Home News Saturday News, November 21st

Saturday News, November 21st

Accident Victims Now Identified

(Le Mars) — Authorities have now released the names of the victims with the fatal accident that occurred Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Highway 75 and county road C-38. The dead accident victim has been identified as 99 year old Melvin Hanson of Emerson, Nebraska. The victim in the car with Melvin Hanson was his wife, 64-year old Kathy Yoder. Yoder was
released from Floyd Valley Healthcare shortly after her arrival with minor injuries. The driver of the semi truck and trailer was 53-year old Dewayne Whitney from Tenstrike, Minnesota. He was not injured or treated.

 

 

 

Floyd Valley Raises $36,000 Through Virtual Gala Event

(Le Mars) — Nearly 100 people were logged-on to virtually attend the fifth annual Floyd Valley Foundation Wine and Craft Beer tasting event held Saturday, November 14th. In addition to those participating in the bidding and program viewing, over 40 tasting-to-go orders went out for participants to enjoy prior to the live streaming event. This year’s first ever virtual event is projected to net over $36,000. The proceeds will be placed in the
Greatest Needs Fund for a future medical equipment purchase or project. The tasting-to-go packages were comprised of select wine and craft beer, various selections of barbeque and smoked salmon. The live streaming event had a virtual auction with a variety of items to bid on, several special guest videos, and a virtual treasure hunt. Attendees not only helped raise funds,
they also enjoyed a fun evening with friends and family from the comfort of their home. Amy Harnack, Floyd Valley Foundation Manager, says “we are extremely grateful for the support from the community and businesses who contributed in helping to hold this event again this year.”

 

 

 

Museum To Again Offer Nativity Display

(Le Mars) — Christmas nativities will continue to be a part of the Plymouth County Historical Museum’s gift to the Plymouth County community, with the exhibit scheduled to open in the Museum’s Study Hall Saturday, Nov. 28.

Open hours will be from 1 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday through the Epiphany season in January.

This will mark the 11th year of the nativities, although this year will be quite different from other years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of approximately 500 nativities, the display will feature the smaller collection of the Rev. Paul Eisele’s nativities.

Museum personnel note that the heart of the exhibit will remain, thanks to the priest’s nativities from around the world, donated to the Museum in 2016. The collection of nearly 75 nativities hails from Holland, St. Petersburg, Russia, Mexico, Le Mars, and Remsen, plus many other destinations.

The late Ron and Delores Burkard started the Museum’s nativity display in 2010 when the renovation of the 1905 Study Hall was completed. The Burkards brought their own collection from home the first year. Through the years, nativities have been shared by many people.

Jim and Mary Rohlfs of Le Mars, Museum volunteers, have led the way in putting up the exhibit of lights, trees, and nativities for the last several years. Helping this year was volunteer Jeanetta Kelly of Oyens.

In an adjacent room, a new winter display is underway. More details will be announced soon concerning that exhibit.

Masks and social distancing will be required for visitors; only small groups will be admitted at one time into the spacious Study Hall. All five floors of the Museum will be open to visitors.

Any small groups wishing to see the nativity exhibit outside of regular hours may call the Museum at 546-7002 to arrange for a tour.

The Museum, located at 335 First Ave. Southwest in Le Mars, is completely handicapped accessible. Admission is free, but free will donations are welcome.

 

 

 

Many Of The Scheduled Events With Hometown Christmas Will Now Be Offered Online

(Le Mars) — Due to recent restrictions regarding the size of gatherings because of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, officials with the Hometown Christmas celebration have announced the planned event will undergo some changes. Cheryl Wells says “While we are extremely disappointed that we are unable to provide the full Hometown Christmas experience, we know how important it is to still celebrate. Wells says despite the new COVID-19 restrictions, she remains excited.

Wells says the centerpiece 26-foot Christmas tree featured at the Olson Cultural Events Center will be dazzling for everyone to enjoy right up through Christmas.

Wells says organizers plan to create a video of many of the planned events, so people can still share in the joy of the season.

The Hometown Christmas presenter says this year has been such a challenge for all of us that we couldn’t let the pandemic stand in the way of bringing joy to the entire Siouxland community. We still intend to conduct a tree lighting ceremony that will be shared on Facebook to help spread the Christmas spirit. We hope you’ll join us by car, or via social media, or just by sharing a message of joy with family, friends, and neighbors.” The drive-in movie, “Elf” will still be featured Friday evening at Total Motors, otherwise most of the other events, including the lighting of the 26 foot Christmas tree at the Olson Cultural Event Center will be done virtually and featured on Facebook.

 

 

 

4359 COVID-19 Cases in Iowa, 25 Additional Deaths

(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting four-thousand-359 positive COVID tests today (Friday), increasing the state’s total to 203-thousand-33 cases. Twenty-five more Iowans have died of coronavirus complications which brings the death toll to two-thousand-127. The state’s website shows one-thousand-447 people are hospitalized with COVID-19. Two-hundred-75 of those patients are intensive care and 144 are on ventilators. Ninety-three Iowa counties have a 14-day average positivity rate of at least 15 percent. More than 10-thousand-770 tests contributed to the latest data.

 

 

 

FEMA Awards $4.9 Million Grant For Flood Repair in Hamburg

(Hamburg, IA) — The city of Hamburg in western Iowa is getting a nearly four-point-nine-million dollar federal grant to help with flood repairs. Congresswoman Cindy Axne says the FEMA grant will be used to restore seven buildings damaged by last year’s flooding along the Missouri River. The money awarded was to the Hamburg Low Rent Housing Agency to buy flood-resistant building materials and make changes to internal systems. Axne said, “the people of Hamburg have been tenacious in their work to heal and strengthen their community after last year’s flood – and over a year and a half later that Iowa work ethic has continued to deliver for them.”

 

 

 

Former Iowa Games Director And Longtime Iowa State Basketball Assistant Coach Hallihan Dies

(Ames, IA) — Iowa State University is mourning the loss of former Cyclones assistant men’s basketball coach Jim Hallihan. I-S-U officials say Hallihan died Friday at age 75. He was head coach Johnny Orr’s top assistant from 1982 to 94. During his time in Ames, the Cyclone men’s hoops program became a national player, earning six N-C-A-A Tournament berths, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 1986. After Orr’s retirement, Hallihan served as Iowa Sports Foundation executive director for the Iowa Games. The foundation grew from two events and 16-thousand athletes to over 20 events and 190-thousand participants under his leadership.

 

 

 

CyHawk Men’s Basketball Matchup Set for December 11

(Iowa City, IA) — This year’s CyHawk football game was canceled due to COVID-19, but the in-state rivals will meet on the hardwood next month. The Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball teams will play December 11th in Iowa City. The matchup was announced Friday. Iowa has won the last two meetings in the series.