VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE
The annual Veterans Day observance was held at Gehlen Catholic Schools this morning. The event included essays, songs, and quilts.
Three fifth graders who participated in the American Legion Essay contest read their winning entries, titled “what the flag means to me” This is Blake Langel…
…and KalenPaulson
Brady Jaspers was the other essay contest winner.
Evan Hausmann was honored by the Legion Auxiliary for his poppy poster.
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th graders sang We Will Never Forget. Virginia Freyermuth and Geri Dreckman were the guest speakers. They presented Quilts of Valor to Stanley and John Kessenich. The two brothers served together in the Korean War.
The event concluded with the reading of the names of veterans on the Gehlen Catholic Wall of Honor. Afterwards, a reception was held for the veterans in the school cafeteria.
(pictures courtesy Amy Jungers)
LE MARS SCHOOL BOARD MEETS
The Le Mars Community School Board meets tonight for their regular monthly session. On the agenda is the board’s annual meeting, which includes electing board officers for the next year. They will also pass a resolution approving Bank Depositories. Results of the district’s bond issue election will be presented to the board. Several personnel items, which include resignations and new contracts, will be considered.
INJURY ACCIDENT
An Alcester, South Dakota, teen was injured in a single vehicle accident in Sioux County Sunday morning. The Sheriffs Office says 17 year old Emma Erickson was driving south on Cherry Ave, when she lost control of the vehicle on a curve, and entered at ditch. Erickson was transported to Hawarden Regional Hospital for treatment of injuries. Hawarden Police, Fire, and Ambulance assisted the sheriffs office at the scene.
DISPATCHERS HONORED
Three Sioux County Communications Center dispatchers were honored Saturday as Dispatchers of the year. The Iowa EMS Association recognized Courtney Lesage, Delany Geddes and Makya Hiemstra for the award. The three were nominated by the Rock Valley Ambulance Service, for their efforts during the flood this year. The award recognizes those who serve in the field of emergency medical services who have performed exceptional service in the field.
UNI-DOME UPGRADES INCLUDES WIDER SEATS
The first phase of a plan to modernize the 48-year-old UNI Dome in Cedar Falls was completed last month and the board that governs the University of Northern Iowa has approved moving ahead with the second phase of the project. Michael Hager is the senior vice president for finance and operations at the University of Northern Iowa.
The UNI-Dome hosts the high school football championships and hosts U-N-I football games. The dome has been updated, with a new Teflon-coated fiberglass roof.
U-N-I officials say the 16-million dollar plan for the second phase of the project is focused on the fan experience.
The aisles in seating areas will be widened and handrails will be added. Seating capacity will drop from about 16-thousand to around 12-thousand. Hager says that’s due to wider aisles and the removal of some seating to expand loge (LOHJ) boxes, plus each seat will be wider.
The upgrades to seating will have a positive financial impact, according to Hager.
There were 25-thousand people at the Fleetwood Mac concert in the UNI-Dome back in 1989, but Hager says give changes in the music industry the UNI-Dome is likely not a big enough arena to attract major acts.
DNR CONTINUING GRAY FOX STUDY
The Iowa D-N-R is in its second year of a pilot study on the gray fox. D-N-R wildlife biologist Vince Evelsizer says the animal’s numbers have been dropping.
Evelsizer says they are asking trappers who catch a gray fox in a live trap to give the D-N-R a call.
He says they want to find out where the gray foxes are living and hunting.
Evelsizer says there is a 400-dollar reward provided by the Iowa Wildlife Federation for anyone who catches a gray fox that can be used for this study. He says the fox will be released on the site where it was caught. The D-N-R is also working with Iowa State University on a pilot project this winter in northeast Iowa, using cameras to track gray foxes to determine what areas these species occupy. He says other regions may be surveyed in the future, depending on how this study goes.
