Fire Destroys Camping Trailer
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Firefighters responded to a recreational vehicle trailer that caught on fire late Thursday afternoon. Fire was reported at a about 5:18 p.m. at 24505 160th Street, approximately nine miles west-northwest of Le Mars. Upon their arrival to the scene, flames could be seen coming from
the mobile home trailer. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper explains the scene.
(photo contributed.)
Schipper offers an explanation as to what may have been the cause of the trailer fire.
The trailer is listed as a total loss. Firefighters had to battle the cold winter winds as they extinguished the blaze. Several buildings were in the immediate surrounding area, but fortunately firefighters were able to confine the fire to the camping trailer, and no other buildings were damaged.
Firefighters were on the scene for approximately an hour.
Rob and Joyce Scheitler Awarded “Citizens Of The Year”
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce announced its award recipients for the “Citizen of the Year”, “Business of the Year”, and the Main Street “Volunteer of the Year” yesterday during a virtual video presentation. This year’s “Citizen of the Year” was awarded to Rob and Joyce Scheitler, along
with their daughter Shanna. The Scheitlers are the owners of Christmas Acres, the elaborate Christmas light display located on Impala Avenue, about seven miles west of Le Mars.
The “Business of the Year” perhaps was not a surprise because of the COVID-19 virus the award was presented to Floyd Valley Healthcare,
and this year’s “Main Street Volunteer of the Year” was presented to Shelly Brown.
Law Enforcement Officials Watching For Speeders On Plymouth County Highways
(Le Mars) — Speeders beware! Law enforcement officials will be in full force today (Friday) throughout Plymouth County watching motorists driving on the U-S, State, and county roadways. Plymouth County is being targeted due to the high number of fatal accidents that occurred in 2020. You’ll recall from a
report last week that Plymouth County had a total of nine fatal traffic accidents this past year. In addition, officials are wanting to put the brakes on motorists that drive at excessive speeds.
Museum Has New Exhibit Focusing On World War II
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Historical Museum is featuring a new exhibit that focuses on the World War II era. Jonathon Foster serves as the museum’s Registrar and Exhibit Manager. He says the World War II exhibit is located on the 4th floor, next to the Study Hall. Foster says the display shows both life for veterans at war, as well as family members at home during the war at Christmas time.
Foster continues by describing other artifacts that are being showcased in the exhibit.
Foster says the exhibit also features a couple of newspapers published at around Christmas during the World War II era.
The museum official says the exhibit is slated to be on display as a temporary feature, although no specific date has been established as to when the display will be dismantled. Foster says there is no charge to view the exhibit, or any of the museum’s full array of artifacts and displays. He reminds us that face coverings or a mask is required to be worn by all visitors to the museum, and hand sanitizer stations are located at various places within the museum.
Iowa Health Officials Report Uptick in COVID-19 Deaths and Cases
(Des Moines, IA) — The number of COVID-19 deaths and daily cases in Iowa are headed in the wrong direction. The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting today (Thursday) that 32 more people have died of coronavirus complications. That brings the death toll to four-thousand-532. Four deaths were reported Tuesday and eight on Wednesday. There are one-thousand-264 new positive COVID tests, increasing the state’s total to 316-thousand-434 cases. That number is up from the 803 cases confirmed Tuesday and just over 11-hundred yesterday. The 391 COVID hospitalizations is down from 408 Wednesday. Eighty of those patients are in intensive care and 32 are on ventilators. Eight counties currently have a 14-day average positivity rate of at least 15 percent.
Jury Trials Resume Monday Across Iowa
(Des Moines, IA) — The state judicial system is preparing to restart jury trials Monday. Trials were first paused at the height of the pandemic in March, then restarted in September, and paused the second time in November as COVID-19 cases were on the increase. Iowa Supreme Court Justice Matthew McDermott was co-chair of the committee that set the guidelines for restarting the first time. McDermott said “to our knowledge during that period there were not any incidences of COVID spread that came from jury trials.” He’s optimistic they we can move forward again next week and the months ahead. Lawyer Guy Cook is the other co-chair of the committee. He says they looked at having both masks and face shields and determined during trials that masks were the best way to go. The Judicial System has created a public service announcement to explain to jurors what will happen when they are called and chosen to serve.
Some Out-Of-Work Iowans Forced To Wait For Benefits
(Des Moines, IA) — An error made when Iowa Workforce Development switched from one bank to another is being blamed for an interruption in unemployment benefits. The state changed from debit cards from Bank of America to U-S Bank ReliaCards. There was no problem for most recipients, but a few cards were returned to the state agency. D-W-D says the error has been corrected and new cards are being delivered. Those who still haven’t received their benefits can go online to speed up the process.
