School Board To Meet This Evening
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will begin its meeting tonight with a public hearing on the consideration of approval of a non-public Title 1 third party vendor, open bids received and take appropriate action. The school board will hear from each of principals as they offer
reports. The school board will hear a report from Tami Dunn and Adam Moss as they will present a report to the board the high school standards for science. The board will discuss the annual foundation banquet scheduled for April 29th at the Le Mars Convention Center. The board will act on the resignation of Stacy Bunkers as the third grade Clark teaching position, and
TLC CIA position, effective at the end of the school year. The school board will also act on 12 different contracts. The school board is also expected to approve the proposed calendar for the 2020-2021 school year which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 25th. School superintendent Dr. Steven Webner will present a recommendation to the school board for consideration regarding the last official day for the 2019-2020 school year.
Superintendent Webner will file the 2020-2021 budget estimate with the school board. If the board approves the budget, it will be published on March 30th with the hearing and certification set for April 13th. The school board will consider approving a tax levy on property taxes for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the regular program budget adjustment as allowed under section 257.14 of the Code of Iowa. The school board will also go into a closed session to discuss the performance of the district superintendent,
Dr. Webner. The school board will also conduct a negotiation strategy session immediately following the regular meeting, which is exempt from Iowa Open Meetings Law.
Coronavirus Detected With Three People In Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Sunday that three cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Iowa. All three individuals with COVID-19 recently took a cruise in Egypt before returning home to Johnson County in Iowa. All three of the individuals are recovering at home in isolation.
Iowa health officials said one of the individuals is between 41 and 60 years old. The other two individuals with COVID-19 are between 61 and 80 years old. The cruise that the three individuals were on ran from Feb. 17 to March 2. The individuals returned home on March 3.
Governor Reynolds Ask State Agencies To Prepare For COVID-19
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s governor has ordered a partial activation of the state emergency operations center in Johnson to prepare for the possibility of novel coronavirus cases in the state. Gov. Kim Reynolds made the announcement Saturday in a written statement. The partial activation of the center began Wednesday. The governor’s office says the center provides
for coordination among state agencies and other partners. Beginning Monday, twice-weekly agency coordination briefings will be held to provide the latest information on COVID-19 and to ensure necessary preparedness measures are in place, the governor’s office said.
Pork Producers Request Funding To Prepare Against Foreign Diseases
(Des Moines) — To best prepare for outbreaks of any foreign animal diseases, the Iowa Pork Producers Association is partnering with the Iowa Department of Agriculture in asking state lawmakers for money. Drew Mogler, the association’s public policy director, says funding is needed to help the ag department prepare for diseases like foot and mouth disease
or African swine fever.
He notes that’s the primary state agency for battling any foreign animal diseases, should they reach Iowa.
Mogler says Iowa lawmakers are wrapping up their talks on policy bills after the recent “funnel” deadline.
Mogler says while neither foot and mouth disease or African swine fever has shown up in the United States, it’s critical officials are vigilant with protection efforts against any possible outbreaks.
Army Corps Of Engineers Prepare For Snowmelt
(Omaha) — Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say the big upstream reservoirs on the Missouri River are ready for spring snowmelt — and possible flooding. Corps engineer Mike Swenson, in the Omaha office, says they already have hit their flood storage goals and are starting to cut back flows from Gavins Point Dam, upriver from Sioux City.
Corps officials say releases will fluctuate up and down frequently as we head into spring as part of an “aggressive strategy” to maintain flood storage space for as long as possible.
The Corps reports snowpack in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming is now over 100-percent of normal. Officials say runoff has contributed to rises on downstream river levels with the potential to cause setbacks to levee repairs, while cutting back releases from Gavins Point should take the peak off higher river stages.
Three Names Submitted To Reynolds For Supreme Court Vacancy
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A panel has forwarded three finalists to fill an Iowa Supreme Court vacancy to Gov. Kim Reynolds. After interviewing 15 lawyers and judges Friday, the State Judicial Nominating Commission selected Mary Chicchelly, a district court judge from Cedar Rapids; Matt McDermott, a
Des Moines lawyer who for five years represented the Republican Party of Iowa; and David May, an appeals court judge from Polk City. Reynolds now has 30 days to choose from the finalists. A position on the court became available because of the retirement of Justice David Wiggins. Reynolds has seated three judges since becoming governor.
Efforts To Make Old Highway 20 As Historic Travel Route
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A national group is hoping to encourage travelers to visit small towns along the old Route 20 highway with a historic designation. But it’s no an easy feat because it takes cooperation from so many jurisdictions. The road runs through a dozen states, from Boston on the East Coast to Newport, Oregon on the West Coast. The effort is gaining
traction in Iowa, where the Historic Route 20 Association has won approval from all 35 cities and towns and 11 of 13 counties along the route. But other states, like Indiana, have issued a moratorium on new historic roads.
Urbandale Apartment Fire
URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) – An apartment building in Urbandale caught fire and was damaged extensively Sunday morning. A spokeswoman for the property’s owner Hubbell Realty, Claire Brehmer said the building in Urbandale’s Ashford Ridge complex was engulfed in flames Sunday. Firefighters contained
the fire by Sunday afternoon to a single building in the complex. Of the building’s 36 apartments, 31 were occupied. Brehmer said dozens of cats and kittens had been rescued from the building. Brehmer said Hubbell is working with the Red Cross to make sure everyone is safe and displaced residents have a place to stay.
Former Director Of Youth Center Convicted Of Molesting Child
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A former director of a Jewish center in Iowa City has been convicted of molesting a 9-year-old boy. A Johnson County jury found 29-year-old David Weltman guilty Thursday of second-degree sexual abuse. Prosecutors say Weltman abused the boy last year as he gave the boy
Hebrew lessons at the Hillel House. Police say the boy reported that Weltman once picked him up, carried him into another room and touched him inappropriately. Police say Weltman also confessed to a one-time friend that he has touched a child and that he is sexually attracted to young boys Weltman is set to be sentenced on April 27.
Juul Labs Donated Money To State Attorneys General
WASHINGTON (AP) – The nation’s largest electronic-cigarette company, Juul Labs, donated tens of thousands of dollars to the campaigns of state attorneys general. The donations were part of an effort to build relationships with these powerful officials and potentially head off legal challenges over how Juul promoted and sold its vaping products. But the company’s approach may be backfiring. Thirty-nine states announced late last month that they’ll investigate whether Juul’s early viral marketing efforts
illegally targeted teens and made misleading claims about the nicotine levels in its devices. Juul says it is working to earn “the trust of society,” by working with various government officials.
