Plymouth County Supervisors To Discuss Salary Compensation For County Elected Officials
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene for their weekly meeting this morning at 9:30 a.m. at the County Courthouse Board Room. The county supervisors will discuss the budget requests from the County Library Coalition. The governing board will hear from Judy Bowman as she offers information regarding the Wet Nose Animal Rescue organization and the recently acquired shelter facilities. The supervisors will set public hearings for ordinance reading and approval for additional precincts and districts. The county supervisors will discuss the salary recommendations by the County Compensation Commission for the elected officials. Nick Beeck (Beck) with the Plymouth County Conservation Board will review the annual report with the county supervisors. Chris Joslin will request an extension to file a sub-division in Remsen township. County Engineer, Tom Rohe, will appear before the county governing board to discuss a couple of permits for tile crossing in Stanton and Elgin townships.
Le Mars Chamber of Commerce To Host “Lunch And Learn” Session
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce will host a “Lunch and Learn” session today at noon. The session will take place at the Central Avenue Events Center at the intersection of Central Avenue and Plymouth Street. City administrator, Jason Vacura will be the featured speaker.
Plymouth County Farm Bureau Contributes To Mid-Sioux Opportunity
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Farm Bureau dropped off donations of clothing, non-perishable food, and toys to Mid-Sioux Opportunity in Remsen on Monday to be distributed to area families. This is the second year for the donation program, and Mark Bohner, the Regional Manager for Iowa Farm Bureau, says this year’s donations far exceeded last year’s donations.
Bohner explains what was donated, and why the Plymouth County Farm Bureau chose Mid-Sioux Opportunity as the designated recipient of the donations.
Plymouth County Farm Bureau organization, along with its agents, will match the value of the contributed donations, which this year is estimated at $4,500. Bohner says by contributing the donated items to Mid-Sioux Opportunity, several area families will benefit.
Dick Sievers is the Executive Director with Mid-Sioux Opportunity and says the donations will benefit many local families.
The Mid-Sioux official says all the money that is donated from Plymouth County remains in Plymouth County.
Plymouth County Farm Bureau and its insurance agents began the collection program prior to Thanksgiving.
School Board Given Good News On Financial Audit, And Directors Approve Of Hiring Three Special Education Teachers
(Le Mars) — During the Le Mars Community Board of Education meeting held Monday evening, the school board was given a review of the financial position of the school district through an audit. Eric Gilbertson with the King, Reinsch, Prosser and Company accounting firm of Sioux City, informed the directors the financial position with the Le Mars Community School District is in good shape. Gilbertson noted the assets and income are greater than the expenditures. In the audit report, it was determined the school district’s total net position increased 11.1 percent or approximately $2.4 million dollars from the prior year. The unrestricted net position that can be used to finance day-to-day operations without constraints increased approximately $239,000 or three percent above last year. Le Mars Community School District did show an increase of 3.3 percent in total revenues, and a 4.8 percent in total expenditures during last year. However, the revenue was still more than the total expenditures.
Also, during the school board meeting, the board approved hiring three additional teachers to focus on the growing number of students classified as needing special education. School superintendent, Dr. Steven Webner informed the school board that the elementary schools have identified 16 additional students requiring special education programs. In the Middle School, there are 12 more students requiring special education, and in the high school, Webner says an additional 30 students are listed as special education students. Webner told the school board that he believes there is sufficient funding to hire the three teachers salary, plus benefits. He says there is enough funding to continue for the next few years into the future. Webner says he believes the number of students requiring special education needs will only increase during the next few years.
Gehlen Catholic To Hold Christmas Vespers Services On Wednesday
(Le Mars) — This is the season for uplifting, spiritual, Christmas music along with inspirational scripture readings. Gehlen Catholic school will hold its annual Vespers services Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the All Saints Parish – St. Joseph Catholic Church. Hunter Gloden is a senior at Gehlen Catholic High School and sings in the choir. He tells what people can expect during this year’s Vespers service.
Glodin says many of the songs to be sung will be familiar traditional Christmas hymns.
Glodin says another traditional Christmas song which will be sung will be “Silent Night” which will be sung to conclude the services. He says the Gehlen Catholic high school choir consists of around 40 people. The senior tenor explains what is his favorite Christmas song to be featured during the Vespers service.
