Fair Attendance Picks Up After Temperatures Drop
(Le Mars) — Attendance for the second day of the Plymouth County Fair picked up as temperatures cooled down. Fair officials report the attendance for Wednesday, the opening day of the fair was listed at 13,300. Thursday’s attendance was pegged at 22,750. Loren Schnepf, president of the Plymouth County Fair says he has been pleased with the attendance levels, despite
having near triple-digit temperatures on Wednesday. Schnepf says after not able to have a fair last year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, people are anxious to return for this year’s fair. He anticipates the attendance levels will continue to improve through the weekend, especially since temperatures are projected to be in the mid-80’s.
4-H Livestock Entries Holding Steady To Some Increases
(Le Mars) –– 4-H livestock entries for the Plymouth County Fair have been holding steady during the last few years, according to Ann Schoenrock, 4-H and Youth Program Coordinator with Plymouth County Extension Services.
Schoenrock says the exception would be with the swine entries.
Schoenrock says officials created a new division for young lamb producers.
Schoenrock says the 4-H members would start the new lamb program with four lambs, all of which would be market lambs.
At 8:30 a.m. this morning is the Market Beef and Breeding Heifer program, and Schoenrock says overall the beef numbers are holding steady with past years.
However, she says there is an increase of numbers with the breeding heifers division.
Saturday morning will be the 4-H and FFA swine judging show at the covered arena. The local 4-H Extension official says there are a couple of special classes that have been created for 4-H exhibitors showing hogs.
Schoenrock says the fair has witnessed an increase in small animals such as rabbits and poultry projects.
A check of today’s fair schedule indicates the 4-H and FFA dog show will start at 8:30 inside the Open Class Building. Rob Leckband, a hypnotist will perform this evening at the Pioneer Village stage, along with Conway Remembered, Branson show. Impact Pro Wrestling will take place inside the Covered Arena and is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. The tractor pull is
scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Grandstand. The popular cooking school will be at Century Hall starting at 7:00 p.m.
Quilts Becoming A Popular Open Class Exhibit At Fair
(Le Mars) — Quilts are becoming a popular entry in the Open Class, and this year fair officials had so many entries that they were running out of space to feature all the quilts. Geri Dreckman says most of the quilt entries are of double, queen, of even king size quilts. This year, six patriotic colored quilts were made by Ginny Freyermuth as part of the Quilts of Valor which will be presented on Sunday afternoon.
Freyermuth says any living veterans, of any wars or conflicts, are eligible to receive a Quilt of Valor. She talks about past Quilts of Valor presentations.
Freyermuth says of the six quilts to be presented, three of the recipients already know they will be receiving the patriotic-themed quilt, and the other three it will be a surprise. The presentation will take place at approximately 4:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon prior to the wood carving auction. Both Freyermuth and Dreckman will be donating quilts for the fair’s auction with the proceeds going to the fair. Dreckman says she has been donating quilts for the annual auction for quite some time.
Dreckman describes the quilt she has entered in the Open Class division, and will be donating to the fair auction.
Freyermuth will also be donating a king-size quilt for the auction and she describes her quilt.
Both quilts can be viewed hanging inside the Open Class building.
Fair To Feature Cooking Show Friday Evening
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Fair will again feature the popular Cooking Show scheduled for this evening (Friday) inside Century Hall starting at 7:00 p.m. Sandy Schnepf is the organizer of the event and says the program has been around for more than a decade.
Through the years, the cooking show has featured dietitians and representatives from various commodity organizations, and this year that tradition continues.
Schnepf says the event usually attracts several hundred people. She says many area businesses and organizations, along with food stores have donated discount coupons, recipe books, and other materials to the attending audience.
Schnepf says doors to the Century Hall will open at 6:30 p.m.
Rohrs Joins Floyd Valley Therapies Staff
(Le Mars) — Floyd Valley Therapies announces the addition of Dana Rohrs, PT, DPT. She began her duties this summer. Her specialties include working with student athletes and balance/dizziness issues. Dana plans to get her formal training in pelvic health physical therapy in the future as she enjoyed her clinical rotation in this specialty.
Dana brings excellent education and clinical experience to Floyd Valley Healthcare. She completed her undergraduate studies in Exercise Science at Northwestern College in Orange City. She went on to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from Briar Cliff University in Sioux City. Dana spent clinical time in many of the area hospitals during her program, including Floyd Valley Healthcare.
Troy Henrich, Physical Therapy Manager, states, “Floyd Valley Therapies is excited to have Dana back in Le Mars. She spent 12 clinical weeks with Floyd Valley Therapies last summer and our patients really enjoyed her. She brings with her some new treatment areas to help our patients that are experiencing dizziness and pelvic floor issues.”
