Le Mars Police Identify Victims and Suspect From Sunday Hy Vee Shooting
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department have identified the two Hy Vee employees that were shot, as well as the suspect, during an attempted robbery incident that occurred early Sunday morning at the Le Mars Hy Vee gas and convenience store. Assistant Police Chief Justin Daale, along with Senior Officer Jeff Kramer answered questions from the media during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
Daale says Gutierrez was 26 years old, and was known as having a past history of run-ins with the law.
Suspect, 26-year old Oscar Gutierrez
As for the victims, 18-year old Faith Laskie and 29-year old Ashley Storesund, who were both shot in the abdomen, both were given first aid immediately after the shooting incident.
Senior Officer Jeff Kramer informed the news media both victims are listed as stable condition. The police officers say results of a toxicology report on the suspect won’t be known for a while. Officer Kramer offered additional details about how Gutierrez was located by the South Sioux City, Nebraska police department. Kramer says they were able to acquire a cell phone signal from the suspect’s cell phone.
Both officers indicated counseling services are still being made available to the Le Mars Hy Vee employees. Hy Vee spokesperson, Tina Potthoff says Sunday’s shooting and attempted robbery was the first shooting incident involving Hy Vee employees through out their more than 250 stores located in eight different states. Hy Vee has since re-opened their gas station.
School Board Approves Parking Lot Project
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community School Board approved a parking lot expansion project during last evening’s meeting. The project will involve the demolition of three buildings, the former Nazarine Church, and two other homes between 8th Street Blvd. and the high school gym, and between 3rd Avenue SW and the high school tennis courts. Pat Bickett with Schlotfeldt Engineering appeared before the school board, and informed them the total project cost is estimated at $331,000. Bickett explained to the school board the project will be conducted in two separate phases, with phase one expected completion on August 16th, and phase two to be completed on September 30th. Beckett told the school board that the high school will be able to add another 119 parking spaces. Bids will now be accepted for the destruction of the properties, along with the paving of the additional parking lot spaces. During the next scheduled school board meeting on June 10th, the board will open the bids for the project.
The high school parking lot project will mean the destruction of the Nazarene Church and the home pictured. Phase 2 will have the removal of the ranch style home next to the pictured structures.
Also, during last evening’s meeting, Rob Bixenman updated the school board on their property and casualty insurance policy. Bixenman informed the school board their premium cost will be $199,288 which is an increase of 1.84 percent over last year’s cost.
Iowa May Someday Outlaw The Use Of Cellphones While Driving
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says Iowa could be headed toward a law eliminating the use of cellphones while driving.
A hands-free bill didn’t advance this year but could come back again next year, and Reynolds says she supports the idea if lawmakers send it to her.
She signed a proclamation Tuesday declaring this “end distracted driving week” in Iowa.
Iowa State Patrol spokesman Nathan Ludwig says the patrol wrote 450 tickets last year for distracted driving. Although the number has dropped this year, he says crashes are up and distracted driving is a major factor.
He says people know texting while driving is wrong but continue to do it.
Eighteen states have hand-free laws that prohibit cellphone use while driving.
Flooding To Again Hit Southwest Iowa And Eastern Nebraska
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Flooding along the lower Missouri River will likely worsen in the days ahead because the amount of water being released into the river is increasing because of the recent rain.
But officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say the river will remain below the levels it hit in March when flooding caused significant damage in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas.
The amount of water being released from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border on Tuesday and another increase is planned for Wednesday. The Corps’ John Remus said more increases are likely later this week if the forecast for heavy rains delivers.
The National Weather Service says nearly 3 inches of rain already fell on the Omaha area over the past two days, and the forecast calls for more than an inch of rain Tuesday night and Wednesday in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.
Large Hail Drops On Nebraska And Iowa
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Strong thunderstorms that raked eastern Nebraska and western Iowa dumped heavy rain and, in southwest Omaha, piles of hail that left some motorists temporarily stranded.
