Classes cancelled at Kingsley-Pierson after water main breaks
Classes were cancelled at Kingsley-Pierson Community Schools after a water main broke on Monday morning.
The break occurred at the Kingsley building, which houses the elementary and high school students. Photos circulating on social media from Kingsley-area residents and parents show substantial flooding and water damage in a band classroom, a commons space, and hallways.
A school employee told KLEM on Tuesday afternoon that they were still gathering information on the flooding, and that more details would be shared later. Classes are expected to be cancelled for the next two days while the district assesses the damage to the building.
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Over $75,000 raised during Floyd Valley Healthcare fundraiser
The Floyd Valley Healthcare Foundation’s fall fundraiser took place this past weekend, with the event raising over $75,000 for a renovation of the emergency department. Foundation manager Amy Harnack told KLEM that the event had a big turnout from sponsors and the community.
This was the 10th annual fall fundraiser Floyd Valley has hosted. Wine and craft beer tasting, as well as live and silent auctions, were the main attractions for the evening. The event had a “Back to the 80’s” theme, with guests and Foundation members dressing accordingly. The funds raised from this year will go towards a complete renovation of Floyd Valley’s emergency department; Harnack says the department is currently in need of upgrades and improvements.
Harnack says that the Foundation will continue to host fundraising events over the next several months.
More information about Floyd Valley’s emergency department renovations and fundraising opportunities can be found on their website.
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Annual nativity exhibit open now at Historical Museum
The Plymouth County Historical Museum’s annual nativity exhibit is now open to the public for this year.
The display is located on the Study Hall on the fourth floor of the museum. This is the 16th year the exhibit has been held; the display started in 2010 when Ron and Delores Burkard brought in their collection of nativities for the newly renovated Study Hall. Ron Burkard died the following year, but Delores helped the Museum keep the tradition alive until her death in 2019.
The display features hundreds of nativities of various sizes, with some sets shared by local residents, while others are permanently part of the museum’s collection. Visitors can view the exhibit from now until January 6th, from Tuesday to Sunday, 1pm to 5pm.
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Sioux City school superintendent placed on paid leave
Sioux City’s school superintendent is now on paid administrative leave.
The Sioux City Community School District Board of Directors placed superintendent Dr. Juan Córdova (core-duh-vuh) on paid administrative leave, effective as of November 6.
The board met in closed session for over two hours Monday afternoon starting at 4:38pm. That was after a brief open session where the school district’s attorney advised them it was legal to conduct the session, and they spent a few minutes discussing the session with Dan Greenwell of the Board raising a question.
The board then voted 6-0 to enter into a closed session, which ended around 7pm.
Afterwards, the school board issued a statement saying in part that Iowa law prohibits them from disclosing personnel information related to this matter; however, the Board’s action is consistent with district policy.
There will not be an interim superintendent named as Dr. Córdova is still employed by the district. Angela Bemus is the associate superintendent of the Sioux City School District.
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