Dana enjoys being outdoors with her family and friends including playing with her 9-month-old son, gardening, walking their dog and helping her husband with livestock. The couple raises show goats. She also enjoys cooking, baking, reading and participating in and watching sports.
Governor Reynolds Joins Group Asking US Supreme Court To Overturn Roe-V-Wade
(Washington, DC) — Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has joined a group of a dozen governors asking the U-S Supreme Court to overturn the landmark 1973 abortion decision, Roe-V-Wade. The action was started when the state of Mississippi filed arguments last week. That state’s attorney general argues it should be up to the states to regulate abortion before a fetus can survive
outside the womb. The amicus brief Reynolds joined was filed Thursday. It says the constitutional balance between the states and the federal government has been upset by the decision.
Trial Delayed For Inmate Charged in Anamosa Prison Murders
(Anamosa, IA) — The trial of one of the inmates accused of killing two Anamosa state prison workers is being delayed. Michael Dutcher was scheduled to stand trial before a Jones County judge August 3rd, but it was delayed after he waived his right to a speedy trial. Dutcher and Thomas Woodard pleaded not guilty to the March 23rd first-degree murders of Anamosa
correctional Officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte. They’re also charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. Court documents indicate Dutcher plans to claim he was acting in self-defense. Woodard’s trial is set for September 21st in Linn County.
2nd Person Charged With Murder In Death Of Lake Park Woman
(Spirit Lake, IA) — A second person has been charged with murder in the 2020 death of a Lake Park woman. Twenty-four-year-old Justice Berntson is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Angel Bastman.
Bastman’s body was found in her Lake Park home on December 22nd and Berntson was found driving Bastman’s car and ultimately led police on a pursuit.
Twenty-six-year-old Allison Decker was charged with first-degree murder in the case earlier this week, Both are both being held in the Dickinson County Jail on one million dollars bond.
Marshalltown Convenience Store Sells $1.3M In Lottery Tickets
(Clive, IA) — The top-selling retail outlet for the Iowa Lottery the last several years has been a Hy-Vee store in Cedar Rapids — but this fiscal year that ended in June it was a convenience store in Marshalltown. Lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer says the Jiffy Mart location in Marshalltown had one-point-three million dollars in sales. Neubauer says more convenience
stores were in the top ten seller list this year as people seemed to want businesses where they could go in and go out quickly during the pandemic. The Iowa Lottery saw a record of nearly 453 million dollars in sales for the fiscal year.
Oskaloosa Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Providing Fatal Drug Dose
(Oskaloosa, IA) — A 28-year-old Oskaloosa man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for providing the meth that authorities say caused a fatal overdose. The incident happened in an Oskaloosa apartment almost two years ago. Cody James Vancenbrock was sentenced Thursday in Mahaska County Court.
He had entered a guilty plea in February to delivering a controlled substance causing death or serious injury. Prosecutors said Vancenbrock injected 24-year-old Ashley Shafer before she died. Then, he and two others dumped her body in the Skunk River.
More Federal Funding Coming to Help Iowa Crime Victims
(Iowa City, IA) — Iowa organizations working to support victims of crime will have access to more federal money after President Biden signed the VOCA Fix Act into law. Under the previous administration, dollars were directed away from the crime victims fund. Alta Medea-Peters, director of community
engagement for Iowa’s Domestic Violence Intervention Program, says survivor support organizations still need to recover from those cuts before they can focus on the increased funding that’s coming. She says a lot of programs are facing catastrophic changes over the next two years to remedy the damage
that’s already been done, but there is hope on the horizon. The bill received bipartisan support including from Iowa’s Republican Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst. Medea-Peters says they’re thankful to have access to more federal funding, but it won’t be available for two more years.
Latest Drought Monitor Shows Conditions Getting Slightly Worse in Iowa
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa’s drought conditions are getting a little worse due to the lack of rainfall and extreme heat. The latest U-S Drought Monitor shows more than 71 percent of the state is in some level of drought. That’s a slight increase from 69 percent last week. The map shows severe drought stretching from the northwest and north central Iowa down to Polk and Dallas counties. That area increased from 26 to 29 percent of the state. No areas of Iowa are in extreme or exceptional drought this week.
Pottawattamie County Doctor is 3rd Democratic Candidate for US Senate
(Minden, IA) — A western Iowa doctor and city councilman is running for the Democratic U-S Senate nomination next year. Glenn Hurst of Minden announced his candidacy today (Thursday) for U-S Senator Chuck Grassley’s seat. The 87-year-old Iowa Republican hasn’t decided whether to run for
another six-year term. Hurst says the impact of health care on his community is a driving force behind his run. He said in a statement that “Iowans deserve better. We deserve Medicare for All.” Hurst is the third Democrat seeking the 2022 U-S Senate nomination. Former Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer
and Crawford County farmer Dave Muhlbauer also hope to win Grassley’s seat.
