INFANT DEATH SENTENCE
A Sioux City man will spend the rest of his life in prison for his role in the death of his girlfriend’s infant daughter in 2018. Twenty-Six-year-old Tayvon Davis was sentenced after being found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder, child endangerment resulting in death, and multiple counts of child endangerment. He was also ordered to pay 50-thousand dollars to the estate of the infant Maelyn Myers. Myers was 19 months old when she died.
DIOCESE AWARDS
The director of maintenance at Gehlen Catholic Schools will receive an award at the 26th Annual Bishops Dinner for Catholic Schools, to be held next month in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Mark Schlesser is the only non-teacher among the six to be honored. Schlesser is being recognized for taking on oversight of a kitchen and cafeteria expansion project, along with his other duties in maintaining the Gehlen schools physical plant. The Bishops Dinner is a major fundraiser for the catholic school systems operated by the Sioux City Diocese. These schools are located in 16 northwest Iowa Communities, including Alton, Le Mars, Remsen, and Sheldon.
SIDS WALK
Today is the day for the 23rd annual Iowa SIDS Foundation Walk for the Future. Le Mars is one of seven communities in Iowa hosting the walk. Registration at the Willow Creek Shelter begins at 8-30 this morning. Coordinator Pam Jeneary says the walk will be preceded by a memorial event and balloon raising. The walk is at 10 am, followed by a raffle and silent auction, and a lunch provided the Plymouth County Pork Producers, Hy-Vee and Wells Blue Bunny. This is the yearly fundraiser for the Iowa SIDS organization. These funds are used in a variety of ways to assist families affected by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.
GOSS LOAN FORGIVENESS
Creighton University Economist, Ernie Goss, says student loan forgiveness ends up being a windfall for colleges and universities — but he’s not in favor of them.
Goss says one problem is schools end up raising tuition and he says it has negative impacts on what is sometimes thought of as income inequality.
Those who support loan forgiveness say the recipients will spend the money they would have paid on the loans on other things and also help cut inflation.
Goss conducts the Midwest Economic survey of purchasing managers, and he also surveys rural bankers. He says inflation has been a big issue in keeping the economy from a faster recovery. Goss doesn’t believe the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act will help — nor do rural bankers.
Goss doesn’t think the plan will recover the tax revenues the administration has touted.
Goss’s survey that came out earlier this month showed the midwest economy has been moving along pretty well despite issues with inflation, shortages of workers, and still some supply chain disruptions and slowdowns.
IOWA TRAVEL
Initial data from the state tourism office indicates the number of travelers is down slightly from last year, but visitors are coming from a greater distance. Iowa Travel Office Communications manager, Jessica O’Riley, says the average distance traveled for a trip this year is just 233 miles compared to 140 miles last year. Air traffic numbers show more people traveling out of state. O’Riley says they are seeing hotel occupancies higher this year.
BUS FALLS ON MAN
A Lincoln business owner is recovering after a bus fell on him. The man was under a party bus working on it earlier this week when the jack gave way and the 16-ton bus pinned him underneath. His brother and others were there and got another jack and raised the bus off him. The man’s expected to survive.
