TWO TRUCK COLLISION
Two semi trucks collided Tuesday afternoon on Iowa Highway 3 west of Le Mars, causing injury to one of the drivers.
Plymouth County Sheriffs Deputies and Le Mars Fire Rescue responded to the accident scene at the Brunsville intersection. A semi loaded with hogs, driven by 37 year old Korey Krieg of Kinsgley, traveled south on K42. It went through the intersection of Highway 3, and was struck in the trailer by a westfound semi. The sheriffs Office says Kreig’s vehicle either did not or could not stop at the intersection. Both units entered the southwest ditch after impact. The driver of the westbound truck, 42 year old Aaron Manley of Akron, had to be extricated from the vehicle, and was taken to MercyOne Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was treated and later released. Kreig was not injured, but was cited for failure to stop and yield the right of way. There were 160 hogs in the trailer. 60 either were killed in the crash or had to be euthanized. Highway 3 was closed for nearly six hours for cleanup.
-photo courtesy Le Mars Fire Rescue
PLYMOUTH SUPERVISORS ACTIONS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors took action concerning appointments and compensation Tuesday. The Supervisors appointed Gina Terpstra to the county Compensation Commission as a finance officer. Approval was also granted to waiver home rental agreements in the county. The board approved higher compensation for members of the Zoning Board. They will now be paid 30 dollars per meeting, twice the previous amount. They also approved a 30 dollars per month cel phone compensation charge for the county Zoning Administrator/Sanitarian.
SIOUX CITY OFFICER SHOOTING
The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation released more information about a shooting involving a Sioux City Police Officer. A suspect was shot by police in a confrontation early Monday morning. The victim died at the scene. DCI says early Monday, an officer was parked in the parking garage at Hard Rock Casino. While there, a white truck driven by 55-year-old Salvador Perez-Garcia of Sioux City approached, and rammed the patrol car head-on. The subject continued out of the parking garage, when it was met by other officers. He then rammed a second police car. Perez-Garcia emerged from his vehicle, swinging a chain with a metal object affixed to it. Officers tried to de-escalate the situation, but when Perez-Garcia continued to advance in a threatening manner, officers fired their weapons, striking him. Perez-Garcia died at the scene. The officers involved have been placed on critical incident leave. DCI will submit a report to the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Attorney General’s office once their investigation is completed.
GRASSLEY WANTS TO EXTEND SECRET SERVICE’S THREAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM TO SCHOOLS
Following the deadly shootings at Perry High School, U-S Senator Chuck Grassley is renewing an appeal to his colleagues to pass a bill which he says would help to make schools nationwide safer. Grassley says his “heart goes out” to everyone who’s been impacted by last week’s gun violence.
Grassley says he introduced legislation following the Valentine’s Day shootings in 2018 at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead, another 17 injured.
The bill is named after the Parkland school mascot. Grassley says accurate behavioral threat assessments and early interventions are key to maintaining a safe environment in schools. He adds, the Secret Service is uniquely equipped to help evaluate such threats, and the bill would enable them to share their tools and expertise with schools across the country.
The shootings last Thursday at Perry High left an 11-year-old dead and seven other people wounded. Authorities say the 17-year-old gunman took his own life.
REYNOLDS PROPOSES TWO TAX CUTS, HIKE IN TEACHER PAY
Governor Kim Reynolds is calling for another reduction in Iowa’s personal income tax and a 50 percent increase in the salary for first-time teachers.
Reynolds delivered the annual “Condition of the State” address last (Tuesday) night and outlined her priorities for legislators. The governor proposes a 50-thousand dollar starting salary for Iowa’s rookie teachers.
The governor says state law should require a minimum salary of 62-thousand dollars for teachers with at least a dozen years of experience. “These investments will put Iowa in the top five states for starting pay and help recruit more of the best and brightest to join the teaching profession,” she said. Reynolds is proposing two tax cuts. Businesses would pay half as much per employee into the state fund that finances unemployment benefits.
And Reynolds proposes deeper cuts in the state’s personal income tax — a retroactive cut to January 1st of this year and lowering the rate to three-and-a-half percent in 2025.
Reynolds said near the end of her speech. “…Let’s not hestitate. Let’s stick to the approach we established in 2018 and allow Iowans to keep more of their money.”
The governor is proposing a major overhaul of the nine Area Education Agencies. Iowa spends more than the national average to educate students with disabilities, but their test scores are below average. She proposes ending training and other education services from the A-E-As and making special education their only focus. School districts would no longer have to forward special education funding to the A-E-As and could choose to hire their own staff, contract with a private firm or pay the A-E-A for special ed services.
The governor covered a number of other topics in last (Tuesday) night’s speech. Reynolds is asking lawmakers to tighten rules that forbid foreign ownership of more than 320 acres of farmland, to force disclosure if foreign interests are part of companies that own farmland. She’s also renewed her request that lawmakers extend Medicaid coverage for new moms for a full year. The limit for post-pregnancy check-ups is currently 60 days for women who qualify for government-paid insurance.
