Primebank makes donation to Gehlen Catholic Schools
During a basketball doubleheader on Friday, Primebank presented a check to Gehlen Catholic Schools for the funds raised in 2025 through the Primebank Gehlen Catholic Visa® credit card program. Anna Sitzmann, Jordan Sitzmann, and Tommy Conger from Primebank presented a check for $3,262.97 to Dr. Amanda Anderson, President of Gehlen Catholic Schools during the game.
Since the program began in 2000, Primebank has donated a percentage of total purchases made using the Gehlen Catholic Visa credit card to the school each year. With this year’s gift, Primebank has now donated nearly $79,000 in support of the school. Proceeds from the card are used to benefit Gehlen Catholic students through local scholarships to ensure students can receive a high-quality Catholic education.
The Primebank Gehlen Catholic Visa credit card is also part of UChoose Rewards®, which provides card holders with reward opportunities ranging from merchandise to travel and more. For more information on the card, contact Primebank at 546-4175.
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Ribbon cutting for Overlook Apartments tomorrow
A ribbon cutting event for a new apartment complex will be held tomorrow morning, with Overlook Apartments officially opening their doors to the public.
The 101-unit complex, which includes eight townhomes, became fully ready for occupants at the beginning of February. The two apartment buildings feature one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, with in-unit washer and dryers and balconies available in all units. An exercise room and a community room is also available for tenants to use.
According to Overlook’s website, rent for the apartments starts at $935 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,235 for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit, while the townhomes start at $1,710/month for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit. For more information on the complex, visit overlookapartmentsia.com.
The ribbon cutting event, hosted by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place tomorrow morning at 9:30am at 427 4th Street NW in Le Mars.
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School groups suggest Iowa lawmakers need to set bigger increase in education funding
This Thursday is the legal deadline for the legislature to decide how much the state will spend on K-12 schools next year. That deadline is routinely missed, however. And House Republicans have yet to reveal their initial offer in the negotiations. In January, Governor Reynolds suggested a state funding increase of two percent. Last week, Senate Republicans suggested slightly less. State Representative Bob Henderson of Sioux City thinks the House proposal will be somewhere in that range.
Michelle Johnson of the Iowa Association of School Boards says that figure does not address the inflationary costs school districts face.
Any person hired to start teaching in the 2026-27 school year must be paid a salary of at least 50-thousand dollars and any teacher with 12 years of experience must be paid at least 60-thousand dollars. Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association says the state teachers union is calling for at least a five percent increase in state support of school.
Contract negotiations over teacher pay are tied to the Consumer Price Index, which is just under three percent.
(Story via KSCJ and Radio Iowa)
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