WELLS CELEBRATES 110TH ANNIVERSARY
Wells Enterprises celebrated its 110th birthday Tuesday by giving back to the communities they serve. At the gathering at Wells Headquarters yesterday afternoon, Wells Executive Adam Baumgartner presented a check for 50-thousand dollars to the Le Mars Community Betterment Foundation. This is to fund improvements planned at O’Toole Park.
Mayor Rob Bixenman describes some of the features being considered for the O’Toole park upgrade.
The main feature in the park will be a splash pad.
Dustin Wright, President of the Le Mars Economic Betterment Foundation, says this organization has had a hand in a number of quality of life improvements in Le Mars.
Baumgartner says Wells also made contributions Tuesday to Boys and Girls Home and Family Services, and the Foodbank of Siouxland. Similar contributions were made to agencies in Bentonville, Arkansas, Chicago, Dunkirk, New York and Henderson, Nevada. Wells also will grant two wishes to each community through the local Make A Wish foundations.
PICK FOR LE MARS COUNCIL
Brad Pick is one of four candidates seeking election to an open seat on the Le Mars city council. Pick is a lifelong Le Mars resident.
He says he’s familiar in the community, and that will help in working on the council. Pick says his greatest qualification is leadership.
Pick says there has been remarkable growth in Le Mars.
He’s enthusiastic about the growth plans laid out in the Vision 2045 report.
Pick says it will take leadership to carry out the development plan.
Pick is interested in quality of life in le Mars, for example, how the Willow Creek Golf Course expanded over 30 years ago.
Pick says he offers the city leadership at a time when the city is planning its long-term future.
Pick thinks the council is doing a good job, and he would like to join them to continue to guide the city.
KLEM News is profiling candidates in contested races for city council and Le Mars Community School Board. Each candidate will be featured daily through next week.
VETERANS AFFAIRS REPORT
Plymouth County’s Veterans Affairs Director gave his annual report to the Board of Supervisors today. Jim Jones, and Wayne Schipper came before the Supervisors. Jones told the Supervisors that over the past year, 97 benefit claims were completed and processed, with 2/3 of the applications approved. The approved applications equal some 880-thousand dollars in benefits to county veterans, and 2.7 million dollars since 2017. Now that the county veterans office has access to the Veterans’ Administration computers, Back pay was also calculated to some 1.35 million dollars. Since 2017, some 4 million dollars in benefits were paid to Plymouth county veterans. For the year, the Plymouth County Veteran Affairs office made some 712 contacts with the county’s military veterans. Jones also revealed plans for Plymouth County’s Home Base Iowa Dedication Ceremony, Wednesday, November 15, at 1 pm, at the courtroom in the county courthouse.
VEST FOR K9 OFFICER
Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office K9 Zeke will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Zeke’s vest is sponsored by the Nancy Allison Perkins Foundation of Homer Glen, IL and will be embroidered with the sentiment “Gifted by the Nancy Allison Perkins Foundation”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.
BIRD FLU REPORTED IN TWO MORE COUNTIES
The Iowa Department of Agriculture has confirmed two more cases of Avian Influenza in the state. The latest cases are in a commercial turkey flock in Pocahontas County and the other is in a mixed species backyard flock in Guthrie County. They are the second and third cases of the bird flu confirmed in Iowa in the past three days. The first was a Buena Vista County commercial turkey flock that was announced Friday. It’s believed the bird flu is carried by migrating birds. There were two other bird flu cases in Iowa in January and March of this year.
HARVEST PROGRESS AHEAD OF LAST YEAR
The U-S-D-A crop report says the corn harvest increased by 20 percent in the last week, bringing the total to 62 percent of the corn now out of the fields. That is two days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the five-year average. Combines have now harvested 87 percent of the soybeans statewide, up from 74 percent the week before. That is one day ahead of the harvest rate from last year and ten days ahead of the five-year average.
