Improv class supporting Beat the Blues Challenge
The fourth week of the Beat the Blues Challenge, hosted by the Le Mars Public Library, focuses on the importance of fun and laughter. As part of this week’s challenge, the library will host a free Improv class that will guarantee laughs!
Abigail Chagolla, a library staff member and theatre professional, will be leading an introductory Improv class with fun games and a discussion of improv art form. In a news release, Chagolla states that Improv “is a different type of artistic form compared to your traditional sense of theater,” and explains that “how Improv works is that we work as an ensemble to create a story on the spot,” and that participants “listen to each other and help create a story out of what seems to be nothing.”
The Improv class will be Wednesday, February 11th, at 5:30pm in the library meeting room. Class is free, with no registration required. The event is part of the Beat the Blues Challenge, and patrons will receive a punch on their challenge card for attending.
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Le Mars YMCA delivers annual report to council
During the Le Mars city council meeting on Tuesday, Le Mars YMCA CEO Jacque Perez delivered the Y’s annual report to the council.
Perez started by highlighting the increase in membership units, with 1,889 total members as of December 15th compared to 1,778 in 2024 and 1,604 in 2023. December was the highest month for memberships, while September recorded the lowest. Perez noted an increase in the “24-hour Add-On,” which allows members access to certain parts of the facility all day long for $5/month, as well as in the number of attendees for the after-school program.
Although membership numbers increased, Perez says that 2025 was “a very hard year” on the YMCA financially, with over $40,000 awarded for membership assistance and a 33% decrease in donations or gifts to their campaign. She says that a small increase to membership rates has been implemented for 2026.
During 2025, the YMCA offered 24-hour access for the first full year, offered their first session of the “Walk with Ease” arthritis management program, started a free monthly wellness education series, and started Child Watch services for members.
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Researchers find 87 of 99 Iowa counties have ‘significantly higher’ cancer rates than national trend
University of Iowa researchers have released phase one of their search to identify some of the reasons Iowa has the second highest rate of newly diagnosed cancers in the United States. The group examined demographic factors and behaviors like smoking and binge drinking — and found Iowa has similar demographic factors to Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas and Nebraska. Dr. Mary Charlton, director of the Iowa Cancer Registry, says Iowa’s cancer rate — however — is slightly higher than the region’s.
Breast cancer, skin cancer and prostate cancer have been increasing more steeply in Iowa since 2013.
Dr. Jacob Oleson, a professor of biostatistics in the University of Iowa College of Public Health, says they’re still digging through the data, but 87 of Iowa’s 99 counties have cancer rates that are significantly higher than the national trend.
Governor Reynolds says cancer is a complex disease and the research is showing there’s not one single cause driving Iowa’s cancer rate.
The governor’s husband, who has never been a smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in September of 2023. A year later the governor announced Kevin Reynolds’ cancer was not curable, but is in remission.
(Story via Radio Iowa)
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