Marcus Lumber Named Small Business of the Week
U.S. Senator Joni Ernst has named Marcus Lumber as her Small Business of the Week.
In making the announcement, Senator Ernst said, “Marcus Lumber has nailed it when it comes to building a legacy of quality service. They pride themselves on having a solid foundation and making a deep impact on the community. For over a century, they’ve hammered out success through hard work, innovation, and Iowa grit.”
Founded in 1920, Marcus Lumber has grown from a small-town lumberyard into a full-service home improvement business serving northwest Iowa. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, the company has rebuilt after setbacks, expanded to multiple locations, and continues to give back to the community. With a team of nearly 60, they’ve truly raised the roof on home improvement across the state.
Throughout this Congress, Senator Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
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Judy Bowman Tribute
During today’s Le Mars Chamber Community Coffee at the Plymouth County Historical Museum, a memory board honoring the late Judy Bowman was unveiled. The display chronicles Bowman’s career which included 25 years as museum administrator. The collection includes photos, articles, a blue ribbon and the words: Journalist, Administrator, and Friend to All (Animals Included.) The display will be in the main hallway on the first floor of the museum for now but later will be moved to the Hall of Fame room, along with Judy’s little red wagon which she pulled with a dog as its passenger in many Le Mars parades.
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Name Change
Vollmar Motors in Holstein is transitioning to a new name. The new name is Total Motors Holstein.
In making the announcement, Total Motors says “We truly appreciate the legacy of the Vollmar name and the impact it has had on the community over the years. As we move forward, we want to ensure that our new branding embodies our mission and vision for the future. The decision to change our name was not made lightly, as we recognize the trust and loyalty associated with the Vollmar brand.”
The company says they remain committed to supporting the local Holstein community and contributing to its growth and prosperity and they look forward to unveiling new initiatives and improvements designed for their customers.
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Orange City Area Health System created $111.5 million impact on local economy in 2024
Last year, Orange City Area Health System generated 1,130 jobs that added $58.4 million to the region’s economy, according to the latest study by the Iowa Hospital Association.
Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health Systems says In addition to the economic impact with respect to jobs, a $111.5 million impact is realized through health system expenditure, adding “while caring for the health needs of those we serve is our number one priority, the economic impact we make addresses the economic health of our region as well.”
The study was compiled from hospital-submitted data to the American Hospital Association’s annual survey of hospitals.
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NW Iowa Dinner with Democrats
Area Democrats and independent voters are invited to the NW Iowa Dinner with Democrats scheduled for Wednesday, Sept.24th. The event will be held at the Willow Creek Banquet Hall in Le Mars, and is hosted by the Democratic parties of Lyon, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury counties.
A number of Democratic candidates running for statewide or national offices in 2026 will attend the dinner and speak as part of the program.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., meal service will begin at 5:50, and the program will start at 6:30. Dinner will be catered by Lally’s Eastside Restaurant in Le Mars.
Tickets are $25 per person and available at secure.actblue.com/donate/2025dinnerwithdems.
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Merrill Ambulance Request
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors once again discussed a request from the Merrill Ambulance. They are asking for funding for a Lifepak defibrillator using opioid funds. Merrill Service Director Jacob Conley met with the Supervisors yesterday (Tuesday) morning concerning the request which totaled $49,888 including a trade-in. This represents a discount that is available until October 1st of this year.
During their August 12th meeting, the Supervisors tabled the Merrill request, citing the lack of monies in that fund at the present time. The request was tabled during the August 12th meeting until December after a discussion which included bringing all of these types of funding requests from all areas of the county together during budget time and also possible future consideration of drug identification equipment that is now available for emergency responders.
With enough monies now available in that fund, the Supervisors yesterday decided to take up the request during their September 9th meeting. During yesterday’s discussion, Supervisor Mike Van Otterloo pointed out that the Le Mars department which has this type of defibrillator is dispatched for every Merrill call and repeated his preference to prioritize requests that would include drug identification equipment.
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Law Enforcement Center Building
The Supervisors also looked at a list of specs for an additional building to be constructed next to the Plymouth County Law Enforcement Center in Le Mars. County Engineer Tom Rohe will review the specifications for the 48′ by 60′ building and prepare the wording for a Request for Proposal. The board is expected to approve the RFP language in their September 9th meeting. They will ask for proposals to be returned by September 23rd.
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Secretary Naig on Tariffs and Prices
In an interview while visiting the Heritage Bison Ranch near Hinton Monday, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig talked with KLEM about tariffs and trade deals. He says there are many concerns, but progress is being made.
Naig has trade trips planned to several locations.
He says this is a challenging time when looking at prices and profitability for growers of corn and soybeans
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Traffic Enforcement Project Today
The Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Remsen Police Department will be partnering for a traffic enforcement project today (Wednesday, August 27th.) From 3 p.m. until approximately 7 p.m., officers and deputies will be in and around the City of Remsen. They will be looking for excessive speed, lack of seat belt usage and distracted driving to include violation of Iowa’s new hands-free law. This project is funded in part by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
