Officials Investigate Accident On County Road C-38
(Le Mars) — Authorities are still at the scene of an accident that occurred this morning at approximately 9:04 a.m. The accident was reported on County Road C-38 near the Anthony’s Truck Wash, about two miles south of Le Mars. At the time of the accident, dense fog was present in the area. The accident
involved a truck and two other vehicles. C-38 is still closed between Highway 75, near NIPCO and Lincoln Way. The Le Mars Ambulance Services, Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Le Mars Police Department and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene of the accident. Little information is known at this time regarding that accident. Motorists on C-38
may want to detour around the accident scene. The Iowa State Patrol is leading the investigation.
City Council Hears Waste Water Treatment Annual Report
(Le Mars) — The city’s Waste Water Treatment Department submitted its annual report to members of the city council during the Tuesday council meeting.
Director Ron Kayser appeared before the council. Kayser says the waste water treatment facility treated more than 781 million gallons of water during 2020, which averaged 2.14 million gallons per day. Kayser informed the city council that Le Mars residents and small businesses make up 56 percent of the
city’s total waste water treatment, Wells Enterprises comprises of 33 percent of the city’s total waste water, and Kemp’s, formerly Dean Foods, comprises of 11 percent of the city’s waste water. Keyser says the efficiency rate of removing Carbonaceous Bio-chemical Oxygen is at 99.3 percent efficient. He
says the average removal of Total Suspended Solids is at 96.7 percent.
Keyser says the waste water treatment plant is receiving more waste water this past year than from previous years, but he says the plant has been able to handle the extra load.
Le Mars Ambulance Service Submits Annual Report
(Le Mars) — The city council received the Le Mars Ambulance annual report during their Tuesday meeting. The report, which was written by Le Mars Ambulance Services Director, Mike Wise indicates in 2020, the Le Mars Ambulance Service was dispatched 1,174 times and made 1,170 patient contacts.
The report says the number of calls in 2020 was an increase of 3.3 percent from the previous year. The report says during the months of March through May the local ambulance service noticed a decrease in call average per month by 20 to 30 calls due to the COVID-19. The estimate is a loss of 70 calls.
The report says if those call numbers would have held true to the average, the percent change would be estimated to be an increase of 9.4 percent over 2019. The report says in 2020, 57 percent of the patients were transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare, while 15 percent of patients were transported to
Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, and ten percent were taken to Unity Point Health of St. Lukes in Sioux City, and six percent were transported to a Sioux Falls hospital. The remaining 12 percent were transported to nursing facilities, other hospitals, and funeral homes.
Dreckman Honored As “Boss Of The Quarter”
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce presented the “Boss of the Quarter” honor Thursday morning to Mike Dreckman of Iowa State Bank. The nomination was submitted by Ashley Schuttpelz. She writes: “In the short time that Mike Dreckman has worked for Iowa State Bank, he has made a significant impact, not only on the business, but also with his staff. I
have worked for several managers at several different places of employment and have never had a manager quite like him. Since Mike began at ISB, he has continually set our team up for success. He gives his staff empowerment by treating us with respect and appreciation. He consistently shows us empathy,
humility, and vulnerability. Mike is always extremely positive and
enthusiastic which makes our working atmosphere a place we want to be. His vision for our bank has always been communicated and he takes great strides and great pride in making that vision a reality. He manages the workplace
with trust and motivation, and our successes are made known and appreciated.
Mike has always inspired me to be a better employee, to take charge and show leadership where I can. He takes time to listen to our ideas and keep the environment an open one, where we feel safe and encouraged to make decisions and contribute to the success of our bank. I believe Mike deserves this award because to me, even though he has not been with us for very long, it
will not be long enough. He has made our staff more of a family and I have a lot to thank him for, especially for helping me realize my importance in the bank and many abilities I have. He has helped me realize my potential and I am most grateful for having him as a boss. Our congratulations go to Mike Dreckman of Iowa State Bank for being honored with the Chamber of Commerce 1st Quarter Boss of the Quarter Award.
Pictured from left to right are Mary Kay Dreckman, Terri Schroeder, Mike Dreckman, Steve Albert, Julia Deiterman, Jerry Schmitz, Jenna McDougall, and Ashley Schuttpelz.
Iowa Senate Approves 2.4 % Increase in Funding For K-12 Schools
(Des Moines, IA) — A bill that would increase funding for K through 12 schools in Iowa by two-point-four percent is headed to Governor Kim Reynolds’ desk. The Iowa Senate passed the legislation Wednesday that is slightly lower than the two-and-a-half percent increase Reynolds requested. Republicans say it provides a reliable funding, but Democrats say it’s too little to
cover cost increases. One-hundred-37 school districts could receive less state aid due to dropping enrollment during the pandemic. House and Senate Republicans say the are negotiating additional COVID-relief funding that would address the impact the decrease in enrollment would have on schools.
Iowa House Bill Would Require In-Person Graduation at State Universities
(Des Moines, IA) — A bill introduced in the Iowa House would require the state’s three regent universities to hold in-person graduation ceremonies this spring. Representative Carter Nordman of Adel says the measure would allow each student at Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa to have at least two
family members at the commencement ceremony. Each school could establish its own COVID-19 protocols for graduation.
Decatur County Authorities Still Investigating Dog Freezing Death
(Davis City, IA) — Authorities in Decatur County say they are still investigating a dog that froze to death in Davis City. The dog died Monday and a local rescue group complained that the owner wasn’t facing charges and could keep his other dogs. But the Decatur County Attorney’s Office issued a statement Wednesday saying that “an investigation into the cause of the death
of the dog was immediately initiated and is ongoing.” Prosecutors also said the owner of the dogs has since voluntarily turned them over to another party. Officials say an autopsy to determine the cause of the dog’s death is pending and that additional information will be released when the investigation is complete.
