Floyd Valley Foundation hosting fall fundraiser
Tickets are available for the Floyd Valley Foundation Fall Fundraiser, set for next month. Speaking on the KLEM “What Now” program, Foundation manager Amy Harnack says proceeds from the event will benefit the future Emergency Department Renovation.
The event is set for Saturday, November 8th, at the Garage at 800, located on Prospect Street in Le Mars. Harnack says the theme for this year is “Back to the 80’s.”
The evening features a live and silent auction, wine and craft beer tasting, and gourmet appetizers.
Harnack encourages everyone to get their tickets soon, because seating is limited. You can call 712-546-3348 or visit the Floyd Valley Healthcare Facebook page for more information and to purchase tickets.
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Funding awarded to expand Le Mars transload facility
The Iowa Transportation Commission approved $3.3 million dollars in funding for rail improvement projects in Sioux City and Le Mars on Tuesday. Burlington Junction Railway was awarded a $792,000 loan to improve a transload facility in an area at the Le Mars Industrial Park.
DOT spokesman Jim Glaspie says the company has a load transfer yard where they handle lumber brought in on rail cars.
The Transportation Commission also awarded loans to Floyd Valley Transload for improvements at two locations in Sioux City. Those two loans are $830,000 for work on Lewis Boulevard and $256,000 on Rustin Street. Glaspie says the loans are for 80 percent of the projects, with the businesses putting up the other 20 percent.
(Audio via KSCJ)
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Plymouth County man faces escape charge for removal of ankle monitor
Officers and emergency responders from eight northern Iowa agencies were involved in the arrest of a Plymouth County man who’s accused of removing an ankle monitor.
The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were notified that 46-year-old Jamie Lee Wiersma of Merrill was staying in a house about 90 miles away in Ruthven. Officers from the Emmetsburg Police Department and the sheriff’s departments in Palo Alto, Emmet, Kossuth and Hancock Counties were joined by staff from three emergency management agencies in the areas in arresting Wiersma last Thursday. In June, Weirsma was arrsted in the small Osceola County community of May City for violating a no-contact order. He’s now charged with Interference with Official Acts related to his arrest in Ruthven. Wiersma was wanted on previous charges of Escape from Custody and a parole violation that an Osceola County official says are related to removal of his ankle monitor.
Court records show Wiersma will have a preliminary hearing in Osceola County on Friday, October 31st.
(Story from Radio Iowa via KILR-FM)
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Jury duty scams on the rise, Sioux County Sheriff warns
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about jury duty scams, after several calls and incidents were reported to the department.
Some residents reported receiving calls from individuals falsely claiming to be deputies with the Sheriff’s Office. The caller would provide a fake badge number, and claim that the recipient has missed jury duty and has a warrant out for their arrest. The caller then attempts to collect money electronically to “resolve” the warrant.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that law enforcement or Courthouse staff will never contact residents by phone to request payment, collect fees, or demand money “to avoid arrest.” Anyone receiving such a call should hang up and not provide any personal or financial information. Sioux County residents who have questions about the legitimacy of a call should contact the Sheriff’s Office.
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Orange City Area Health first in Northwest Iowa to install new surgical robot
Orange City Area Health has announced they’ve installed a new surgical robot that’s the first of it’s kind in northwest Iowa.
The da Vinci 5 Surgical Robot can be used for minimally-invasive surgical procedures for urology, gynecology, and general surgeries. In a press release, Dr. Dan Locker, general surgeon at Orange City Area Health, says that the da Vinci 5 “gives our surgeons 100 percent control, with precise movements,” and that “scarring can be minimal, and many patients have less pain after surgery.”
Marty Guthmiller, CEO of Orange City Area Health System, says the da Vinci 5 “allows us to offer minimally-invasive procedures with faster recovery times,” and that “we’ve made this investment in the future of surgery for the benefit of the patients we serve throughout the region.”
The public will be able to see the new robot for themselves during an open house on November 11th, with a demo system available to look at and even play with. The event will take place in the front lobby of the hospital.
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