PIONEER VILLAGE/CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND
Pioneer Village/Christmas Wonderland opens this weekend at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lori French says Century Hall and the Pioneer Village will be filled with lights, sounds and tastes of Christmas on Saturday and Sunday evening.
The Le Mars Chamber of Commerce took the lead on planning this year’s event, at the request of the Davison family. French says they look forward to taking the reigns over the celebration.
French says many volunteers and community groups help to make this an exciting event. A Christmas tree display fills Century Hall, area music and dance groups entertain, and there’s lots of food to enjoy. Pioneer Village Christmas Wonderland is tonight and tomorrow from 5-30 to 8-30 pm, and next Saturday and Sunday evening, too.
JOSH’S RIDE
A raffle to benefit the charity known as “Josh’s Ride” doubled expectations. Committee member Beth Meyer said the group was hoping to sell 300 raffle tickets for an e-bike donated by Total Motors, but ended up selling twice that amount. Meyer told KLEM that the raffle came at a time when funds were getting low and costs for the bikes have gone up.
To date Josh’s Ride has gifted 82 specially equipped bicycles to recipients in Plymouth County.
Mitch Christoffel of Total Motors said the impact of Josh’s Ride was the reason for the e-bike donation.
Mitch drew the winner from the back of a pick-up in the Total Motors Showroom during a Friday afternoon Facebook live broadcast. Wayne Schlotfeldt of Le Mars was the winner drawn from the 600 tickets.
Josh’s Ride committee members Beth Meyer, Deb Parmalee, and Chelsi Hector were on hand for the drawing.
IOWA’S CONGRESSMEN VOTE TO EXPEL SANTOS
The four Iowans serving in the U-S House of Representatives voted to expel George Santos, the now-former New York congressman accused of using campaign funds on personal expenses and making tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges on donors’ credit cards. Fourth District Congressman Randy Feenstra says Santos has proven his ethics do not align with what is expected from elected leaders.
First District Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks says a recent House Ethics Committee report documented considerable evidence that Santos had engaged in criminal activity. Second District Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says Santos is unfit to serve in congress and he should deal with his legal challenges as a private citizen. Third District Congressman Zach Nunn says Santos has repeatedly proven he’s a con man and Nunn is planning to sponsor legislation that would deny government pensions to expelled members of congress.
DESANTIS MAKES APPEARANCE IN SIOUX CITY TODAY
The Republican presidential candidate will appear at a noon meet and greet at his Never Back Down campaign headquarters located at 422 Pierce Street in downtown Sioux City. Doors open to the ticketed event at 11:30 a.m. You may obtain a ticket online at events dot never back down dot org.
FIREARM DEER SEASON OPENS TODAY
D-N-R State Deer Biologist, Jace Elliott, says the numbers from early hunts show the first firearm deer season that begins this Saturday should be comparable to previous years.
The gun season has expanded from the original shotgun-only, to now include muzzleloaders, handguns and, most recently, rifles. The gun seasons are always the most popular, with some 100-thousand hunters expected to take part.
He says hunters shouldn’t have trouble finding deer in most of the state.
Elliott says there has been some concern about the E-H-D outbreak and the impact on the deer population in Iowa. He says there was a severe E-H-D outbreak, statewide this year, and particularly in the southeast region.
Elliott says the counties that are hit hard with E-H-D but have ample deer populations to start with, tend to recover in just a matter of a few years. The first deer gun season starts Saturday (Dec. 2) and runs through Wednesday December 6th. The second deer gun season is December 9th through the 17th.
