Remsen’s Only Grocery Store Destroyed By Fire
(Remsen) — Remsen’s only grocery store, Farm Fresh Foodtown and Liquor, formerly known as Maejer’s, was destroyed from an early morning fire Sunday morning. The fire was first reported at around 4:15 a.m. Five different fire departments from Remsen, Oyens, Marcus, Granville, and Le Mars all responded to the blaze. 9-year old Samuel Gerrietts was delivering newspapers on his paper route, and was one of the first witnesses to see the community grocery store on fire.
Firefighters were on the scene for nearly five hours. Remsen Assistant Fire Chief Mark Gaskill says smoke could be seen coming from the building when they had arrived on scene.
The Remsen Assistant Fire Chief says unfortunately, the building and its contents would be considered as a total loss.
Gaskill believes the fire at the community grocery store may have been burning for perhaps a half an hour before it was reported.
The owner of Farm Fresh Foodtown and Liquor, Sammy Chodha, says he plans to rebuild so Remsen can still have a community grocery store.
Chodha says he has already made contacts to renovate the grocery store.
Gaskill says after fire officials were able to investigate the fire, they determined the cause of the blaze was electrial in origin.
Funeral Services Set For Former Congressman Leonard Boswell
LAMONI, Iowa (AP) – Funeral services in Lamoni have been announced for former U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell of Iowa.
The Democrat and former state Senate president died Friday at a Des Moines hospital after suffering complications from a rare form of cancer. He was 84.
Family members say a visitation is scheduled this coming Friday evening at Community of Christ Church. A funeral will be held Saturday morning at the Shaw Center on the Graceland University campus, followed by a burial service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Lamoni.
Slade Funeral Home of Leon, Iowa is handling the arrangements.
Two-Year Old Boy Accidentally Shot With Father’s Handgun
CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – A 2-year-old boy is recovering from a gunshot wound to his chest and neck after police say he found his father’s loaded handgun.
Clive Police say officers were called to the Sterling Inn Sunday morning after the boy was injured. Police did not know his current condition and his identity wasn’t revealed.
Police say the boy’s family was staying at the hotel, and his father left a loaded .45-caliber handgun in some luggage. The boy picked up the gun and pulled the trigger.
Police say the bullet passed through the boy’s chest and neck before lodging in a wall.
The father had a valid permit to carry the handgun.
Nurse Instructors Resign From Community College
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is revamping its nursing program after a wave of resignations from staffers alleging the college overworked faculty, didn’t invest in new equipment and ignored teachers trying to make improvements.
The Quad-City Times reports that the nursing program is the college’s largest career program with more than 300 students, offered at all three campuses in Clinton, Muscatine and Scott.
College officials say they plan to spend $28,000 on new equipment, such as simulation software. The college also announced Aug. 1 it had hired a new nursing program director.
Former staffers say their resignations are a sign the nursing program is in jeopardy, pointing to a recent internal review highlighting their complaints. Former staffer Nicole Tucker says eight out of the department’s 11 full-time members resigned.
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Cedar Rapids Apartment Fire Determined To Be Arson
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Fire investigators say a fire that threatened residents of a Cedar Rapids apartment was intentionally set.
The Cedar Rapids Fire Department says in a statement that the fire early Wednesday morning was started when someone poured flammable liquid in the stairwell between the first and second floors of the three-story building and lit it.
The fire trapped several residents on the upper floors. Two people were rescued from the third floor by police officers using a ladder. Two other people jumped from upper floor windows onto cushions set up by firefighters. Three people were taken to a hospital for minor injuries.
Officials say the fire was relegated mainly to the stairwell, but there was smoke damage throughout the building.
Authorities are asking the public for any information about the fire.
Mason City Woman Pleads Guilty To Theft
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 55-year-old woman has been ordered to pay back more than $32,000 she stole from her employer in Mason City.
Cerro Gordo County District Court records say 55-year-old Melissa Gott, of Mason City, was sentenced last week to three to five years of probation and told to pay restitution to Yesway. She’d pleaded guilty to theft.
Gott must undergo a mental health and gambling evaluation and complete all recommended treatment as part of her probation.
Authorities say she stole the money from a Yesway store’s bank deposits between Jan. 3 and Jan. 14.
