Home News Monday News, May 3rd

Monday News, May 3rd

Le Mars Man Gets Burnt From Backyard Pit Fire

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department along with the Le Mars Ambulance and Le Mars Police Department were called to 37 6th Ave. SE for a man who was suffering from burn injuries.
The incident happened at 9:49am on Sunday May 2nd.
Upon arrival a male subject was found suffering from burn injuries from a fire that had taken place in the backyard. A gasoline can and fire pit were found on fire in the backyard. Firefighters extinguished the fire in the fire pit and put out the burning gas can in the yard. The male subject was transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare and then transferred to St. Elizabeth’s
Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska by Le Mars Ambulance for his injuries.

The investigation has revealed that the male subject was illegally burning leaves in his fire pit when he used gasoline for fuel to burn the leaves.
Gasoline vapors ignited and caught the man’s clothes on fire.

Le Mars Fire-Rescue wants to remind the public that leaves and yard waste are not allowed to be burned in a residential recreational fire pit. Also gasoline should never be used when near fires.

Firefighters were on scene for 15 minutes.

 

 

 

City Designates This Week As Spring Cleaning Week

(Le Mars) — The city of Le Mars has designated this week as Spring Cleaning Week. Beginning today, Monday, May 3rd, and continuing through Saturday, May 8th the city is picking up the tab to haul refuge to the Plymouth County Landfill. City Administrator, Jason Vacura says residents can haul up to one thousand pounds of refuge.

Vacura says large appliances are eligible for the spring cleaning week, however, he says there is a fee associated with the disposal of those items.

The Plymouth County Landfill is open between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday mornings between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

 

 

 

Dry Conditions Continue Across Iowa

(Des Moines)-– April wrapped up on a very dry note Friday and the state’s drought conditions are worsening in some areas. State climatologist Justin Glisan says the latest drought map from the U-S Drought Monitor has a new “D-1” area of moderate drought that’s appeared in northeast Iowa. Also, the vast majority of the state is now considered abnormally dry, which Glisan says is something of a warning.


The map shows the northwestern area of the state continues to be the driest.

Forecasters are calling for a chance of rain early next week and turning the calendar page may bring a change in the drought conditions.

On the plus side, in recent weeks there was a large patch of D-3 — or extreme drought — covering several northwest Iowa counties, which is just below the worst category, D-4, for exceptional drought. This latest map shows no D-3 in Iowa at all.

 

 

 

Broadband Communications Companies Excited For Bill Passing

(Sioux Center) — Last week, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law the broadband internet bill that allocates up to $100 million dollars for the installation of high-speed broadband internet services through out the entire state of Iowa, including rural areas. Communications companies are thrilled with the passage of the bill which will provide state-funded grants to the private sector to install broadband internet services. Doug Boone is the C-E-O of Premier Communications of Sioux Center. He says providing broadband internet services is important.

(file photo of Doug Boone)

Premier Communications serves 29 different communities in northwest Iowa, and southeast South Dakota and has already begun the process of providing broadband internet services to rural regions of northwest Iowa through U-S-D-A Rural Development grants, as well as state grants. Boone says the passing of the bill will help Premier Communications expand even further.

The broadband bill requires private companies to also invest with the program by putting up matching funds. Boone says the bill may allow for Premier Communications to move into other uncharted territory, or areas that may presently be under-served.

Boone believes high-speed broadband internet is essential for rural areas to continue to grow and prosper.

The Premier Communications executive says he appreciates the leadership as exhibited by Governor Reynolds and of the state legislature. He says there are now efforts underway on a national basis to expand broadband internet services.

Premier Communications of Sioux Center currently has 23,000 customers.

 

 

 

Governor Reynolds Signs Bill Banning Rental Discrimination

(Des Moines, IA) — A bill that blocks cities from banning rental discrimination based on a tenant’s use of a Section 8 housing voucher will become law. Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the bill Friday. Landlords in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Marion will be allowed to resume rejecting tenants based on their use of rental assistance again in 2023. Those are the three cities in Iowa that currently have ordinances to prevent such discrimination. Landlords in those cities are allowed to reject voucher recipients for other reasons — such as past criminal convictions. Republican supporters of the new law have said landlords should get to choose whether to accept federal money for rent. Democratic opponents say this will make it even harder for vulnerable Iowans to find housing.

 

 

 

Forestry Specialist Finds Positives In Derecho Aftermath

(Ames, IA) — The rare and powerful derecho that rampaged across Iowa last August caused extensive damage to hundreds of thousands of trees. An Iowa State University forestry specialist says not all of the derecho damage was negative. Billy Beck says it is a chance for the state’s woodland owners to recover and make their forests even more resilient than before. Much like a wildfire can help a forest by clearing out dead trees and undergrowth, the derecho has provided the chance to rebuild some of the state’s key woodlands. Beck says diversity is vital in a forest, and that includes diversity of species, age, size, and structure, as well as distribution on the landscape.

 

 

 

Shooting Victim Report To Be In Critical Condition

(Des Moines, IA) — A man is in critical condition after a shooting outside a Des Moines Strip club. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office received several 9-1-1 calls Sunday around 4:00 a-m about multiple shots being fired at Big Earl’s Gold Mine. The sheriff’s office says the man who was shot is 30-year-old Derrick Glenn Smith of Des Moines. Investigators are not yet releasing any other information on the shooting.

 

 

 

West Des Moines Police Investigate Kidnapping

(West Des Moines, IA) — West Des Moines police have taken a 41-year-old man into custody while investigating the kidnapping of a woman Saturday night. Officers were called to a convenience store at about 9:00 p-m by a woman saying she had been kidnapped and held against her will at an apartment in West Des Moines. The victim’s name wasn’t released, but she told officers her former boyfriend, Joseph Hansen, had taken her from her apartment Friday. She said she was eventually able to escape and make her way to the convenience store. When authorities came to arrest him, Hansen reportedly broke into a neighbor’s apartment, then resisted arrest and assaulted officers. He faces charges of domestic assault, second-degree kidnapping, second-degree burglary, possessing a firearm as a felon, and assault on a police officer. He’s being held in the Polk County Jail.

 

 

 

Board of Regents Selects University of Illinois Vice President to Become Next University of Iowa President

(Iowa City) — The number two leader at the University of Illinois will cross the Mississippi River and take over the top spot at the University of Iowa. The Board of Regents selected 63-year-old Barbara Wilson on Friday to become the 22nd president. Regents president Michael Richards called for a motion to approve Wilson following a closed session to review the four finalists.

Wilson spoke after the board voted unanimously to approve her.

Wilson wore a gold jacket as she talked to the board.

Wilson says. She says she is anxious to get to work.

Wilson will replace Bruce Harreld, who is retiring She has served as executive vice president and vice president for academic affairs for the University of Illinois System since 2016.