Three Attorneys Are Finalists For Associate Judge Position
(Le Mars) — Three attorneys have been selected for the final round of interviews regarding the vacant position of Associate Judge for the 3B Sub-District. A total of ten people had applied for the position that is being vacant due to the retirement of Associate Judge Robert Dull of Le Mars. The three attorneys include: Amy Oetken of Le Mars, Kristal L. Phillips of Holstein, and Dan Vakulskas of Sioux City. All the candidates were
interviewed by the Plymouth and Sioux County Judicial Nominating Commissions on Monday, November 26th. Interviews of the three finalists will be
interviewed on Friday, November 30th by the 3B District Judges. An announcement for the replacement of Judge Dull is expected to happen prior to his retirement party scheduled for Friday.
Total Motors To Collect Coats For Kids
(Le Mars)-– Total Motors in Le Mars will be hosting their 2nd Annual “Coats for Kids” campaign in Le Mars. Last year, Total Motors collected over 120 coats along with a number of hats and gloves, all items donated were distributed locally to schools, churches, families and organizations in or around Le Mars. Total Motors Marketing Manager Mitch Christoffel says “It
would be great to reach 150 coats this year and have just as many gloves, hats and boots to go with the coats to those children and families.”
Total Motors are looking for both girls and boys coats for all children’s ages, mainly ages 4 through 14 or sizes 4 – 12. However, they also do want a variety of coats, so coats for infants or small adults are great to receive as well. They are looking for anything that is either brand-new or still in
good condition (i.e. not torn, stained or tattered). Total Motors ask that any of the “lightly used” coats be cleaned as best as possible prior to drop off. Kathy Stone at Ideal Cleaners will once again be donating her time and equipment to clean these coats before we deliver them to the children and families before the holidays.
Christoffel says, “As fortunate as we are in Le Mars, we still have many families and children who can’t afford household essentials all around us. Necessary items such as winter wear can be tough to afford each year with how quick children grow. As a company who is dedicated to their community, Total Motors organizes this drive to give back to the families who can’t afford more than their household essentials.”
Total Motors will be accepting coats until the 15th of December so they can organize deliveries before the Christmas holiday. Drop-off will be on the show floor at Total Motors on Highway 75 South in Le Mars during normal business hours (8-7 Monday through Thursday, 8-5 Fridays and 8-3 on Saturdays.)
Dairy Queen Announces Program To Assist Non-Profit Organizations
(Undated) — Siouxland Dairy Queen believes in giving back to the communities in which we live, work and do business. In correlation with Giving Tuesday, Siouxland DQ is announcing our new grant program, DQ® Smiles & Stories, where we are committing to give $100,000 to various non-profit
organizations throughout the communities we serve.
Steve Hill, Concept Manager of Siouxland DQ says, “By providing these grants to non-profit organizations, our hope is to bring thousands smiles and support to the children and families who need it most in our community.”
The DQ® Smiles & Stories grant program is open to non-profit organizations in the communities we serve including Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, LeMars, Sioux Center,Onawa, Cherokee, Canton (SD), Dell Rapids (SD) and Iowa City.
Non-profit organizations outside of these areas are still encouraged to apply.
Online applications for the DQ® Smiles & Stories grants will be accepted December 3, 2018 – January 31, 2019. The DQ ® Smiles & Stories grants will be awarded on February 28, 2019 at the Sergeant Bluff Dairy Queen. To learn more about eligibility and requirements, or to apply, visit siouxlanddq.com.
185th Air Refueling Wing To Get New Commander
(Sioux City) — A change of command is taking place at Sioux City’s 185th Air Refueling National Guard Unit. The Iowa National Guard says Sioux City native Colonel Mark Muckey has been selected as the next Wing Commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing.
Colonel Muckey says it’s a great opportunity to come home 30 years after he joined the 185th when he was in high school:
Muckey flew the A-7 and eventually ended up in Oklahoma.
He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, primarily in the U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules and KC-135 Strato-Tanker.
Colonel Muckey is currently the Air National Guard Advisor to the Air Mobility Command Inspector General in St. Louis.
