Fire Chief Schipper calls it a career, retires after 38 years of service
Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief Dave Schipper called it a career on Friday afternoon, retiring after 38 years of public service during an open house held at the Garage at 800 in Le Mars. Speaking to KLEM, Schipper says the support he was shown over the past several days has been emotional and surreal.
Schipper has served for 21 years with the Fire-Rescue Department, and the last 16 years as Fire Chief. He highlighted the growth of the department during his tenure, from merging fire and EMS to expanding full-time staff at the department.
Schipper says he’s thankful for the community, and to be able to end his career in Le Mars.
Schipper will be succeeded in his role by current Assistant Fire Chief Steve Schwarz, who is scheduled to officially be sworn in before the Le Mars city council meeting tomorrow morning at 11:30am.
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Le Mars fall clean-up details announced
The city of Le Mars’ fall clean-up will take place next month on September 12th, and from September 14th-18th.
The city is declaring an amnesty from the landfill disposal cost, so up to 1,000 pounds per household of certain items can be delivered to the Plymouth County Landfill at no cost. Eligible items include furniture, wooden items, and metal items. Couches, chairs, mattresses, scrap lumber, bikes, mowers, bed frames, and similar items can be brought to the landfill for free.
Items not included in the amnesty include normal household garbage, TV’s, hazardous waste, appliances, tires, and recyclable goods. A full list of items not included in the amnesty is available on the city’s website.
The landfill will be open on Saturday, September 12th from 8am until noon, and from September 14th-18th from 8am until 4pm.
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Historic railroad excavation project taking place at Milwaukee Railroad Shops
The Sioux City Railroad Museum and the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association say a new archaeological dig will take place in September at the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District. Railroad Museum spokesman Larry Obermeyer says the study will be in partnership with the Office of the State Archaeologist, and will be in honor of the 110th anniversary of the Milwaukee Railroad Repair Shops Terminal. The most recent dig there was three years ago.
This year’s archaeological study kicks off a 3-year commemoration and will take place from September 24th to October 2nd.
Obermeyer says they have early photos of what went on in that time period.
Volunteers are needed to assist the professional archaeologists in the field at the site which originally housed workforce camps for 350 to 400 laborers.
Anyone interested may sign up to volunteer at railwayarchaeology.org.
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