Christmas Acres Attracts Visitors From Across The Midwest
(Le Mars) — Hundreds of people took advantage of the nice weather over the weekend and traveled west on Highway 3 to Impala Avenue, and turned south about a half a mile to view the thousands of lights and displays of Christmas Acres. The famous light display perhaps has even more appeal this year since COVID-19 prevented having the traditional Lighted Christmas Parade, as well as the Pioneer Village Winter Wonderland. Christmas acres is the brainchild of Rob and Joyce Scheitler and their family. Each year, people are impressed with the twinkling of lights that continues to grow year after year. Rob Scheitler visited with KLEM news about the Christmas lights exhibit. Scheitler answers what probably is everyone’s first question as to the number of lights that are featured.
Scheitler says each year, he and his family, start planning the project, and setting up the displays earlier and earlier.
The Christmas Acres owner says one of the new displays is a nativity scene that was donated.
Scheitler says people have been very generous and have left several thousands of dollars of donations which he says all goes to a local charity organization.
A quick check of the license plates from the parked vehicles will show that people come from miles around and even from other states to view the enormous Christmas light display.
Thanks in part to media attention, locally, regionally and nationally, including social media platforms, Christmas Acres has become even more popular with a fan base that stretches across several states. Scheitler says the media along with the social media have helped spread the word about Christmas Acres display of lights.
Christmas Acres will remain open from now until December 31st, New Year’s Eve. Scheitler says the hours are from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. However, Scheitler says if it is raining or snowing, the lights remain off during that time.
Shooting Near Iowa State Capitol Leaves Woman With Leg Wound
(Des Moines, IA) — A woman is expected to survive the wound she suffered near the Iowa Statehouse Sunday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports the shooting happened in a parking lot on state-owned property. The woman’s name hasn’t been released. A pro-Trump rally was being held nearby at the time, but investigators haven’t confirmed any connection between the shooting and the rally. One witness says a group of women was confronting people at the rally. He says they backed into his car and someone fired a shot, but he wasn’t hit.
US Marshals Work With Iowa Authorities In 2-State Search For Man
(Council Bluffs, IA) — Western Iowa authorities are working with the U-S Marshals Service in a search for a 36-year-old man wanted for attempted murder. Benjamin Marley Manley is accused of shooting at a woman outside a Council Bluffs gas station on Thanksgiving Day. He was later seen in Nebraska Friday morning. Witnesses have told authorities Manley says he will shoot it out with officers if he has to. Manley already served prison time for shooting a U-S Marshal in Saddle Creek in 2007. A reward is being offered for information that leads to his arrest.
State Prison Inmate Dies Of COVID-19-Related Medical Issues
(Iowa City, IA) — The Iowa Department of Corrections reports an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary died Saturday – likely due to COVID-19 and pre-existing medical conditions. Larry Donell Whaley had been serving a 50-year sentence for a second-degree murder conviction in Cerro Gordo County. He had been in the prison since February 2018. Officials say Whaley was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for more advanced care as his medical condition deteriorated. He was 64 years old when he died early Saturday morning.
