Bibler Trial Resumes Today
(Le Mars) — The trial of Thomas Bibler continues today at the Plymouth County Courthouse. Bibler is accused of stabbing to death his sister Shannon Bogh in June of 2016. The trial has been suspended since July. No jury has been selected for the trial. Rather, the case will be decided by Judge Jeff Neary.
Le Mars Ranks 7th For “Best Cities To Live In”
(Le Mars) — If you are searching for an ideal mid-size town with safe streets, affordable living, with the ability of finding a job, and keeping more of your disposable income, along with a range of transportation options, and easy access to entertainment and cultural attractions that also has features to improve the quality of life, then you may not need to go any further than Iowa. In a recently published article ranking the 50 Best Mid-size cities to Live In, A-Z Central, as part of the USA Today publication
listed seven Iowa communities, with Le Mars ranked at seventh place. A weighted index of over two-dozen measures by 24/7 Wall Street created to identify the best American cities to live in. The listed communities span the country from coast to coast but are disproportionately concentrated in the Midwest. The communities have populations between 8,000 and 25,000
people.
Le Mars mayor Dick Kirchoff calls the ranking as a high honor for the community. The news article specifically mentions the affordable housing rates as a major factor for the high ranking.
Kirchoff believes Le Mars’ high ranking may assist with the town’s economic development plans. The Le Mars mayor says a challenge is to also build up the work force.
Kirchoff says within the past year new apartments and new homes were created to help draw people to Le Mars.
The Le Mars mayor says what has helped the town is the partnership between the private sector and the public with establishing a better quality of life.
Kirchoff says Le Mars also ranks among the top ten safest towns in Iowa.
Other Iowa communities that made the USA Today list include: Storm Lake, Spencer, North Liberty, Pella, Johnston, and Carroll.
Gehlen Catholic Salute To Veterans Scheduled For Monday, Nov. 5th
(Le Mars) — Veteran’s Day is November 11th, but the Gehlen Catholic High School will acknowledge local veterans during a program scheduled for Monday, November 5th at the Deb Campbell Memorial Gym, beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Gehlen Catholic Has 14 Students Selected For 7th and 8th Grade Honor Choir
(Le Mars) — 14 Gehlen Catholic vocalists have been selected for the Northwest Iowa Choral Director’s Association’s 7th-8th Grade Honor Choirs.
The festival will be held on Tuesday, November 6th, at Storm Lake Public High School.
The day included rehearsals by the ensembles and concludes with an evening concert.
This year’s clinicians are Robyn Starks Holcomb & Dan Rasmussen. Ms. Holcomb is the Director of Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
This year’s vocalists are (all students are from LeMars unless otherwise
indicated):
• Bass Clef Honor Choir:
o Braden Bollin, son of Jeremy & Kellie Bollin,
o Landon Jeppesen, son of Alex & Nichole Jones, &
o Colin Norfolk, son of Bob & Lisa Norfolk.
• Treble Clef Honor Choir:
o Veronica Buman, daughter of Richard & Angela Buman,
o Cadence Goebel, daughter of Deacon Dan & Jacki Goebel (Orange City),
o Leah Langel, daughter of Mick & Tami Langel,
o Aspen Mosher, daughter of Ross & Kim Mosher,
o Josie Scheitler, daughter of Toby & Mindy Scheitler (Remsen),
o Cara Woerdehoff, daughter of Andy & Tami Woerdehoff,
o Kaylee Arens, daughter of Amber Arens,
o Brenna Bock, daughter of Amber & the late Randy Bock,
o Kaylee Linden, daughter of Scott & Stevette Linden,
o Jenna Morris, daughter of Lisa Morris & Joe Morris, &
o Christina Thoms, daughter of Stan & Noreen Thoms.
Pictured:
Back row (l-r): Jenna Morris, Cadence Goebel, Leah Langel, Kaylee Arens, Veronica Buman & Kaylee Linden.
Front row (l-r): Josie Scheitler, Colin Norfolk, Christina Thoms, Aspen Mosher & Landon Jeppesen.
Absent: Brenna Bock, Cara Woerdehoff & Braeden Bollin. (photo contributed)
Museum To Host Kids Zone
(Le Mars) — Ten “kid-friendly” exhibits at the Plymouth County Historical Museum in Le Mars will be in the spotlight this Saturday, Nov. 10, with the grand opening of Kay-t’s Kid Zone.
Children of all ages are invited to attend the Kid Zone celebration with their parents or some other adult at 10 a.m. in the Museum’s “Old Central” Gym.
