens Fire Department responded to the
scene to offer assistance. Also attending were the Le Mars Ambulance Service, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Department of Transportation.
Maurice Day Care Provider Sentenced For Child Endangerment
(Orange City) — Sioux County Attorney Thomas G. Kunstle announced the Court of Appeals affirmed Dianna Marie Winder’s convictions for Child Endangerment Causing Bodily Injury, a Class D Felony, and Assault Causing Bodily Injury, a Serious Misdemeanor. Sioux County Attorney Thomas G. Kunstle, prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Iowa.
The case originated on November 11, 2015, when a 15 month-old child was in Ms. Winder’s daycare. Around 5:00 PM, the child’s mother arrived, and it was immediately apparent the child bore concerning marks on his face. Winder suggested an allergy caused the marks. The mother brought her son to a local
emergency room where medical professionals were concerned the child was hit, and contacted police and social workers, leading to Winder’s arrest in late December of 2015.
Winder pled not guilty and the case proceeded to a four-day jury trial November 15-18, 2016, after which, the jury returned a guilty verdict on both counts. On February 6, 2017, the District Court sentenced Winder to immediately serve 150 days in the Sioux County Jail with work release and four (4) years of
probation. Winder’s jail sentence had been temporarily suspended pending her appeal, where she argued she received ineffective legal assistance.
On March 7, 2018, the Court of Appeals ruled that the record revealed substantial evidence supporting the jury’s findings of guilt; and because of this Winder’s claim her attorney was ineffective was denied. Absent an appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court, Winder now must serve her sentence.
Danika Portz To Perform in Des Moines and Le Mars
(Des Moines) — A Remsen native and her band from Tennessee are making a stop in Des Moines tonight (Thursday). The show at the Temple Theater is a homecoming-of-sorts for Danika Portz, who moved to Nashville seven years ago.
Portz graduated from Remsen St. Mary’s High School in 2007 and Drake University four years later. She wasn’t always committed to a career in the music biz.
Portz, who writes her own songs, is promising a high energy show tonight in Des Moines.
Portz’s bio states her “rhythmic, contemporary and soulful sound could be compared to Ingrid Michaelson, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran.” Portz recently completed her fifth overseas military tour.
Portz also has a sister, who served as her tour manager on Portz’s last tour.
Danika Portz’s show at the Temple Theater in downtown Des Moines is at 7:30 tonight. Danika Portz is also scheduled to perform in Le Mars at the Le Mars Convention Center on Saturday evening for the Le Mars Arts Center fundraiser.
Doors will open at 7:00 p.m.
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Danika Portz song: “Greatest Show”
Memorial Trees Planted Near Water Plant Need To Be Moved
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Nearly 200 trees planted at Des Moines Water Works Park in memory of loved ones will be removed to make way for park improvements.
Station KCCI reports that Water Works CEO Bill Stowe said Tuesday that improvements the community has long wanted can’t be made unless about 180 of the 1,100 memorial crabapple trees are removed. The utility says it’s not feasible for crabapple trees to be replanted.
Water Works is providing crabapple saplings to those who paid $100 for the original trees and plantings and is providing their trees’ original memorial tags. A memorial feature that will include the names of those donors will be part of the improvements.
Stowe says, “We certainly regret the fact that people thought they’d have a tree planted here forever.”
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Woman Too Young To Purchase Lottery Ticket Has Winning Ticket
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A young woman who tried to claim $50,000 she won from an Iowa scratch-off lottery ticket has been charged with fraud: She was too young to buy the ticket.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that Katelyn Dolezal, of Macedonia, is charged with lottery fraud. Court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for her.
Iowa law requires players to be 21 or older. Authorities say she was 19 when she bought the winning ticket Nov. 18. A relative went to the Iowa Lottery office in Council Bluffs to claim the prize for Dolezal, and a check was issued in the relative’s name. They tried to cash the $35,000 check – $15,000 in taxes had been withheld – but a bank placed a hold on it.
Police say Dolezal later called the lottery office for help because the relative wasn’t going to share the money with Dolezal.
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Charles City School Board Candidate Faces Sexual Abuse of Teen Charges
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A one-time Charles City school board candidate accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy will be retried on charges in the case in Mason City.
The Courier reports that retrial for 62-year-old Douglas Lindaman has been set for April 9 at the Cerro Gordo County Courthouse. The move comes after a district court judge declared a mistrial during Lindaman’s February trial
when a witness mentioned Lindaman’s prison stint, violating a court order that there be no testimony about Lindaman’s criminal record.
Lindaman was sentenced in 2016 to 10 years, but Iowa Supreme Court later vacated the conviction, because Lindaman was allowed to represent himself without knowingly waiving his right to an attorney.
Lindaman is accused of performing a sex act on a 17-year-old without the boy’s consent.
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