Ewing Comments On Being Awarded The “Teacher Of The Year Award”
(Le Mars) –On Monday, KLEM radio reported that Randy Ewing, the high school vocal music instructor was awarded the honor of “Teacher of the Year” Friday evening during a high school music concert. We now have been able to visit with Mr. Ewing and discuss his thoughts upon receiving the high honor. Ewing says he was surprised by the unexpected honor, and says it is humbling to be so recognized.
For the last 15 years, Ewing has taught vocal music at Le Mars Community, but he has 28 years total of teaching music.
Ewing reflects back on the time he first realized he wanted to teach music.
Education and government officials usually like to emphasize a STEM curriculum, consisting of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Ewing says music is also important as it intertwines with many of those educational platforms.
He says his educational philosophy is to help any student, regardless of degree of talent, to understand and appreciate music.
The Le Mars Community High School vocal music instructor says students who are involved with music usually score better in other academic fields.
Our congratulations go to Randy Ewing for being recognized as the Le Mars Community School District’s “Teacher of the Year.”
Iowa House Advances Bill That Eliminates Gun Permit Requirement
(Des Moines, IA) — A House committee is expected to consider a bill today (Tuesday) that would no longer require Iowans to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon. G-O-P Representative Steven Holt from Denison argues you shouldn’t need a “permission slip” for something that’s a constitutional right. Holt says 18 states already have constitutional carry or what some would call permitless carry. Licensed gun dealers will still conduct an F-B-I background check before purchases, but the bill also would do away with the required state permit to acquire a gun. Leslie Carpenter of Iowa Mental Health Advocacy said making it easier to get a weapon quickly is the wrong move in a pandemic when mental health problems have escalated. Carpenter told lawmakers that suicides make up 70 percent of all guns deaths in Iowa. A similar bill is scheduled for a subcommittee hearing in the Iowa Senate today.
Two-Year-Old Suffers Critical Injuries in Des Moines Shooting
(Des Moines, IA) — A two-year-old is hospitalized in critical condition after a shooting late Monday night in Des Moines. Police responding to reports of gunfire learned that a child had been shot. Officers say the two-year-old was sitting inside a home when more than a dozen shots were fired. The toddler was taken to UnityPoint-Blank Children’s Hospital in critical condition. Investigators say the Iowa State Patrol located a crashed vehicle on Interstate-80 in Dallas County with a possible connection to the shooting. Troopers took five people into custody and recovered two guns at the scene.
Trial Begins For Carroll Man Accused of Killing Sioux City Landlord
(Sioux City, IA) — Trial begins today (Tuesday) for a Carroll man accused of killing his ex-wife’s landlord in Sioux City. Forty-five-year-old Gary Dains, Junior pleaded not guilty to the July 2019 first-degree murder of 65-year-old Paul Smith. Police were doing a welfare check on Smith when they found him dead in the kitchen. Investigators say Dains had previous stolen items from Smith’s house and the two got into fight that day. Dains told officers he stole Smith’s S-U-V and about 120 dollars from him so he could buy methamphetamine.
Dubuque Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Drugs in Fatal Overdose
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A Dubuque man is pleading guilty to providing the opioids that led to a May 2019 overdose death. Federal prosecutors say 30-year-old Julius Irvin admitted to distributing a mixture of heroin, fentanyl and valeryl fentanyl to another person and that victim died the next day. Irvin faces a mandatory minimum of sentence of 20 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison for distribution of controlled substances near a protected location resulting in death. His sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled. Travis Jones of Dubuque is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to distributing the same drugs that left two others dead.
