Fire Destroys Orange City Wheel Manufacturing Plant
(Orange City) — Fire departments from eight different northwest Iowa communities offered mutual aid to battle
a structure fire for more than four hours last evening at an aluminum wheel manufacturing plant located near Orange City. The fire was first reported at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Company located at 3981 Jackson Avenue, or about four miles north of Orange City, near the
intersection of county roads L-64 and B-40. Orange City Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel says the fire was reported by someone passing by the facility.
Vander Wel says the fire started within the northwest corner of the building destroying the building and its manufacturing contents. The fire caused the roof to collapse. The Orange City fire chief says he isn’t certain what may be the cause of the fire, but he estimates the total damage to be around four million dollars. He says many of the tankers from neighboring fire
departments made at least ten trips shuttering water. He says perhaps as much as 50,000 gallons of water was used to help extinguish the blaze.
An excavator was brought in to the scene to help remove some of the debris to allow firefighters to have better access to some of the hot spots. Assisting at the scene were the Orange City Fire Department, along with fire departments from Alton, Boyden, Hull, Hospers, Maurice, and Sioux Center. The Le Mars Fire Department was asked to offer. Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, Orange City Police, and North West Rural Electric Cooperative also responded to the scene. The company manufactures high performance aluminum wheels used for race cars.
Sioux County Sheriff’s Deputy Rescinded Then Resigns
(Orange City) — The firing of a former Sioux County Sheriff’s Deputy over an incident that took place this past March in Boyden, has been rescinded.
According to the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, former Sgt. Nathan Kelderman’s firing was rescinded and he tendered his resignation, effective March 29th, in an agreement between the Sheriff’s Office and Kelderman. Citing pending litigation, Kelderman declined to offer any further information. According to
the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office, the trouble started on Saturday, March 20th. They say that about 6:15 p.m. Sgt. Kelderman was off duty and at his home in Boyden. Kelderman stated that a motorcycle drove past his home on the city street. He thought he had recognized the driver as a person who did not
have a motorcycle license. Kelderman also believed the driver was a person who lived nearby his residence. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says Kelderman immediately went over to the suspected driver’s home on foot.
Kelderman stated in his report and interview with command staff that the garage door of the suspect’s home was going down as he ran under it and into the garage. This caused the garage door to reverse and go back up. According to Kelderman, he was there to detain the suspect. The Sheriff’s Office says a physical altercation between Kelderman and the suspect, Nicholas Te Slaa
immediately ensued in the garage. The altercation continued ouit onto Te Slaa’s driveway. A neighbor saw it and called 9-1-1. Several Sioux County Sheriff’s deputies were immediately dispatched. Te Slaa also made a 9-1-1 call. The son of the neighbor, who called 9-1-1, went over to the location of
the altercation to break it up. Kelderman stated that he went over to the suspect’s home without any identification, duty equipment, or method of communication. He was also in civilian attire wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. Three sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene shortly after the 9-1-1 calls. Te Slaa was ultimately arrested and charged with careless
driving, operating a motorcycle without a valid motorcycle license, two counts of assault on a peace officer, interference with official acts, and criminal mischief causing damage. When notified of the incident, the command staff at the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office immediately began an investigation into Sgt.
Kelderman’s actions. On Monday, March 22nd, the sheriff’s office received three other complaints from civilians concerning Kelderman’s actions. After and investigation, it was determined Sgt. Kelderman had violated a sheriff’s office policy and training which prohibits an officer from this type of action when off duty. The command staff says the initial incident involved very
minor traffic offenses and should have been reported to an on-duty deputy, per the sheriff’s office policy. Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena stated, “Our policy is in place to prevent unnecessary danger or injury to officers, suspects, witnesses, or others. The violation of it caused preventable injuries and put witnesses, neighbors as well as responding officers in a bad position.” Subsequently, Altena says Sgt. Nathan Kelderman was terminated from his employment at the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, March 29th. That termination has since been rescinded, with Kelderman tendering his resignation effective on March 29th.
(story courtesy of KIWA radio)
Taylor Reviews Legislative Action
(Sioux Center) — The Iowa legislature ended its work a week ago, and now Iowans are reviewing the work performed by the state lawmakers. Republican Senator Jeff Taylor of Sioux Center says state lawmakers were able to pass several bills that were on the minds of Iowans. He says he is particularly pleased with the passing of the “Protect Life Amendment.”
Taylor says the legislature will need to pass the bill one more time, before it goes to the people for a final vote as an amendment to the Iowa Constitution. The state senator says bills were passed to protect a person’s political thinking at schools, colleges, and at universities.
One of the highlights to this legislative session was the state legislature appropriated $100 million dollars for the expansion of high speed broad band internet across the state. Taylor says lawmakers also passed some bills relating to gun rights.
Closing Arguments Expected In Tibbetts Murder Trial
(Davenport) –– Closing arguments are expected today (Thursday) in the trial of the man accused of killing Mollie Tibbetts. The defense rested Wednesday after a day of witnesses that included the accused, Cristhian Bahena Riviera. The accused suspect claimed he was kidnapped by two armed men and the men put Tibbetts’ body in the trunk of his car. He admitted to hiding the body in a cornfield. Prosecutor Scott Brown questioned why Riviera was just telling the story now. He said he was
scared because the men threatened to harm him or his family. The trial resumes at 8:30 a-m.
Newton Prison Inmate Dies
(Newton, IA) — The Iowa Department of Corrections says an inmate from the Newton prison died from a medical emergency Tuesday at a hospital in Des Moines. Fifty-nine-year-old Tracy Lee Earles was serving a 43-year sentence for several crimes — including third-degree sexual abuse from Polk County.
His sentence began on July 27th, 2004. An autopsy is planned.
Players Win 100-thousand Dollar Prizes
(Bondurant, IA) — Two central Iowa players have each won a six-figure prize with lottery tickets. Marc Comegys of Bondurant claimed the first top prize in the “Lucky Stars” instant-scratch game of 100-thousand dollars. The 52-year-old Comegys works for a company that repairs water heaters, and said an old
lottery ticket inside his van recently blew onto the center console beside him. He won the prize when he claimed that ticket. Melanie Armstrong of Des Moines claimed the fourth prize of 100-thousand dollars in the “Word Search” InstaPlay game. She purchased the lucky ticket in Ankeny and claimed her prize
Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Clive.
Clarinda Post Office Renamed For 4H Pioneer
(Clarinda, IA) — The U-S Post Office in downtown Clarinda now bears the name of a woman who’s been called the “mother of 4-H clubs.” A dedication ceremony named the facility after Jessie Field Shambaugh (SHAM-bah) — who was a school teacher in Page County when she formed the Boys Corn Club and the Girls Home Club in 1901. She designed a three-leaf clover pin with the letter H on each one of the leaves, representing Head, Hands, and Heart for the club in 1910.
She added the fourth leaf for Home which later became known as Health.
Shambaugh died in Clarinda in 1971 at the age of 89.
