Firefighters Respond To Silage Fire
(Le Mars) — Firefighters were called the scene of a reported fire at 14614 Meadowlark Avenue, about four miles north of Le Mars. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department responded to what was described as a commodity shed and silage feed pile that had caught on fire. The call was reported at about 12:55 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters were on the scene for
nearly two and a half hours, and they had to contend with strong north-northwest winds blowing more than 35 mph while trying to contain the fire.
Fire Chief Dave Schipper explains what had happened.
Upon arrival, Schipper says the structure was fully engulfed with flames.
Schipper says the cause of the fire was accidental. Schipper says the fine chopped hay that caught on fire created another challenge for firefighters.
Le Mars did not require any mutual aid with the fire. However, Orange City fire department did come to Le Mars to cover the community in case of any other alarms may have occurred. A previously planned fire alarm was scheduled for Franklin Elementary school and the Orange City Fire Department
assisted with the school with that planned fire alarm. Fire Chief Schipper estimates the damage from Wednesday’s fire at more than $50,000.
Primebank To Hold Easter Egg Hunt On Saturday At Drive Thru
(Le Mars) — Easter is this coming Sunday, and along with Easter is the traditional Easter Egg Hunt. Although, this year the Easter Egg hunt isn’t so traditional. Due to COVID-19 concerns, Primebank, the sponsor of the egg hunt, will conduct the hunt in a different manner. Brad Pick of Primebank tells what’s going to happen on Saturday.
Pick says the Easter eggs to be distributed to children will be filled with candy.
Pick says the distribution of the Easter eggs will begin at 11:15 and will continue until 1:00 p.m. or until the eggs are gone. He says people need to go through the Primebank’s drive thru lanes, using all three lanes. Vehicles need to approach the drive thru from the west. Vehicles may also approach at the alley either from the north or from the south, but then turning heading east. Pick says the Easter bunny will be on hand to wave at all the children. Pick says the eggs will be given in bags.
The Primebank official says they want to limit the Easter egg distribution to children 12 years of age and under. People can check the map showing the traffic pattern for the distribution of the Easter eggs.
Governor Announces COVID Vaccines To Be Sent To Colleges
(Des Moines) — Governor Reynolds, during her weekly news conference held Wednesday, announced that several Iowa community colleges and four-year private colleges would be setting up clinics, beginning next week, to vaccinate both faculty and students. Two of the colleges mentioned, are familiar to northwest Iowa.
The governor says in following weeks additional Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be allocated for the sole purpose of vaccinating students and faculty at other Iowa colleges. Governor Reynolds also announced that beginning on
April 5th, everyone of all ages will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Des Moines Area Community College headquartered in Ankeny, along with Dordt University and Northwestern College will hold a clinic with the state’s assistance to vaccinate its student body and faculty. DMACC president, Rob Denson appeared at the governor’s news conference and explained the importance of the clinic.
Denson mentioned some of the specific details relating to the community college’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic.
The DMACC president says he is pleased to get the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Denson says having the clinic available to the students will assure the campus will be able to return to a normal style of education much sooner, than earlier anticipated.
Searchers: Discovery Of Breasia Terrell’s Body Doesn’t Mean Their Work Is Over
(Des Moines, IA) — Community activists and searchers say the discovery of 10-year-old Breasia Terrell’s body doesn’t mean their work is over. Rob Johnson says the confirmation that the girl is dead is devastating. She went missing last July. Johnson says the girl was murdered and “somebody has to answer for that.” Knowing the family can finally lay its child to rest will
help some move forward, but those who have been so closely involved in the search for eight-and-a-half months say they hope the Iowa community doesn’t move on until justice is served.
Congressional Candidate Hart Ends Challenge To November Election Results
(Des Moines, IA) — Democratic congressional candidate Rita Hart is ending her challenge to the November election results. Hart lost by just six votes to Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The final tally went back-and-forth before Miller-Meeks was certified the winner and conditionally seated in Congress.
The Republican was the apparent winner on election night, but the discovery of an accounting error in Jasper County gave Hart the lead. Another discovered error put Miller-Meeks back on top the next week. In a released statement, Hart said, “The reality is that the toxic campaign of political disinformation to attack this constitutional review of the closest congressional contest in 100 years has effectively silenced the voices of Iowans.” She wished Miller-Meeks the best.
Iowa Attorney General Joins Suit Against Waivers For Oil Refiners
(Washington, DC) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and seven other attorneys general have submitted an amicus brief to the U-S Supreme Court on a suit concerning waives for oil refiners. The refiners want it to be easier to get waivers from being required to comply with the federal Renewable Fuel
Standard. During the Trump administration, the E-P-A granted a total of 85 waivers on the basis of economic hardship. Miller wrote that Iowa ethanol plants rely on the standard and renewing the waives will ruin rural economies. About half of Iowa’s nation-leading corn crop goes to ethanol production. The reduced demand for ethanol forced the shutdown of some
ethanol plants. Miller writes that has hurt farmers and retail businesses in small towns. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments later this month and is expected to issue its ruling by the end of June.
Federal Judge Orders Detention Of Colorado Firearms Enthusiast
(Iowa City, IA) — A 40-year-old Colorado arms dealer caused concern at an Iowa gun store last week when he said he was surprised people didn’t suspect he had been the mass shooter at a Boulder grocery store. Now, a federal judge in Iowa has ordered the detention of Adam Vannoy. A dealer in Ankeny
refused to sell Vannoy at A-R-15-style semi-automatic rifle, then alerted the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after his comment about the shooting where 10 people were killed. U-S District Judge Stephen Jackson ruled detention was appropriate after Vannoy continued to obtain
weapons while behaving in a way that raised concerns. The detention hearing was held Wednesday.
White Iowans Get Vaccinated at a Rate Several Times Higher Than Blacks, Hispanics
(Undated) — New data from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicates white Iowans are vaccinated for COVID-19 at a rate several times higher than Blacks or Hispanics. White people represent 90 percent of the population, and account for 95 percent of the vaccines. By comparison, only a fraction of
the Black and Hispanic populations have received doses. Governor Kim Reynolds has said the state is working to fix the discrepancy among racial groups receiving the vaccines.
Iowa Restaurants Looking For Workers to Fill Open Jobs
(West Des Moines, IA) — Iowa bars and restaurants lost nearly 27-thousand jobs during the pandemic last year and now the industry is looking for workers. Vaccinations are ramping up in the state and more Iowans are eating and drinking outside their homes. Jessica Dunker of the Iowa Restaurant
Association is predicting a big spike in hiring and says Mother’s Day is their largest holiday of the spring. She says many establishments are also expanding patio seating for the season. Dunker says carry-out and delivery are here to stay, but customers are finally returning to bars and restaurants.
