Plymouth County Historical Museum To Hold Annual Meeting
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Historical Museum will hold its annual meeting Thursday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Old Central Gymnasium.
Museum administrator, Judy Bowman says the annual meeting will honor the town of Le Mars as it celebrates its Sesquicentennial, and the museum acknowledges its 55 years of existence. Scheduled to speak at the museum’s annual meeting are Iris Hemmingson and Steve Collins, two of the six authors
that collaborated on writing the book about the history of Le Mars. Collins says the book has 680 pages and weighs approximately eight pounds.
Collins says the popular thought is that Le Mars was named after some women who had gathered at a train depot. However, he says there are two versions of the same story, which has led to controversy.
Few people may know that 1st Avenue southwest that runs between the Iowa Barbecue and the Le Mars Toy Store was the first street in Iowa to be paved.
Collins says what may surprise people even more is the back story as to the reasons why that street was the first in the state to feature a concrete path.
On display in the old study hall located on the 4th floor of the museum is an interesting and unique exhibit showcasing a variety of artifacts from Le Mars history, which Bowman says people will want to visit.
Bowman talks about what else will be featured during the annual meeting.
Tickets for the Plymouth County Historical Museum annual meeting are selling for $12 and can be purchased at the museum.
Orange City Tulip Festival Begins Today
(Orange City) — Today begins the 79th annual Orange City Tulip Festival which runs through Saturday. Mike Hoffman is the executive director for the Orange City Chamber of Commerce and says despite the recent cool weather, the tulips are expected to be in full bloom for the annual festival.
Many of the townsfolk can be seen dressed in traditional Dutch costumes as they celebrate their Dutch heritage. Hoffman explains how and why the annual festival got its start.
Part of the traditional Dutch outfit is the wearing of wooden shoes.
Some of the highlights of the Tulip Festival include several food vendors, a carnival, a flower show, a craft show, and art show, the Dutch Dozen singers, windmill tour, and the Night Show Broadway musical of “Beauty and the Beast.”
Of course, the Orange City Tulip Festival wouldn’t be complete without the traditional street scrubbing followed by the twice daily parades. Hoffman says the street scrubbing starts at 1:00 p.m. each day, with the parade to follow, and the evening parade begins at 6:15 p.m. Next year, Hoffman says
the northwest Iowa Dutch community will not only celebrate the 80th edition of the Tulip Festival, but it will also be Orange City’s 150th Sesquicentennial celebration.
Floyd Valley Healthcare Auxiliary Awards Scholarships
(Le Mars) — Two $1,000.00 scholarships were awarded to area students by the Floyd Valley Auxiliary. The presentation by the Auxiliary Board was made at the National Hospital Week Chamber Coffee on May 15, 2019 in the Conference
Center at Floyd Valley Healthcare. The 2019 Auxiliary scholarship winners are Makena Masuen of Le Mars and Cameron Kraft of Kingsley.
Makena is currently attending University of South Dakota pursuing a Dental Hygienist degree. Parents are Doug and Sue Masuen.
Cameron is a senior at Kingsley Pierson High School. He will be
attending USD in fall of 2019 pursing biology degree to become a
Radiologist.
(photo contributed.)
The Auxiliary will also donate $1,000 to the Floyd Valley Education Department to be used for staff and community training, including basic and advanced cardiac life support, neonatal resuscitation and trauma nursing courses.
Floyd Valley Auxiliary awards scholarships each year to students in the Floyd Valley Healthcare service area who are pursuing a health related career.
Man Sentenced To Prison For Robbing Moville Bank
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A South Dakota man accused of robbing a northwest Iowa bank has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors for Iowa said Wednesday in a news release that 43-year-old Brendon Reed, of North Sioux City, South Dakota, was sentenced
Tuesday to 105 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $14,000 in restitution to the United Bank of Moville.
Reed pleaded guilty in December to a bank robbery count.
Authorities say he robbed the Moville bank on March 30, 2018, and was caught later that day after crashing a stolen car as he was being chased by officers near Salix.
He previously pleaded guilty in state court to stealing the car and
was sentenced to 10 years in an Iowa prison for that crime.
Governor Reynolds Is Dropped From Lawsuit On Former State Employee Firing
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been dropped from a lawsuit that could cost the state millions of dollars in a case alleging former Gov. Terry Branstad and others singled out a former state official for a pay cut because of his political party or sexual orientation.
The lawsuit filed by former Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey in 2012 is set for a June 3 trial in Des Moines.
The lawsuit names Branstad, members of his 2010-2011 staff and former Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert.
Godfrey, who is gay and a Democrat, says he was discriminated andretaliated against, and his constitutional rights to due process and equalprotection were violated in 2011 when Branstad slashed Godfrey’s pay after he wouldn’t resign.
Documents filed Wednesday by Godfrey’s attorney, Roxanne Conlin, indicate the state could be on the hook for millions of dollars in damages and attorney fees but the final amount will be up to jurors to decide.
Conlin says Reynolds had little to do with the issues of the case,
and dismissing her was a strategic decision.
ALCU To File Lawsuit On Behalf Of Planned Parenthood
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A lawsuit challenging a new Iowa law that prohibits federal funding to be used by Planned Parenthood to teach sex education has been filed against Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state.
On the last day of the legislative session, Republican legislators
pushed through language in a budget bill that banned Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving money from two federal grants that have been paying for youth sex education programs.
It was the latest effort by conservative lawmakers to end all streams of government funding for the organization, which as part of its family planning efforts also performs abortions. They said other organizations could provide the information.
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law May 3.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa filed the lawsuit
Wednesday in state court in Des Moines for Planned Parenthood. It seeks to block the law temporarily until a court can consider whether it’s constitutional.
The lawsuit argues the law violates the organization’s free speech, due process and equal protection rights.
Reynolds spokesman Pat Garrett says, “Governor Reynolds is 100% pro-life and believes taxpayer dollars shouldn’t fund an organization that provides abortion.”