Colonel Muckey will overlap command duties in Sioux City with the current commander, Colonel Larry Christensen for a few months beginning in January, 2019.
Christensen is being promoted to Brigadier General and has been
selected as the Chief of Staff for the Iowa Air National Guard at Camp Dodge in Des Moines.
He will assume his new position following a formal hand-off of the Wing leadership to Colonel Muckey.
A formal change of command ceremony will be planned for a later date.
Representatives Huseman and Wheeler Appointed Committee Leadership Positions
(DES MOINES) – House Speaker Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake) recently announced that Rep. Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia) will serve as the Vice Chairman of the House Labor Committee during the 88th General Assembly.
“Rep. Huseman is a strong leader and will continue to make Iowa’s workforce a top priority. I am confident that he will excel in this role,” said Speaker Upmeyer.
Upmeyer has also appointed Orange City Republican House Member, Skylar Wheeler to serve as the Chairman of the House Economic Growth Committee during the 88th General Assembly.
Wheeler says, he “wants to thank Speaker Upmeyer for her vote of confidence in to chair a committee.” Representative Wheeler says he is “excited to chair this committee and take a hard look at issues such as our workforce, regulatory reform, and ways to spur economic growth not only around the state, but specifically in rural Iowa.”
Wheeler most recently served as Vice Chairman of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Budget Subcommittee.
The legislative session begins Monday, January 14, 2019.
NTSB Issues Final Report On Train Derailment
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Federal investigators have issued their final report on a fiery 2017 derailment in northwest Iowa that was caused by a broken rail.
The National Transportation Safety Board issued its final report
Tuesday on the Union Pacific derailment that released 322,000 gallons of ethanol near Graettinger (GREHT’-ihn-jur), Iowa.
The agency said last month that Union Pacific’s maintenance was
inadequate before the March 2017 derailment, and Federal Railroad Administration inspectors didn’t do enough to identify flaws in the track.
The FRA is still reviewing the agency’s recommendation to improve training for its inspectors.
No injuries were reported in connection with the derailment in a rural area about 160 miles (257 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines. Five of the 20 derailed tankers plunged into Jack Creek.
Soybean Growers Hoping For Market Access
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – American farmers still working to get out their remaining soybeans after a weather-plagued harvest season are struggling to figure out what to do with a record crop now their traditionally dominant export market is largely closed.
Usually by this point in the year, 100-car trains filled with North
Dakota soybeans would be moving to ports on the West Coast destined for China. This year is different because that leading soybean customer has all but stopped buying American soybeans in response to President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.
Some farmers are storing unsold beans, hoping prices will improve and markets open. But with farmers already in debt due to high costs but falling net income, economists are warning they could be forced out of business by the export crisis.
Parfaits Being Recalled
LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin-based Kwik Trip Inc. is recalling some parfaits because they may contain undeclared traces of cashews or almonds.
Kwik Trip said Tuesday the convenience store chain is recalling
Kitchen Cravings Strawberry and Mixed Berry Parfaits in an 8.25-ounce cup.
The La Crosse-based company says consumers who are allergic to cashews or almonds may risk allergic reactions if they eat the product.
Kwik Trip says it recalled the product after a chocolate-covered
cashew or almond was discovered in granola mix from an outside supplier.
Kwik Trip says it has removed the parfaits from its stores due to the undeclared allergen.
No illnesses have been reported. The product was sold at Kwik Trip convenience stores in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa (Kwik Star) with a sell-by date on or before Dec. 6, 2018.
Judge Suspends All But Two Days Of Jail Sentence For Woman Who Crashed Into Patrol Cruiser
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – Cerro Gordo County court records say a Clear Lake woman who crashed into a deputy’s vehicle while driving drunk was sentenced to a year in jail, but all but two days were suspended.
The records say 44-year-old Stacey Lester pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated. She also was fined $1,250 at her sentencing last week and was given two years of probation.
Authorities say Lester ran into the rear of the deputy’s squad car
while the deputy was outside the vehicle speaking with a driver during a traffic stop in Clear Lake early on Oct. 27. No one was injured.
Lester fled but was caught by the deputy within a few blocks.
