Home News Monday Afternoon News, January 25th

Monday Afternoon News, January 25th

Main Street Names Chairpersons To Main Street Committees

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Main Street four committees are beginning work on 2021 projects. The mission of
Main Street Le Mars is to stimulate economic development in downtown Le Mars by encouraging cooperation and building leadership in the community; by maintaining the historic character while creating a positive downtown image and promoting it as an exciting place to live, shop and invest; by improving the appearance of downtown; and by strengthening and expanding the economic base of the downtown.
“The Main Street Committees are starting to meet virtually this month,” stated Main Street Manager Mary Reynolds. “In 2020 because of the pandemic Main Street projects and events were
put on hold. As committees meet via ZOOM, I are seeing volunteers eager to plan activities for the future.”
Serving as Vice President of the Main Street program is Michaela Brown. Brown has served on
Main Street committees for the past five years. She has shared many ideas that other communities across the nation have done in regards to downtown amenities and festivals through her
travel with the family musical group.
The four Main Street Committees are:
Design – Chair Rich Ziettlow This committee works on improving the looks of the downtown district through art—Alley Art and the fiberglass ice cream cones. The group is focused on the
historic architecture of the downtown and seeks to save building through historic restoration and preservation. They seek grants to help building owners enhance their projects— State of Iowa
Challenge grant and City of Le Mars façade grant are two grants that have been used multiple times in Le Mars. The Design Committee works with the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission on projects and restoration efforts. Currently the
Design Committee is beginning work on a new street-scape plan for downtown.
Organization – Chair Terri Schroeder This committee is the fundraising arm for Main Street.
Special events, activities, festivals, etc. are coordinated to raise funds and highlight our community. The Halloween Trick or Treating event is organized through this committee. Plans are being laid out for a large Fall Festival, Cricket Tournament, a RAGBRAI activity along with numerous other events. The organizational committee efforts bring together the public
sector, private groups and individual citizens to work more effectively for our downtown.
Business Improvement —Chair Tim Claussen This committee looks at different ways to assist businesses in the Main Street district whether it’s grants, loans or educational opportunities.
They look for ways to use vacant or underused spaces. The committee distributes surveys to gain information about the public’s opinion of downtown Le Mars.
Promotions – Chair Brad Pick This committee assists downtown businesses by planning different promotions and events. The group is composed of business owners, managers and the media. This committee to make sure we have a strong downtown business district.
Le Mars has been a Iowa Main Street community since 1995. For more information on the Le
Mars Main Street program, or to get involved, contact Mary Reynolds at the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce 712-546-8821.

Le Mars Main Street Committee Chairs: (left to right) Brad Pick, Promotions; Terri Schroeder, Organization;  Michaela Brown, Vice President; Terri Martin, President of the Chamber Commerce; Tim Clauusen, Business Improvement; and Rich Ziettlow, Design.

 

 

 

Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce To Announce Community Awards Recipients Through Virtual Video Presentation

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce annual recognition program will be held virtually this year. On Thursday, January 28 the video presentations of Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Main Street Volunteer of the Year will be revealed. Three community videos are also included in the program. Boss of the Quarter, Employees of the month and
retiring Chamber Board members will be recognized. Make time to enjoy the virtual Le Mars Chamber of Commerce annual recognition program. Go to
http://recognition.lemarschamber.org starting January 28th. This program will be available through February.

 

 

 

Sioux City Fire Department Respond To Apartment Fire

(Sioux City) — A fire Sunday evening caused extensive damage to a Sioux City apartment building located at 1700 Morningside Avenue. Sioux City Fire Captain Ryan Collins says firefighters found smoke and flames coming from the structure when they arrived at 5:30 p.m.

At one point flames were shooting 20 feet out of the top of the structure. The building will likely be a total loss.

A few of the residents were treated for smoke inhalation, but none were hospitalized. Firefighters remained on the scene through the night.

 

 

 

Democrats Select Wilburn As Party Chairman

(Des Moines) — The Iowa Democratic Party has a new chairman. It’s Ross Wilburn, a former Iowa City mayor who currently lives in Ames and was just elected to a second term in the Iowa House.

The party’s governing board elected Wilburn this weekend. He’s the first black Iowan to lead either of Iowa’s two major political parties.

Wilburn acknowledges Democrats must rebuild after major losses in recent elections. Wilburn says the party has to focus on getting Democrats elected to city and county offices as well as state and federal offices.

Wilburn is a Davenport native and served in the Iowa National Guard. He will remain a member of the Iowa House, but plans to resign as a diversity consultant for Iowa State University Extension to work full-time as party chairman. Wilburn takes over from Mark Smith of Marshalltown, who stepped into the role last February after the party’s failure to quickly report the
results of the 2020 Iowa Caucuses. Smith oversaw Saturday’s meeting to elect his successor.

Wilburn was elected with the support of nearly two-thirds of the members of the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee. Jodi Clemens of West Branch, who worked on Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, was Wilburn’s main challenger. She says the party’s in its current predicament been it’s
been too dependent on national campaigns and paid staff.

Dickinson County Democratic Party chairman Brett Copeland was nominated to be state chair, too, but withdrew from consideration after a brief speech.

Wilburn says his goal is to develop a long-term plan for the next three election cycles. Iowa Democratic Party leaders have also reelected June Owens as the party’s vice chair.

Owens and Wilburn both said they will make the case with national party leaders that Iowa’s Caucuses should remain first in the nation. Earlier this month, the Iowa G-O-P’s governing board re-elected Jeff Kaufmann as state chairman. Linda Upmeyer of Clear Lake, the former speaker of the Iowa House, was elected co-chair of the Republican Party of Iowa.
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Iowa Pork Congress Goes Virtual This Week

(Des Moines, IA)  —  The Iowa Pork Congress starts Tuesday in Des Moines, but it will feature major changes from years past.  Iowa Pork Producers Association spokesperson Dal Grooms says the annual meeting will be the only in-person event this week.  Education sessions will be one-hour virtual events.  Grooms says participants will miss the annual trade show.  The Pork Congress normally brings five-thousand producers to Des Moines.  It was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic last year.

 

 

 

Former Make-A-Wish CEO Charged With Theft

(Des Moines, IA) — The former C-E-O of Make-A-Wish Iowa was booked at the Polk County Jail last week, then released. Forty-year-old Jennifer Woodley has been charged with first-degree theft and unauthorized use of a credit card. No estimate of how much money was taken has been released. Make-A-
Wish announced last summer it had discovered financial irregularities during a compliance review and Woodley had been dismissed. She served as the organization’s C-E-O for one year.

 

 

 

Knoxville Couple Charged With Shooting Kids With Airsoft Pistols As Punishment

(Knoxville, IA) — A charge of child endangerment has been filed against a Knoxville couple accused of shooting airsoft pistols at their children.
Police officers say they observed a bloody mark on an 11-year-old child’s leg during a home visit January 17th. Christina Eakes told the officers she and her boyfriend, Jacob Willmott, used the airsoft pistols to discipline their three children. Eakes reportedly admitted she tried to shoot the floor near the victim January 16th, but she said the projectile bounced off the ground
and hit the boy’s leg.

 

 

 

Murder Trial For Monona County Teenager Delayed For 2 Months

(Onawa, IA) — The first-degree murder trial for a Monona County teenager has been delayed for two months. Jay Lee Neubaum was supposed to go on trial in March, but it has been rescheduled for May 18th. Investigators say Neubaum shot 16-year-old Joseph Hopkins of Mapleton to death in January 2020.
Neubaum also faces additional trials on charges he sexually abused seven teenage girls in Mapleton. Dates for those trials haven’t been set.