Home News Monday News, May 10th

Monday News, May 10th

Knapp Murder Trial Delayed Until August 24th

(Le Mars) — The trial for an 83-year old Merrill man accused of shooting and killing his step-son is being pushed back until August 24th. Judge Duane Hoffmeyer has ruled the trial for Thomas Knapp of rural Merrill will be delayed. Knapp is accused of killing 51-year old Kevin Juzek. Knapp is being charged with first degree murder, as well as domestic abuse assault while
displaying or use of a weapon. The shooting incident happened one year ago, on May 11th at 20139 Echo Road. Originally, the trial date was to start tomorrow on Tuesday, the anniversary date of the shooting. Knapp remains in the Plymouth County Jail.

 

 

 

City Water Crews To Flush Hydrants

(Le Mars) — The city water department will be flushing the north side of Le Mars beginning on Monday, May 10th. Crews will start the flushing of water hydrants at 8:00 a.m. Water officials will start on the northeast portion of town which they anticipate will be completed withing two days. After the northeast side of town is done with the hydrant flushing, city water officials
will start on the northwest side of town. The following week, beginning on May 17th, they will flush the southwest part of town, and on May 24th, flushing will occur on the southeast side of town. City water superintendent, Rich Sudtelgte says residents should refrain from washing any clothes, or running any more water than needed between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:30
p.m. on the days flushing is occurring in your area of town.

 

 

 

School Board Scheduled To Meet Tonight

(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will convene this evening for its monthly school board meeting. The school board will begin tonight’s meeting at 5:15 p.m. at the baseball and softball complex to take a tour of the recently renovated ball diamonds. Each of the school’s principals
are scheduled to present a report to the school board. The school board will hear a report regarding the Middle School Social Studies Standard Report. The board will discuss Senior Awards Night which is scheduled for Wednesday evening, May 19th beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school auditorium. Le
Mars Community Commencement graduation program is scheduled for Sunday, May 23rd at 3:00 p.m. Tentatively, the ceremony will be held at the Le Mars Community Stadium. May is School Board Recognition Month, and School Superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner will present board members with certificates
of appreciation for their service to the students of the school district. Dr. Webner will present to the school board an update on open enrollment involving Briggs Bolton, a kindergartner from MMCRU for the 2021-2022 school year.

As for action items, the school board will take action on the resignation
requests from Stephanie Butcher who is resigning from her position of teacher associate. Garrit Shanle is resigning his 7th grade science teacher position.
Kay Michaelson is resigning from her duties as an IMC at Kluckholn Elementary School. Marlyn Renken is retiring as a bus driver effective April 21st.
Kellie bork is resigning his position as boys bowling coach. Steve Wick is resigning his position as head boys golf coach. Katie Majeres has resigned from her position as a 4th grade teacher at Franklin effective at the conclusion of the school year. Tifany Wright is resigning her positions as head girls tennis coach and assistant 8th grade volleyball coach. The board will also act on a number of contracts, including School Superintendent, Dr.
Steven Webner has agreed to a three-year contract as the district’s superintendent with a two-percent salary increase per year for the next three years. The agreed upon salary for 2021-2022 will be $193,800. In other business scheduled for tonight’s school board meeting, board members will receive the list of expected graduates from high school principal, Dr. Mark
Iverson. The board will consider approving the new school fee structure for next school year. Curriculum Director, Rachel Leavitt will present the cooperative agreement with Western Iowa Tech for the board to consider continuing the concurrent enrollment opportunities at the high school for the
2021-2022 school year. The school board will consider approval of the publication of the budget amendment hearing notice for May 12th, with the public hearing to be held on May 26th at 12:00 noon. The school board will also consider approval of a playground blacktop surface proposal for the
Kluckhohn Elementary playground. The school board will decide on Gehlen Catholic Title One Third Party Provider Agreement, and the school board will look at updating the high school handbook.

 

 

 

State Legislature Still To Act On Fuel Mandate Bill

(Des Moines) — The state legislature is entering its second week beyond what was to have been the imposed deadline of April 30th. Many issues remain unresolved including the property tax reform bill and how mental health is to be funded and administered. But another bill still facing the state lawmakers
is the so-call Fuel Mandate bill. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has stated she would like to see retail fuel markets be required to include a pump for E-15, or 15 percent blend of ethanol. Ethanol sales are usually ten percent blend, with flex fuel vehicles also able to run on E-85, or 85 percent blended ethanol. Reynolds says she wants to help stimulate additional growth in the
state’s renewable fuels industry by offering the E-15. State Representative, Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says, he favors the use of ethanol fuels, but he is against any form of mandate.

Jeneary says the Iowa legislature was able to pass several budget-related bills during this past week.

Jeneary says the state legislature passed the Iowa Economic Development appropriation which amounts to nearly $50 million dollars.

 

 

 

Legislators Remain At A Stalemate Over Property Tax Reform And Mental Health Funding

(Des Moines) — State legislators are still at a stalemate on the proposed property tax reform bill which would alter the way mental health services are funded. Iowa is the only state to fund mental health through the collection of property taxes. Governor Kim Reynolds and the State Senate would like to see a plan which the state would take over the control of the mental health
services. The State House of Representatives would like to see some reform of the property taxes, but they would like to see the funding and the control of the mental health services remain with the counties on the existing regional system. State House Representative Dr. Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says the difference is the devil in the details.

The Iowa legislature was to have adjourned on April 30th, but Jeneary believes they will remain in session until such time this major issue is resolved.

Last week, Governor Kim Reynolds announced during her weekly news conference, that she has offered a proposed compromise to the Iowa legislature regarding the property tax reform and mental health funding. State Representative Jeneary says lawmakers are moving in the right direction, and he believes the
governor’s proposal may assist in reaching a suitable compromise between the Senate and the House.

