Local RAGBRAI Veteran Riders Ready For The Cross-state Ride
(Le Mars) — Local interest in RAGBRAI is building especially for those Le Mars residents who are veterans of the annual cross-state bicycle ride. Kevin Eekholf and Todd Anderson are among those from Le Mars who have multiple rides under their belt. Eekhoff has traveled on 27 of the 48 RAGBRAI rides. He talks about what led him to participate on RAGBRAI.
Eekhoff says he is pleased to see the ride begin from his home town, although he says he is having to pay back several favors from years past.
The RAGBRAI veteran says for people outside the state of Iowa their biggest surprise is that Iowa is not flat, that in fact there are several hills within the state.
Eekhoff tells of the one ride that stands in his memory as being one of the most difficult rides.
Eekhoff says he is proud of the way Le Mars has prepared for RAGBRAI, and he believes people will long remember their experience in the “Ice Cream Capital of the World.”
Todd Anderson is also a long-time veteran of RAGBRAI rides.
Anderson says he first got interested in riding on RAGBRAI when several of his friends talked him into the adventure.
Anderson says he enjoys the view, along with the variety of foods available, but mostly he appreciates the camaraderie with friends while riding across the Hawkeye state.
Like Kevin Eekhoff had mentioned, Anderson says he too feels proud of the fact Le Mars is hosting the annual bicycle ride.
Anderson tells of his expectations for this year’s ride.
Variety Of Foods Available During RAGBRAI Weekend
(Le Mars) — Food goes hand in hand with RAGBRAI and there will be a variety of food vendors that will be available during RAGBRAI Expo held in the downtown area of Le Mars. Margaret Catton is a member of the Le Mars RAGBRAI committee and oversees the food vendors, and says with 13 different food vendors there are plenty of food items to satisfy your taste buds.
Catton says also available downtown will be the Plymouth County Pork Producers grilling their famous pork chops to be served with a glove. There will be several of the familiar food stands found at the fairgrounds that will also be serving food including: the 4-H foodstand with pasta, tacos in a bag, pulled pork sandwiches, nachos and pie. Both the Boy Scouts and the Girls Scouts stands will be open. The Le Mars Lions Club will serve ice cream, slush, sodas and bottled water. The Rotary Club will be offering their ice cream cones, hot fudge sundaes, and root beer floats. If you are wanting a smoothie for some refreshment, stop by the Rejoice Church stand at the Pioneer Village at the fairgrounds. Several community churches will be featuring an evening meal including St. John’s Lutheran Church with loaded nachos, Catholic Daughters at St. Joseph Catholic Church will have a spaghetti meal, the United Methodist Church will have a pasta meal, and Remsen St. Mary’s schools along with the Golden Pheasant will offer RAGBRAI riders some breakfast burritos when they arrive at Remsen Sunday morning. Catton says there will be plenty of establishments located within the downtown Expo area to wet your whistle. The Knights of Columbus will be operating the downtown beer garden next to the Olson Cultural Events Center.
Other places include the American Legion Hall and the Eagles Club. Catton says the food vendors will be around only for Saturday.
Catton says several vendors will be set up in the downtown area selling souvenirs, crafts, and other merchandise.
The RAGBRAI vendors will open at 10:00 a.m. with the entertainment to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Ice Cream Parlor Expects Busiest Weekend On Record
(Le Mars) — Le Mars is known as “The ice cream capital of the world” with the Wells Enterprises Visitors Center and Ice Cream Parlor the one must stop for RAGBRAI riders. Shannon Rodenburg is the manager of the downtown travel destination. She says the popular ice cream parlor is anticipating a lot of business this weekend.
Rodenburg says the Visitors Center and Ice Cream Parlor perhaps will have the busiest weekend on record.
The ice cream parlor manager tells of the most requested and popular flavor of ice cream being sold at the parlor.
Rodenburg says she has heard an overwhelming number of positive comments from the ice cream parlor’s customers.
She says those customers are arriving from all parts of the country.
Rodenburg says they considered whether to keep the popular ice cream parlor open for extended hours during the RAGBRAI weekend, but decided that most of the RAGBRAI Expo’s activities would be ending near the same time the parlor normally closes at 10:00 p.m.
High Speed Chase Ends With Arrest
(Sioux City) — A Sioux City man is in custody facing charges following a pursuit Thursday evening tht exceeded speeds of 100 miles an hour. 41-year old Russell Church was wanted on warrants out of Colorado. Authorities spotted Church around 7:30 p.m. driving a car that was reportedly stolen and attempted a traffic stop. He sped away, heading north on Hamilton Blvd. at speeds that reached 103 miles per hour. Police attempted a pit maneuver that caused the vehicle to spin, but Church continued into Plymouth County where he was eventually stopped on county road C-38. He is currently being held in the Woodbury County jail on $35,000 bond.
Summer Olympics Expected to Give Iowa’s Sports Betting Industry A Boost
(Des Moines, IA) — The Olympics are getting underway in Tokyo and Iowa Racing and Gaming administrator Brian Ohorilko (Oh-reel-koh) says they will give Iowa’s growing new sports betting industry a boost. He says sports wagering in the summer is typically a very slow type of period, and this is the first summer with the Olympics since the industry got up and running in Iowa. Ohorilko said, “it will be interesting to see how it impacts the numbers — I know the sportsbooks are excited.” He says the sportsbooks cannot offer betting on any Olympic events with individual athletes under age 18, but all team events can be wagered on. More than one point-two-billion dollars was spent on sports betting in Iowa in the first full fiscal year of betting that ended June 30th.
Waterloo Man Gets 8 Years in Federal Prison For Gun Crimes
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A Waterloo man described by the judge as a “very dangerous person” will spend eight years in federal prison. Twenty-eight-year-old Trenton Sliekers pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. The U-S Attorney’s Office says Sliekers admits shooting six bullets from a motorcycle into a house occupied by children and adults. One of the bullets lodged in a couch cushion. B efore sentencing, the judge cited Slickers’ previous convictions and called him a “violent man” who’s likely to commit more crimes in the future. Online records indicate Slickers has about a dozen convictions in state court over the past decade, the most recent for intimidation with a dangerous weapon.
Body Recovered From Missouri River Matches Description of Man Who Went Into Water
(Sioux City, IA) — Police in Sioux City say a body was recovered this morning (Friday) from the Missouri River. Officers say it matches the description of a man who went into the water on Tuesday. The remains of the 31-year-old man were found north of the Dakota City, Nebraska boat ramp. A boater first spotted the body and called law enforcement. Investigators are trying to determine if the man fell or jumped from a train bridge connecting Sioux City and South Sioux City. His name hasn’t been released.
