Supervisors To Convene To Discuss Bids For Culvert Construction Projects
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene for their weekly meeting at the County Courthouse Board Room beginning at 9:30 a.m. County Recorder JoLynn Goodchild will present her quarterly report. The county governing board will hear from Surveyor Al Fagen and Schlotfeldt Engineering as both will be seeking approval of minor subdivisions. Fagen
will request approval for the Hoffman Estates subdivision located in Plymouth Township, and Wayne Schlotfedt, or a representative, is seeking approval of the Stinton Addition, a minor subdivision in Washington Township. County Engineer Tom Rohe will open construction bids for three separate culvert
projects. Doug Langel is scheduled to appear before the county supervisors to discuss a parcel survey. County Engineer Tom Rohe will appear a second time before the county board to get approval of the road construction budget and the five-year construction program. Rohe will also submit several permit
requests from Frontier Communications and from Southern Sioux Water. Rohe will present project agreements involving the Hungry Canyons as well as an agreement with the city of Le Mars for resurfacing county road C-30. Rohe will also discuss with the board access to tower sites.
National Guard Soldiers Scheduled To Return Home On Wednesday
(Le Mars) — Approximately 90 soldiers from the 113th Calvary, Troop C based at Le Mars will be returning home after being deployed to the Horn of South Africa. It was last June, when the soldiers left Le Mars for the ten-month mission. Senior Master Sergeant Vince DeGroot of the 185th Iowa Air National
Guard says a homecoming ceremony is being planned at approximately 12:30 p.m for Wednesday, April 14th to be held at the Sioux City Airport.
Some of the dignitaries scheduled to welcome home the soldiers include Le Mars Mayor, Dick Kirchoff, Staff representing Congressman Feenstra and Senators Ernst and Grassley, along with Brigadaire General Stephn Osborn. If the National Guard arrival is on time, DeGroot believes the welcome home
ceremony will conclude by 1:00 p.m. He says buses will transport the soldiers to Le Mars with the parade route set for the buses to take Highway 75, then turn onto Business Highway 75 at the by-pass intersection near Wells Enterprises Corporate offices. The buses will follow Business Highway 75 to 12th Street and turn east at the Hy Vee corner. The buses will continue on
12th Street southeast passing by the new football stadium, and then turning north on Central Avenue traveling downtown until Plymouth Street or Highway 3. The buses will then follow Plymouth Street to the Armory Building where the soldiers will meet their families and go home. DeGroot says the public
is welcome to be on the bus route on 12th Street across from the football field, along Central Avenue, and at the Floyd Valley Healthcare parking lot to wave flags, display posters and cheering the soldiers back home.
KLEM radio is planning to broadcast the homecoming ceremony of the Iowa National Guard 113th Calvary, Troop C, and it will be featured live on the KLEM Facebook page.
Iowa State Bank Contributes $50,000 To Le Mars Community School Foundation
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education got a pleasant surprise last evening during the Board of Education meeting as Mike Dreckman and Steve Albert representing Iowa State Bank of Le Mars presented at check in the amount of $50,000 to Kent Pauling, the president of the Le Mars School
District Foundation. Dreckman suggested the school district use the donated money to help pay for the new sports facilities, including the football stadium and the renovated baseball and softball fields.
School Board Approves Estimated Budget For 2021-2022 School Year
(Le Mars) — During Monday evening’s school board meeting, the board approved the purchase of two 72-passenger school buses from Cornhusker International of Sioux City.
The agreement allows for a trade-in of $3,200 and the gasoline powered school bus to be delivered for $187,760. The board of education had bids from four different companies to consider. The school board approved the proposed budget of general funds revenue to exceed $31 million dollars with estimated expenses to be at $30 million dollars. The school board also approved extending the school year by one more day. Foregoing any additional unforeseen school closings, due to weather or other conditions, school is set to dismiss on Thursday, May 27th.
