Get Ready For Blizzard Conditions For The Weekend
(Le Mars) — Much has been said about this weekend’s weather forecast, but people are wondering how bad will it be? National Weather Services Meteorologist, Todd Heitkamp says it will be bad.
Le Mars Police Investigating Several Burglaries
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Police are investigating a series of burglaries that took place between Wednesday evening, April 11th and Thursday morning, April 12th.
Five different businesses report they had money and tools stolen. Those businesses that were burglarized include: Agri-Center at 234 2nd Avenue northeast, G-C-C at 300 2nd Avenue northeast, Jim’s Feed at 1410 Industrial Road, Rent-all Center at 1480 Industrial Road, and Agri-Center located at 205 1st
Street Southwest.
Iowa Legislators Pass SAVE Bill For Schools
(Le Mars) — The Iowa legislature gave school districts across the state some good news this week when it decided to extend the SAVE program. House member Chuck Holz, a Republican from Le Mars, says the measure will insure school districts will have money available for building and capital improvements until
2049.
Holz says it is a good program that benefits many schools within northwest Iowa.
Le Mars Community is able to receive approximately $1.9 million dollars annually from the state through the SAVE program. Holz says the legislature did approve an exception as to how the money can be used.
Holz says the measure offers schools with a smaller property tax base an opportunity to compete against larger schools with a large property tax base.
The Le Mars House member says the bill passed through the House on a 95 to 3 vote.
Holz and Carlin To Hold Legislative Forums on Saturday
(Le Mars) — House Representative Chuck Holz and State Senator Jim Carlin will hold two legislative forum town hall meetings scheduled for Saturday. The two meetings will be held at Hinton and at Le Mars.
Both of those legislative forums are open to the public.
State Senate Candidate Dave Dawson To Hold Town Hall Meetings
LAWTON, IA – Dave Dawson, a Democratic candidate for the Iowa Senate, is launching a series of town meetings for Senate District 3 in Plymouth and Woodbury Counties. He will be hosting Saturday morning meetings in towns throughout the district over the next several months. These meetings will be an
opportunity for residents in Senate District 3 to meet Dawson, express their legislative priorities, and ask him questions.
Dawson is a former two-term State Representative from Woodbury County. He currently works as a prosecutor for the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Dawson’s priorities include providing adequate resources for Iowa students, increasing wages for Iowa workers, and reducing income tax rates for Iowa families.
Dawson has scheduled a meeting at Akron, for this Saturday, April 14th. He will be at the Jo’s Cafe in Akron beginning at 8:00 a.m. and he will be at Kingsley on Saturday, April 21st, and on May 12th he will visit Remsen.
City Water Department To Flush Hydrants
(Le Mars) — The City of Le Mars Water Department will start flushing water mains in the Northeast part of town Monday & Tuesday April 16th & 17th starting at 8:00 AM. This will take approximately 2 days. On Wednesday the 18th & Thursday the
19th we will start the Northwest and finish Friday the 20th if needed. Next week Monday at 8:00 AM April 23, 2018 we will start in the Southwest, that will last
all week. Then we will start the Southeast the week of April 30th.
Republicans Can’t Decide On Tax Cuts
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Republican lawmakers are at odds over how they intend to reform the state’s tax system and cut taxes.
Republicans, who hold majorities in both chambers, discussed ideas for a tax plan during nearly back-to-back legislative meetings Thursday. Some provisions in the tax proposals are drastically different.
The Republican factions will need to reach agreement to get something sent to GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds, who introduced her own tax plan this session.
House Republicans say they want to cut $1.3 billion in tax revenue over five years. Senate GOP lawmakers have also offered a new plan they say cuts $2 billion in tax revenue over roughly the same period.
Separately, Republican lawmakers have yet to release details on the state budget that goes into effect in July.
Legislature Passes Concussion Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – School districts would be required to adopt return-to- play rules for students who may have concussions under a bill that is headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The Iowa Senate approved the bill 46-0 on Thursday, days after it was approved by the House.
Jean Berger, executive director of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, says the legislation wouldn’t be a substantial change for most Iowa schools. Her organization, along with the Iowa High School Athletic Association, developed a medical review protocol in 2013, but schools aren’t required to
follow it.
The legislation doesn’t require schools to have a health care provider present at games, but it limits legal liability if they do.
The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the bill would have “minimal” costs for local school districts.
Urban City Mayors Explore Iowa For Possible Presidential Bid
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Los Angeles’ Eric Garcetti, like other Democratic mayors considering the presidential race in 2020, is hoping to show party activists that his experience running a city can preview success on the national scene.
He plans to make his debut Friday in Iowa, an early campaign proving ground.
Other mayors mulling 2020 bids include Bill De Blasio of New York, Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans and Pete Buttigeig of South Bend, Indiana.
Democrats hold just 16 governorships and the party has no obvious presidential front-runners. The Democratic voter base also is increasingly concentrated in cities.
Asked whether a mayor can become president, Landrieu says, “I don’t see why not.”
