WELLS FUTURE
The former CEO of Wells Enterprises is taking on a new role in the Le Mars Community.
Mike Wells is now Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce. Wells, in an interview with Chris McGowan of the Siouxland Initiative, credits his dad for teaching him the values he applied to his work.
Though Mike’s branch of the Wells family is based in Sioux City, he and Cheryl decided it was best to move to Le Mars.
Wells Enterprises was recently sold to an Italian Firm, the Ferraro Group, last month. The Wells’ are ready to take on a new challenge.
The entire interview with Wells will be aired Tuesday morning at 10-30 on KLEM.
PLYMOUTH COUNTY RIGHT TO LIFE
Plymouth County Right to Life Will Hold A Living Rosary for Life Sunday, January 22. This will take place immediately following the 11 o’clock Mass at All Saints Catholic Church, 605 Plymouth Street Northeast, Le Mars, Iowa. Pro-lifers and the community will be the Living Rosary.
January 23 marks the “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn” in the United States. The Plymouth County Right to Life is a non-denominational, non-profit organization comprised of individuals who believe in the sanctity of human life from conception until death, with no exceptions.
GENDER BALANCE
Governor Kim Reynolds is open to repealing the requirement that state and local officials ensure there’s an equal balance of men and women appointed to boards and commissions. A bill to repeal that gender balance requirement is eligible for debate in the Senate State Government Committee. Reynolds says she’s not committing to sign the bill into law, but the concept is something she supports. Reynolds says the standard should be to appoint the best qualified people who have a passion for the work. Iowa has had a gender balance requirement for state boards and commissions since 1987. The legislature in 2009 passed the same gender balance rule for city and county boards that are established by state law. Reynolds, who was a state senator in 2009, spoke out against the bill when it was debated.
TALENT POLL
A so-called Talent Poll that was done by a coalition of the state’s 15 largest chambers of commerce aims to find out what people who live in Iowa love about the state, and equally as crucial, what might make them want to move away. Dustin Miller, executive director of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, says most of the things survey respondents said were the positives that keep them here were of little surprise — small town feel, affordability, the people, and safety. On the negative side, the poll found 45-percent of respondents said Iowa’s entertainment opportunities are inferior to other states. While outdoor recreation continues to be a major selling point, respondents aged 18-to-29 said the lack of recreation was a major consideration for leaving Iowa.