After meeting Kay-T, a “kid-friendly” Ratshire dog, participants will be invited to tour the 10 exhibits included in the Kid Zone. At the end of the tour, the children will receive candy outside the log cabins on the Museum’s east lawn.
The featured exhibits along the Kid Zone trail are:
Lower level: a barnyard from the 1930s; Maggie, an interactive milk cow; and the Floyd Valley Model Railroad Room where model trains travel through Plymouth County.
First floor: a 1925 basketball court where children will be able to shoot baskets in the historic “Old Central” Gym
Second floor: a real airplane, like the ones manufactured in Le Mars in the 1940s.
Third floor: the 1940s Miller’s Lunch Diner where children will receive free root beer floats.
Fourth floor: the Loess Hills Hallway showing the wildlife of the hills; and the Kids’ Cabin, where children can see authentic wildlife furs and hides.
East lawn: Joy Hollow Log Cabin and the Weber Log Cabin
Helping to provide funding for Kay-t’s Kid Zone is a grant from the Le Mars Hotel-Motel tax. Included in the grant are colorful brochures to hand out at the front door and 10 signs marking the Kid Zone exhibits.
Judy Bowman, administrator of the Museum, said the grant should boost attendance. “The addition of Kay-t’s Kid Zone should make the Museum more kid-friendly all around. When parents walk through the front door and pick up a Kid Zone brochure, they will know exactly what the Museum has to offer
children. The brochure and signs will help everyone find the kid-friendly exhibits in the huge five-floor Museum.”
The Museum is located at 335 First Avenue Southwest.
New Casino Opens At Carter Lake, Iowa
CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) – The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska has opened its new casino on the Iowa-Nebraska border.
The tribe held a ribbon-cutting Thursday for the Prairie Flower Casino on tribal land in Carter Lake, Iowa, an Omaha suburb. The casino will be open all year, around the clock for patrons who are at least 21 years old.
Ponca Tribe Chairman Larry Wright Jr. says proceeds from the casino will directly benefit tribal citizens and Carter Lake. He says the city will receive annual financial contributions from the casino, and tribe members will get more sustainable funding for services such as health care, job training, cultural education and land preservation.
Officials from Iowa, Nebraska and Council Bluffs are suing federal
officials who approved the project, which will compete with state-licensed Iowa casinos.
Reynolds Defends Tax Cuts
(Des Moines) — Republican Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is criss-crossing the state with her “Keep Iowa Moving” campaign tour in hopes to secure support heading into the election scheduled for Tuesday. Democrat challenger Fred Hubbell has criticized Reynolds on primarily three areas: tax incentives for
businesses, mental health, and the privatization of Medicaid. Earlier this week Reynolds spoke with KLEM news to defend her actions. Reynolds says at each of her stops, the people are excited and showing support.
With regards to tax cuts and tax incentives, Reynolds says there are several criteria standards that must be met for the business to qualify for a tax credit incentive. She says tax incentives are needed to help attract businesses to the state.
Reynolds says her opponent is hypocritical, since he has benefited from many tax incentive programs.
The Iowa governor says there have been many businesses, schools, and communities that have benefited from tax incentive programs.
Check back to this web page as KLEM will feature additional comments from the interview with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
King Rejects Accusations Of Being A White Supremacist
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican congressman Steve King is rejecting accusations that he’s associated with an Austrian white supremacist group.
Those claims have prompted condemnation from within his own party just days before Tuesday’s election.
During a forum with Iowa business leaders Thursday, the eight-term Iowa congressman said a Washington Post story this month wrongly characterized his August meeting in Austria as being with the far-right Freedom Party, a group with Nazi ties.
King says the meeting was with business leaders, including one with Freedom Party affiliation.
Washington Post officials say they stand by the story.
The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee condemned King on Tuesday. Corporate backers have also withdrawn their support for him.
King, from Republican-heavy northwest Iowa, faces a competitive challenge from Democrat J.D. Scholten.
Republican Districts Deemed Vulnerable With Upcoming Election
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – White, working-class voters fueled Donald Trump’s rise to the White House, but days ahead of the pivotal midterm elections there’s concern among Republicans that these same voters might abandon the GOP in states including Maine, Iowa and Minnesota.
Democrats are targeting 21 House districts carried by President
Barack Obama in 2012 that shifted to Trump in 2016.
These districts are testing the strength of the Trump-era political
realignment.
With the election days away, Democrats have cause for optimism.
