Home News Friday News, October 8th

Friday News, October 8th

County Supervisors Approve Sheriff’s Requst To Hire An Additional Corrections Officer

(Le Mars) — During Tuesday’s county board of supervisors meeting, Plymouth County Sheriff Jeff TeBrink along with Jail Administrator Tami Jorgensen met with the county governing board to inform them of the current situation involving county jailers, and to request permission to hire additional corrections staff.  Sheriff TeBrink and Jail Administrator Jorgensen informed the supervisors that when the jail is housing both male and female inmates, the requirement would be to have both a male and a female corrections officers.  TeBrink told the supervisors that due to some corrections officers leaving the position to take on another career, it has left the county with a shortage of corrections officers.  In addition, he says more drug-related arrests have taken place.

TeBrink says in September, Plymouth County had 49 inmates, and in August, there were 54 inmates, the highest number on record.  TeBrink informed the supervisors that two corrections officers are needed anytime a federal inmate is being transported.  He says often times in order to maintain enough correction officers at the jail, TeBrink says he has to remove a Sheriff’s deputy from patrol duty, and temporarily assign the deputy to assist with the corrections department to transport a federal inmate.  TeBrink and Jorgensen specifically requested to hire an additional female corrections officer immediately.  He says it may be that a second corrections officer will be needed in the future.  The county supervisors approved the request on a 5-0 vote.

 

 

 

County Supervisors Approve Funding A Trailer For County Emergency Management Services

(Le Mars) — Also during the recent Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meeting, County Emergency Management Services Director Duane Walhof appeared before the county board to inform them of an application of a grant through the American Relief Act that would go to help purchase either a pickup truck and/or an emergency services trailer.  Walhof says the grant has been given partial preliminary approval of $14,120.  Walhof says he submitted an application for a grant for either an emergency services trailer, or for the pickup.

Walhof informed the supervisors that he had spoken with Sheriff Jeff TeBrink about the possibility of combining services for one trailer.  Walhof says the trailer could serve both agencies as both a incident command center, as well as a health incident trailer.

Walhof continued to tell the supervisors how the trailer could possibly serve a dual purpose.

After some discussion, the county board of supervisors agreed to assist with financing a trailer through money directed to the county through the American Relief Act.  The county has been told it will receive approximately $4.8 million.  The estimate for the multi-use trailer was $152,000.  It is the same fund that the supervisors agreed to finance $2.4 million last week for the installation of broadband internet in the rural regions of Plymouth County.

 

 

 

Le Mars Police Department Investigates Vehicle vs. Pedestrian Accident

(Le Mars) — Le Mars Police are investigating an accident involving a vehicle hitting a pedestrian, and then leaving the scene of that accident.  The incident occurred last night at about 12:45 a.m. in the 100 block of Central Avenue northwest.  According to the police report, officers recovered vehicle parts at the scene, and determined they were looking for a red Dodge Caravan.  While on patrol, a Le Mars police officer located the damaged suspect vehicle at 44 5th Avenue southwest.  Officers arrested 31-year old Jose’ Oritz Mejia as the driver of the vehicle from the accident.  Ortiz-Mejia was charged with a second offense of OWI, failure to provide insurance,  driving while license was suspended, and leaving the scene of an injury accident.  The victim, a 50 year old male was transported to Floyd Valley Healthcare for non-life threatening injuries.  The Le Mars Police was assisted by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Le Mars Fire and Rescue.

 

 

 

State Economic Development Director To Speak At Le Mars

(Le Mars) — Iowa’s Economic Development Director, Debi Durham is scheduled to speak during the noon hour in Le Mars.  It is part of the Chamber of Commerce “Lunch and Learn” program.  Durham is expected to address the state’s economic growth opportunities.  Today’s “lunch and learn” will start at 12:00 noon and will be held at the Central Avenue Event Center located on the corner of Central Avenue and Plymouth St.

