Wells Visitors Center And Ice Cream Parlor To Have Carry Out Only
LE MARS, – Starting Saturday, June 20th, the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor will temporarily close the dining room, reduce menu offerings, and return to carry-out only. We’ve had team members at the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor test positive for COVID-19. Team members known to
have been in contact with these individuals have been notified and are also being tested. The decision to reduce service has been made to protect the health of our guests, our employees, and the community.
We continue to require all employees to wear gloves and face masks and undergo health screenings before each shift. Robust safety measures remain in place to protect both guests and staff including social distancing along with stringent cleaning, heightened sanitation protocols and plexiglass guards.
Our goal is to do all we can to remain open for our guests and to continue to do so safely while providing necessary support to our staff.
For updates and current business hours please visit the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor web site.
COVID-19 Cases Top 25K in Iowa, 3 More Deaths Reported
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting 392 more positive coronavirus tests, bringing the statewide total to 25-thousand-127 cases. The COVID-19 death toll rose to 680 after three more Iowans died from the virus. One-hundred-97 people are hospitalized, 60 patients are in intensive care and 37 are on ventilators. There are currently 32 coronavirus outbreaks in long-term care facilities in the state.
More than 15-thousand-670 patients no longer require isolation.
Iowa Unemployment Rate Drops Slightly in May
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa’s unemployment rate dipped two-tenths of a point in May to ten percent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend said given Iowa did not begin to re-open until May, it is not surprising the jobless rate remains at ten percent. She
says there are signs that more people are returning to work as the total number of claims decline each week. Iowa employers added 15-thousand-800 jobs last month. The state’s unemployment rate was two-point-seven percent one year ago. The U-S jobless rate was 13-point-three percent in May.
Supreme Court Suspends License of Ex-Van Buren County Attorney For Sexual Harassment
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Supreme Court disciplinary committee is indefinitely suspending the license of the former Van Buren County attorney for sexual harassment. The district court ordered the removal of Abraham Watkins as county attorney in January of 2017 after multiple sexual
harassment claims from an office assistant and assistant county attorney.
The Iowa Court of Appeals reversed the decision due to the high burden required to remove an elected official from office. Watkins lost his bid for re-election in 2018. The Supreme Court disciplinary board recommended a six-month suspension of his law license. Watkins said he had a clean record and asked for a public reprimand. The Iowa Supreme Court increased the
suspension to indefinite with no chance for reinstatement for six months.
The high court says this is the first such case where there was no criminal conduct, but there were several mitigating factors — including the extraordinary circumstances where a county attorney was nearly removed from elective office.
Iowans Commemorate Juneteenth Day
(Des Moines, IA) — Communities across Iowa are celebrating Juneteenth on Friday (6/19) – a date marking the end of slavery in the U-S. The holiday is receiving more attention this year following protests against racism and police brutality. Hip-hop artist MarKaus (mar-KAY’-us) is an organizer of the annual Iowa Juneteenth Observance which is going virtual this year due to
COVID-19. He said Juneteenth is “a pinpoint on a time in America where our country grew up and decided to try and attempt to carry itself in a manner that it proclaims to.” There will be no Juneteenth parade in Des Moines Saturday so organizers are holding a virtual neighbor’s day with musical
performances.
Jeneary Comments On Legislative Session
(Le Mars) — The Iowa legislature ended its interrupted session a week ago, but there were some items that were not able to be addressed, as lawmakers had hoped. State Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary says he would have liked to see the state legislature pass the life amendment as it relates to anti-abortion.
Governor Reynolds has had the opportunity to appoint three judges to the Iowa Supreme Court, with another justice resignation expected within the next year. Jeneary believes the Iowa Supreme Court may be leaning more to a pro-life stance, and could overturn earlier decisions. The Republican state representative says there was some confusion over the life amendment.
Jeneary says one item that was passed during the closing days of the legislative session was to appropriate additional funding for the expansion of broadband throughout the rural areas of the state.
Jeneary says during the final hours, the legislature passed a COVID-19 protection against liability bill. He says the bill basically was passed along party lines with republicans voting in favor and democrats opposing the measure.
The Le Mars lawmaker further explains the purpose of the bill.
Jeneary says the state legislature also passed a bill that would exempt COVID-19 relief assistance funding from being subject to Iowa income taxation.
State Legislature Passes Funding For Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program
(Des Moines) –Before adjourning last weekend, state lawmakers approved another year of funding for the state’s cost share biofuels program. Nathan Hohnstein, policy director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, says the three-million dollars will pay for the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.
The association’s Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program provides Iowa fuel retailers with cost share grants to add the necessary equipment to their stations to offer higher blends of biofuels, like E-15, E-85 and biodiesel.
He says consumers benefit from this program and it also gives a boost to the state’s economy and to agriculture.
The measure passed overwhelmingly in both Iowa legislative chambers.