The senior Gehlen Catholic student says the high school choir has been rehearsing for the Vespers service for the last couple of months. The Gehlen Catholic Vespers service is scheduled for Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the All Saints Catholic Parish at the St. Joseph church.
Iowans Helping With Tornado Recovery In South
(Undate) — Iowa American Red Cross volunteers are already providing help in the South after weekend storms spun off at least 50 tornadoes in eight states. Iowa spokesman, Josh Murray, says most of the Iowans are now in western Kentucky, where the damage is extreme and one entire town was nearly wiped off the map. He says the Iowa volunteers will be providing a range of services, from feeding and sheltering tornado survivors to helping them mentally recover from the massive, devastating storm. Murray says this is expected to be a long-term assignment with the amount of destruction to homes and businesses. You can help financially by calling 800-RED CROSS — or log onto www.redcross.org, or text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
State Tax Collection Estimate Revised Up
(Des Moines, IA) — A panel of financial experts predicts state tax revenues for the current state budgeting year will grow three percent — and project tax collections to grow one-point-seven percent in the next fiscal year. Clear Lake C-P-A, David Underwood, says the pandemic is the biggest uncertainty in the economy. He says they thought the problem would go away with the vaccine — but that hasn’t happened. Governor Kim Reynolds issued a statement saying the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference forecast confirms a significant overcollection of Iowa taxpayer funds and she says “we are going to give that money back.”
Governor To Explore Making Significant Tax Cuts Next Year
(Des Moines, IA) — The governor’s budget director says there’s likely to be more than two billion dollars in the state’s Taxpayer Relief Fund by this summer. There are more than one billion dollars in the fund now. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says the overcollection of taxes is unethical and she will explore making significant tax cuts in 2022. Democrats warn state tax revenue has been boosted by federal pandemic relief and is likely to fall as the tax cuts Republicans previously approved take effect. And Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls (like “walls”) of Coralville says complete elimination of Iowa’s personal income tax would lead to a dramatic increase in the state sales tax.
Former Postal Worker Who Took Checks Sentenced
(Dubuque, IA) — A former eastern Iowa postal employee who stole hundreds of thousands of checks from the mail will spend more than two years in federal prison. Thirty-eight-year-old Amy Jurisic worked at the Dubuque Post Office and pleaded guilty in June to one count of mail theft. Evidence at her hearing showed she took more than 60 pieces of mail that contained 650-thousand dollars worth of checks. She gave the checks to an individual in Chicago who would attempt to deposit them into various bank accounts. Approximately 62-thousand dollars worth of checks were actually deposited into bank accounts. She was sentenced to 33 months in prison and ordered to pay back the 62-thousand dollars.
Grinnell Man Gets Life Sentence For 2020 Murder
(Montezuma, IA) — A Grinnell man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the brutal killing of Michael Williams in 2020. The Poweshiek County judge called Steven Vogel a “cold-blooded murderer.” Evidence presented at the trial showed that Vogel, who is white, beat Williams, who is black in the head, and hanged him, before showing off the body and burning it. Investigators said there wasn’t evidence the killing was racially motivated, but Williams’ family members have called it a lynching — and say the case raises questions about the state’s hate crime laws — which they want to see reformed.
Man Arrested For Allegedly Ramming Council Bluff Police Squad Car
(Council Bluffs, IA) — Council Bluffs police have arrested a 26-year-old man, accusing him of using a vehicle to ram a squad car. The incident happened Friday afternoon when officers responded to a report of a car alarm going off. They say Anthony Martinez rammed the police vehicle after he had been ordered out of his car. He kept going until he crashed into another vehicle, then police say he climbed out of a window and tried to run away. They found a loaded gun in his waistband. Martinez faces a total of nine charges including assault.
Contractor, Cedar Rapids Schools Agree To Pay Fines For Improper Removal Of Asbestos
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A contractor and the Cedar Rapids School District have agreed to pay state fines for the improper removal of asbestos. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says no precautions were taken last year and asbestos regulations weren’t followed. The work was contracted out after the August 2020 derecho damaged the roof at Kennedy High School. Illinois-based Perfection Property Restoration is accused of exposing the school’s staff members and students to dangerous materials.
