THE TRADITION CONTINUES “ON THE CORNER”
The tradition of a men’s clothing store on the corner of Plymouth Street and Central Avenue in Le Mars will continue. Terry and Lori Claussen, owners of Claussen’s clothing store, along with Chad and Jill Mescher have announced that Mescher’s Clothing will open shortly after the new year.
Claussen’s announced Terry’s retirement just weeks ago and an inventory reduction sale is continuing at the regional mainstay located at 10 Central Avenue N.E. in Le Mars. The Mescher’s are no strangers to the clothing business. Chad Mescher’s wife, Jill, owns Sugar-N-Spice Children’s Boutique and Lily Zita Teen Boutique. Jill’s mother, Cary Penning, operates Shop Cary Boutique. All of these businesses are in downtown Le Mars.
Chad Mescher says that he is working with vendors to restock the new store which will feature a complete line of men’s clothing. Mescher’s Clothing will continue to offer formal wear rentals and dry cleaning. He continued by saying “I’m excited about keeping the tradition of a clothing store alive in this iconic location on the corner in downtown Le Mars.”
Terry Claussen said he is looking forward to the next chapter of his life
Claussen reflected on how fashions have changed in the more than forty years he has been in the clothing business, 33 of those years in Le Mars
The Claussens purchased the business in 1990. For decades the location on the corner of Central Avenue and Plymouth Street was the home for various clothing stores including Bower’s and Evan’s Clothing. The Berg and Hentges Dry Goods store operated in that location in the late 1800’s.
Claussen’s retirement sale will continue through mid-December.
TRIPLE BOX FIRE
A fire early Thursday morning destroyed a popular Sioux County events center. Around 2-30 am, a passerby noticed a fire at 4758 Ironwood Avenue, two and a half miles southwest of Orange City. The address is the site of the Triple Box, a rural event center. Orange City Fire Department, Ambulance, and Alton Fire Department was called to the scene. Maurice Fire was dispatched for mutual aid. The building is a total loss, with damage estimated at over one million dollars. The cause of the fire is under investigation by Orange City Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal.
DEPUTY SCAM
Someone posing as a deputy in the Sioux County Sheriffs has been operating a telephone scam.
Residents in northwest Iowa have been receiving phone calls from an imposter claiming to be Lieutenant Justin De Bruin with the Sioux County Sheriffs Office. Lieutenant De Bruin is a legitimate employee, He has not been calling numerous people asking for gift cards.
The imposter is telling victims that they missed federal jury duty and a warrant is being issued for their arrest unless they supply the scammer with numbers from a gift card in the amount of $3,000.
The Sheriff’s Office will never call anyone and ask for money; please do not send money or gift cards to these people. This is a scam and do not give out any of your information.
ETHANOL INDUSTRY REBUTS RAMASWAMY
An ethanol industry group is accusing Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy of being hypocritical for supporting construction of an oil pipeline, but opposing carbon pipelines. Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson reports.
At noon today, Ramaswamy and the Free Soil Coalition, a group that opposes the carbon pipelines, held an event in Des Moines.
A SECOND LAWSUIT OVER RULES FOR IOWA SCHOOLS
The country’s largest book publisher, four authors and the state teachers union have filed a lawsuit challenging part of a new Iowa law that requires schools to remove books that describe or depict sex acts. Dan Novack — the Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Penguin Random House — says the policy is a plain and simple book ban. Novack says under Iowa law, a 16 year old student is old enough to consent to sex, but not old enough to read about it in school. Penguin Random House has filed a similar lawsuit against a Florida school district. Earlier this week, after a separate lawsuit was filed against the same Iowa law, Governor Kim Reynolds said books with graphic depictions of sex acts have absolutely no place in Iowa schools.
DRY NOVEMBER
State Climatologist Justin Glisan (GLISS-un) says it’s likely this November will rank among the 20 driest Novembers on record.
As of Thursday morning, the statewide average for precipitation is just four-tenths of an inch.
That’s almost an inch and a half below average.
This is the 178th week of moderate drought somewhere in Iowa — the longest drought in Iowa since the U-S Drought Monitor was launched 23 years ago.
Last spring was the 16th driest on record and this past summer was the 17th driest summer in the past 151 years.
The current drought is different from the droughts that struck Iowa in 2012 and 1988, according to Glisan.
Glisan says there are some positives in preliminary forecasts for the middle of December. Temperatures will be slightly above normal, and preliminary forecasts show slightly elevated signals for wetter conditions in December.
ERNST INCIDENT
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa had a scary moment during a Senate luncheon Thursday.
Ernst began choking on some food and fellow Senator Rand Paul came to her aid. He used the Heimlich Manuever to dislodge what she was choking on.
Ernst later tweeted that she “can’t help but choke on the woke policies Dems are forcing down our throats”.
She also thanked Rand Paul, who is a doctor.
Other senators say Ernst is doing o.k. after the choking incident.
STREET CLOSING MONDAY
Starting Monday Dec. 4th, 2023 , The Le Mars Street Department will be closing 3rd Ave. S.W. between 7th St. S.W. and 8th St. S.W. to tear out and replace a bad sanitary sewer manhole ring and cover . This should be reopened to traffic by Dec. 8th.
