Omar Cruz sentenced to life in prison
Omar Cruz was sentenced to life in prison on Friday in Plymouth County District Court for the shooting death of Miguel Martinez-Luna in Le Mars. The shooting occurred on September 30th, 2024 at the victim’s Le Mars home. Cruz was arrested in Sioux City a week after the shooting, and has been in the Plymouth County Jail ever since.
_
Zach Lahn hosts Plymouth County Meet and Greet
On Saturday afternoon, Iowa Governor Candidate Zach Lahn held a Meet and Greet at the Headline Event Space in Le Mars. Plymouth County Board of Supervisors Chairman Don Kass and U.S. House of Representatives District 4 Candidate Chris McGowan gave remarks before Lahn spoke.
In front of a crowd of roughly 100 people, a group more than ten times the size of the first group he spoke to at Wells Blue Bunny at the start of his campaign, Lahn talked about protecting the culture of Iowa. He advocated for property tax reduction, improving phonics-based learning in the classroom, providing bonuses to top-rated teachers, and slashing cancer rates by improving water quality.
Lahn spoke to media outlets after the event. He laid out his property tax plan, which aims to help single-family primary residences.
Lahn believes his education plan will work well for small schools, like the ones in Plymouth County, because they have “the best autonomy to be able to innovate.”
Lahn believes targeting high nitrate levels in water will reduce cancer rates in Iowa.
Theodore Roosevelt is a figure of inspiration for Lahn.
Lahn also offered his condolences to his opponent, Rob Sand, who lost his brother-in-law in a car crash on Thursday night.
_
Plymouth County Zoning Ordinance public hearing is tomorrow
The Plymouth County Zoning Ordinance has been updated. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing during their regular meeting tomorrow morning to hear comment on the updates. Links to the meeting agenda and the updated zoning ordinance can be found below.
Meeting Agenda: https://plymouthcountyiowa.gov/board-of-supervisors/minutes-agendas
Zoning Ordinance: https://plymouthcountyiowa.gov/plymouth-county-zoning-ordinance-2026-revision
_
Local Option Sales and Service Tax Revenue Bonds public hearing is tomorrow
The Le Mars City Council will hold a public hearing at their meeting tomorrow at 12 p.m. to hear comment on Local Option Sales and Service Tax Revenue Bonds in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000. The purpose of the bonds is to pay the costs of park projects. Bonds are repayable solely from the proceeds of local option sales and services tax received by the city.
_
ISU Extension and Outreach to host Grant Proposal Boot Camp in Cherokee
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Community and Economic Development is hosting a two-day, in-person Grant Proposal Boot Camp tonight and tomorrow from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in Cherokee. Nonprofit, government and education professionals who have a project idea and are ready to begin developing a grant proposal can receive hands-on feedback during the event.
For more information, visit the Grant Writing Workshops webpage on the ISU Extension website.
