Pickup Truck Hits Gas Meter On House
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to the scene of a pickup truck striking a house Sunday afternoon. The incident happened at about 1:00 p.m. at a house on Central Avenue northeast. Apparently a small pickup truck was being driven down an alley and drive-way when the driver lost
control and hit the natural gas meter. The accident caused the gas meter to break. Officials believe the driver became distracted. They were able to detect the odor of natural gas when they arrived at the scene. Firefighters were able to shut off the gas. The house itself, did not appear to have had any damage from the collision. The front- end of the pickup had encountered some damage from the accident. There were no
injuries associated with the accident.
Taylor To Begin As A State Senator
(Sioux Center) –– The state legislature will begin its work today opening a new session. A new face will be representing State Senate seat District 2.
Jeff Taylor, a professor at Dordt University at Sioux Center was elected in November. He takes over the seat that was held by Randy Feenstra. Feenstra, of course was elected as an U-S Congressman. Taylor says his first priority is to get to know his fellow lawmakers.
Taylor will serve as the vice chairman for the Senate Education Committee and he anticipates several issues including school funding will come before him in the Senate Education committee.
Taylor says he wants people to also understand that he is supportive of public education.
Besides the Senate Education Committee, Taylor will also serve on the Senate Judicial Committee, Natural Resources, and the Senate Labor committees.
More Than $40,000 Was Collected At Christmas Acres For Christian Needs Center
(Le Mars) — The family of Rob and Joyce Scheitler from Christmas Acres will make a donation to the Christian Needs Center this Monday morning. Christmas Acres is an elaborate display of Christmas lights located about six miles west of Le Mars. This year, according to Rob Scheitler, a new record was set with the collection of donations left by visitors of the Christmas Acres exhibit.
Scheitler says he was pleasantly surprised at the attendance and the amount of donations contributed. He says there were many large donations that were given this year, and he saw several $100 dollar bills left in the donation box.
Scheitler admits one reason for the record attendance and record setting donations is the weather cooperated.
This was the 24th year the Scheitler family have featured the Christmas Acres light display, and Scheitler says more than $100,000 total has been collected for the Christian Needs Center in Le Mars. Scheitler says he wants to thank everyone that attended Christmas acres and submitted a donation.
State Lawmakers Return For 2021 Session
(Des Moines, IA) — The 2021 Legislative session gets underway today (Monday) at the statehouse in Des Moines. This is the fifth year in a row Republicans will control both the Iowa House and Senate — which means they control the issues that come before each body. Masks will be recommended but not required — and some lawmakers say they’re very concerned about their safety, fearing the spread of the virus as well as political violence. Republican leaders say the Iowa Capitol has had heightened security since racial justice protests started last spring- and they are confident that security will be enough to
handle any situation.
Two Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Webster County
(Victor, IA) — Two people are dead in what appears to be a murder-suicide in Webster County last weekend. Webster County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home in Vincent for a welfare check around 1:45 Saturday afternoon. Deputies at the scene found 69-year-old Allen D. Will and 67-year-old , Karen E. Will, both dead in the residence. Investigators that Karen
Will died of a gunshot wound and Allen Will died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Des Moines Man Charged In Capitol Disturbance
(Des Moines, IA) — The Polk County Sheriff’s Department says a Des Moines man who was arrested by the F-B-I for his involvement in the protest at the U-S Capitol building was brought to the county jail for processing Saturday. The
spokesman for the sheriff’s department says 41-year-old Douglas Jensen was booked into the jail on charges of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disrupting the orderly conduct of government business; violent entry and disorderly conduct
in a Capitol Building; parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol Building; obstructing a law enforcement officer during a Civil Disorder. No other information on Jensen was available.
Several Events Planned For State’s 175th Birthday
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has several things planned to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Iowa becoming a state in December of this year. Department spokesman Michael Morain says they looked back on what President James Polk wrote in his diary the day he signed the
bill making Iowa a state, and it said “‘nothing much happened today.” Morain says Iowans have been proving him wrong for the last 175 years. He says they hope to give everyone a look at some of the key events and people in the state’s history throughout the year in the run up to the celebration in
December. They include a special exhibition called “Iowa’s People & Places” that opens on March 5th at the State Historical Museum. To learn more about the programs celebrating Iowa becoming a state — go to iowaculture.gov.
