Kemps Union Meetings
Kemps employees are meeting today to hear an update on labor contract negotiations and to conduct a strike authorization vote. Teamsters Local Union No. 554 sent a union notice to all Kemps employees at their Le Mars, Clear Lake, Altoona, and Omaha locations advising them of three different meetings being held throughout today and tonight at the Holiday Inn Express in Le Mars. Employees were urged to attend one of the meetings and to contact any member of the negotiating committee with questions.
Funding for Local Airport Projects
Several local airports have been awarded funding through the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2026 Aviation program. D.O.T. Commissioners Tuesday approved $6.7 million in funding through the Airport Improvement program for projects at 25 airports around the state.
The Le Mars Municipal Airport will receive $320,420 towards reconstruction of the airport’s apron and also to construct a taxiway. Le Mars City Administrator Jason Vacura says the current apron is in need of repairs and will be expanded. The new taxiway will be built to follow FAA safety regulations. He estimates construction to begin in late Spring or early Summer of 2026. The total project cost is listed at $550-thousand.
Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City will receive $400-thousand towards Phase II of their South Apron Reconstruction. The Sheldon Airport was awarded $17-thousand for a Zoning Ordinance Development. Sibley is getting $48-thousand towards runway repairs and the Sioux County Regional Airport near Maurice was awarded $282,309 towards Phase II of a South Apron Expansion.
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Tourism Funding Awarded for the Bash
The Bash Live at the Olson, organized by Engage Le Mars has been awarded $7,500 from Hotel/Motel Sales Tax receipts from the City of Le Mars. The 2025 concert will be held on Saturday, September 20th. The event will feature 3 bands, food trucks, and a beer garden at the Olson Cultural Event Center.
Mitch Christoffel, President of Engage Le Mars, says he is excited to be awarded these funds
Christoffel says there will still be a Le Mars Farmers Market the morning of the Bash
Event-goers are welcome to bring lawn chairs to enjoy live music on the green space at the Olson Cultural Event Center between the hours of 4 till 10:30 p.m. There will be several food options, including Mexican food, Smash Burgers, Asian food, Pork Chop in a Glove, Kettle Corn, and Snow Cones.
The music line-up includes local country music performer Ben Erdmann from 4 till 5 p.m., Dirty Rotten Scoundrels- a 50’s and 60’s Rock ‘n Roll band from Des Moines playing from 5:30 till 8 p.m.,, and The Pork Tornadoes- a party band from Cedar Falls- finishing off the night from 8:30 till 10:30 p.m.
Engage Le Mars is a non-profit group which has successfully helped organize several major concerts in Le Mars over the last 6 years.
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Environmental Leader Awards Presented
Forty Iowa farm families were recognized with Iowa Farm Environmental Awards at the 2025 Iowa State Fair.
Those from Northwest Iowa in our area included Taylor and Jessica Kats from Sioux County, Bruce and Cindy Husman- Husman Farms from Cherokee County, and Nathan Nieuwendorp- Emory Creeks Inc. from Lyon County.
The award recognizes farmers and farm families who go above and beyond to take voluntary actions to improve and protect our state’s natural resources, including our soil and water, while serving as leaders within their communities.
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July Unemployment Rate
Unemployment rates in Northwest Iowa in July were lower than the state average. Plymouth County’s jobless rate was listed at 2.4%, Sioux County at 1.9 %, Cherokee County at 2.6 percent, and Woodbury County at 3%. This compares to the state of Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate which held steady in July at 3.7 %.
The total number of unemployed Iowans increased to 64,900 in July from 63,700 in June.
The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,672,600 in July. This figure is 600 higher than June and 11,000 higher than one year ago.
