BIRD VISITS BO DEANS
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird paid a visit to Le Mars Wednesday, touring Bo Deans, and meeting with law enforcement officials. This is her first visit to Plymouth County in an official capacity since her election. This is Bird’s first visit to Plymouth County as Attorney General
Atty Gen Bird talked about several issues, including the Everify system. She says it’s effective in helping employers abide by immigration laws, but it can be bypassed
She spoke on a number of topics, including border issues, identity theft and the E-verify system, and the new Cold Case Unit that will operate out of her office.
DEPUTIES SUCCESSION
Family, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers gathered this morning for a swearing in ceremony in the Plymouth County Courthouse courtroom. The Plymouth County Sheriffs Office marked the start of one deputy’s tenure with the force, and the promotion of two others. Judge Daniel Vakulskas administered the oath of office to Jordan Singer. Singer is graduate of Le Mars Community High School, and is a Le Mars resident. He has previous law enforcement experience with the Cherokee Police Department and as a correctional officer in the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Matt Struve was sworn in to become a Sergeant in the sheriffs office. He’s served Plymouth County for 14 years, including the last four as a special deputy. Jake Wingert was sworn in after being promoted to Lieutenant. Wingert has been with the sheriffs office for 11 years, the last 3 1/2 a a sergeant. The succession came as the result of the retirement of Lt. Scott Dorhout.
STREET CLOSURE
The Le Mars Street Department says the Iowa DOT will be closing south bound traffic at the intersection of 5th Ave. N.E. and Plymouth St. starting the morning of Tuesday April 30th and will have it back open by Friday May 3rd, weather permitting. They will have detour signs posted at the corner. The contractor needs to put in a sidewalk approach for the crosswalk at this intersection and tear out and replace the median. This is the corner where Iowa Highway 3 turns north off Plymouth Street.
SPECIAL LCSD BOARD MEETING
A special meeting of the Le mars community school board takes place this afternoon at the Education Service Center.
Their agenda includes board approval of a new contract with the Le Mars education association.
Approval of contracts for teachers, coaches, and TLC committee members for the next fiscal year. Staff and administrative contracts, and the superintendent’s contract, will also be brought before the board for approval.
There will also be action on a recommendation to exclude a student from the high school, due to a violation of board policy.
FEENSTRA VISITS NIPCO
U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra of Hull visited Le Mars Wednesday, to discuss the area’s power needs, and how Congress can address them.
Rep. Feenstra says power needs in the region are adversely affected by federal regulation. NIPCO can benefit from an increase in generation, but EPA regulation doesn’t help expand power resources. Representative Feenstra says regulations must be rolled back.
He says congress must take charge of regulation.
Feenstra toured the Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative, and later held a question-and-answer with NIPCO employees.
BODY OF MISSIN TRUCKER FOUND
The body of a missing Wall Lake, Iowa truck driver is believed to have been found.
53-year-old David Schultz was last seen November 21st.
The Sac County Sheriff’s Office received a call Wednesday afternoon from an individual who reported he discovered a body in his field.
The body was found near the intersection where the semi truck of Schultz was located that day last November.
The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation has not confirmed the identity of the body, but Schultz’s wife has told local Sioux City TV stations that it is her missing husband.
The body has been transported to the state medical examiner for a forensic autopsy.
At 3:04 pm on November 21st is when a Sac County Secondary Road employee reported to the county sheriff’s office that there was a semi-tractor-trailer parked on the traveled portion of the road at the intersection of 190th Street and Union Avenue.
Responding deputies found David Schultz’s wallet and cell phone inside with his driver’s license in the wallet, but the trucker was not with the truck.
Several searchers had combed through a multi-county area in the following weeks, but found no sign of him.
VICTIM IDENTIFIED IN HARRISON COUNTY DEATH
The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation has released the name of the victim in a homicide case in Harrison County. Douglas Lynn Manly, 53, of Missouri Valley was identified by the State Medical Examinder. The ME ruled that Manley’s death was a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma.
22 year old Sebastin O’Brien is held in the Harrison County Jail on no bond. He is accused in Manley’s death. A preliminary hearing scheduled for May 1.
UPDATE ON WIND FARM PLANNED IN NORTHWEST IOWA
Developers of a northwest Iowa wind farm plan to erect 18 turbines in Emmet County. The Red Rock Wind Energy Center project is being scaled back in neighboring Dickinson County, though, as officials consider changes to Dickinson County’s wind turbine ordinance. Joe Crowley is project developer for Invenergy, the company building the wind farm.
The company originally planned to build 83 wind turbines in Dickinson County, but Crowley says that’s been pared back to around 70 wind turbines due to expected changes in the county’s ordinance. Yesterday (Tuesday), Crowley briefed Emmet County Supervisors on Invenergy’s prep work in their county.
The Red Rock Wind Energy Center is planned for Emmet, Dickinson AND Clay Counties. Invenergy has built 17 other wind farms in Iowa.
