COURT HEARING ON LEUSINK SENTENCE
There will be court hearing next month on a motion to reconsider the sentence of former law officer Aaron Leusink of Le Mars.
On November 8, Leusink was sentenced under a plea agreement to fifteen years in prison on ten counts of burglary, theft, felonious misconduct, and unlawful possession of prescription drugs.
He was accused of stealing prescription drugs between 2017 and 2020.
An earlier plea agreement and sentence was thrown out because of attorney misconduct.
Last week, Leusink’s attorney filed a motion to reconsider the sentence. The motion states that the conviction did not include a mandatory minimum sentence, and that is not, by statute, enforceable.
Third District Court Judge Andrew Smith ordered that a hearing on the motion to reconsider take place on December 13 in Plymouth County District Court. .
After the sentence was read on November 8, Leusink was transported to the Iowa Classification Center at Oakdale, where he is now incarcerated.
SENATOR ERNST COMMENTS ON TRUMP NOMINEES
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst says she’s excited about the upcoming Trump administration in Washington. Ernst, during a stop in Le Mars Friday, spoke about the Trump cabinet nominees he wants to appoint.
Senator Ernst says the 2nd Trump presidential term will be different than the first.
Senator Ernst is pleased with the election of South Dakota Senator John Thune as Senate Majority Leader.
Ernst will be chair of the Senate Small Business Committee. She was in Le Mars Friday to present her Small Business award to the Browns Century Theater and Gift Shop.
SEARCH FOR LEAD DRINKING WATER PIPES NEARLY OVER
The search for lead water pipes in the state is near the end and some communities are already notifying residents of what they’ve found. Sioux City Utilities Director Brad Peutz (Pitts) says it’s part of a federal program to get rid of lead pipes.
Peutz says residents who have a line that needs attention will soon get a letter.
The Iowa D-N-R is overseeing the federal program here. A spokesperson for the D-N-R says they are still compiling all the survey results and doesn’t yet have an exact statewide count on how many pipes need to be replaced.
MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER
Auto dealers in Le Mars, Sheldon and Holstein have reached a milestone in their efforts to fight breast cancer.
Total Motors in Le Mars, Vollmar Motors of Holstein Drenkow Motors of Sheldon have carried on Making Strides Against Breast Cancer for an 8th consecutive year.
This year, they’ve exceeded 100-thousand dollars in donations since the program has started. In 2024, based on the number of vehicles sold in October, they raised 12-thousand, 300 dollars. This brings their grand total to 102-thousand, 300 dollars in local donations.
Some of the money goes to locally nominated individuals or families who are now fighting breast cancer, or have in the past. To help other individuals beyond October, Total Motors also donates a portion of the funds to their community hospitals.
REGIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR
An Orange City teacher is one of nine educators named Iowa Regional Teachers of the Year. Beth Oolman, of the MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District, was named the Northwest Regional Teacher of the Year. She has been a middle school language arts teacher since 1989, and currently teaches eighth grade English language arts. Oolman has served 20 years as MOC-Floyd Valley’s 6-12 ELA curriculum specialistr. She’s also an adjunct instructor at Northwestern College and Morningside University. Oolman and the other regional honorees are also nominated for Iowa Teacher of the year.
TWO SPENCER RESIDENTS ARRESTED IN BOYDEN
Two Spencer residents were arrested in Sioux County Saturday morning, after a traffic stop in Boyden. The Sioux County Sheriffs Office says the deputy discovered the driver’s license was barred. He had multiple warrants from other jurisdictions. A search of the vehicle uncovered drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine. The driver of the vehicle, 48 year old Christopher McKee and a passenger, 43 year old Amanda McKee, were arrested. The driver was charged with driving with a barred license, and the passenger was charged with two drug offenses, including possession of methamphetamine.
UNEMPLOYMENT UP SLIGHTLY IN OCTOBER
The state unemployment rate moved up one tenth of a point in October to three percent. Iowa Workforce Development Director Beth Townsend says there’s been minimal movement the last several months and that probably due to the pending election.
Townsend says that anxiety impacted decisions on hiring, expanding and capital investments.
Townsend says it is not good to see manufacturing lose 16-hundred jobs, but she says the industry is still strong.
Townsend says the workers at the manufacturing facilities get enough notice to start looking for a new job and many don’t go on unemployment.
She says the industry demand is a bright spot at a down time when someone gets laid off.
The construction industry lost 18-hundred jobs in October, which Townsend says is a little early for seasonal layoffs there. She says there’s hope that with some of the uncertainty of the election behind us, there will start be some improvements in that area.
LATEST PHONE SCAM PREYS ON IOWANS WITH LOST PETS
Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal shelter is issuing a warning about scammers targeting the owners of lost pets. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says it’s gotten several calls from people who say they’ve gotten calls from someone claiming to be with the A-R-L. The caller says their lost pet has been found and needs urgent medical care, then says payment is needed, and they try to get the owner to cover the expenses through a third-party payment processor. The Des Moines-based shelter is putting out the word that this is something it never does. All lost pets that arrive at the A-R-L are posted on two websites: PetcoLoveLost.org and IowaPetAlert.com. So if you get such a call, check there, call the A-R-L or local law enforcement.
