Plymouth County Board Of Supervisors To Approve FY21-22 Budget
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will canvass the Hinton school district special election results when they gather today for their weekly meeting. The county board of supervisors will convene at the County Courthouse Board Room beginning at 9:30 a.m. The county governing board is
expected to approve the fiscal year 2021-2022 Secondary Road Employees Bargaining Unit contract, and the supervisors are also expected to approve a real estate contract for land purchase to install a E-911 tower. The county board of supervisors will adopt the fiscal year 2021-2022 county budget by resolution. Surveyor, Al Fagen is scheduled to appear before the county board to seek approval of the Willer Addition in Plymouth Township. Plymouth
County Engineer Tom Rohe will submit tile crossing permit request for Westfield Township. Rohe will also submit a permit for Southern Sioux Rural Water in Plymouth Township on county road C-4. Rohe will also present a resolution calling for a road embargo. The county supervisors will enter a closed session to discuss pending litigation. Following the closed session,
the supervisors will hold discussion with a possible action on the pending litigation.
School Board Hires Sioux City Accounting Firm To Conduct Financial Audits
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education approved the contract with the King, Reinsch, Prosser and Company of Sioux City as the accounting firm assigned to conduct the financial audit of the school district for the fiscal years for 2021, 2022, and 2023. The firm submitted a bid of $55,500 compared to the other bid submitted by Williams and Company of Le Mars which was for $60,000. School superintendent Dr. Steven Webner says he checked with other school districts that had used the King, Reinsch, Prosser and Company and said they came highly recommended. The school board wrestled with the idea of going away from Williams and Company, who had performed the school’s financial audits for the past five years, but they agreed it was in the taxpayer’s best interest to go with the lower bid.
Kwik Star To Open On March 25th
(Le Mars) — Progress can be seen on a daily basis at the new Kwik Star convenience store located in Le Mars along Business Highway 75 at the former J and J Cafe and Le Mars Truck Stop location. John McHugh serves as the Director of Public Relations for Kwik Star and says the new store is scheduled to open in late March.
Kwik Star is headquartered in La Cross, Wisconsin, and McHugh says Kwik Star is different from other area convenient stores in the fact that many of the food items are produced by the company.
McHugh says Kwik Star focuses on “Fresh Foods”, and he tells of the convenience store’s specialty with bananas as his example.
The Kwik Star official further explains the company’s policy of always delivering fresh food.
McHugh says the new convenience store plans to employ at least 45 people, and he says they are always looking for good employees.
McHugh explains what attracted Kwik Star to start a business in Le Mars.
Again, Kwik Star’s projected opening for its Le Mars store is scheduled for March 25th.
Governor Signs Bill Making Sweeping Changes To Iowa Election Laws
(Des Moines, IA) — A bill signed Monday by Governor Kim Reynolds would shorten the time for early voting in Iowa from 29 days to 20. The new legislation makes sweeping changes to the state’s election laws. The bill also prohibits county auditors from sending absentee ballot applications out unless a voter asks for one. Opponents call this “voter suppression” and Democratic voting rights attorney Marc Elias has suggested taking legal action. Iowa is one of several Republican-controlled states tightening voting laws due to distrust of the system prompted by former President Trump’s claims of widespread voter fraud.
Iowa Senate Adds Lawsuit Immunity For Police Officers To State Code
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Senate has approved the addition of expansive lawsuit immunity for police officers to the state code. One supporter, state Senator Chris Cournoyer of LeClaire, said the bill doesn’t protect negligence, incompetence, or officers knowingly violating the law. Iowa’s move to codify what is called “qualified immunity” for law enforcement comes at the same time some states have introduced legislation doing away with that legal defense. The measure moves on to the Iowa House.
AARP Director Wants Policies Involving Older Iowans Reviewed
(Des Moines, IA) — A-A-R-P state director Brad Anderson says the pandemic should prompt public officials to rethink policies that impact older Iowans. He says the virus has shown the shortcomings of nursing homes and the entire industry. Anderson says home-based care is a better model for older Iowans, and he says once the virus is under control the state needs to look at the whole industry and then use Covid as a spring board to rethink long-term care in Iowa. Anderson says the number of Iowans over the age of 85 is projected to grow by 36 percent by 2030. Anderson says now is the time to start talking about caring for a growing number of elderly Iowans and that includes their mental as well as physical health.
Governor Visits COVID Vaccine Clinic In Fort Dodge
(Fort Dodge, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds visited the COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Fort Dodge this weekend to see first-hand the new techniques being put into practice there. The clinic was put on by the Webster County Public Health Department and the governor said she was impressed with the event’s execution. While Iowa is experiencing a vaccine shortage, Reynolds says the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine could help alleviate that issue because it’s a single dose. The governor says the Webster County clinics are the blueprint the rest of the state could follow. An average of 90 people every 30 minutes have been vaccinated at the Webster County clinics.
International Magazine Recognizes Clinton
(Clinton, IA) — An eastern Iowa community has won international recognition. Site Selector Magazine, which has a global distribution, has named Clinton as the top small location for industrial projects on a per capita basis in the Mississippi River corridor. The president and C-E-O of the Clinton Regional Development Corporation, Erin Cole, says only seven diverse projects were recognized and it’s great exposure for the Clinton area. She says the magazine article covered a lot of information about Clinton and the surrounding community. Cole says it’s vital for Clinton residents to recognize and spread the positive news.
Des Moines Police Say 2 Shooting Connected To Confrontation At North High School
(Des Moines, IA) — Des Moines police say two shootings Friday and Saturday were connected to a confrontation Friday shortly before noon when a group of non-students entered North High School. School staff members escorted those non-students out of the building, but the students involved in the confrontation followed them. About an hour later, police were notified of an incident that left an 18-year-old driver wounded. Witnesses say the driver was injured in an exchange of gunfire between the car and a group of juveniles in the street. Then Saturday, 16-year-old Elijah Brown-Townsend died when a gun being handed to him went off accidentally. At least one person in the car had been involved in the Friday shooting.
Story County Jury Finds Man Guilty Of 2017 Murder
(Nevada, IA) — A Story County jury has found a man guilty of first-degree murder in a case from 2017. Anthony English will face a life sentence. He was convicted of killing Xavier Jordan Shepley in 2017. Ames police found Shepley suffering from a single gunshot wound at his apartment. He was transported to Mary Greeley Medical Center where he died before doctors could save his life. Defense attorneys made multiple motions for a new trial but were turned away. English is one of four people charged in the killing.
