County Board Of Supervisors Will Not Hold Meeting This Week
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County board of supervisors will be taking the week off as there were not enough agenda items to warrant a meeting for this week.
The county governing board will convene again next week.
Pioneer Avenue To Be Closed
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department will be closing Pioneer Avenue between 220th Street and 230th Street, beginning today in order to complete grading work over a recently installed box culvert. The county roads department does expect the work to be completed and the road re-opened on Thursday afternoon.
Secondary Roads Department To Close Granite Avenue
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department has closed Granite Avenue from county road C-12 going south to 120th Street. The road will remain closed until Friday, June 26th. The reason for the road closure is work crews are replacing a culvert pipe.
City Council To Meet Today At Noon At Council Chambers
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council is scheduled to meet at noon today at the city council chambers. The council will begin the meeting by holding two separate public hearings. The first hearing is in regards to the Highway 75 Bypass Urban Renewal area, and the second hearing is a proposed development
agreement with Le Mars Business Initiative Corporation. As for action items, the city council will vote on the Plywood Trail Development Agreement, and they will also address the State Recreational Trails Program Funding. The city council will also go into closed session for the performance review of City Administrator, Jason Vacura.
Planning And Zoning Commission To Meet
(Le Mars) — The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet late this afternoon at 4:15 at the city council chambers. The Planning and Zoning commission will review the preliminary plat of the KNS 4th through 7th Additions, and whether to accept or deny the preliminary plat of the KNS additions.
Dairy Industry Leader Dies
(Sioux City) — Dairy industry pioneer and former Wells President and Chief Operating Officer, Fred D. Wells, has died. Fred was the son of Harry C. Wells, and nephew of Fred H. Wells, original founders of Wells’ Dairy in 1913.
Wells began working at Wells Dairy as a young man after school, loading trucks and working as a relief driver. He began his long career with the family business in 1946.
Over his 55-year career with Wells, Fred served in a variety of roles and was named President and Chief Operating Officer in 1977, holding that position until his retirement in 2001. He served as Co-Chairman of the Wells Board of Directors from 2001-2007.
Fred and his cousin Fay were at the helm during a time of tremendous growth for Wells and its signature brand Blue Bunny®. During his tenure, the company became the largest family owned and managed manufacturer of ice cream and
dairy products in the United States, achieving product sales and expanding distribution to all 50 states. Fred Wells was 93 years old at the time of his death.
Former Kingsley Police Chief Pleads Guilty To Domestic Assault Abuse
(Le Mars) — The former Kingsley police chief has pleaded guilty to domestic abuse. 52-year old Joseph Hoover filed his written plea Friday in Plymouth County District Court. Hoover has pleaded guilty to one count of domestic abuse assault, a serious misdemeanor. Hoover was arrested on July 19th after
the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office investigated a report of a possible case of domestic abuse in a Kingsley home at about 6:30 a.m. After arriving at the residence, deputies found a female victim with several injuries to her face and neck. According to court documents, the woman told deputies that Hoover had struck her with his forearm and shoulder. Hoover was suspended with pay shortly after his arrest and later resigned. Sentencing is scheduled for June 22nd.
Independence Day Fireworks Will Be Held On July 5th
(Le Mars) — Independence Day holiday is fast approaching, and many people are wondering how the COVID-19 virus will affect their traditional gatherings, including picnics, parades, and ultimately fireworks displays.
Notice has been given that the annual Le Mars 4th of July parade and luncheon that follows at the Plymouth County Historical Museum has been called off for this year. As for the fireworks display held at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds grandstand area, Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper says the city
will still hold the fireworks sky show, however with a few changes. Instead of featuring the fireworks on the evening of July 4th, which this year falls on Saturday, Schipper says the fireworks will be held at dusk on Sunday evening, July 5th. Schipper says the reason is because there are fewer
people licensed for pyrotechnics, and those that are licensed, are committed to another event for the evening of July 4th. He says the situation happens every few years. Schipper says the pyrotechnicians earn more money at other shows than what they can earn at Le Mars. By going on Sunday, Schipper says
we will get a pyrotechnician and since it is Sunday, this will allow taxpayers from Le Mars, who pay for the show, a chance to see if the show when they get back if they are out of town over the holiday weekend. Schipper says the only way to fix the situation is to have a bigger show and spend more money, so that the shooters are interested. The Le Mars fire chief says he does not believe the city needs to do this. Schipper says the last time the issue of the 4th falling on a Saturday, Le Mars did the show on
Sunday the 5th and had the largest crowd ever come to watch.
Iowa Veterans Home No Longer Has COVID Outbreak
(Marshalltown, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public health reports the state’s largest long-term care facility is no longer on the outbreak list.
All but two of the seven residents and 22 staff from the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown who were diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered. Those two residents are awaiting their second test results to come back. Commandant
Timon Oujiri says it’s all due to the great work of the
roughly 900 staff at the Veteran’s Home to slow the spread of the virus. The Commandant says while it is great news — COVID-19 restrictions at the Veterans Home still remain in place for now.
Black Lives Matter Leaders Meet With Governor
(Des Moines, IA) — Black Lives Matter leaders say Governor Kim Reynolds has pledged to sign an executive order to restore felon voting rights in time for the general election. They met with the governor at the state capitol Monday while dozens of protesters rallied outside the room chanting “Let them
vote.” Representative Ako Abdul-Samad who was also in the meeting says signing an order in time for the election would be a
positive step. Abdul-Samad also said he is glad Reynolds is not rushing an executive order before vetting the language with voting rights supporters.
Iowa Native To Be Executed In July For Murdering 5 People
(Terre Haute, IN) — An Iowa native convicted of murdering five people is scheduled to be executed in July. A federal judge had blocked the execution of Dustin Lee Honken and his three co-defendants last November. U-S Attorney General William Barr moved the process forward Monday by directing the
Federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the executions. The 52-year-old Honken will be executed at the U-S Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
