BICYCLE SAFETY
Tonight’s family bicycle ride will also feature a Bike Helmet Program. Le Mars Chief of Police Kevin Vande Vegte says Ice Cream Days is a perfect time to begin their safety promotion.
Le Mars Police and Plymouth County Cyclists will be at the Olsen Center before the ride begins this evening.
Chief Vande Vegte says this is the beginning of a month-long safety promotion by the two organizations.
Tonight’s family bicycle ride starts at the Olson Cultural Center, and follows the city recreation trail.
HEAT STRESS
Kristin Ball – Nurse Manager – Floyd Valley Health
Physical strains in the high heat and humidity.
Fatigue and dehydration are your body’s warning of heat stress.
Ball says you should also take precautions with exposed skin.
Ball says rehydration is important, especially before you go out. Dress in light weight clothes and limit your time outside.
Be aware of the amount of time you spend outside,
Exercise earlier or later in the day, when outside conditions are not as harsh.
Ball says Floyd Valley Health had few cases of heat stress during the past weekend.
Ball says the air conditioned lobby of Floyd Valley Health is available for limited times during periods of high heat and humidity. High temperatures Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be well into the 90s.
ICE CREAM DAYS
The Ice Cream Days celebration opens in Le Mars today for a three-day run. The day begins with a Chamber coffee at the Wells Visitors Center and Ice Cream Parlor at 9-30. Activities this afternoon include a downtown scavenger hunt beginning at 2 pm,and the Le Mars Arts Center presents Local Waters at 4-30 pm, and through the afternoon, the Plymouth County Historical Museum is serving $2 root beer floats at Miller’s Lunch in the Museum. Tonight, a Family Bike Ride begins at 6.
The Primebank Ice Cream Social is a tradition of Ice Cream Days. The 54th annual event takes place tonight from 6 to 8 pm, featuring a musical reunion. Dave Grosenheider reports.
The night is topped off with an outdoor movie, “Frozen”, presented at 8–30 p.m. at Total Motors, which is the site of Le Mars drive-in movie theater.
OCCS EXPANSION
Last night, the society supporting the Orange City Christian School voted to move forward with fundraising for the next phase of expansion at the school. An architect with Oleson and Hobbie Architects presented the project. This is the second phase of expansion, under what the school calls Project Engage. Construction will include four new classrooms, a science classroom, a gymnasium and locker rooms, an expanded kitchen and commons, and a remodeled office and entrance. The estimated costs of the expansion range from 12 million to 15 million dollars. The society passed a resolution indicating that ground will be broken once 75% of the project costs are pledged or in hand. Those in attendance at last night’s meeting passed the resolution with an 84% majority.
DERECHO ANNIVERSARY
Residents and city officials gathered in Cedar Rapids this week, one year after the devastating derecho that destroyed homes and businesses and knocked out 65 percent of the city’s tree canopy. Mayor Brad Hart told those gathered in a city park it is the spirit of resilience and perseverance and kindness that they celebrate. He says they need to understand the damage the storm did and celebrate how many people stood up and continue to stand up to help others. City Manager Jeff Pomeranz acknowledged there is still work to be done. HE says “It’s not that we’re slow. But the amount of damage was devastating.”
VISITORS FEES
Out-of-state visitors at two western Iowa parks will have to keep paying an entrance fee for at least two-and-a-half more years. Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs had three million visitors last year and Representative Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs says it’s Iowa’s most heavily used state park, “particularly because it’s next to Omaha and there are tons of Nebraskans that come over.” Senator Dan Dawson of Council Bluffs implied that visitors from Nebraska might be more likely to “drink or tear up the park or go off-road,” and that the five-dollar fee is a tool to “try and maybe redirect some of our non-residents back to their state.” Waubonsie State Park is near the Missouri border in Fremont County and also has a lot of out-of-state visitors who are charged the five-dollar fee.
