City Council Approves Street Closures For RAGBRAI
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars city council gave its approval to closing some of the downtown streets during the time of RAGBRAI is in town, but they said no to Wise I’s request to close an alley that adjoins the micro brewery during the overnight stay of the cross-state bicycle ride. Both Le Mars Police Chief
Kevin Vande Vegte and Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Schipper informed the council that they did not want to see a precedent being set, by having numerous other requests to close streets and alleys. Wise I expressed an interest in closing the alley to expand their capacity for their business during RAGBRAI. Vande
Vegte and Schipper says it is easier to keep people gathered in one place.
Discussion on the topic focused on the liquor licenses for serving outdoors.
Currently, the Knights of Columbus are the only ones to have acquired a liquor license for the outdoor beer garden that will be between the Knights of Columbus hall and the Olson Cultural Events Center, or what is slated to be the hub for when RAGBRAI visits Le Mars. In other action taken by the city council, they approved an extension paving project for the municipal airport’s
runway. Specialized Concrete of Le Mars was awarded the bid to construct a paved parking lot for Cleveland Park at a bid of $52,632.22. The council also gave their approval for an electronic billboard to be erected on Business Highway 75 near the Hardee’s restaurant. The city council approved the construction project of having an overlay paving project for Central Avenue South which will be started in May of next year.
Elderly Homeowners May Qualify For Tax Credits
(Le Mars) — , Plymouth County Treasurer,Shelly Sitzmann wants to remind individuals of the tax credit for elderly homeowners and homeowners with disabilities. Those who qualify, must sign up before the June 1st deadline.
To qualify and receive the credit on your real estate taxes, Iowa residents who own their own homes must:
• be 65 years of age or older as of December 31, 2020, OR be totally disabled and at least 18
AND
• have total household income under $24,206 for 2020.
Forms may be filled at the Treasurer’s office. Eligible people need to bring their 2020 social security statement of earnings, any 1099’s you may have received, or any other income that you received in 2020. The Treasurer and her staff will help in getting people signed up for this state credit. June 1st is the deadline.
If you need additional assistance or have any questions, please contact the Plymouth County Treasurer’s office at 546-7056.
Local Schools Preparing For Commencement Exercises
(Le Mars) — Both Le Mars Community and Gehlen Catholic are preparing for Commencement graduation ceremonies scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Gehlen Catholic will hold its graduation inside the Vi Kellen Memorial gymnasium starting at 1:00 p.m. Le Mars Community will hold graduation at 3:00 p.m.
However, depending on the weather conditions, Le Mars Community has yet to decide the location. High School principal Dr. Mark Iverson says they hope the weather will cooperate in order to have the graduation ceremonies at the new stadium.
If the weather conditions dictate the ceremonies will need to be indoors, then it will be held at the new competition gymnasium. Iverson says Le Mars Community Schools will be limiting attendance at graduation to 10 tickets per student. Four of these tickets will be for the reserved section and the other six tickets will be for general admission seating. Iverson says this allows
the school to move the ceremony indoors if needed Sunday.
Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club To Hold Plant Sale
(Le Mars) — Are you still looking for plants for your garden this spring? The Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club may be able to offer some assistance.
This Saturday, at the Red’s Printing Company parking lot located on Business Highway 75, the local garden club will hold its annual plant sale. Carol Schneider is with the garden club and explains what will take place.
Schneider says the Floyd Valley Federated garden club will have for sale both annuals and perennials, as well as seedlings for some vegetable produce.
Many of the members of the garden club are also certified as Master Gardeners and are ready and qualified, to help answer any questions you may have with gardening in general, or if you have a specific question about a specific type of plant. Schneider says they are always welcoming new members.
The Floyd Valley Federated garden club official says people need to know and understand that different types of plants will grow in different types of conditions. Schneider says some plants may need to be in a shady area, while other plants do better in direct sunlight. She says there are many things to consider when growing plants or a garden.
The Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale on Saturday, May 22nd beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Red’s Printing Company parking lot. Schneider says people should get there early as the best plants are selected quickly.
