County Supervisors To Hear Budget Requests
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will discuss the county’s budget when they convene for their weekly meeting scheduled for today at 9:30 a.m. The county board of supervisors will review auction items for sale from the Residential Care Facility. The Plymouth County EMS Association will appear before the county governing board to request additional funds for the fiscal year 2020-2021. The county board of supervisors will discuss increasing the fee that cities will be asked to pay for the Plymouth County Communications Center. County Recorder Jolynn Goodchild will present to the supervisors her quarterly report. County employees Jeff Gengler, Mark Marienau, and Todd Osterbuhr will present the secondary road bargaining unit wage increase request for fiscal year 2021-2022. The final item for the agenda is for the County Board of Supervisors to discuss and possibly take action on the fiscal year 2021-2022 county budget.
Reynolds To Give “Condition of the State” Address This Evening
(Des Moines) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is scheduled to deliver her “Condition of the State” address to the joint members of the Iowa legislature today. However, Reynolds is breaking from tradition as she has scheduled the speech to begin at 6:00 p.m. rather than during the morning hours as has been the case in the past. Reynolds will speak from the Iowa House Chambers. State Representative, Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars believes the governor has chosen to address the state during the evening primetime television news hour, as a way to have more people able to hear her message.
Vaccinations Against COVID-19 Virus Have Begun In Plymouth County
(Le Mars) — Vaccinations to prevent COVID-19 virus have begun in Plymouth County, and Plymouth County Community Health Director, Tara Geddes says while many other counties have seen a rise in the positivity numbers, Plymouth County, during the last few weeks has seen a decline in the positivity percentage rate.
Geddes says Floyd Valley Healthcare is dictated by the Iowa Department of Public Health as to who can receive a vaccination against COVID-19. The state’s attorney general office also tells of who can and can’t be vaccinated for the virus. She says county health care workers have been given the first round of vaccinations consisting of the Merdena vaccine.
The County Community Health Director says nearly 200 county healthcare workers were given the vaccine during the three days of clinics held last week. Geddes says Plymouth County long-term nursing care facilities both residents and staff have now been given their vaccination shot.
Geddes says they are now waiting for the Iowa Department of Public Health to establish the next level of priority vaccinations.
Geddes anticipates it may be late summer or autumn before COVID-19 vaccines will be available to the general public.
Christmas Acres Donates $40,000 To Christian Needs Center
(Le Mars) — The family of Rob and Joyce Schietler from Christmas Acres made a donation to the Christian Needs Center on Monday morning. Christmas Acres is an elaborate display of Christmas lights located about six miles west of Le Mars. This year, according to Rob Schietler, a record was set with the collection of donations left by visitors of the Christmas Acres exhibit.
Schietler 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. This was the 24th year the Scheitler family have featured 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.
Lawmakers Have Exchange On Capitol Violence
(Des Moines, IA) — There was a rare exchange between lawmakers Monday during the opening of the Iowa Legislature. House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City says as a 25-year Army veteran he was outraged by what happened in the U-S Capitol. Prichard says Iowa lawmakers cannot turn a blind eye to what caused last week’s attack — and said he was “disgusted at the reaction or rather the inaction of some and many of my Republican colleagues here in Iowa.” House Republican Leader Matt Windschitl (WIND-shit-ul) of Missouri Valley, a Marine Corps veteran, spoke seconds after Prichard. He told Prichard that violence and anarchy of any kind is unacceptable — and it doesn’t matter what the political ideology is. He said “I denounce it, whether it was what happened in D-C or the riots that happened over the summer” Windschitl’s comments drew applause.
Senator Ernst Speaks About Capitol Attack
(Des Moines, IA) –– Iowa Senator Joni Ernst spoke publicly for the first time Monday since the attack at the U-S Capitol. Ernst says Republicans need to lead the way and help unite the country. Speaking at an Iowa G-O-P fundraising breakfast in Des Moines, Ernst says, “This past Wednesday was a horrible day for the United States of America,” and what happened was absolutely inexcusable.” Ernst said she was praying for the two Capitol Police Officers who have died.
Health Department To Release Vaccination Numbers
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health announced today (Monday) that the department will begin regularly sharing COVID-19 vaccine updates with the public. Information released from the department says they will publish updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This will include vaccine administrative totals and county-level data. The data released today (Monday) shows more than 96-thousand doses have been administered in Iowa so far. More than 91-thousand of those doses have gone to Iowa residents. Around 56-hundred people have completed the entire vaccine series.
Newest Numbers Reveal Impact Of Pandemic On Air Travel
(Des Moines, IA) — The newest numbers from 2020 reveal the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on air travel out of Des Moines International Airport. The Airport Authority reports the number of passengers was down by more than half compared to 2019. Almost one-point-three-million passengers flew out of or into Des Moines last year. That compares to nearly three-million passengers the year before. The numbers show the number of people passing through the airport in December alone was off by 58-percent.
Large Jackpots Together Total More Than One Billion
(Clive, IA) — The Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots are at a combined total of more than one BILLION dollars. Iowa Lottery spokeswoman, Mary Neubauer says it is just the second time that the jackpots have simultaneously topped the 500 million-dollar mark. The last time both were more than 500 million dollars was in October 2018 when the Mega Millions jackpot was on its way its record amount in that game of more than one-point-five Billion dollars. Mega Millions has the next drawing at 10 p-m Tuesday for a jackpot that now stands at an estimated 600 million-dollar annuity and a 442-point-four million lump-sum option. The next Powerball drawing happens Wednesday. The Powerball jackpot currently stands at an estimated 550 million dollars annuity — or 411-point-four million lump-sum option.
14-Year-Old Girl Steals Police Car, Leads Authorities On Chase
(Coon Rapids, IA) — Authorities in west-central Iowa say a 14-year-old girl stole a Coon Rapids police car and led them on a high-speed chase Sunday afternoon. It started at about 3:00 p-m when a police officer responded to a call for help. The girl was placed in the squad car while the officer stepped out to talk to her relatives about what was going to happen. That’s
when she jumped into the driver’s seat and took off. The chase ran for 30 miles on Highway 141, ending in a ditch on the south edge of Perry. No injuries were reported, but the Iowa State Patrol says the chase involved speeds topping 110 miles-an-hour. The stolen squad car was disabled when officers managed to flatten its tires.
Des Moines City Council Sets Goal Of 100% Renewable Energy Use By 2035
(Des Moines, IA) — Des Moines city officials say their city has felt the impact of climate change through extra weather like floods and drought.
That’s why the City council has set a goal of using 100-percent renewable energy sources by 2035. A resolution passed Monday instructs city staff members to work toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Mayor Frank Cownie tells Iowa Public Radio the city needs to play a “bigger role in sustainability, mitigation, and adaption.” American Energy estimates it
could produce enough renewable energy to meet 83-percent of its customer demand this year. Environmentalists are pushing the company to shut down its remaining coal plants.
Carlisle Police Arrest 1, Look For Second Suspect In Bomb Threat Case
(Carlisle, IA) — Carlisle police have announced the arrest of one person and the continued search for a second in a bomb threat case. Detectives have been working on it since September 7th when the threat was made to the Dollar General store in Carlisle. Thirty-seven-year-old Tom Alan Oliver of Carlisle
is charged with false reports of an incendiary device. An arrest warrant has been issued for 39-year-old Chrystal Renee McCullough of Carlisle.
McCullough is wanted on the same charges in connection with the incident four months ago.
