School District Gives Annual Progress Report
(Le Mars) — Earlier this week, the Le Mars Community Board of Education heard from Rachel Leavitt, the school district’s curriculum director, as she presented data to the board regarding the school’s annual report. Leavitt says the school has either been able to meet, or come very close to its educational proficiency goals. However, Leavitt says due to the outbreak of
the COVID-19 virus, and the dismissal of classes in March, students were not able to take a state-wide evaluation test.
Leavitt talks about the FAST efficiency results.
Leavitt believes the students learning curve suffered a setback when classes were dismissed last March.
Leavitt says scores from the Middle School and High School were similar to those scores reported from the elementary grades.
The Le Mars Community Curriculum Director says Le Mars has been fortunate through the years to have a high daily attendance, as well as a low drop-out rate, and with a high graduation rate.
Publications of the Le Mars Community School District’s annual progress report will be printed and distributed to the public within the next few weeks.
Three Local Charity Organizations Receive Money From Shop-Save-And Give Promotion
(Le Mars) — The third annual Le Mars Shop Save Give promotion was held again this year. Shoppers in the community could pay $5.00 to get specials in participating stores from November 16 thru December 12. The shopper could choose one organization to receive the $5.00 donation from the purchase price — the three groups were the Le Mars Backpack Program, Youth for Christ and Josh’s Ride. Checks were presented Friday at the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce. Josh’s Ride received $915, Le Mars Backpack Program $705 and Youth for Christ $435. Thanks to Le Mars shoppers for supporting the Shop Save Give promotion and for shopping local.
Pictured left to right are Chrissy Rasmussen- Le Mars Backpack Program, Le Mars Chamber Main Street Vice President Michaela Brown, Deb Parmelee – Josh’s Ride, Promotions Committee member Robin Grosenheider and Abraham Curiel – Youth for Christ. (photo contributed.)
Fareway Grocery Store Donates $2,000 Of Gift Cards To Be Distributed To Le Mars Small Businesses
(Le Mars) — Fareway grocery store is wanting to make the holiday season a little brighter for Le Mars small business operators. Revenue is down for many small businesses due to the COVID-19 virus. Fareway has donated $2,000 worth of gift cards to the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce. Each card has a value of $50 and will be given to 40 selected Le Mars businesses. The cards will be distributed on Monday.
Pictured are Fareway Manager Justin Laursen and Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Operations Manager Heidi Nemmers. (photo contributed.)
State of Iowa Revises COVID Vaccine Numbers
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health has updated its estimate on the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine it expects to get.
I-D-P-H reported Thursday that it now expects 138-thousand-300 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine to be delivered to Iowa by December 27th — or about a 20-percent decline from what it originally thought. The Health Department said in a statement Tuesday there would be a 30-percent decline before updating the numbers. Officials also say there are more doses in the
Pfizer vaccines than first thought and they are reviewing how to proceed there. The vaccine continues to be delivered across the state and Sioux City’s two main hospitals were able to start vaccinating employees Thursday.
Iowa Unemployment Rate Holds Steady in November
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa’s unemployment rate remained about the same in November as it was in October. Iowa Workforce Development says the state’s jobless rate was revised to three-point-seven percent in October and fell slightly to three-point-six percent last month. Total non-farm employment decreased for the first time since April – dropping 10-thousand-100 jobs in
November. The number of unemployed Iowans decline by two thousand last month while the number of working Iowans decreased by 14-thousand-100. I-W-D director Beth Townsend said “while the state’s workforce continues its recovery to pre-pandemic levels, we know there are many Iowans still looking
for new employment opportunities.” She says there are more than 68-thousand job openings posted on IowaWORKS-dot-gov.
2 Killed, 2 Injured in Hancock County Crash
(Garner, IA) — Two people are dead and two are injured after a three-vehicle crash Thursday in Hancock County. The Iowa State Patrol says a semi failed to obey a stop sign at a rural intersection and collided with a eastbound vehicle driven by 56-year-old Debra Kamp of Britt and northbound pickup driven by 79-year-old Loren Jordahl of Forest City. Troopers say Kamp
and her passenger – 56-year-old Bruce Kamp — were killed in the crash.
Jordahl and the semi driver from Owatonna, Minnesota were taken to the hospital with injuries.
Davenport Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Deadly Chuck E Cheese Shooting
(Davenport, IA) — A woman charged in a fatal shooting at a Davenport Chuck E. Cheese restaurant is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder. Scott County prosecutors say 24-year-old Treshonda Pollion entered a written plea in the October shooting death of Eloise Chairs. Pollion was initially charged with first-degree murder. Witnesses told police that Pollion and
Chairs got into fight and they heard one gunshot before Pollion left the restaurant. Chairs died in the hospital about an hour later. Pollion has a pretrial hearing January 8th.
