New Track Will Be Ready For First Scheduled Track Meet
(Le Mars) — March 31st is the date for the first track and field meet to be held at the new stadium complex. You may recall contractors were able to complete the football field and the stadium seating last autumn for a portion of the games. However, the track was not completed. Le Mars Community School Superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner says the track,
surrounding the new football field, will be ready to use for the inaugural track meet.
Webner says later this summer, contractors will return and will install another layer of the rubber surface and will paint the track red.
The Le Mars Community school superintendent says the new track is wider and much better than the previous track.
Webner says the new track will feature eight running lanes.
According to school officials there are two high school track meets scheduled for this year, and two junior high track meets scheduled for the new track.
Police Department To Offer Youth Academy Course
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department is planning to hold a Youth Citizens Academy course at the end of the month. The program, according to Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte, is patterned after the two successful adult versions of the class.
Vande Vegte says the youth academy course will consist of only two Saturdays, instead of the eight-week course offered to the adults.
The police chief says the program is open to youth between grades 8 and 12, with applications needing to be submitted to the police department by March 16th. The program will begin on Saturday, March 28th.
Chief Vande Vegte says the initial course will be limited to ten students, due to the size of available accommodations. However, he anticipates a second course will be offered later in the year. Police Chief Vande Vegte says he is grateful for the many donations that help make this program possible.
Tulip Festival To Announce Parade Marshal During Extravaganza
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The 2020 Tulip Court costumes and Tulip Festival Parade Marshal will be revealed at the Tulip Festival
Extravaganza, Wednesday March 11, at 11:45 a.m. at the Prairie Winds Event Center in Orange City.
In addition to the costume and parade marshal reveals, the 2020 Tulip Court will present their traveling road show for the first
time. The road show, which the festival royalty wrote and will present to various organizations, schools, and residential care
facilities this spring, tells of the events and attractions at the Tulip Festival and gives a detailed overview of their authentic
Dutch costumes.
In addition, a highlight at the event will be a “teaser” performance of the upcoming Tulip Festival Night Show production of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Additional news and updates for the 2020 festival will be announced at the Extravaganza.
This year’s festival features the theme “Vibrant Together,” a nod to the city of Orange City’s 150th anniversary and the festival’s
80th celebration. For more information on the Orange City Tulip Festival, visit octulipfestival.com.
Federal Authorities Monitoring Contamination From Maquoketa Plant
MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) – Federal authorities are taking over monitoring of contamination from a carcinogenic chemical that’s spread from a factory site in the eastern Iowa city of Maquoketa. The Telegraph Herald reported that the contamination stems from the operations of Clinton Machine Co., which built small engines in Maquoketa from 1950 into the 1990s. The factory used trichloroethene, commonly known as TCE, as a degreasing agent. Federal authorities have since determined that TCE is carcinogenic. Authorities have said TCE in groundwater also creates the potential for indoor contamination.
Man Accused Of Shooting At Law Enforcement Officers Is Arrested Following Stand-Off
MIDDLE AMANA, Iowa (AP) – A man suspected of shooting at officers has been arrested in Iowa County. Davenport resident Jeremy Krapp faces two counts of attempted murder and other charges. Court records don’t list an attorney for him. Officers who responded to the report of a car fire Friday night on
Interstate 80 south of the Amana Colonies were unable to find the driver.
Early Saturday deputies spotted a man later identified as Krapp walking along the interstate in the area. They report that he pulled handgun and ran into a field. Authorities say he fired twice at officers and surrendered after officers deployed armored vehicles.
Grain Elevator Assault
SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – The wife of a man accused of pushing his wife’s alleged lover off the top of a grain bin in Hamburg, Iowa, has been arrested trying to return from Mexico. Authorities say Anahi Andrade was taken into custody in El Paso, Texas. She’s accused of helping her husband, Pedro Andrade, flee. A court document says Pedro Andrade’s co-worker survived his 60-foot fall. He told an investigator that Pedro Andrade had found out that Anahi Andrade and the co-worker were having an affair. The court records don’t list an attorney for Anahi Andrade. Pedro Andrade’s attorney didn’t immediately return a call Monday.
Iowa Workforce Development Judge Settles Lawsuit
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The former top judge at Iowa Workforce Development says he’s pleased to settle a long-running lawsuit alleging that his 2013 layoff was retaliatory and unlawful. Joseph Walsh said the $99,000 payment recently approved by the state to settle his lawsuit could have been higher had he not been able to return to state employment shortly after his layoff. Iowa Workforce Development eliminated Walsh’s job shortly after he opposed an attempt to make his position a political appointment. Walsh contended, correctly, that federal law required his position to be merit-based and insulated from politics. The agency’s then-director Teresa Wahlert withdrew that plan but then abruptly laid him Walsh weeks later.
