City Council Hears Update On Arts Center Facilities
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council heard a facility update regarding the Le Mars Arts Center from executive director, Judy Marieunau during its Tuesday meeting. Marieunau says several items are needing to be updated.
Marieunau also noted a need for an electrical upgrade for the Arts Center.
Marieunau requested the city appropriate $20,000 for the capital upgrade. The city council had originally budgeted $20,000 to be allocated to the Le Mars Arts Center for various construction upgrades, however, Assistant City Administrator Jason Vacera reminded the council that in order to balance the city’s fiscal year financial budget, that $20,000 ear-marked for the Arts
Center was taken off the table. One other item the Arts Center director identified as an additional need is a replacement of the front door.
The Le Mars Arts Center director informed the city council she has applied for several matching grants, and believes she will be successful to secure some additional funding from various grants.
County Supervisors Approve To Vacate Roads
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have approved to vacate two different gravel roads. The county governing board decided to vacate a portion of 340th Street that serves as a border with Woodbury County. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors must also take up the measure and give
their approval in order for the road to be vacated. The road in question is 340th Street, south of Kingsley near Highway 140 and Quartz Avenue. A landowner with land near the road proposed to be vacated wasn’t against closing the road, but he did encourage Plymouth County and Woodbury County to
consider moving the access driveway into his field further south so it would be easier to gain access into his fields with larger farm equipment.
Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe assured the landowner that he thought the field access driveway could be modified to accommodate the landowner’s wishes.
The second road that was approved to be vacated is 100th Street which serves as a border road with Sioux County. Paul May owns land on the Sioux County side, and spoke against vacating the roadway in question. May says the road
acts as a dam that helps hold back water and prevents soil from eroding. May also spoke in favor of replacing a bridge to the west of his property that is on 100th Street and has been closed for nearly 20 year when an overweight construction equipment that tried crossing the bridge and the bridge collapsed. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe informed the supervisors and
the gathered crowd, that the estimate to replace the bridge would be more than $800,000. Rohe offered a compromise, suggesting the county could proceed to close the road, but Plymouth County would build an earth berm in place of the road to help prevent water from draining from May’s property into the area owned by Southern Sioux Water Association. Plymouth County Attorney Darrin Raymond inquired of Rohe as to how the area would appear?
Raymond wanted to make certain that motorists would know the road was closed and not for traffic usage. Final approval for the vacated road will depend on Sioux County Board of Supervisors when they decide upon the issue during their next meeting.
In other action, the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved moving the 25 mph speed limit zone on County road C-60 460 feet to the west of Hinton.
The resolution will also need Hinton’s city council approval. The action was taken at the request of Hinton city officials following a pedestrian accident at the location. County officials indicated additional measures may be needed by both the Hinton City Council and the Hinton Community School District’s Board of Education to make the area safer for children crossing
the road to go to school.
Former Caretaker Given Probation After Stealing From Clients
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former caretaker has been given three years of probation for stealing from clients of a Sioux City organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities.
Court records say Jessica Rivera, of Sergeant Bluff, pleaded guilty Tuesday to dependent adult abuse-exploitation. She also was given a suspended prison term of five years and was ordered to make restitution of more than $1,100 to her victims.
The records say that between January and July 2017, while she worked for Mosaic, Rivera made unauthorized purchases using gift cards or other funds from the clients and kept the items.
School Custodian Pleas Guilty For Video Recording Inside Restroom
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former janitor accused of video recording people in a northern Iowa school staff restroom has changed his plea to guilty.
Mason City station KIMT reports that 47-year-old David Bemis, of Mason City, entered the pleas to four counts of invasion of privacy. Court documents say the prosecution will recommend a 60-day jail sentence for him and a year of probation in return for his pleas. He’d originally pleaded not guilty.
Bemis’ sentencing is scheduled for July 18.
Investigators say Bemis was working at Clear Creek Elementary in Clear Lake in May 2013 when he hid a camera in the restroom and recorded four school employees in varying degrees of nudity. He no longer works for the district.
Clear Lake Superintendent Doug Gee has said no students were recorded.
—
Waldorf College Student Accepts Plea Deal For Rape Charge
FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Kansas man accused of raping a fellow student in a Waldorf University dorm in northern Iowa has taken a plea deal.
Court records say 18-year-old Sean Perkins, of Olathe, Kansas, signed the deal filed Tuesday in Winnebago County District Court.
The agreement includes a one-year deferred prosecution on the charge of serious misdemeanor assault, which had been lowered from felony sexual abuse. The agreement says that if Perkins were to violate the agreement, the guilty plea would be used against him. But the charge would be dropped if he were to meet the agreement’s terms.
County Attorney Kelsey Beenken says there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute Perkins for rape. Beenken says the woman involved believes the agreement, which includes a no-contact order, will help her start the healing process.
