Le Mars Receives First Snow Of Season On Sunday
(Le Mars) — As people woke up on Sunday morning, they saw a blanket of white snow covering their lawns, vehicles, and everything else. Le Mars received about a half an inch of new snow. By mid-afternoon, the snow had melted. The Le Mars Police Department has issued a reminder regarding the
odd/even parking that will begin on November 1st. In their facebook posting, the police department recommends motorists to begin parking on the appropriate side of the street, in order to get accustomed to the city ordinance. In other areas, including southern Iowa and eastern Nebraska they received up to three inches of snow.
Gehlen Catholic Marching Band Wins Top Honors
(Le Mars) — Gehlen Catholic’s marching band was able to take home top honors from the 1-A class competition held Saturday at Orange City. Gehlen Catholic was recognized for having the best horn unit, drum line, and color guard.
Stabbing Death Trial Is Being Delayed
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A trial has been delayed until next year for a 19- year-old in northwest Iowa accused of stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend and another young man.
Woodbury Country District Court records say prosecution and defense attorneys requested another delay in the trial of Tran Walker. The trial had been set to begin Tuesday . The new starting date is Feb. 19. The original starting date was July 24.
Walker’s pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. He’s accused of killing 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr., who both lived in Sioux City. Police say Walker was in a car with the other two on Jan. 28 when he began to stab Sullivan because he was upset that she had broken up with him. Police say that when Negron tried to
intervene, Walker stabbed him, too.
Law Enforcement Officials Warn Of Telephone Scam
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa state law enforcement officials are warning the public to be on guard for a telephone scam in which the callers pretend to state police and demand payment.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal
Investigation says it continues to get reports of the scam. Officials say the scammers pose as employees of the “Iowa State Police” and claim to have seized a vehicle registered to the call recipient in which drugs were found.
The scammers then demand immediate payment via prepaid debit cards.
Officials say if the victim hangs up, a second call is made
appearing to come from “911” in which the caller claims to have a warrant for the victim’s arrest.
Officials say the department never demands payment over the phone via prepaid debit cards.
Iowa Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Health Care At Forum
(Des Moines) — Three candidates for governor spent part of Sunday afternoon discussing how to improve access to mental health and substance abuse treatment in Iowa. Options for financing and expanding treatment were covered and debated, but the candidates each made a point of urging Iowans to seek treatment for a mental health condition or addiction. “This year I will be celebrating 18 years of sobriety,” Republican Governor Kim Reynolds said and the audience applauded. “…I would not have been able to do it on my own with the support of a family, my community and the services that I was afforded.” Libertarian candidate Jake Porter spoke about suffering from depression and comtemplating suicide in 2011. “We have to be able to share these stores, even though they are not comfortable, even though we don’t want to, even though they aren’t stuff we like to talk about,” Porter said. Fred Hubbell, the Democratic Party’s nominee for governor, agreed it’s time to erase the stigma associated with seeking treatment for a mental illness. “It’s no different from some kind of cancer. You can’t see it, but it’s real and needs to be addressed. It needs to be taken care of,” Hubbell said. “That’s how we need to talk about it. That’s how we need to address it.” The forum was sponsored by The Des Moines Register, the Iowa Hospital Association and Des Moines University.
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California Democratic Senator To Visit Iowa
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris of California is making her first campaign trip to Iowa before Election Day, adding to speculation about a potential presidential run in 2020.
Harris plans to visit the state on Oct. 22-23. It’ll be her first
visit to the leadoff presidential caucus state since she was elected to the Senate in 2016.
She’s among a large group of Democrats, including several senators, who are contemplating a challenge to President Donald Trump.
Harris has gotten increased attention in recent weeks for her
visible role on the Senate Judiciary Committee in opposition to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Pork Producers Remain Optimistic Despite Setbacks
(Le Mars) — October is recognized as pork month, and U-S pork officials believe consumers will soon see some great values and bargains at the meat counter. Typically, this time of year is when pork producers see a large inventory of hogs, as consumers cut back on the outdoor backyard barbecues.
The latest U-S Hog and Pig report indicated a record number of hogs on inventory. Greg Hora of Fort Dodge serves as the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s president. He says despite some recent trade tariffs that have had a negative impact on the price of hogs, producers remain optimistic that the world desires U-S pork.
Hora says with the recent trade agreements with Mexico, Canada, and Japan.
He is hopeful the market price for hogs and pork may rebound.
The Fort Dodge pork producer says with the recent opening of additional pork processing facilities in the state also is a reason for pork producers to be optimistic for the long-term.
Hora says consumers have always realized that Iowa pork is a great value, and they may be able to find additional savings within the near-term.
The Iowa Pork Producers president explains how pork producers are constantly working on identifying new markets for pork, and new ways to serve pork.
Iowa ranks first in the nation with pork production with more than 30 million head.
Genealogical Records To Be Moved
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A library board member says a genealogy group will be moving its material out of the Mason City Public Library.
The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that board vice president
Dennis Reidel said Friday that the North Central Iowa Genealogical Society is in negotiations regarding two locations to house the society collection, but he would not name them publicly.
The board voted to give the society until Nov. 30 to vacate its
space at the library. The original deadline to move out was Sept. 30, but that was extended to Oct. 31 .
A letter to the society from library director Mary Markwalter cited
“changing space utilization needs of the library” in asking the society to leave. The society has been housed in the library since 1979.
Fire Victim Identified
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have identified a 59-year-old Iowa woman who died in a house fire last week.
The Scott County Sheriff’s office says Cynthia Webb died Thursday night in the town of Blue Grass in eastern Iowa.
Webb spent her career working for government agencies in Scott
County, including the sheriff’s department and Davenport City Council.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating.
Mason City Man Sentenced To Ten Years
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Mason City man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of another man.
The Globe Gazette reports that 21-year-old Braedon Bowers was
sentenced Friday in Cerro Gordo County District Court.
Bowers was found guilty in August of voluntary manslaughter. He had been charged with first-degree murder in the May 30, 2017, stabbing of 23- year-old Wraymond Todd in Mason City. Todd died five days later.
Bowers has maintained that he did not intend to kill Todd. His
attorneys said Bowers was acting in self-defense.
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