Lawmakers Waiver on Parental Leave
State employees are still waiting to see if Iowa Republican senators will vote on a plan to give them paid time off to spend with their babies. Iowa is one of nine states that doesn’t guarantee paid time off for state workers.
This year, Governor Kim Reynolds introduced a bill that created paid leave for Iowa’s state employees. If they give birth or adopt, they would get four weeks of paid leave under the bill. They would get one week off if their spouse or partner does.
A Le Mars murder suspect to take plea deal today. Sexlyn Tataichy has agreed to plead guilty in the April 2024 death of her two-year-old son. The plea hearing is set for Wednesday afternoon in Le Mars
Tataichy was charged with second-degree murder and two felony counts of child endangerment. Last April, emergency services were called to a Le Mars residence, where the two-year-old child was found with multiple injuries.The child later died.
In the plea deal filed in Plymouth County District Court, tataichy has agreed to plead guilty to child endangerment resulting in death, a class b felony.
The second-degree murder count and the other child endangerment count will be dismissed. Tataichy will be sentenced to serve not more than 50 years in prison and pay $150,000 in victim’s restitution.\
Then Feed Just One in Le Mars
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, students and community members in Le Mars joined in packaging meals for one of Gehlen Catholic School’s largest service projects: Then Feed Just One. Dick Sievert, who serves as Director of Then Feed Just One, says last year the project fed just under 1.4 million children. This year, since February, already 900,000 meals have been packaged helping children who suffer from malnutrition in Honduras.
Sievert describes what the volunteers packaged.
(Sievert, cut 1)
He says that those who are packing not only contribute their time, but also money.
(Sievert, cut 2)
Then Feed Just One has been organized in Le Mars since 2005.
Highway Helper Program
Beginning today, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Highway Helper program will add Sioux City to its current list of service areas. The free service helps motorists with flat tires, jump starts, and fuel to quickly clear stalled vehicles.
If more extensive repairs are needed, highway helpers can transport a driver to a safe location where they can make repair arrangements.
Highway helper services are available from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays in Iowa.
Dordt Commencement Friday
Dordt University in Sioux Center will recognize the achievements of its undergraduate and graduate students during two commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 9.
The undergraduate commencement ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 9, in B.J. Haan Auditorium.The worship ceremony will include a faculty procession in full regalia,
This year’s ceremony will feature an address by Gayle Doornbos, a theologian and Dordt faculty member.
