PLYMOUTH COUNTY PORK PRODUCERS
At the Plymouth County Fair, it’s all about the pork.
“Oinkin’ Round the Barn” is the theme of this year’s fair, with a focus on pork production. Sterling Meyer of the Plymouth County Pork Producers says it’s a huge industry in Plymouth County.
This includes contract or independent producers.
The Plymouth County Pork Producers have a strong presence at the county fair.
The swine show at the fair takes place all day Saturday, but there’s a new swine show event that will be unveiled Thursday.
The midway opens at 6 pm, and 4-H awards will be presented at 6:15. Opening ceremonies begin at 6:40, and the Plymouth County Fair King and Queen will be crowned at an event at 7 this evening. At the grandstand tonight will be motocross, starting at 6-30 p.m. KLEM will have live broadcasts from the fair each day through Saturday at 10-30 and 11-30 am, and 4-30 pm. On Sunday, there will be a report at 12-30 pm.
ABORTION APPEAL
The Iowa Supreme Court has issued an order saying it will hear Governor Kim Reynolds’ appeal of a district court injunction that blocked new abortion restrictions. Reynolds signed the bill into law that that bans most abortions in Iowa after cardiac activity can be detected on July 14th. A Polk County District Court judge issued a temporary injunction blocking its enforcement four days later. Attorney General Brenna Bird says she’s glad the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal and she looks forward to defending the right to life in court.
ONE BEN FRANKLIN LEFT
There will soon be just one Ben Franklin store left in Iowa. Fifty years ago, there were more than 100 Ben Franklin stores in the state, but there’s a store closing sale underway at the Ben Franklin in Eagle Grove — and the Ben Franklin in Sheldon will be the last one operating in Iowa. Phil Warnke says he and his wife were relatively young when they bought the store in 1991.
The original Ben Franklin chain went bankrupt in 1996, but Warnke has been paying a licensing fee just to be able to keep the name on the building.
Warnke says when the Ben Franklin company went out of business 27 years ago, that actually helped his operation because as a franchise, his store had to buy and stock company products.
The Ben Franklin store on the town square in Winterset closed in December after 83 years in business. The owner of the Ben Franklin store in Nevada retired last November and the store closed. The Ben Franklin store in Eagle Grove announced its “store closing” sale on Facebook a few weeks ago, but has not set an end date.
IT’S FAIR TIME!
The Plymouth County Fair opens its five day run today. The grounds opened at 7 this morning. Exhibit buildings open at 10, and the Round Barn opens at noon.
This is the tenth year the Le Mars Chamber Ag Committee has hosted fair exhibits in the Round Barn. Janelle Johnson says swine and pork production are the theme for this year’s Plymouth County Fair. Their displays show swine production from the nursery to your plate.
There’s more than swine featured in the Round Barn
The midway opens at 6 pm, and 4-H awards will be presented at 6:15. The Plymouth County Fair King and Queen will be crowned at an event at 7 this evening. KLEM will have live coverage from our booth at the fairgrounds throughout today.
HEAT WAVE
When you come to the fair today, take precautions against the heat and humidity. The National Weather Service have issued a heat advisory from 2 until 8 p.m. today. Heat indices are anticipated up to 103 degrees today. Remember to drink plenty of fluids, stay out of the sun, and check up on your relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing when possible. If you are working outside, take frequent breaks in a shaded or air conditioned environment. High temperatures in Le Mars will be in the mid-90s through Friday, and in the upper 80s Saturday, with low-90s again on Sunday.
SPEED ENFORCEMENT
The Plymouth County Sheriffs Office will take part in a speed enforcement action on Wednesday. Chief Deputy Rick Singer says there’s been an increase in speed-related crashes in Iowa, and today, there are extra deputies on duty to crack down on speeders. This is especially important on rural roads.
There have been two fatalities in a single vehicle accident in Plymouth County this year, but so far that’s been the only fatal accident in the county in 2023.
Iowa and ten other Midwestern states are taking part in the speed awareness campaign today. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau chief, Brett Tjepkes says Iowa has seen a 25 percent increase in speeding related deaths on the roadways. He says speeding related crashes killed 84 people in Iowa in 2021. There’s some speculation the lack of traffic and open roads during the pandemic led to increased highway speeds, and it has continued with traffic back up. Tjepkes says egregious speeds or more than 100 miles an hour have increased. The Iowa State Patrol, many sheriff’s departments and police departments are taking part in the speed awareness day. Tjepkes says they are just asking drivers to please slow down.
NEW HEALTHCARE SPACE OPENS
Floyd Valley Healthcare announced that the new Specialty Clinic space will be open for patients on Monday, July 31st. Visiting specialists including Cardiology, Dermatology, ENT, General Surgery, Nephrology, Neurology, Orthopedics, Urology and Vascular Medicine will see their patients on the first floor of the north addition. Mike Sloniker, AuD (audiology) and Justin Kuiper, MD (ophthalmology) will continue seeing patients in their current location, entering the east doors. Parking will be available in the north lot adjacent to the building for patients. Please enter the north door with Specialty Clinic above it.
STREET CLOSING
There’s another road closing in Le Mars, starting today. Holzman Construction will close 3rd St. S.W. just west of 5th Ave. S.W. north of Kwik Star. They will be fixing the street and curb where some undermining has occurred which caused the street to settle. It should take about 10 days to repair, weather permitting.
NEW TACTICAL VEHICLE
The Iowa National Guard is training soldiers from across the country on how to operate its new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Iowa Guard Sergeant First Class Bradley Meyer says the J-L-T-V takes over the duties that had been pushed onto the Humvee. Meyer sayt the J-L-T-V is designed specifically for their equipment needs and to protect soldiers and that makes operating it a little different than any other vehicle. He says the J-L-T-V has a top rated speed of 76 miles an hour — must faster than most other military vehicles. Other features include cameras, an automatic fire extinguisher, a heated windshield and modern electronics. Meyer says they normally would train soldiers for several weeks on how to handle all types of vehicles –but the J-L-T-V training is one week straight and focuses solely on how to operate it.
