Le Mars Police Officer Is Fired Following Questionable Comments Found Posted On Social Media
(Le Mars) — A Le Mars Police Officer has been fired from his job after posting questionable material on social media. Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte issued the following news release on Wednesday, September 15th.
On September 13, 2020 at approximately 10 AM the Le Mars Police Department received information that Le Mars Police Officer Jeremy Singer had engaged in misconduct involving social media activity depicting comments and behavior unbecoming of a Police Officer. Upon review of this information Officer Singer was placed on leave at 10:30 AM and a misconduct investigation was initiated.
Based on the results of the misconduct investigation Jeremy Singer was dismissed as a City of Le Mars Police Officer effective September 15, 2020.
The City of Le Mars took this matter seriously and the actions and comments made by Officer Singer are not representative of the values in place to ensure that there is trust between the police department and the community of Le Mars. Singer had been a police officer with the Le Mars Police Department for about three years.
Two Semi Trucks Collide At Rural Plymouth County Intersection
(Le Mars) — Two semi trucks and trailers collided Tuesday afternoon at the rural intersection of 190th Street and Iris Avenue, about five miles southwest of Le Mars. The accident happened at about 12:55 p.m. Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo describes what had happened.
The driver of the 2007 Peterbilt truck with a flatbed trailer was hauling precast concrete box culverts and was heading west bound on 190th Street.
The driver of this semi truck was taken to Floyd Valley Healthcare with what was believed to be non-life threatening injuries. The other semi truck was a 2004 Peterbilt owned by Kellen Excavating, was north bound on Iris Avenue, and was pulling a side dump trailer hauling fill dirt. The driver of this
semi truck was extricated from the truck’s cab by the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Ambulance Services, and the Merrill Fire Department. The driver of this semi truck did suffer some serious injuries and was airlifted to MercyOne in Sioux City by Wings 1 helicopter. Upon arrival at Mercy One in
Sioux City, it was determined that his injuries were also non-life
threatening. Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Ambulance Services, Merrill Fire Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Plymouth County Secondary Roads Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement all responded to the scene. It took nearly an hour
before firefighters and rescue crews were able to successfully extricate the driver from the Kellen’s semi truck. The accident remains under investigation by Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Enforcement.
Young To Resign From Floyd Valley Healthcare Board Of Trustees
(Le Mars) — At the September 8th Floyd Valley Healthcare Board of Trustees meeting, Dustin Wright, CEO, notified those in attendance that fellow Trustee, Bill Young, would be stepping down from his role on the Board effective December 31, 2020. Bill states, “It has been a cherished honor to have been on this Board for almost 13 years.”
Bill Young joined the FVH Board of Trustees in April of 2008, replacing Margie Moir. Since that time, Bill has held many roles including Treasurer, Vice Chairman and most recently Chairman from Jan 2016-Dec 2019. Bill, has seen many changes at Floyd Valley Healthcare including the North Addition Expansion Project, In-patient Remodeling Project and the recent hiring of Dustin Wright as CEO, just to name a few.
Mr. Young’s official membership on the board expires December 31, 2021.
Dustin states, “It has been a pleasure working with Bill Young. On behalf of everyone at Floyd Valley Healthcare, I would like to thank Bill for his leadership. He will be greatly missed and we look forward to staying in close contact.”
At Tuesday’s Le Mars City Council meeting, the Council chose to fill the vacancy by appointment until the next election (November 2021). Notification as to the appointment process will be made available to the public by the end of the week.
School Board Learns How School Officials Conduct Contract Tracing During COVID-19 Era
(Le Mars) — During Monday evening’s Le Mars Community Board of Education meeting, school board members learned how school officials conduct their contract tracing during this era of COVID-19. Dr. Mark Iverson, the high school principal, told the school board that with each passing day, they learn more about how to handle notifying students and parents.
Iverson informed the school board that he has access to all the seating charts from each teacher, so to make it easier to see who else may be have been in close contact, and may need to be placed in quarantine.
The high school principal explains the circumstances when two students were recently identified with having tested positive to the COVID-19 virus and were removed from the players bus on its way to a football game at Sioux Center.
Iverson told the school board members that it was determined the two students contracted the coronavirus from a gathering outside of school. The high school principal says there have not been any positive cases that were as the result of students being in class. School superintendent Dr. Steve Webner echoed Iverson’s claim.
The school board thanked the school principals for their work and dedication of doing what was necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Reynolds Lifts Restrictions On Bars and Nightclubs in Four Iowa Counties
DES MOINES -Governor Reynolds signed a new proclamation Tuesday continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency.
The proclamation, effective at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2020, permits bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries, night clubs to reopen in four counties: Black Hawk, Dallas, Linn, and Polk counties. It also removes the restrictions on hours that alcohol may be sold in restaurants in those counties. And it clarifies the social distancing requirements that
apply to bars and restaurants throughout the entire state.
However, bars, taverns, wineries, breweries, distilleries, night clubs must continue to be closed in Johnson and Story counties. They may continue to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption off premises. Restaurants in these two counties are still permitted to remain open, but must stop selling and
serving alcoholic beverages after 10:00 p.m.
The proclamation also continues to strongly encourage all Iowans two or older to wear a mask or other face covering when in public settings, especially in circumstances when it is not possible to remain six feet away from others outside their household, unless it is unsafe to do so because of health or
disability. Johnson County is home to the University of Iowa, while Story County is where Iowa State University is located.
Detained Suspect Uses Deputy’s Squad Car To Hit Him
(Eagle Grove, IA) — A deputy with the Wright County Sheriff’s Office has been treated for minor injuries after an incident in Eagle Grove Tuesday afternoon. The deputy stopped a car which was a suspect vehicle in a disturbance in Goldfield. Thirty-one-year-old Sean McMillan of Fort Dodge was arrested, handcuffed, and placed in the deputy’s squad car while the deputy dealt with a second person. Investigators say McMillan jumped over
the console, took control of the squad car, and used it to hit the deputy, then drove off. He was arrested later in the day.
Body Of Woman Missing From Iowa Found In Missouri
(Grant City, MO) — Authorities in northwestern Missouri have found the body of a missing woman who was last seen in southern Iowa. Melissa Chapman had lived on both sides of the state border. She was found based on a tip Worth County, Missouri authorities received Monday. After she was last seen
August 23rd, Chapman’s vehicle and a cell phone were found near a storage unit in Mount Ayer. Friends told investigators she was set to testify in an abuse case against a man she had been in a relationship with. Jeremiah Searles is wanted for questioning in her disappearance. He is being held in a Harrison County, Missouri jail on unrelated charges.
