Thursday, Day Two of Ice Cream Days
(Le Mars) — Today is the second day of Ice Cream Days, and Ice Cream Committee member Margaret Catton shares Thursday’s schedule.
We will learn more about the outdoor movie a little later. Ice cream days was kicked off yesterday with the Chamber of Commerce coffee hosted by Wells Visitors Center and Ice Cream Parlor. Mike Wells, CEO of Wells Enterprises welcomed the gathering and reminded the group that it was just two years ago
when the visitors center and ice cream parlor had finished with its renovation. Wells says the COVID-19 virus slowed down the visits to the Visitors Center last year, but now the Le Mars tourist destination is on pace to achieving its goal for attracting visitors.
Wells shared his appreciation to the Ice Cream Days committee for organizing a great event showcasing Le Mars.
American Bank and Total Motors are again sponsoring the outdoor movie. Mitch Christoffel, general manager with Total Motors suggests people arrive early.
Christoffel says everyone should be able to have a good view of the movie, and they should be able to hear the movie through the radio in their vehicle.
Teresa Petty with American Bank says everyone of all ages will enjoy this year’s movie as it is an animated favorite featuring everyone’s favorite cat and mouse, “Tom and Jerry.”
The outdoor movie will start at 8:30 p.m.
Primebank To Host 53rd Annual Ice Cream Social
(Le Mars) — A longtime-standing tradition of Ice Cream Days is the annual Primebank ice cream social, scheduled for this evening. Brad Pick with Primebank says this evening’s event will mark the 53rd time for the popular ice cream social.
Pick says the history behind the annual ice cream social was a way for the bank to show its appreciation to its customers. He says that is still true for today.
As Pick mentioned, this year’s featured band is a local favorite, “The Jammers.” He talks about the variety of sounds that have entertained the folks over the years.
The Primebank official talks about the activities being planned for children.
Tonight’s ice cream social event will take place at the street in front of Primebank, and it will begin at 6:00 p.m. and continue until 8:00 p.m.
Dordt University Professor Talks About “Cowboy Presidents”
(Le Mars) — As part of the Ice Cream Days celebration, the Le Mars Public Library hosted a speaker from Dordt University, Wednesday evening, talking about three U-S presidents who had incorporated the mystic of the wild west and using a cowboy image. Scott Culpepper, a professor of history, discussed presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush.
Culpepper says the three mentioned presidents were often photographed wearing cowboy hats, riding horses, driving pickup trucks, and seen in the wide open spaces associated with “the west.” He says the presidents realized and understood the portrayed images and the symbolism for the American public.
The Dordt University professor says each of the three presidents utilized the “cowboy tough-guy image” when facing their greatest challenges. He first talks about Teddy Roosevelt and how Roosevelt developed the cowboy image from his days as a “Rough Rider” and the Spanish-American war.
Culpepper says President Reagan was equally praised and criticized for being a cowboy against the Soviet Union and the breakdown of the Cold War.
With President George W. Bush, the greatest challenge may have been with the terrorists attacks on 9-11.
Last evening’s event was held at the Browns Century Theater.
Police Department Have Caught Graffiti Vandals
(Le Mars) — Le Mars police have announced they have found the individuals responsible for some of the vandalism and graffiti that has occurred recently at some of our city parks. Assistant Chief Justin Daale says surveillance cameras placed at the city parks helped identify the culprits.
Daale says the graffiti reported at both Foster Park and Cleveland Park has since been cleaned, and the individuals responsible have been apprehended.
Daale says unfortunately, police officers are still trying to find those responsible for breaking the Plymouth County Historical Museum’s windows and display cases after rocks were thrown through the windows. Since that incident was reported, numerous businesses and organizations have stepped up
and have donated money to the museum for repair costs. The Le Mars Eagles organization has offered a reward of one thousand dollars for the apprehension of those responsible for the damage at the museum.
City Officials Reminds Residents Of Fireworks Ordinance
(Le Mars) — Fireworks can now be purchased from vendors selling the 4th of July traditional items, but Le Mars officials want to remind people of the window of time allowed to discharge those fireworks within the city limits.
Assistant Police Chief, Justin Daale says city officials passed an ordinance last year that allows for fireworks to be used on only three days.
This year, those three days include the Saturday, Sunday and Monday surrounding the holiday. Daale reminds people to be considerate of others while celebrating the nation’s independence.
Daale says fireworks can only be discharged on private property.
The Assistant Police Chief says school grounds and businesses are included with parks as being locations that fireworks are forbidden of being discharged. Daale reminds people the hours that fireworks can be discharged are from 12:00 noon until 11:00 p.m. only on July 3rd, July 4th and July 5th.
