County Supervisors To Name Williams And Company To Perform Audit On County’s Finances
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene for its weekly meeting this morning, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Plymouth County Courthouse Board Room. The supervisors will act on naming Williams and Company of Le Mars as the official firm to conduct the county’s financial audit for the fiscal year 2018-2019. The supervisors are expected to approve
a lease agreement with Hope Haven. Scheduled to appear before the county governing board is Scott Wiese from Purple Wave as he will review government surplus sale options. County Recorder, Jolynn Goodchild will appear before the board of supervisors to submit her quarterly report. Surveyor Dave
Wilberding will seek approval from the board for the Williams and Beitbarth addition in section nine of Johnson Township. County Engineer Tom Rohe will submit a permit request from North West Rural Electric Cooperative for Hancock Township on county road K-18 south, and for Perry Township on West Loop Road. Rohe will also visit with the supervisors about filling an
employment vacancy and seek permission to approve a candidate hire. The supervisors have on their agenda to also discuss the Weed Commissioners position.
Murphy Will Not Seek Re-election To School Board
(Le Mars) — Long-time school board member Patrick Murphy announced to his fellow directors that he will not seek re-election to the school board when his term expires. Murphy’s term will end this fall when school board elections will take place at the same time as civic elections. Murphy has been a member of the Le Mars Community Board of Education for the past 24 years. He has served as president of the school board several different
times.
School superintendent Dr. Steven Webner explains the criteria for seeking a position of nomination to be elected on the local board of education.
Those school board members whose terms expire include Jane Arnold representing District 3, Fred Zenk with District 5, and Angela Cattan from an At-large position. Pat Murphy also serves an At-large position on the school board. Arnold and Cattan both indicated an interest in running for re-election.
School Board Approves Agreement For Little Rascals Pre-school To Become Quality Pre-school Community Partner
(Le Mars) — During last evening’s school board meeting, Curriculum Director Rachel Leavitt discussed the request by Little Rascals Pre-school to become an Iowa Quality Pre-school Community Partner with the Le Mars Community School District. Leavitt informed the school board that Little Rascals will have two certified instructors, which was one of the requirements.
Leavitt says Little Rascals will be given funding beginning next year. Little Rascals will be able to have up to 20 pre-school students.
Paul Pate Elected President Of Secretaries Of State
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is the new president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, a professional organization for top state election officials.
Pate was sworn in July 3 at the group’s annual meeting in New Mexico and will serve as the NASS president through July 2020.
Pate is the second Iowa official to lead the group since its founding in 1904. The first was Melvin Synhorst in 1960.
Pate says he will make election security his top priority. He says the group’s mission for 2020 is to ensure “the sanctity of the vote is protected at every level, from the smallest county to the largest state.”
Pate’s colleagues from other states also voted to award him the NASS IDEAS award for his election cybersecurity efforts.
Iowa State Patrol Releases 4th Of July Weekend Numbers
(Des Moines) — The numbers from the July 4th extended four-day holiday weekend have now been calculated. The Iowa State Patrol covered 42 vehicle accidents, and issued 1,582 speeding citations. The Iowa State Patrol assisted 194 motorists and arrested 23 impaired drivers.
DCI Investigates Leon, Iowa Police Shooting On Motorist
(Des Moines) — Authorities say it was a man from Missouri who was shot early Sunday morning by a policeman in Leon. Fifty-five-year-old Patrick Bauer was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital. His condition is unknown. Special Agent Adam DeCamp of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says Leon Policeman John Thomas was conducting “an investigative stop” of Bauer.
The policeman was in his squad car when he fired “multiple
rounds” at Bauer, according to DeCamp.
Bauer’s home address is listed as Marshfield, Missouri, which is about 300 miles south of Leon. Both communities are along the Interstate-35 corridor.
The Sunday morning shooting happened on the edge of Leon, near the intersection of two gravel roads.
Investigators says there is no known video recording of the 3 a.m. incident since the policeman was not wearing a body camera and his vehicle not outfitted with video equipment.
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Judge Sentences Woman To 40 Years In Prison
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – A judge has sentenced an Iowa woman to up to 40 years in prison for charges related to the murder of a woman and the burning of her body.
The Des Moines Register reports Judge Thomas Bice on Monday sentenced 28-year-old Mackenzie Knigge, of Clare, to 40 years with the possibility of parole after 24 1/2 years.
Knigge pleaded guilty June 6 to charges related to the killing of 26-year-old Jessica Gomez, of Fort Dodge. Her burned body was found in 2017 in a field near Clare. Knigge pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aiding and abetting robbery and abuse of a human corpse.
In March, 26-year-old Phillip A. Williams , of Lafayette, Indiana,
pleaded guilty to attempt to commit murder and abuse of a human corpse. He was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
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Iowa State Patrol Trooper’s Actions Being Investigated
TIPTON, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa trooper pointed his gun at and knocked down a motorcyclist for no apparent reason during a traffic stop, then falsely charged the man with eluding law enforcement.
Dash camera video released Monday shows then-Iowa State Patrol officer Robert Smith pulling over motorcyclist Bryce Yakish for speeding on Sept. 25, 2017.
What appears to be a routine stop escalates immediately when Smith runs out of his car with his gun drawn and strikes Yakish in his helmet. The force knocked the 150-pound Yakish backward and onto his motorcycle, and both fell to the ground. Yakish is repeatedly heard complaining of neck pain.
Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington has cited the case as among the reasons he has refused to book all suspects arrested by Smith. He says the video shows “pretty damning” evidence of excessive force and misconduct.
Smith didn’t immediately return a message. He now works as an officer in Durant.
The Cedar County attorney’s office released the video Monday in
response to records requests.
Southwest Iowa Man Wins Free Speech Lawsuit Against Sheriff’s Office
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A southwest Iowa man has won his free speech legal battle with a sheriff’s department and two officers who charged him with harassment for writing a social media post that profanely criticized a deputy.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office will pay Jon Richard Goldsmith
$10,000 to settle a federal lawsuit he filed in May alleging violations of his free speech rights, retaliation and false arrest.
The sheriff’s office agreed to a court order filed Monday that
prohibits it from bringing criminal charges against or threatening to criminally charge citizens on the basis of the lawful comments, posts, or other speech protected by the First Amendment.
Goldsmith criticized Deputy Cory Dorsey in a profane Facebook post in July that prompted the sheriff’s department to charge Goldsmith with third-degree harassment. The charge was dropped after Goldsmith hired an attorney to fight the misdemeanor charge.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa represented Goldsmith in the lawsuit against Adams County, Dorsey and his supervisor.
A woman answering the department’s phone Monday says Sheriff Alan Johannes wasn’t available to comment.
