Home News Saturday News, September 4th

Saturday News, September 4th

Law Enforcement Officials Chase Stolen Vehicle

(Le Mars) — Local law enforcement agencies were involved in a high speed pursuit that happened yesterday afternoon that even went through downtown Le Mars.  Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office was advised of a stolen vehicle from Sioux City at around 2:45 p.m.  The vehicle was reported to be on county road K-22 near county road C-44.  Deputies and Iowa State Patrol troopers responded to the area.  Plymouth County Deputies located the vehicle traveling east on Highway 3 from county road K-42 about five miles west of Le Mars.  Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle near Jet Road or West Le Mars.  The driver failed to stop and a pursuit ensued.  The vehicle travelled through Le Mars on Highway 3, or Plymouth Street and continued heading east on 180th Street.  The vehicle continued to travel on rural Plymouth County roads until it started east on county road C-16 north of Remsen.  Near the intersection of county road C-16 and Almond Avenue, the Iowa State Patrol used the pursuit intervention technique or PIT maneuver, and the vehicle ended up in the ditch.  The driver was taken into custody without further incident.  The driver has been identified as 27-year old Denise Sanchez of South Dakota.  Sanchez has been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, which is a class C felony; eluding while participating in a felony, a class D felony; and a charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated on a first offense, a serious misdemeanor.  Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office says that additional traffic charges will also be filed after the investigation is complete.  Speeds during the pursuit in the rural part of Plymouth County reached approximately 112 mph.  Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Le Mars and Remsen Police Departments and the Iowa State Patrol.

 

 

 

Sioux County Authorities Investigate Fatal Bicycle Accident

(Orange City) — Sioux County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a fatal accident involving a bicycle rider and a vehicle.  The accident happened early Friday evening at about 5:53 p.m. on Hickory Avenue, two miles north of Hull.  Lorna Moss, 69, of Sioux Center was traveling in the northbound lane on her bicycle on Hickory Avenue.  27 year old Seth DeJong of Doon was driving a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan also heading northbound on Hickory Avenue behind Moss when he struck the bicycle.  Moss was transported by the Hull Ambulance to Sioux Center Health where she was pronounced deceased by the Sioux County Medical Examiner.  Upon further investigation, deputies suspected that DeJong was under the influence of alcohol.  DeJong was transported to the Sioux County Jail and was charged with homicide by vehicle caused by operating a vehicle while intoxicated and homicide by vehicle caused by reckless driving.

 

 

 

Labor Day Holiday Weekend Traffic Can Be Deadly

(Le Mars) — Labor Day is thought as the unofficial end of summer as we celebrate with picnics, barbecues, swimming, and road trips.  But be aware as you travel this holiday weekend as Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of drunk driving fatalities.  Iowa State Patrol trooper Karey Yaneff

Trooper Yaneff tells of what is fairly typical in terms of what occurs on the highways during the long holiday weekend.

Back in 2019 in Iowa, there were six fatalities over the three-day Labor Day weekend.  Three of the fatalities involved a drunk driver.  Yaneff says extra patrol units will be on the highways throughout the holiday weekend watching for impaired motorists.

The STEP program referenced by Yaneff stands for Special Traffic Enforcement Program.  Yaneff says law enforcement patrol units will also be looking for speeders, as well as distracted drivers, and those that may be on their phones texting.  Yaneff reminds motorists to drive sober, stay within the speed limits, buckle-up, and put the phone down.

 

 

 

Le Mars United Way Campaign To Begin With Golf Tournament

(Le Mars) — Thursday was to have been the kickoff to the Le Mars United Way campaign with a golf tournament.  Unfortunately, rainy weather had officials post-pone the golf tournament, which is now re-scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th at the Willow Creek Golf Club at Le Mars.  Janelle Bixenman is the chair for this year’s Le Mars United Way campaign.  She says the United Way has a mission to help with emergency services, and to help children.

Bixenman offers examples of the agencies United Way supports that follows the mission.

Bixenman says during the autumn months is when United Way tries to recruit businesses and their employees to consider getting involved with the local organization.

The local United Way chair says donors can dictate where their money can be directed.  She says donations stay within the local community.  However, she says if a person works outside the borders of Plymouth County they can ask the money be placed for Plymouth County agencies.

Bixenman says United Way doesn’t focus so much on a financial goal, as opposed to recruiting volunteers and businesses to help contribute to United Way.

People interested in participating in United Way activities should contact Bixenman at (712) 540-8339.

 

 

 

Federal Lawsuit Aims to Block Iowa Ban on School Mask Mandates

(Des Moines, IA)  —  The Iowa A-C-L-U says 11 Iowa parents of students with disabilities and a disability rights group are filing a federal lawsuit against the state over the law that bans mask mandates in schools.  A-L-C-U attorney Rita Bettis Austen says the students can’t get the same education through online learning.  Bettis Austen argues, “this violates federal civil rights laws that are meant to protect kids with disabilities in education from discrimination.”  She says they are asking the court to immediately block the part of the law that prohibits mask mandates from schools.  Bettis Austen claims the law puts vulnerable kids in a dangerous situation.  The U-S Department of Education says it is investigating whether laws against mask mandates in Iowa and four other states violate federal anti-discrimination laws.  Governor Kim Reynolds says the law allows parents to decided if their child should wear a mask to school.

 

 

 

State Tax Revenues Outpace Expectations by $619 Million

(Des Moines, IA)  —  New numbers show the State of Iowa collected ten-point-six-billion dollars in taxes and fees during the fiscal year that ended June 30th.  That’s 619 million more than officials estimated in March.  One reason the current surplus is so much higher than predicted is because officials had expected the state would pay out “considerably” more in tax refunds, according to Jeff Robinson of the Legislative Services Agency.  But he warns the state is still due to send some local option sales tax money to local school districts and other calculations are still being made.  Robinson says some transactions related to fiscal year 2201 will continue to be processed into the second half of September.

 

 

 

Another Strong Pheasant Season Expected Especially in Northwest Iowa

(Des Moines, IA)  —  The pheasant season last year saw hunters take the second-highest number of pheasants in more than ten years — and the numbers are lining up for a repeat.  DNR wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz oversees the roadside survey and says northwest Iowa could see some of the best hunting in years.  He says southeastern and eastern Iowa saw fewer birds in this year’s survey — while the overall outlook pretty much mirrored 2020 with an average then of 20-point-three birds on each route, and this year they averaged 20-point-ones.  The results showed three of the nine regions — northwest, north-central, west-central averaged at or more than 30 birds on each route — which hasn’t happened since 2007.  He expects at minimum a repeat of the pheasant harvest from last year or a harvest of around that 250 to 300-thousand mark again.  The pheasant season opens on October 30th.