Weather Official Reminds People To Get Ready For Winter
(Le Mars) — We have been fortunate to enjoy unusually warm temperatures that have been in the mid-70’s during this past week. However, as we all know, the weather can change, and change fairly quickly in Iowa. In fact, snow is in the forecast for Monday evening and Tuesday. Jeff Chapman is a meteorologist with the National Weather Services at Sioux Falls. He reminds
us that during this time of nice weather is when we should begin thinking of compiling a winter weather survival kit for our vehicles.
Chapman says looking ahead to the winter months, we could experience some colder than normal temperatures because of the development of the La Nina weather system based in the Pacific Ocean.
Sunday will probably be the last day we see high temperatures in the 70’s.
Next week, the weather forecast is calling for the high temperatures to be in the mid-40’s.
Fifth Graders Participate In American Legion Sponsored Essay Contest
(Le Mars) — Fifth graders from Le Mars Community schools participated in a contest sponsored by the Wasmer Post #241 American Legion of Le Mars.
Students were asked to write an essay as to what the American flag means to me. Legion members indicated that many of the submitted essays were well written with emotional meaning. The top three students from Kluckholn Elementary were: Third place – Emily DeRaad. Second place from Kluckholn was awarded to Maddie Washburn, and taking top honors was Grace Durr. Franklin Elementary School’s top three essay winners included: Third place – Xavier Torres, Haley Kirchner placed second, and Khloe Mullally had first place. At Clark Elementary, Cooper Pick was third, Xuang Deng (Young Dang) was second, and Chase McNaughton took top honors. All of the winners received a
certificate, plus first place winners were awarded $50, second place winners received $30, and the third place winners were given $20. The overall first place winner was Chase McNaughton. His essay will be sent to the district level for further judging. Chase also received another $50 for being named the overall winner of the contest. Gehlen Catholic did not participate in the
essay contest this year.
Kluckholn Winners
Franklin Winners:
Clark Winners:
Jauer Earns FFA American Degree Honors
(Hinton) — Because of the COVID-19 virus, and like many events this year, the National FFA Convention was held virtually on-line instead of a live event. Unfortunately, students from across the nation were not able to converge on Indianapolis, Indiana for the week-long conference. However, the youth agricultural organization still honored many FFA students from across the nation, including the awarding and recognizing the American Degree recipients. The American Degree is the highest honor an FFA member can achieve, and this year, a recent graduate of Hinton Community High School earned the honor. Joel Jauer, not only was awarded the prestigious honor,
but he can also make the claim he is the first from the Hinton FFA chapter to be honored with an American Degree.
Jauer says he is proud of his achievement, and talks about what it meant for him to have a FFA chapter get started in Hinton only a few years ago.
Each FFA member must implement what is known as a “Supervised Agricultural Experience” which could be a variety of opportunities such as starting their own business, or raising crops or livestock, or working for a business. In Jauer’s case, he chose a couple of job related opportunities.
Jauer says in order to receive the American Degree, it does require a considerable amount of record keeping. Jauer had to complete an application in order to achieve the American Degree. Jauer says he suggests for younger FFA members to start early, and to keep focused. He says he was influenced
by many of his FFA peers from other schools.
Besides Jauer, Le Mars Community had two recipients of the FFA American Degree this year. They included Claire Ohlichs and Whitney Ten Napel. No other surrounding schools had any eligible members this year.
COVID Hospitalizations Increase 21 Percent In November
(Iowa City) — The Covid patient count in Iowa hospitals hit another high last (Thursday) night: 912. That’s a 22 percent jump from November 1st. There was also a significant increase in the daily count of newly identified Covid cases in Iowa, with 44 percent of those being tested getting a positive result. Suresh Gunasekaran (sir ESH goon uh SAY krahn) is C-E-O of the
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
The University of Iowa Hospitals operates a testing clinic for Covid and other flu-like illnesses. More than a thousand people were tested at the clinic Wednesday — the highest one-day total ever — and Dr. Gunasekaran (goon uh SAY krahn) says they will double staffing at that testing site.
Twenty-seven hospital staff tested positive for Covid on Wednesday.
Anticipating a continuing surge of Covid patients, the hospital in Iowa City will expand its intensive care unit on November 16th, with the possibility of doubling it to 200 beds if needed. Gunasekaran (goon uh SAY krahn) says it appears there is substantial exhaustion among Iowans about taking simple
steps, like wearing a mask in public, to reduce the spread of the virus.
He says public health officials are looking for innovative ways to combat that exhaustion and prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with Covid patients. Governor Reynolds announced yesterday (Thursday) she would launch a new public awareness campaign next week.
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Whitver Re-elected Iowa Senate GOP Leader, Chapman Picked President
(Des Moines, IA) — Senate Republicans have re-elected Jack Whitver of Ankeny as their majority leader and he told reporters another round of tax cuts are a top priority for the group. Whitver said, “we’ve taken several steps forward with our tax climate in the state of Iowa, but it’s not as good as it needs to be and so we’re going to always continue to work on that.”
The G-O-P will hold 32 of the 50 seats in the Iowa Senate in 2021. It will be the fifth year of Republican control of the Senate, the Iowa House and the governorship. The presiding officer in the Senate did not seek reelection and Republicans selected Jake Chapman of Adel to take over that role in January.
3533 New COVID Cases in Iowa, Record 912 Hospitalizations
(Des Moines, IA) — COVID-19 hospitalizations in Iowa topped 900 for the first time overnight, with a record 912 patients being treated for the virus.
One-hundred-88 of those patients are in intensive care units and 67 are on ventilators. State health officials reported three-thousand-533 new positive tests for COVID, increasing the total to 144-thousand-142 cases. Fourteen more Iowans have died of coronavirus complications which brings the state’s death toll to one-thousand-815. Seventy-four of Iowa’s 99 counties now have
a two-week average positivity rate of more than 15 percent.
Sioux Police Issue Arrest Warrant For Murder Suspect
(Sioux City, IA) — The Sioux City Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for suspected killer 36-year-old Roderick D. Banks. Officers say Banks is facing a first-degree murder charge for the November 1st shooting of Solomon Blackbird. Banks is Black, six-foot-three, weighs around 190 pounds and has short hair. Investigators believe the shooting of Blackbird may have
been the result of a drug deal gone bad. Banks is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone with information should contact law enforcement.
2-Year-Old Accidentally Shot at Cedar Rapids Mall
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — Cedar Rapids police are investigating the accidental shooting of a two-year-old at a local mall. Officers say a firearm accidentally discharged this afternoon (Friday) at Lindale Mall and struck the child. The person who had the gun is related to the boy. The toddler was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for treatment of a non-life threatening wound to the forearm. No names have been released.