He says people need to use common sense and be safe during the holiday weekend.
Governor Reynolds Signs Tax Reform, Mental Health Funding Bill Into Law
(Ames, IA) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a wide-ranging bill into law on Wednesday that cuts personal income taxes, gradually gets rid of the state inheritance tax and erases a property tax levy used to finance mental health services. State money is to be used to finance the mental health system.
Reynolds said, “health care professionals and patients who rely on Iowa’s mental health system deserve this sustainability and predictability this funding source will provide.” The Republican governor called the entire plan a “landmark piece of legislation.” Reynolds also said, “we are not done yet.
Next year we’ll be back and I’ll be proposing to cut our personal income taxes even further.” The governor’s ultimate goal is to erase the personal income tax altogether.
TestIowa Program To Close By July 16th
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa Department of Public Health plans to close its free COVID-19 testing program next month. State officials say TestIowa at all sites will shut down by 4:00 p-m July 16th. State-operated sites in Pottawattamie, Linn, Black Hawk, Polk, and Scott counties will close. The large-scale effort kicked off in April 2020. The closings will be staggered
over the next month. The official closing dates will be posted on Iowa’s coronavirus website. The busiest month was last November when 67-hundred people a day were being tested. Right now, that average is about 400 tests a day at the 17 drive-thru clinics.
Polk County Supervisors Approve COVID Vaccine Lottery
(Des Moines, IA) — The Polk County Board of Supervisors is launching a lottery with thousands of dollars in prizes to try and lure more residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Officials say their goal is to get 75 percent of the county’s eligible population vaccinated by the end of the State Fair on August 22nd. Supervisor Tom Hockensmith said, “in order to reach herd
immunity, I think we’re gonna have to do things like this to really encourage folks and get folks to, to get vaccinated.” Polk County will host lottery drawings for all fully vaccinated residents on every Friday starting next week. Ten prizes of one-thousand dollars will be given out weekly, and one 50-thousand-dollar prize and a five-thousand-dollar scholarship will be given
out every other week. The county is using federal pandemic relief money for the prizes.
Mother Alleges Retaliation In Lawsuit Filed Against Ankeny Community Schools
(Ankeny, IA) — An Iowa mother alleges retaliation in a lawsuit she has filed against the Ankeny Community School District. Kimberly Reicks says her daughter was forced to sit alone last December after she sent a doctor’s note to her school saying the student should be excused from wearing a face mask.
That mask had caused a staph infection on the girl’s face. Reicks says school officials retaliated against her for speaking up against the face mask requirement for all students. Her attorney says no matter how you feel about policies on masks, a kindergarten student shouldn’t be punished because her
mother is exercising her constitutional rights.
Sergeant Bluff Man Must Pay $80K Penalty For Burning Thousands of Railroad Ties
(Sioux City, IA) — A judge is ordering a Sergeant Bluff man to pay an 80-thousand-dollar penalty for burning thousands of railroad ties on his property. State regulators had warned John Goldsmith against doing so. He was also given a permanent injunction from violating solid waste and opening burning laws. Judge Duane Hoffmeyer warned Goldsmith that he could face
contempt charges and possible jail time if he disobeys the order. The ruling said, “Goldsmith financially benefited greatly by this fire taking place… and took little action to have it put out.” Goldsmith was accused of violating D-N-R guidelines in August of 2018 and did more burning September 30th. The D-N-R and Iowa Attorney General’s Office sued Goldsmith in 2020.
Cedar Rapids Man Says Masked Intruder Killed His Family
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A 20-year-old Cedar Rapids man arrested for killing his parents and a sister tells investigators a masked intruder did it. Alex Jackson called 9-1-1 Tuesday to report his dad had been shot by a man who broke into their home. Responding officers found 61-year-old Jan Jackson, 68
-year-old Melissa Jackson, and 19-year-old Sabrina Jackson dead from gunshot wounds. Alex Jackson was suffering a gunshot wound to his foot. Officers say they recovered the .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle thought the be the murder weapon.
Warren County Voters May Decide To Expand Board Of Supervisors At Polls
(Indianola, IA) — The board of supervisors for Warren County will vote next month on whether to put a question about expanding that board on the November 2022 election ballot. Voters would decide whether to increase the current three-member board to five members. All three supervisors support the idea and are likely to vote for the ballot issue at the July 20th meeting. The county plans to contact the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and the Iowa State Association of Counties to help it write the ballot language. Having a five-member board would make it legal for two supervisors to meet with each other outside official board meetings without violating state open meetings
laws. Thirty-eight of Iowa’s 99 counties have five-member boards.