Legislative leaders are meeting in attempts to reach a suitable compromise, and to finally adjourn the session.

 

 

 

Northwestern College Presents Faculty Awards

ORANGE CITY, Iowa—Vonda Post of Sioux Center, professor of accounting at Northwestern College, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Northwestern Teaching Excellence Award. She was honored during the college’s commencement ceremony on May 8.

The award is administered by a selection committee made up of Student Government Association members and Honors Program students. The committee chose Ross Bouma, instructor in kinesiology, and Dr. Chris Nonhof, assistant professor of education and English, as finalists along with Post.

The major factor used in selected the award winner is evidence of strong teaching ability. The committee looks at faculty vitae, service reports and course evaluations in addition to the comments of nominators.

Post joined Northwestern’s business and economics faculty in 1992 after having served as the college’s comptroller and having earned a master’s degree in accounting from the University of South Dakota. The 1988 Northwestern College graduate is a CPA with experience in both public and private accounting.

Lauren Green, Northwestern’s Student Government Association president, says Post embodies the definition of an excellent professor. “Professor Post stands out for many reasons,” says Green. “She cares for her students, her co-workers, and the community. She treats all her students as individuals and
does her best to meet each one where they are. She goes above and beyond for her students but allows them to become independent in their learning. When a student is struggling, she takes time out of her day to meet with them to help
them better understand the material.”

One of Post’s student nominators described her as a servant leader: “She is always willing to help in whatever capacity. Her faith is strong, and her love for God is evident in her teaching. I have been so blessed to be a student under her for four years.”

 

 

 

ORANGE CITY, Iowa—Dr. Sara Sybesma Tolsma, professor of biology at Northwestern College, has been named the 2021 recipient of the college’s Faculty Excellence in Faith and Learning Award. She was honored during commencement exercises on May 8.

The award honors and encourages the calling and responsibility of Christian faculty to devote time and energy to scholarship and creative expression in ways that faithfully express the wonder, truth and beauty of God’s revelation in Scripture and creation. Northwestern’s academic deans and vice president for academic affairs selected Tolsma as the recipient from among faculty
nominated by their colleagues.

A 1984 Northwestern College alumna who earned a doctorate in microbiology, immunology and virology from Northwestern University, Tolsma has been teaching at her alma mater since 1995. Her research efforts in cancer genetics and cell biology have been widely published in scientific journals and have received numerous awards. She has also been instrumental in Northwestern becoming part of the SEA-PHAGES and SEA-GENES research programs, which involve students in a
global effort to discover phages—viruses that infect bacteria—and previously unknown functions of genes.

Tolsma has published a number of essays in Perspectives: A Journal of Reformed Thought, which she co-edits, and she co-wrote a book about the importance of engaging young people in conversations about science and faith. “Read her section of the book, and it’s clear she is a biologist who takes both science
and faith very seriously,” wrote one of the faculty members who nominated Tolsma for the award.

Another nomination described Tolsma as a productive researcher: “The combination of her technical, disciplinary work with her commitment to thinking Christianly about that work makes her an excellent candidate for this award.”

Tolsma says the privilege of studying what God created motivates her to do good science and is also a way she experiences intimacy with God. “When I make
a discovery, I’m going to share it, but for a moment, I share it with God alone,” she says. “That’s an act of worship. I experience awe and wonder.”

The 2015 recipient of the Northwestern Teaching Excellence Award, Tolsma was appointed to the Northwestern College Endowed Professorship in 2016.

 

 

 

West Des Moines Police Investigate Discovery Of Woman’s Body Along I-35

(West Des Moines, IA) — West Des Moines police are investigating after a passerby reported the discovery of a woman’s body along Interstate 35 Sunday.
The caller reported what appeared to be a dead body on the shoulder of the highway shortly before noon. The victim has been identified as 38-year-old Stephanie Waddell of Oskaloosa. A preliminary investigation indicates she may have been hit by a vehicle sometime Saturday night into Sunday morning.

 

 

 

Waukee Father Arrested For Injuring His 1-Year-Old Daughter

(Waukee, IA) — A Waukee father is being held in the Dallas County Jail after injuring his daughter. Investigators say Gregory Stucky called authorities Friday night to say he had spanked his one-year-old daughter and she was “behaving strangely.” The child was found unconscious and breathing while lying on the ground. Stucky reportedly admitted he hit the girl on the
back as punishment for a temper tantrum. When she was on her hands and knees he admitted hitting her again, causing her head to hit the ground. The victim is being treated at a hospital.

 

 

 

New Des Moines City Council Rules On Public Comments Opposed

(Des Moines, IA) — Activists say new rules on public comments during Des Moines City Council meetings will further suppress community voices. Council members will vote today (Monday) on changes to the public speaking rules that will lengthen the time individuals get to speak, but sharply limit the number
of people allowed to speak. The new rules would move the public comments time to the end of the council’s agenda. Individual comments would be allowed to last two minutes with 20 total speakers. That would actually expand the speaking time from 30 to 40 minutes during each meeting.

 

 

 

Ankeny Man Pleads Guilty To Causing Pregnant Girlfriend’s Death

(Ankeny, IA) — An Ankeny man has entered a guilty plea to charges he caused his pregnant girlfriend’s death. Seventeen-year-old Mia Holmes was shot to death last August, also resulting in the death of her unborn child.
Eighteen-year-old Donault Logan was initially identified as a material witness. When he finally turned himself in a month later, charges were filed.
The victim’s mother, Rhia Ortega, says she believes the shooting was an accident and the two were in love. Logan pleaded guilty last week to involuntary manslaughter. He will be sentenced in June.