CENTENNIAL BUILDING PLANS
A firm has been hired to handle bidding and contract documents for asbestos removal at the Centennial building at 1140 3rd Ave SE in Le Mars. Eocene Co. has done an asbestos inspection at the site, which is on the former Westmar College campus. As part of the asbestos removal, the building will also be demolished. The city will need to amend their urban renewal Plan to add abasetment and Demolition as a project. The project will be paid for through Tax Increment Financing proceeds.
SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE LATER TODAY
The weather forecast includes a chance of severe weather late this afternoon. The Le Mars forecast includes a chance of showers and thunderstorms after four p.m. Today’s high is 78. Tonight, there’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4 a.m. Friday. Some of those storms could be severe. Tonight’s precip chance is 60%. Rainfall amounts are projected less than a tenth of an inch, but higher amounts are possible where the thunderstorms occur. Friday’s forecast includes morning showers, then cloudy. The hgih temperature will reach into the lower 50s.
LAWMAKERS PROBE ERRORS IN DISTRIBUTION OF COURT FINES
The Iowa House Oversight Committee have launched an investigation of the misallocation of 23 million dollars in court fines. Court officials first noticed the problem in late 2020 and the computer programming to distribute court fines wasn’t fixed until late last year. It meant money was incorrectly deposited in the state’s General Fund — and victim services programs, the Iowa D-O-T, county sheriffs and others got less than they were due for five years. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says it feels like court officials tried to conceal the problem — because legislators weren’t notified of the problem until last October. State Court Administrator Bob Gast says they wanted to have the full scope of the problem before telling lawmakers and didn’t know it would take so long to diagnose the discrepancies.
BILL SETS PRIOR AUTHORIZATION DEADLINES FOR INSURERS
The Iowa legislature has unanimously voted to set deadlines for insurance companies being asked to authorize treatment, prescriptions or other health care services. Senator Mike Klimesh (KLEH-mish) of Spillville says Iowa hospital officials tell lawmakers they spend far too much time and money seeking prior authorization for the treatment of their patients. The bill was approved in the Iowa House last year, it won unanimous House approval again two months ago, and it passed the Senate Wednesday. Under the bill, urgent prior authorization requests would have to be acknowledged within 24 hours and resolved within 48 hours. The national trade association for health care companies is opposed to the bill, but Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield — the dominant health insurance company in Iowa — is registered in favor of it.
LCSD BUDGET ADOPTED
The Le Mars Community School District budget for 2025-26 was adopted by the school board this week. Total authorized spending the next fiscal year will be 41.2 million dollars, while the operating fund spending will be 29.1 million dollars. The beginning fund balance and ending fund balance in the next fiscal year is an estimated 10.6 million dollars. The property tax levy in the next fiscal year will be 11 dollars, 92 cents per thousand, up two dollars, five cents. For the first time in years, the district will go into debt, in order to build a new elementary school.
SPECIAL TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT
This weekend will feature another traffic enforcement program in Plymouth County. The county Sheriffs Office, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, is urging drivers to stay sober behind the wheel. There will be targeted enforcement, focusing on excessive speed, distracted and impaired drivers, and seat belt use. Sunday is celebrated as Easter, but it’s also known as 4/20, an unofficial marijuana “holiday”. While some states have legalized recreational marijuana use, impaired driving is still illegal and deadly. Sheriff Jeff Te Brink says if you are impaired, do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
OHIO CONGRESSMAN JOINS FEENSTRA PICNIC
Rep. Randy Feenstra announced that Ohio Congressman and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan will be his special guest at this year’s Feenstra Family Picnic on Friday May 30, 2025 in Sioux Center, Iowa. The picnic is a fundraiser for the Feenstra election campaign.
This will be Feenstra’s fourth picnic. In 2021, he hosted Vice President Mike Pence, in 2022, he hosted former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and in 2023, he hosted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
This week, Feenstra announced that in the first quarter of 2025, his campaign raised $876,000 through all committees, $802,000 to the campaign, and has $1,665,400 cash on hand.
LAWMAKERS PROBE ERRORS IN DISTRIBUTION OF COURT FINES
The Iowa House Oversight Committee have launched an investigation of the misallocation of 23 million dollars in court fines. Court officials first noticed the problem in late 2020 and the computer programming to distribute court fines wasn’t fixed until late last year. It meant money was incorrectly deposited in the state’s General Fund — and victim services programs, the Iowa D-O-T, county sheriffs and others got less than they were due for five years. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says it feels like court officials tried to conceal the problem — because legislators weren’t notified of the problem until last October. State Court Administrator Bob Gast says they wanted to have the full scope of the problem before telling lawmakers and didn’t know it would take so long to diagnose the discrepancies.
SEN. GRASSLEY SAY PRES. TRUMP SHOULD COOPERATE WITH THE COURTS ON GARCIA CASE
U-S Senator Chuck Grassley says American citizens deserve due process and he says President Trump should explain why a Maryland man remains imprisoned in El Salvador. The U-S Justice Department admits it mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia, and the U-S Supreme Court ruled the U-S must “facilitate” his return. Grassley acknowledges several of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate may fly to El Salvador as soon as today to plead for Garcia’s release.
Grassley says President Trump should be working with the courts by offering his point of view.
During a White House meeting with President Trump on Monday, the president of El Salvador said it would be “preposterous” to release Garcia from prison. In the same Oval Office meeting, President Trump suggested U-S citizens could be deported, but Grassley disagrees.
During a town hall meeting in Fort Madison on Tuesday, Grassley said he’s trying to correct decades of Democratic leadership in the 20th century that are to blame for executive overreach.