Iowa Lawmakers Boost Prison Funding by $20 Million
(Des Moines, IA) — Republicans in the legislature agreed to a 20-million-dollar increase in the budget for the Iowa Department of Corrections. It’s the most sizable increase for the prison system in years and comes after two Anamosa prison employees were beaten to death by two inmates who’ve both been
charged with their murders. Representative Gary Worthan of Storm Lake and 52 other Republicans in the House voted for the plan early Tuesday morning.
Democrats in the House unsuccessfully tried to add more
requirements to the plan. Representative Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids called for a federal investigation of the March 23rd assaults and reports to the legislature on all investigations of the incident. The House unanimously voted to make it state policy to extend health care coverage to the families of prison staff who are killed on the job. Representative Lee Hein of Monticello represents the Anamosa area and found out the McFarland and Schulte families lost health care coverage April 1st, nine days after the murders.
COVID Restrictions Lifted For Iowa State Track Meet at Drake Stadium
(Boone, IA) — Drake Stadium could be filled with fans for the state track and field championships later this week. The Iowa State High School Athletic Association announced today (Tuesday) that capacity limits and seating restrictions are being lifted for the three-day event. This is good news for the parents who were unable to watch their kids at the Drake Relays. About
three-thousand tickets were sold for that event due to COVID regulations.
Governor Reynolds sent a letter to Drake University asking the school to reconsider capacity limits for the outdoor stadium. Masks are still encouraged and there will be a vaccine clinic at Drake Stadium during the state track meet. The events begin Thursday.
(photo courtesy of The Cedar Rapids Gazette)
Repeat Offender Granted Early Release Just Months Before He Killed Breasia Terrell
(Davenport, IA) — A repeat violent sex offender had been granted early release from prison just months before he killed 10-year-old Beasia Terrell.
Forty-eight-year-old Henry Dinkins will be arraigned on first-degree murder and kidnapping charges next month. He was also awaiting trial on felony drug charges in Illinois when he was released. The victim was the half-sister of Dinkins’ son and both children were spending the night with him in an apartment where he lived with a girlfriend. Investigators say he took the
girl from the Davenport apartment, shot her, then hid her body in a rural area of eastern Iowa.
NTSB Says Pilot Was Practicing “Touch And Go” Maneuvers When He Died In Crash
(Tiffin, IA) — Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say a 73-year-old pilot was practicing “touch-and-go” maneuvers when he died in a plane crash at Green Castle Airport May 2nd. During those maneuvers a plane comes in for a landing, briefly touches down, then takes off without stopping. Doctor Dale Bieber died in the crash. Bieber was a doctor and
clinical professor at the University of Iowa. A witness told the feds the Cessna T-210-M touched down and bounced, with the right wing lifting to a 45-degree angle. The pilot leveled the plane and went into a field. When Bieber tried to lift off it hit a power pole and power line, crashed and burned.
Victim Of Suspicious Sunday Death Identified As 45-Year-Old Iowa City Man
(Iowa City, IA) — The victim of a suspicious death reported Sunday has been identified as a 45-year-old Iowa City man. Officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire that morning at 1:20 a-m. When they arrived, they found Frederick Rumble in the driver’s seat of a car that had crashed into a tree.
Rumble was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics where he died.
Officials say the incident is a homicide based on preliminary autopsy results.
Plans For Glenn Miller Mural Moving Forward in Clarinda
(Clarinda, IA) — The southwest Iowa town of Clarinda is moving forward with plans to create a large mural to honor native son Glenn Miller, the famed big band leader from the 1940s. The Glenn Miller Birthplace Society is working
with artist John Cerney to develop the project on Highway 71 south of town.
Coordinator Gary Alger says they’re raising money to pay for the project.
Alger says they waited to start the fundraising until the DOT approved putting the mural on the south end of Clarinda. Cerney is based in Salinas, California, and he specializes in larger-than-life plywood painted figures near highways. Alger says the rising cost of building materials means more funds are needed to make the project a reality.
