HARMS PRELIMINARY HEARING
The attorney for Reese Harms has filed for a continuance in the case. There was to be a preliminary hearing for Harms this morning in Plymouth County District Court, but attorney Michael Jacobsma says schedule conflicts prevent him from attending the hearing today. He requested a short continuance.
Harms is charged with Attempted Murder, a class B felony, in the death of 44-year-old Michael Roy Gomez of Merill. Harms is accused of assaulting Gomez at a Le Mars apartment on January 19. Gomez died four days later of injuries suffered in the assault. Harms is held at the Plymouth County Jail.
LE MARS COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD
There will be a special meeting ot the Le Mars Community School Board late this afternoon, at 5:15 pm. The Le Mars Education Association will present their initial proposal for the 2024-25 contract. The regular meeting of the school board will be tonight at 6. The board will receive a study report from their consultant regarding district facilities. Additional building options and estimated costs will be presented this evening. The Board’s agenda also includes using a grant from the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency management for the purchase of additional security items. The board will also consider a food service agreement with the Le Mars Area Child Care Center. Later, the board will go into closed session to discuss the performance of Superintendent Dr. Stephen Webner. This session was requested by Dr. Webner. The closed session will also be a time to discuss collective bargaining strategy.
ART CENTER BENEFIT AT THE GARAGE AT 800
An event at a new venue in Le Mars Saturday delivered a major fundraising boost for the Le Mars Arts Center. The premier of “The Garage at 800,” owned by Mike and Cheryl Wells, served as the location of “That’s Amore,” an evening that included an authentic Italian dinner, a live and silent auction, and the vocal stylings of a Chicago entertainer. Cheryl Wells told KLEM that the community came together for the event.
The facility, located at 800 Prospect Street in Southwest Le Mars, features over 200 vintage gas, oil, and automotive signs and a recreation of downtown Le Mars.
“The Garage at 800” will serve as the location for future charity events.
The Le Mars Arts Center is observing its 50th Anniversary.
JENEARY OPPOSES LIBRARY BILL
3rd District State Representative Tom Jeneary of Le Mars is opposed to a bill that would allow city councils to take away the authority of their library boards and manage it themselves. The bill passed a House subcommittee last week.
Jeneary says the bill needs more work.
Under this bill, city councils would be able to hire or fire the library’s director and decide what books should be in the library. Several Iowa library directors and library board members urged legislators to table the bill. The bill came forward after a failed attempt to remove some content from the public library in Pella, Iowa.
PLAN TO CREATE ONE SYSTEM FOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES APPROVED
A House subcommittee has approved the governor’s plan to create a statewide system that combines the regions in charge of mental health services with the regions in charge of providing substance use treatment. Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, says the proposal would streamline services that have a lot of overlap and make it easier for Iowans to get help. Iowa currently has 13 regions that provide state and federally funded services for Iowans with mental health issues and intellectual disabilities. There are 19 regions in charge of government-funded care for substance abuse and gambling addiction. The governor’s plan creates seven districts that would each provide all those services.
THOUSANDS SWITCHES PARTY REGISTRATION TO PARTICIPATE IN IOWA GOP’S CAUCUSES
The latest voter registration data suggests thousands of Iowans switched their party registration to Republican so they could participate in last month’s Iowa Caucuses. Voter data from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office shows there were about 16-thousand more registered Republicans in Iowa on February 1st than there were on January 1st. The Iowa Republican Party Caucuses were held January 15th. The data suggests about 55-hundred were Democrats and six-thousand independents switched their party registration to Republicans in order to participate in the caucuses that night.
