Marcus man accepts plea deal in grooming case
A Marcus man accused of grooming and attempting to entice a minor has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors. 42-year-old Travis Ehrig entered a guilty plea last week to one charge of grooming, a Class D felony, with his previous charges of enticing a minor and dissemination of obscene material to a minor dropped. His sentencing date is now set for Monday, August 17th in Cherokee County District Court.
According to a criminal complaint, Ehrig contacted an individual he believed to be a minor on social media, arranging a meeting with an undercover police officer that was posing as a 15-year-old boy. While communicating over social media, Ehrig also allegedly sent explicit photos of himself to the undercover officer. He was arrested during the meeting on March 11th, with police later executing a search warrant at Ehrig’s residence in Marcus, seizing multiple items including cell phones and tablets.
The complaint also states that Ehrig is a registered sex offender, after previously being convicted of intending to commit sexual assault against a child under the age of 13. Ehrig is currently being held at the Cherokee County Jail, and will receive credit for time served in confinement pending sentencing.
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Select Le Mars businesses preparing for Crazy Days
Several Le Mars businesses are gearing up for Le Mars Crazy Days, taking place next month and hosted by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce.
During Crazy Days, select local businesses will bring their best deals outdoors with exciting sidewalk sales, special promotions, clearance bargains, and limited-time discounts throughout downtown and beyond. Participating businesses will include Second Chapter Gently Used Books, Get Branded 360, CHIX Chicken and Waffles, Mescher’s Clothing, Hotopp Jewelry and Gifts, Jordans Meat Market, Wells Visitors Center and Ice Cream Parlor, Sugar-N-Spice & Lily Zita, and Shop Cary Boutique.
Le Mars Crazy Days will take place between Wednesday, July 15th and Saturday, July 18th; check individual stores for hours of operation during the event.
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Many Iowans plan to stay close to home for July 4th weekend
The travel forecast for the upcoming Independence Day holiday shows only slightly more residents in Iowa and six other Midwestern states will be on the road or in the air for the long weekend, compared to a year ago. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says gasoline prices have been volatile for months and it’s made some would-be travelers in the region skittish about how much they’ll have to spend on a short get-away vacation.
The statewide average for gas is $3.53 a gallon, which is down 7 cents from last week and down 61 cents from last month. Iowa’s average price a year ago was $3.01. While driving and air travel numbers are down for the region, the motor club says cruising and other modes of transportation — like buses and trains — are seeing growth.
We’re in the midst of what are considered the 100 deadliest days of the year, the period running from Memorial Day to Labor Day, where there’s typically a significant spike in fatal car crashes. Ortner says the Independence Day weekend is among the most dangerous to be on the road.
Rather than staying home, many travelers are choosing to offset higher travel costs by taking shorter vacations, picking destinations closer to home, and cutting back on extras like eating out and souvenirs.
(Story via Radio Iowa)
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