Helping Hands Donation And Thrift To Hold Two Holiday Donation Events
(Le Mars) — Helping Hands Donations and Thrift of Le Mars is looking to help area families during the upcoming holiday season. The charitable organization will hold two donation events referred to as “Pack the truck”. In association with Jensen Ford, a pickup truck will be parked at the Fareway grocery store collecting the non-perishable food donations. Jim Plueger of the Helping Hands Donation and Thrift Store explains the program.
The second event is scheduled for early December to be held on December 3rd and 4th. Plueger says there are several area families who need a little assistance to assure a happy holiday season.
Plueger says he wants to offer area families a holiday meal, but he says the need extends beyond the holiday season.
Plueger says he is needing food items as well as grocery store gift cards in order to purchase fresh food items. Plueger says the program will be a way for people to pay it forward by helping those that need either a financial lift or even an emotional lift.
Stabbing Victim Undergoing Treatment For Critical Injuries In Fort Dodge
(Fort Dodge, IA) — A 21-year-old stabbing victim has been hospitalized for treatment of her critical injuries in Fort Dodge. Police responded after a caller said the victim had texted her saying someone was inside her home. When officers arrived, there was no response initially, but they found the injured woman after making entry. She was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital. Police say they canvassed the area but didn’t find a suspect. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.
Union Pacific: Cleanup Of Train Derailment Site Near Carlisle Could Take Weeks
(Carlisle, IA) — A spokesperson for Union Pacific says the cleanup of a train derailment site near Carlisle could take several weeks. About 20 cars jumped the tracks at around 10:30 p-m last Friday night. The accident caused plastic pellets to spill into the Middle River and corn syrup to leak into the ground in a nearby forested area. A boom was put in the river to keep the pellets from reaching the Des Moines River and to make their removal easier. An estimated 30-thousand gallons of corn syrup soaked the ground but isn’t expected to reach the river.
Davenport Man Reaches Plea Deal With Murder Of His Mother
(Davenport, IA) — A Davenport man has entered a guilty plea to a charge of second-degree murder in his mother’s death. Thirty-eight-year-old McKinsley S. Watson was initially charged with first-degree murder. Victoria Watson was killed in May of last year. Davenport police told the court they found the son on the front stoop when they responded to a report from a 9-1-1 caller. They said he was “extremely out of it,” showing behavior possibly linked to drug use. They found his 59-year-old mother’s body inside.
Children 5 – 11 Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine
(Le Mars) — The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted November 2, 2021 to recommend Pfizer’s Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for those 5-11 years of age under the Emergency Use Authorization. The CDC director has also approved ACIP’s recommendations.
Floyd Valley Community Health will begin administering the pediatric Pfizer vaccine to children 5-11 years of age once vaccine shipments have been received. Appointments will be required and can be made by calling 712.546.3335.
Effective immediately, CDC recommends:
- A two-dose, primary vaccination series for everyone ages 5 years and older, regardless of a history of COVID positivity.
- COVID-19 vaccines may be administered simultaneous with other vaccines on the same day.
Feenstra Sounds Alarm on Rising Fertilizer Prices During Hearing on Supply Chain Challenges
Farmers face skyrocketing input costs, troubling supply shortages
WASHINGTON — Today during a House Agriculture Committee hearing on supply chain challenges, Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04) voiced Iowa farmers’ concerns regarding fertilizer supply shortages and skyrocketing fertilizer prices.
“The 4th District leads the nation in soybean and corn production. With that, I’d like to address a concern regarding fertilizer costs. Some of our farmers, who have been able to guarantee fertilizer availability for next planting season, have reported being quoted prices up to six times as high as 2021 prices,” Feenstra said during today’s hearing.
Feenstra asked Rod Wells, Chief Supply Chain Officer for GROWMARK, to shed light on the main factors driving this troubling supply chain issue. Discussing high prices for nitrogen and phosphate, Wells pointed to the effect higher natural gas prices have had on fertilizer production.
“One of the catalysts to make the products is natural gas,” Wells said. “Natural gas has skyrocketed in price, and it directly impacts the prices of those particular products.”
Feenstra has heard from farmers across the district concerned fertilizer shortages and high prices could make for a difficult 2022 planting season.
