LE MARS SCHOOL SURVEY
The Le Mars Community Schools have launched a survey to seek public response to the district’s facilities needs.
Supt. Dr. Steve Webner says their consultant, ISG, evaluated facilities, and brought their report to the board.
Dr. Webner urges everyone in the Le Mars School District fill out the survey.
He describes the building options before the district.
Clark and Franklin Elementary are the oldest buildings in the school district.
The survey presents several facilities options to district residents.
Dr Webner says the school board also wants to know what LCSD residents think is the best way to pay for potential improvements.
There are several ways to consider paying for potential school improvements.
The survey can be found at www.lemarscsd.org. It can be taken online, or you can print it out and return to the school district office. Completed surveys must be returned by June 1.
LE MARS HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS
The Le Mars Community School Board this week approved a contract for tennis court repairs. This work will postpone major repairs that are needed.
There are six tennis courts at Le Mars High School. Three were built originally, and three more were added later. It’s the three oldest courts that need repair. Cracks in the concrete need to be repaired, and the courts need to be leveled, striped and painted.
This project costs an estimated 63-thousand dollars, and a contract was awarded for the work to an Omaha firm.
This will forestall major repairs that are needed. Supt. Dr. Steven Webner says the concrete needs to be replaced, and these repairs would total up to a million dollars. The district would have to create a fund, and build it up for several years, before such a project can be undertaken.
LCSD BUDGET AMENDMENT
The Le Mars Community School District Board this week approved a budget amendment for the current fiscal year. This amendment reflects increased costs for food, and technology upgrades in the school district. The amendment totals 300-thousand dollars. Superintendent Dr. Steven Webner says this will not trigger an increase in taxes..
DROUGHT CONDITIONS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
The latest report out Thursday shows the amount of drought in Iowa continues to shrink. The U-S Drought Monitor shows nearly 53 percent of the state is now drought free. That compares to September when the entire state was in some sort of drought, and the start of this year when only three percent of the state had no drought conditions. The driest conditions remain in a line from Mitchell County at the northern border down through 23 other counties in northeast and central Iowa. Those counties all have some level of severe drought.
REPORT SAYS HUNGER PROBLEM INCREASING IN IOWA
Feeding America’s latest annual study shows that the hunger problem in Iowa is getting worse. Food Bank of Iowa C-E-O Michelle Book says the new “Map the Meal Gap” report covers 2022.
The report shows nearly 11 percent of Iowans and 15 percent of Iowa children aren’t getting enough food.
Appanoose and Wapello Counties are where the problem is the most acute. Other counties facing food insecurity issues are Crawford, Lucas, Clarke and Des Moines counties. Book says Iowa’s wages are not keeping up with the cost of living.
The complete report can be found on line at FeedingAmerica.org
APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS
The April unemployment rate dropped to two-point-eight percent compared to two-point-nine percent in March. Iowa Workforce Development director, Beth Townsend, says there were no major ups or downs in the month.
Townsend says the economy shows signs of easing with several industries inching back from huge hiring sprees earlier in the year.
Townsend says there appears to be some concern about the national economy.
The number of unemployed Iowans decreased by 15-hundred to 47-thousand-200 in April. Workers at the Tyson pork plant in Perry are slated to lose their jobs in June, and Townsend says they held a job fair there Thursday. She says they are trying to find the workers new jobs that are close.
The Perry plant has some 13-hundred workers.
DEERE & CO. PROJECTS DECLINE IN PROFITS DUE TO AG SALES
Deere and Company is reducing is prediction of profits for its current operating year due to what the company says are challenging market conditions. Net sales and revenue for Deere products worldwide were down 12 percent in the last three months. Deere predicts sales of large farm equipment, like tractors and combines, will be down between 20 and 25 percent for the year. Over 300 workers at John Deere’s Waterloo Works were laid off indefinitely at the end of April. Deere announced last week that 34 workers at one of its plants in the Quad Cities would be laid off at the end of May.