Le Mars Community Board Of Education Continues Its Streak Of Award Recognition By The Iowa Association Of School Boards
The 2021 Le Mars Community Board of Education
The Le Mars Community Board of Education Display Their Latest Team Achievement Award As Presented By The Iowa Association of School Boards. The award recognizes the commitment of leadership as evidenced by a majority of board members participating in school board development activities sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards in the Better Boardsmanship Award Program. This marks the 20th year in a row Le Mars Community Board Of Education has received this honor. An article that appeared in the Iowa Association School Boards newsletter says that “only four board teams earned the Team Achievement Award in 2018-2019, and that Le Mars Community Board of Education are the winningest team in the history of IASB’s Better Boardmanship Awards.” Pictured from left to right are: Todd Lancaster, Jill Feuerhelm, Kyle Plathe, President Scott Kommes, Jane Arnold, Angela Catton, and Dave Miller.
(award photo contributed.)
Two New Police Officers Are Welcomed To The Le Mars Police Department
(Le Mars) –– During Monday’s lunch hour, two new police officers were officially welcomed to the Le Mars Police Department as they were sworn to office, and received their badges at a ceremony held at the Le Mars city council chambers. Geoff Fay and Logan Sparr have previous experience with
law enforcement. Fay had been an officer with the Kingsley Police Department and Sparr was previously a police officer with the Remsen Police Department.
Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte talks about both new officers.
Patrol Sets Up Memorial To Slain State Trooper
(Oelwein, IA) — The Iowa State Patrol tweeted a message on Monday which says the Department of Public Safety and Sergeant Jim Smith’s family would like to thank the public for the amazing show of support since he was killed in the line of duty Friday. It says they have quickly realized that as they grieve
the loss others are also grieving. The Patrol says they have posted a memorial display of Sergeant Smith’s patrol car at the District 10 Office in Oelwein. The tweet says anyone wishing to honor Sergeant Jim Smith should feel free to stop by with cards, flowers, and condolences. Smith was shot Friday while trying to help arrest a man in Grundy Center. Visitation service has been scheduled for Thursday, from 3 to 8 p.m. while funeral
services for the slain Iowa State Patrol trooper are scheduled for Friday will take place at 10 a.m. in his hometown of Independence at the Independence Community High School.
Iowa Parents Will Be Allowed To Certify They Have Taught Their Child To Drive
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa House has voted to let any Iowa parent certify they’ve taught their child to drive, so the teenager can try to get a driver’s license. The bill would end the required completion of driver’s ed courses at their local school, a commercial driving school, or the D-O-T’s online courses before a teen is eligible for a driver’s license.
Representative Joel Fry, a Republican from Osceola, says as a homeschooling parent, a state law passed in 2013 has let him teach driver’s ed to four of his children. Representative Sharon Steckman, a Democrat from Mason City, says licensed instructors teach defensive driving skills in challenging
conditions parents often avoid. Eight states, including Nebraska, let parents certify their child has completed a period of parent-led practice driving rather than a driver’s ed course.
Bottle Deposit Law Changes Still Uncertain
(Des Moines, IA) — Lawmakers continue to discuss how to update the bottles and can deposit law. A key senator is expressing doubts that any changes can be done yet this year. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says April 30th,
is the target date for ending the 2021 legislative session — and he says it will be difficult to wrap up the bottle bill changes in the next three weeks.
Representative Chuck Isenhart, a Democrat from Dubuque, says something must be done to address the declining number of options for consumers who want to return the empties and get their deposits back.
Phone Scam Involving Amazon Circulating
(Undated) — A new phone scam in central Iowa has a caller claiming to be from Amazon-dot-com.
The caller starts by saying you’ve made a purchase, 500 to 15-hundred dollars and the supposed Amazon rep then threatens to turn you over to the fraud division of the Federal Trade Commission if you don’t pay up. Amazon says it will email you personally, with your name, if there is a problem with your
account. Don’t wire or mail money to someone you don’t know. Don’t deposit a check from someone you don’t know and wire the money back, no matter how good a tale they tell. If you think you’ve been scammed, call your local police
department and let them know.
Rule Changes Allows Hammocks For Camping
(Des M0ines, IA) — The Iowa Natural Resources Commission is amending its rules to allow hammocks to be used in state parks and camping areas. State Parks Bureau Chief, Todd Coffelt, says you would still have to rent a site — but if there are trees that can handle it– then they will allow hammocks. The proposed rules lay out how the hammocks are held up with straps and bands. You can NOT hammer nails or screw screws into trees to hold up your hammock. He says they are going to allow only two hammocks, or camping units together. The D-N-R will hold a conference call public hearing on the change at 10 a-m June 2nd.