 

 

 

Plymouth County Historical Museum To Host Bus Tour

(Le Mars) — For the 19th year, the Plymouth County Historical Museum will host a bus trip scheduled for Saturday, October 9th.  “Bussin’ In Our Own Backyard” will feature a chartered coach and will travel to five museums within Plymouth County and others within the general area, including the city of Ireton.  The chartered bus will leave the Plymouth County Historical Museum at 8:30 a.m.  Museum Administrator Judy Bowman says there are a few seats still available for the tour.  For additional information, phone (712) 539-0223.

 

 

 

Former President Trump Returns To Iowa This Weekend

(Des Moines, IA)  —  Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to make his first appearance in Iowa since leaving office in January at a rally on the State Fairgrounds in Des Moines Saturday night. Eric Branstad is a senior advisor to Trump’s political action committee. Branstad says “jumbotrons” will be in place — so the crowd can watch the Iowa-Penn State football game — and Trump will not speak until the game is over.  The latest Iowa Poll shows Trump with his highest favorable rating ever in the Hawkeye State – 53 percent.  Saturday’s event is being called a “Save America” rally.

 

 

 

New Info Released In Estherville Murder

(Estherville, IA). —  New information has been released surrounding the murder of an Estherville man who was found along an Emmet County road on Saturday morning.  A criminal complaint says 20-year-old David McDowell was reportedly lured to an apartment last Friday by 19-year-old Connor Uhde and 18-year-old CeJay Van Der Wilt before he was shot to death early the next morning.  McDowell’s body was found along a roadway about five miles outside of Estherville when a driver spotted it. Uhde and Van Der Wilt were both arrested and charged with first-degree murder on Wednesday after simultaneous search warrants were executed at their homes in Estherville and Rockwell City. No motive behind the killing has been released.

 

 

 

Marshalltown Defendant Convicted Of Firearms Charge In Shooting Death

(Marshalltown, IA)  —  A Marshall County jury didn’t buy the defendant’s claim of self-defense in a fatal shooting, convicting 31-year-old Mustafa Muhammad Wednesday.  Detectives with the Marshalltown Police Department told the court Muhammad shot 27-year-old Blake Thomas in the back last year.  The jury found him guilty of reckless use of a firearm.  One of the bullets fired early that March morning grazed a 37-year-old woman.  Her injuries were minor and her name hasn’t been released.

 

 

 

University Of Iowa Settles Title IX Lawsuit

(Iowa City, IA)  —  The University of Iowa will keep women’s swimming and diving as a competitive sport for no less than seven years and it will add women’s wrestling.  The two moves are part of a settlement of a lawsuit by the university, which is also paying 400 thousand dollars.  The move comes at a time that the Hawkeyes’ athletic department already is dealing with a multi-million dollar deficit.  After three athletic programs were cut last year, four athletes sued the school claiming it had failed to follow Title Nine rules.

 

 

 

Iowa Business Council’s Latest Survey Shows Positive Outlook

(Des Moines, IA)  —  The Iowa Business Council’s third-quarter Economic Outlook Survey shows a continued positive outlook among its business members for the next six months.  I-B-C executive director Joe Murphy says while it is the fifth straight positive survey, businesses are still facing extreme pressures from a workforce shortage perspective, and increasing bottlenecks in the supply chain for Iowa companies.  Murphy says there aren’t enough truck drivers to move the supplies or enough people out on the west coast in the Port of Los Angeles to offload cargo containers.  The survey found 55 percent of businesses expect their workforce to grow, and 40 percent do not anticipate any change in employment. One-hundred percent say hiring is somewhat difficult to very difficult.  The third-quarter survey’s overall economic outlook index is nearly 66 — with 50 or above being positive.

 

 

 

Iowa State Auditor Accused Of Using Open Records For Political Gain

(Des Moines, IA)  —  Iowa’s state auditor is accused of using his office for political gain in a new lawsuit.  The Kirkwood Institute claims Rob Sand also violated open records laws.  The lawsuit follows Sand’s accusation that the governor improperly appeared in a COVID-19 P-S-A, which the nonprofit organization says wasn’t right.  In response to the lawsuit, Sand released a statement, saying the nonprofit is biased.