Fire Prevention Week highlights safety around lithium-ion batteries
National Fire Prevention Week starts this Monday, with local fire departments nationwide educating the public on fire safety.
This year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home”. Le Mars Fire Chief Dave Schipper explained the importance of the theme to KLEM.
Le Mars Fire-Rescue will hold events and talks in the community throughout the week, and beyond. Tomorrow, they’ll host a pancake breakfast at Fire Station 1 starting at 8 a.m., and will open both stations up for the public to visit. Starting on Monday, the department will host talks in schools across the area.
Schipper says he believes that outreach efforts with local schools has prevented juvenile fire-setting issues in Le Mars. He says that the week isn’t just meant for children.
With the winter months approaching, Schipper says that now is the time to practice good fire safety.
Fire Prevention Week ends this upcoming Saturday. The pancake breakfast tomorrow will run from 8 a.m. until noon at Fire Station 1.
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Possible child abduction thwarted in Cherokee County
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a possible child abduction attempt that occurred in Cleghorn this past Tuesday.
A Cleghorn resident reported that her two sons, aged 10 and 4, were playing in the city park when a white pickup pulled up to the park. The driver of the pickup, described as a dark-skinned male with dirty blonde hair and possibly a mustache, offered the children candy. When the 4-year-old showed interest, the suspect allegedly attempted to pick the child up, before the 10-year-old intervened. The children reported that the vehicle had out-of-state license plates, possibly from Connecticut.
The Sheriff’s Office also reported that a second incident occurred two weeks prior in Cherokee, where a 10-year-old girl was followed home after school by a similar white pickup. The driver of that vehicle was reported to be a white male in his 40’s, with no license plate information obtained.
KLEM will continue to update this story when more information becomes available.
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City Council to hold special meeting Monday, regular meeting Tuesday
The Le Mars City Council will hold a special meeting on Monday, in addition to their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.
The special meeting will be held at 1 p.m. in the Headline Event Space in downtown Le Mars, with the meeting solely consisting of a community development planning session. The council will then meet for a regularly scheduled meeting the next day at noon inside City Hall. Agenda items include approving a new solid waste collection contract with Van’s Sanitation, approving a new liquor license for The Bar downtown, and approving services agreements with ISG for two projects.
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Hy-Vee starts new kids club
Hy-Vee has announced a new company-wide initiative to connect with young shoppers with the Hy-Vee Kids Club.
Membership in the Kids Club is free, and comes with benefits, including personalized name tags and birthday cards, and free cookies, fruit, and stickers during store visits. Starting today, all Hy-Vee locations will host regular events such as seasonal celebrations, cooking and crafts, and scavenger hunts.
In a press release, Tina Potthoff, senior vice president of communications for Hy-Vee, says the Kids Club is a “tangible example of Hy-Vee living our mission of making lives easier, healthier, and happier,” and that the Club will connect will children on essential life skills.
The Kids Club launches today with events at all Hy-Vee stores, including the Le Mars location. This kick-off party will be held today starting at 10 a.m..
