School Board Approves Use Of Face Masks For Start Of School
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education held a special meeting last evening to decide what option will be followed for the start of the new school year. School superintendent, Dr. Steve Webner presented his
recommendation to the school board for their consideration. By a 7 to 0 vote, the school board did approve the recommendations as set forth by Dr. Webner.
In that recommendation, Webner suggested to have face-to-face classes.
In addition, Superintendent Webner informed the board of education that masks or face coverings should be worn by every student, faculty member, and staff employee.
Webner gave facts and statistics to the school board to support his recommendations.
Webner backed up his requests for use of face masks by quoting the Centers for Disease Control.
As for why holding face-to-face classes as opposed to on-line courses, Webner says students learn more when they are in a classroom setting.
Webner and board directors said the situation is likely to change as the school year progresses, and everyone, including parents, administration, faculty, and students may need to be prepared and anticipate possible changes.
School officials have been in constant communication with local health officials as they prepare a plan for the “Return to Learn.”
Life Skills Training Center Quilt Auction To Be Conducted On-line
(Le Mars) — Life Skills Training Center has had a big presence at the Plymouth County Fair in past years with its snow cone booth, quilt auction, and cow pie bossy bingo, all of which generate needed funds for the adult special needs center. Even though there isn’t a fair this year due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Shelly Thomson with Life Skills says they will
still hold a quilt auction, although it will be held on-line. Thomson tells of the number and type of quilts to be auctioned this year.
Bruce Brock Auction Company of Le Mars will conduct the on-line auction for the Life Skills Training Center quilt auction.
Thomson says this year’s quilts are of various sizes ranging from the baby quilts up to king size bed quilt.
The Life Skills Training Center official explains how the highest bidders can pick up their quilt after the auction is completed.
The Life Skills Quilt auction will begin on Friday, July 31st and will run through August 10th.
Le Mars Police Warn Against New Scam
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Police Department is advising local businesses and residents to be aware of another possible scam. Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte sent a notice to area businesses through the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce saying this latest scam supposedly has people contacting businesses
claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office conducting an investigation into fraudulent credit cards and counterfeit money.
Vande Vegte says the scam began with a phone call, were the caller asked for contact information on staff. Once contact information was obtained they began to text asking for detailed information about the cash on hand, again for what was said as investigation purposes. Vande Vegte says if something seems a miss, you should hang up and notify the Le Mars Police Department.
Vande Vegte says there have also been some reported scams involving Social Security.
The Le Mars Police Chief says he is constantly notified of different scams, saying they occur quite frequently.
Vande Vegte says the scammers are becoming more sophisticated with their methods, even using what would appear to be local phone numbers.
Des Moines Triple Murder Suspect Arrested in Peoria, Illinois
(Des Moines, IA) — Des Moines police say a suspect in the January shooting deaths of three teens is under arrest in Illinois. Seventeen-year-old Leontreal Jones was taken into custody Tuesday in Peoria on warrants for first-degree robbery and a being material witness. Des Moines detectives have traveled to Peoria. Officers say Jones will be charged with three counts of first-degree murder when he’s extradited back to Iowa. Jones is
one of three suspects accused in the killings of 19-year-old Devonte Swanks, 16-year-old Malachi Swanks and 15-year-old Thayne Wright. Emmanuel Totaye, Junior and Daishawn Gills are facing first-degree murder and first-degree robbery charges in the case.
Fort Dodge Murder Trial Moved to Scott County
(Fort Dodge, IA) — The trial of a Fort Dodge man accused of killing a pastor is set to be heard in Davenport after a change of venue request.
Thirty-seven-year-old Joshua Pendelton will be tried in Scott County on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Prosecutors say Pendelton beat Reverend Al Henderson to death outside St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge in October of 2019. His trial has not yet been set as
jury trials are not permitted to start until September due to COVID-19.
Additional delays are expected due to the Scott County court system being backlogged.
Two Injured in Dubuque County Home Explosion
(Cascade, IA) — Two people are injured after a home explosion Tuesday afternoon near Cascade in Dubuque County. Sheriff’s deputies say two occupants in the house were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The fire and explosion did about 250-thousand dollars damage.
Investigators believe a gasoline leak from a 1965 Ford Mustang in the garage sparked the explosion. The classic car had been moved outside and its gas fumes were likely ignited by a pilot light in the basement.
Wartburg College in Northeast Iowa Offering Free 5th Year Tuition
(Waverly, IA) — A small private college in northeast Iowa is offering a tuition-free fifth year to all full-time students enrolled for the upcoming fall and spring semesters. Wartburg College President Darrel Colson said the idea began to germinate this past spring as a way to help students who’re missing out on what he calls the “Wartburg Experience.” Colson says many
students enroll at Wartburg because of the “full package” of activities, like music and sports as well as work and service experiences. Wartburg’s fall semester will begin earlier than usual, on Wednesday, August 26th and classroom instruction will conclude at Thanksgiving. Colson expects up to 16-hundred students to start the fall semester. The free fifth year of
tuition is offered to all Wartburg students enrolled in the 2020-21 school year.
