Total Motors Helps Museum With Vandalism Costs
(Le Mars) — Earlier this week we had reported the Plymouth County Historical Museum had several windows and display cases broken as a result of acts of vandalism. Rocks were thrown at the windows, breaking at least 18 windows, and damaging the glass cover tops on some displays. Total Motors of Le Mars
was moved by the story of the vandalism, and felt compelled to assist the museum. On Wednesday afternoon, Mitch Christoffel and Dave Hill of Total Motors presented museum officials with a $1000 dollar check to assist with the cost of replacing the windows. Total Motors General Manager Mitch Christoffel
explains why the local auto dealership wanted to help.
Pictured are from left, Jonathon Foster, Exhibit Manager; Mitch Christoffel, General Manager with Total Motors; Dave Hill with Total Motors, and Jim Rohlfs, Museum Volunteer.
Christoffel says he hopes other community businesses may want to help contribute to the museum to help cover the costs associated with the vandalism.
Le Mars Police are investigating the vandalism that occurred at the museum.
Assistant Police Chief Justin Daale says the estimate for damages would be approximately $2000.
Le Mars RAGBRAI Committee To Make Announcement
(Le Mars) –– The Le Mars RAGBRAI committee is set to make an announcement regarding the headliner band scheduled to perform in Le Mars for when the cross-state bicycle ride begins its journey starting from the Ice Cream Capital of the World. The announcement will take place on Friday evening, June 4th from the Iowa Barbecue Company and Uptown Event Center located at 100 Plymouth Street Southwest. An evening of food, music, and merchandise will accompany the announcement. The event will take place between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. with the actual announcement scheduled for 7:00 p.m. RAGBRAI, the
bicycle ride across Iowa and sponsored by the Des Moines Register newspaper will be in Le Mars, Saturday, July 24th.
Chamber of Commerce To Hold “Cash Mob” Event
(Le Mars) — You may have heard of a “Flash Mob” when a group of people gather at a designated location and then offer a performance such as a choreographed dance or music selection. The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce is hosting what is
known as a “Cash Mob”. Mary Reynolds with the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street organization says “cash mobs” were popular a few years ago, and the chamber wants to bring back the fun. Reynolds says the chamber of commerce will hold a “cash mob” during the lunch hour on Friday, June 11th.
A few years ago, the former Rust’s Western Wear was the first business that was drawn from a list of downtown businesses. Reynolds says at that time, several people went to the store and made purchases.
Reynolds says the program helps stimulate the local economy.
The chamber official says a member of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce will be selected, but that business will not have any previous notification they have been selected as the fortunate business for the “cash mob.”
Reynolds says there isn’t any registration, just show up at the chamber office on Friday afternoon, June 11th, during the lunch hour with money in hand.
Investigation Finds State Employee in Cherokee Manipulated Husband’s Timesheets
(Cherokee, IA) — A special investigation by the State Auditor’s office finds a former state employee manipulated timesheets to boost her husband’s pay by tens of thousands of dollars. Renae Rapp was an administrative assistant who managed payroll and staff scheduling at the state unit in Cherokee where sexually violent predators are committed once their prison terms have expired. Her husband, Adam Rapp, was working as a psychiatric
security specialist at the unit. According to a report from the State Auditor’s office, Rapp used her husband’s electronic key fob for checking in and out of work and also made manual adjustments to inflate the hours listed on his timesheets. The special investigation identified more than 61-thousand
dollars in excess pay and benefits for Rapp’s husband. Renae Rapp resigned from her job in February after supervisors confronted her about her husband’s timesheets. Her husband was fired.
Iowa House Minority Leader Prichard Stepping Down
(Des Moines, IA) — The Democratic leader in the Iowa House is stepping down and a new House minority leader will be chosen on June 14th. House Democrats elected State Representative Todd Prichard of Charles City as their leader after the 2018 election and then again after the 2020 election. In a written
statement, Prichard said it has been a great honor to serve in the role for the last three years, but after conversations with his family, he’s decided to step aside and let his Democratic colleagues select a new leader. Republicans hold a 59-seat majority in the Iowa House. Democrats occupy the remain 41
seats. Prichard, who was elected to a fifth term in the House in 2020, said he would serve out his current term, but did not indicate whether he will seek reelection in 2022. Prichard is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves and an attorney. He briefly ran for governor four years ago.
Iowa Governor Has No Plans To Offer Incentives For People To Take Shots
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds says the state has made good progress on COVID vaccinations and she has no plan to offer the kind of incentives other states are trying — like college scholarships and lottery prizes — to encourage more people to get vaccinated. Reynolds points to pop-up clinics at farmers markets, Iowa Cubs baseball games and the Iowa
Barnstormers indoor football games. According to the Centers for Disease Control, about six out of 10 adults in Iowa have had at least one Covid shot.
Among Iowans 65 and older, the vaccination rate is 86 percent.
Inmate Attack At Anamosa State Pen Leaves Officer With Injured Arm
(Anamosa, IA) — The Iowa Department of Corrections is reporting an attack by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary has left an officer with an arm injury. The attack happened Wednesday morning when the inmate became violent
during a disciplinary hearing with an administrative law judge. The officer was hurt while trying to bring the inmate under control. Late last month the chemicals that could be used to make a bomb when found in an inmate’s possession. And, in March, two prison employees were killed during an escape
attempt by two inmates.
