School Board To Convene For Monthly Meeting
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Community Board of Education will discuss the new members of the faculty this evening during the monthly school board meeting, scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Educational Center. The school board will formally meet the new faculty members on September 13th beginning at 5:00 p.m. During this evening’s meeting, the Le Mars Community Board of Education will talk about a webinar hosted by the Iowa Association of School Board’s new standards for school leaders and the impact on superintendent’s evaluation and the goal setting. The local school board will also discuss the Iowa Association of School Board’s Strategic Budget Reduction Conference scheduled for October 5th. The school board will also discuss other upcoming seminars sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards including and Employee Relations Conference for October 12th, and the state convention which will be held November 17th and 18th. School superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner will discuss with the school board about three students, each from the MMCRU school district who have filed to be accepted in open enrollment at Le Mars Community. The three students are: Hailey Hansen, a sixth grader; Jessica McCulloch, a junior; and Jaylee McCulloch, a sophomore. Dr. Webner will also be presenting information to the school board regarding the upcoming school board election. As for action items, the school board will vote on the resignation requests submitted by Jean Hansen from her position as a teacher associate at Kluckhohn Elementary, effective immediately. Haley Wells has resigned from her position as a teacher associate at Clark Elementary, effective immediately. Lori Dolph has resigned from her position as a teacher associate at the middle school, effective immediately. Arlene Luft has resigned from her position as a part-time custodian at Franklin Elementary, effective immediately. Susan Reed has resigned from her position as a teacher associate at the high school, effective immediately. and Troy Caswell has resigned as an assistant baseball coach.
As for contracts, the school board is likely to approve Dona Lias, middle school/high school nurse and CNA instructor. Katie Driggs, middle school teacher associate. Mackenzie Riemenschneider, middle school teacher associate. Katelyn Karhoff, middle school teacher associate. Mary Kay Juhl, middle school teacher associate. Brenda Winter, middle school teacher associate. Griselda Cobian, middle school teacher associate.
Other items to be discussed during this evening’s school board meeting include: Grace Shrader, 4th grade, requesting open enrollment out to on-line program, CAM Community Schools Iowa Connections Academy. Milo Trometer, 1st grade, requesting open enrollment out to Hinton Community Schools. Ruby Trometer, 1st grade, requesting open enrollment out to Hinton Community Schools, and Jacob Trometer, 4th grade, requesting open enrollment out to Hinton Community Schools.
The school board will develop the superintendent’s goals to be established as a part of the superintendent’s evaluation process. The Board will appoint Jolynn Sitzmann and Dona Lias as Level I investigators of abuse by school employees and the LeMars Police Department as Level II investigator. The Board of Education will appoint a representative to attend the Iowa Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly to be held in November, and they will finalize their legislative priorities as requested by the Iowa Association of School Boards.
Police Find Nearly 300 Pounds Of Pot, Stolen Items In Storage Unit
(Spencer, IA) — Laurens Police say they found nearly 300 pounds of marijuana and stolen items in a storage unit in Spencer. The unit had been rented by William Cole, who was arrested in late July in Laurens. Laurens Police located and seized 260 pounds of marijuana which has a street value of 550 to 750-thousand dollars, a handgun, a stolen generator out of California, a stolen 48-inch deck mower from Des Moines, along with a number of other items. Cole — who is in the Pocahontas County Jail on unrelated charges — is also facing charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver marijuana, first-degree theft, second-degree theft, failure to affix a drug tax stamp, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Prosecutor: Guilty Plea Entered Last Week Is Relief For Victims’ Families
(Anamosa, IA) — The prosecutor says the guilty plea by one of the inmates accused in the Anamosa prison killings is a relief for the victims’ families. Thomas Woodard pleaded guilty during a hearing Friday in the murders of correctional officer Robert McFarland and nurse Lorena Schulte. Prosecutor Scott Brown says that trials are difficult and stressful for everyone — and particularly for the family members of the victims. Brown says the trial makes them have to listen to all the facts and evidence on how their loved one was killed. Brown says the families were supportive of the plea deal. A sentencing date for Woodard has not been set.
Man Who Provided Opioids That Led To Fatal Overdose Will Serve 15 Years
(Des Moines, IA) — An eastern Iowa man who distributed a deadly cocktail of opioids will spend more than 15 years in federal prison. Thirty-year-old Julius Irvin of Dubuque pleaded guilty in March to one count of distribution of controlled substances near a protected location resulting in death. Irvin admitted in his plea hearing that he distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to another person in May of 2019. The customer took some of the substance to a local women’s shelter where she had been staying. She used the substance, overdosed, and was found dead by shelter staff the next morning. Irvin is being held in the United States Marshals’ custody until he can be transported to federal prison.
John Deere Buys California Robotics Company
(Moline, IL) — John Deere announced it has acquired Bear Flag Robotics of California for 250 million dollars. A spokesman for Deere says the four-year-old Bear Flag develops autonomous technology for farm equipment — and has been testing its technology on a variety of crops. The Bear Flag deal comes four years after Deere bought the robotics company Blue River Technology. The Moline, Illinois-based Deere is Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer.
