Drivers License Office To Be Open On Tuesday Afternoons
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Treasurer Shelly Sitzmann has announced beginning January 28th, the Plymouth County Driver’s License office will open on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30 – 4:30. This will be in addition to the office being open on Wednesday & Thursdays from 8:30 – 4:30.
The Driver’s License office will be open on Tuesday afternoons from 12:30-4:30 for obtaining or renewing drivers licenses, identification cards, updating to REAL ID, permit tests and other knowledge tests.
If you need to schedule a drive, those must be done on Wednesday & Thursdays and you may call 546-1663 to schedule a time.
For people who have questions about REAL ID, please check out Plymouth County’s website at www.co.plymouth.ia.us, or the Iowa DOT website at www.iowadot.gov, or contact the Driver’s License office during their business hours.
Iowa Caucus Approaching
(Le Mars) — The Iowa Caucus is less than a month away, and political figures have been criss-crossing the Hawkeye state in attempts to attract would-be voters to their side. Although, state republicans will also hold their caucus, most of the focus this year will be centered on the Democrats with more than a dozen candidates seeking the presidential nomination. There are some changes to the caucus system. Mark Sturgeon serves as the chairman for the Plymouth County Democratic party and says many questions can be answered by accessing a link on the internet.
Sturgeon reminds would-be voters that the locations for the caucus is different from where you would normally cast your votes for an election.
The Plymouth County Democratic party chair explains the process of a political caucus, and how it is different from a primary voting election.
Sturgeon says during the caucus, delegates supporting one particular candidate may try to lure other delegates to switch sides and come join them in support of their candidate.
Many of the presidential candidates have made campaign appearances within the region, and a few have even stopped in Plymouth County. Sturgeon says so far, many Plymouth County Democrats have not yet made up their mind as to which candidate they wish to support.
As for the Republicans, Carl Stodden, who is the chairman for the Plymouth County Republican party, says many people may not realize there are three candidates seeking the nomination for president.
Stodden says although the primary election isn’t until June, he says the caucus will serve as an opportunity for people to share their reasons for supporting their candidate seeking the 4th District Representative position.
They include: Steve King, the incumbent candidate from Kiron, State Senator Randy Feenstra of Hull, Jeremy Taylor of Sioux City, and Brett Richards from Irwin. Stodden says republicans will also decide some party platform positions.
Both political parties have 13 precincts within Plymouth County.
The Iowa Caucuses are scheduled for February 3rd.
Buttigieg To Make Campaign Stop In Le Mars
(Le Mars) — South Bend, Indiana Mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has scheduled a campaign stop in Le Mars. Buttigieg will appear next Friday, January 17th at the Plymouth County Historical Museum’s “Old Central Gymnasium” beginning at 11:00 a.m. As Iowa’s first-in-the-
nation caucus nears closer, Buttigieg has emerged as one of the top four Democratic presidential hopefuls. Polls show he is in a close race with former Vice President, Joe Biden, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. Buttigieg will also make appearances in Orange City and Sioux City scheduled for Thursday, January 16th.
Jeneary Says He Will Introduce Bills During State Legislature
(Le Mars) — Flooding was a major problem for Iowans during 2019, and it continues to be a problem for those people living in southwest Iowa. State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary says he believes the legislature, which will begin the General Session on Monday, may try to find some money to allocate for flood victims.
Jeneary is the vice chairman for the House Natural Resources Committee. He also serves on the Veterans Committee, Public Safety, and now will also serve on the Local Government Committee, and he is on the Health and Human Services Budget Sub-committee. The Le Mars lawmaker says he will introduce some bills when the legislature begins, and those bills deal with Jeneary’s past profession of dentistry.
Jeneary says the other bill he hopes to introduce deals with children’s health.
The entire interview with State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary can be seen on the KLEM website’s feature page.
Iowa Supreme Court Justice Wiggins To Retire
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice David Wiggins says he’s retiring, a vacancy that will give Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds an opportunity to build an even more conservative court. The 69-year-old Wiggins says Friday he will retire March 13. He was appointed to the court by Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2003. He was named acting chief justice in November after the unexpected death of Chief Justice Mark Cady.
Wiggins is one of the two remaining Democratic appointees on the seven-member court.Reynolds just received the names of three nominees Thursday to fill Cady’s vacant seat.
Judge Declares Murder Suspect To Be Mentally Unfit For Trial
FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – A judge has ruled that a man charged with first- degree murder in the beating death of a central Iowa pastor is mentally unfit to stand trial. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that a Webster County District judge on Friday found 36-year-old Josh Pendleton incompetent to
stand trial and ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation and treatment at the Iowa Medical Classification Correctional Facility in Oakdale. Pendleton’s attorney says he has a long history of mental illness and was unable to assist in his own defense. Pendleton is accused of robbing and beating to death the Rev. Al Henderson, who was found unresponsive on
Oct. 2 outside St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge.
Authorities Release Names Of Slain Victims
COLO, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the names of two people who were found dead by a relative in their Story County home – deaths that authorities say were the result of a murder-suicide. They’ve been identified as 79-year-old Richard Davis and his 78-year-old wife, Charlotte.
Authorities say Richard Davis shot his wife before shooting himself. A shotgun was found Wednesday near his body on the kitchen floor of their Colo home. Her body was found in a living room chair. No note was found. Their son Russell Davis told The Des Moines Register that his parents seemed happy
at Christmas.
Reynolds Names Interim DOT Director
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A civil engineer who has worked at the Iowa Department of Transportation for 28 years has been chosen as the agency’s interim director. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Friday that Stuart Anderson has begun his new duties and will lead the department until a permanent director is appointed. He replaces former Iowa DOT Director Mark Lowe, who was asked by Reynolds to resign last month. Lowe, a lawyer, had been appointed by Reynolds in May 2017. She cited her desire to seek a change in leadership as the only reason for seeking his departure. Anderson joined Iowa DOT in 1992.