Western Nebraska was first to endure the storms Monday night, with hail larger than 2 inches in diameter reported west of Ogallala. The Omaha World-Herald reported dozens of cars pulled off Interstate 80 with broken windshields. North Platte also received reports of baseball-sized hail.
Early Tuesday morning, the storm moved into Lincoln and Omaha, dropping nearly 2 inches of rain in a little more than an hour. Southwest Omaha also saw large amounts of hail that piled up on streets that brought out at least one city snowplow to clear the mess. About 8,000 Omaha Public Power District customers lost power.
In Council Bluffs, Iowa, a number of streets flooded as more than 2 inches of rain fell there overnight. Flash flood warnings were issued there and for areas around Lincoln and Omaha.
Planting Crops Continues To Be Delayed Due To Wet Conditions
(Des Moines) — Spring planting for this year’s crops continue to be delayed due to the extreme wet conditions. Heavy rainfall and damaging storms kept Iowa farmers from making much planting progress with only 1.0 day suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending May 26, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. South central and southeast Iowa farmers reported less than a half day suitable for fieldwork this past week with little to no planting progress. Several comments were received about Iowa farmers investigating prevented planting options.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 41 percent adequate and 59 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 55 percent surplus.
Only 6 percent of the expected corn crop was planted this past week. Iowa corn growers now have 76 percent of the expected crop planted, 10 days behind last year and 2 weeks behind the 5-year average. This is the smallest amount of corn planted by May 26 since 1995 when 75 percent of the expected crop had been planted. Forty-two percent of the crop has emerged, 9 days behind last year and 10 days behind average.
Less than one-third of the expected soybean crop has been planted, two weeks behind last year and average. This is the smallest percent of soybeans planted by May 26 since 1993 when just 23 percent of the expected crop had been planted. Eight percent of the crop has emerged, 12 days behind last year and 8 days behind average.
Heavy Rains Causing Waste And Manure Run-off
SPENCER — Following heavy rainfall and flash flooding throughout much of Iowa, the DNR encourages Iowans to stay out of Iowa streams until after the waters recede.
While fast stream currents are the biggest risk for people, high waters can also carry dangerous debris and bacteria. “For their own safety, we encourage people to stay out of the water until several days after streams return to normal,” said Scott Wilson in the DNR’s Spencer field office.
“About 70 wastewater discharges have been reported over the Memorial Day weekend, and the calls are still coming in,” Wilson said. With more rain predicted, additional discharges are expected.
“Some cities have reported multiple wastewater discharges, and two have reported storm water backups into basements,” he added. Both the Iowa DNR and the Department of Public Health have helpful links for people dealing with disasters and flood cleanup.
Some livestock facilities, particularly in northwest Iowa, have had two to four or more inches of rain. “Most of these facilities are OK, but we are working with a few to stop runoff,” Wilson said.
Facilities that are discharging or expecting to discharge should contact their local DNR field office. “We’ll work with them to identify solutions and minimize impacts to nearby streams,” Wilson said.
Sentencing Date Set For “The Bachelor Star”
INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) – A new sentencing date has been set for former “The Bachelor” star Chris Soules for leaving the scene of a fatal 2017 accident.
The Des Moines Register reports Soules will be sentenced on Aug. 27 at the Buchanan County Courthouse in Independence, Iowa.
A judge last week delayed sentencing after striking letters written by the deceased driver’s family. The judge agreed that family members couldn’t be considered victims because Soules wasn’t convicted of causing the death of 66-year-old Kenny Mosher.
Soules was arrested after he rear-ended a tractor in April 2017. Soules called 911, performed CPR on Mosher and waited for first responders, but he left the scene before officers arrived.
The 37-year-old former reality TV star pleaded guilty on Nov. 13 to a reduced charge of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident.
Soules appeared on “The Bachelor” and “Dancing With The Stars” in 2015.
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