Ten Year Old Boy Riding Bicycle Dies From Being Struck By A Vehicle
(Le Mars) — A ten year old Le Mars boy died as a result of an accident involving a vehicle hitting his bicycle. The accident happened at about 5:12 p.m. Tuesday afternoon on Business Highway 75 at the 100 block of 5th Avenue SW. The accident report says the ten year old, identified as Elijah Peters, was going westbound crossing the street riding his bicycle when he was struck by a Toyota Corolla going northbound and driven by 21 year old Diego Gomez also of Le Mars. The child was initially transported to the Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars where he passed away from his injuries. The accident is still being investigated. Grief counselors have been assigned to the Le Mars elementary schools.
Fire And Rescue Department Issues November Report
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department has issued its monthly report for November. During the past month, firefighters responded to 26 calls consisting of both fires and accidents. The EMS side responded to 104 calls of which 73 calls were 911 emergency calls, and 31 calls were transfers, nine of those transfers were to Sioux Falls. The full-time duty staff responded to eight calls consisting of investigations of odors, illegal burning, alarms, and etc. Twice the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department were called for special operation calls for confined space or hazardous materials. The local fire and rescue operations had 12 requests for services including programs, talks, filling SCBA air tanks, agency assists, classes, fire drills, evacuation drills, and storm siren testing. The total number of calls for November was at 152 calls.
Le Mars Community Schools Provide Grief Counseling To Students And Staff Following Tragic Fatal Accident
(Le Mars) — Tragedy struck the Le Mars Community when it was learned that a ten-year old student of Franklin Elementary School was the victim of a fatal traffic accident Tuesday afternoon. The shock of knowing a young child’s life has been cut short affects most all of us, but it especially is emotional for students, teachers, and school officials, particularly for those who knew the student and the family. As a result of the tragic deadly accident, Le Mars Community Schools had counselors available at the schools to help the students and staff deal with their grief. School superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner explains the program.
Webner acknowledges that after a serious event such as the fatal accident, the school day is anything but normal. However, he says guidance counselors and teachers try to visit with the students, and attempt to have students busy with activities.
Webner continues to discuss the emotional support system available for students and the entire school district.
In addition to the school’s guidance counselors, additional assistance is available and can be provided by Plains Area Mental Health and the Northwest Iowa Area Education Agency.
Webner says the special counseling will go on as long as it is needed. He adds that every child is different. Webner says the school administration and faculty and staff wants to express its sympathy and thoughts go to the grieving family.
Christmas Lighted Parade Scheduled For Saturday
(Le Mars) — The annual Le Mars Christmas Lighted Parade is scheduled for this coming Saturday, and organizers say this year’s parade will feature additional floats and entries. Joel Johnson serves as the coordinator of the lighted parade.
Johnson says he can’t recall when exactly the lighted Christmas parade first started in Le Mars, but he says a group of gentlemen created the idea, and it has been an annual event for the last few decades. He says there will be some new entries as well as many of the traditional favorite floats associated with the parade.
Johnson says everyone is welcome to participate in the lighted Christmas parade, as there isn’t any entry fee. He says a few new rules have been implemented for parade participants.
Johnson wants to invite the entire community to come out Saturday evening to view the parade. He says since COVID prevented having the parade last year, he is expecting a good crowd for this year.
Run-Off Elections Decide Mayoral Races in 3 Iowa Communities
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A former T-V news anchor is the new mayor in Cedar Rapids. Tiffany O’Donnell won the run-off election Tuesday and will be sworn in as mayor in January. O’Donnell focused on the city’s recovery from the 2020 derecho and the massive flooding in 2008. Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green was reelected with 51 percent of the vote Tuesday. Grace Garrett will be the first female mayor in the city of Atlantic. Unofficial results show Garrett won by just four votes. She has been an at-large member of Atlantic’s City Council.
Monticello Man Charged With Arson in Home Explosion That Injured Deputy
(Monticello, IA) — A Monticello man is facing a first-degree arson charge for a home explosion that injured a Jones County sheriff’s deputy. Sixty-two-year-old David Costello set off the explosion in his basement November 17th after his wife reported he was threatening to blow up the home. Investigators say a police officer and Deputy James Rickels were talking with Costello when he ignited a device, causing an explosion and fire. Rickels suffered minor burns and has since returned to work. Costello was also taken to the hospital. He remains jailed on 25-thousand dollars cash bond.
EPA Misses Deadline to Set Ethanol Volume Levels
(Johnston, IA) — Another missed deadline for the E-P-A to set new annual amounts of ethanol that small oil refineries must blend into gasoline. The deadline was Tuesday, and the E-P-A hasn’t set new volume levels since 2020. Monte Shaw of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association said, “while this is not uncharted territory for us, it’s about what is that opportunity cost? What is not happening? You know, E-10’s being sold, you kind of get stuck in the status quo of blending.” The E-P-A has proposed extending the ethanol blending deadlines for oil refineries. The agency has scheduled a virtual public hearing on the issue this Friday.
No Staff Shortages at Iowa DOT But Agency is Hiring 300 Seasonal Employees
(Ames, IA) — The Iowa Department of Transportation is preparing for winter and says it’s not dealing with a staffing shortage. The D-O-T says it has a lot of seasonal employees that come back and work every winter. But officials are still looking to hire about 300 more seasonal workers before the end of the month. You can apply online at Iowa-D-O-T-dot-gov.
