Consumer Electronics

Care package organization receives 50-laptop donation (03/11/10)
With laptops stacked 50 high, Kerri Stinton's storage room is more like a computer warehouse. But the laptops are actually a donation made to the Afghanistan Care Package Fund. Stinton, of Le Mars, started the care package program last August, following the deployment last July of her son-in-law, Scott Tillman, to Afghanistan...

No word from GM for Total Sales and Services (03/10/10)
A Le Mars auto dealership hasn't heard anything from GM regarding whether or not the business' Chevrolet franchise will be reinstated. Total Sales and Service is one of hundreds of dealers across the nation that lost GM franchise agreements in the automakers' bankruptcy dealings in May 2009...

Merrill industry is model for Iowa's future, Judge says (03/09/10)
If Iowa is going to recover from the recession that has plagued the nation, recovery is going to come from the ground up. That's what Lt. Gov. Patty Judge said Monday during a visit to the Plymouth Oil, a food-grade corn oil plant just north of Merrill...

From field to table: Plymouth Oil begins production (02/22/10)
The food-grade corn oil plant just north of Merrill is making liquid gold. After weather and financial delays, the $30 million Plymouth Oil plant is completely constructed and pumping out gallons of crude corn oil, according to Dave Hoffman, chairman of the Plymouth Oil Company board...

Kingsley cleaners burned but not beaten (02/22/10)
A 63-year-old Kingsley business went up in flames Saturday night but owners say they're staying in business. Fire crews were called to Kraft Kleaners and Laundromat at about 9 p.m. after a 911 call and were on the scene for about three hours. "There was a lot of smoke coming out of the building and you could see flames inside," Kingsley Fire Chief Scott Bohle said. "We had the main fire knocked down in about 30-40 minutes."...

Local bright stars catch Food Network's eye (02/10/10)
It was lights, camera, action at the Le Mars Dairy Queen Tuesday. The Food Network was in town tracing the story of StarKiss Bars, a frozen treat at Dairy Queen. "The Food Network approached us and said they wanted to come to Le Mars to shoot a show on how StarKiss Bars are made," said Dean A. Peters, director of communications for the American Dairy Queen Corporation...

LADS Valentine's Dance features live quilt auction, silent auction (02/09/10)
A king-size quilt, an afghan and a tie-blanket will be auctioned off as part of the Le Mars Area Dialysis Services Valentine fundraiser Saturday night at the Le Mars Convention Center. The three items were donated to LADS for the fundraiser. All three items can be seen in the window of Linda Mayrose Real Estate in downtown Le Mars...

Steve King says time to stop spending (02/08/10)
U.S. Rep. Steve King thinks the biggest problem in government right now is overspending. He also doesn't believe President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan is working as it was set out to do. Neither does he favor a government-run national health care program...

Job training program revision, could limit local businesses (01/28/10)
One-half million dollars for Plymouth County business could be at stake as the State of Iowa discusses adjustments in funding to the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program. Plymouth County businesses that received job training funding in 2009 were Plymouth Energy - $250,612, Plymouth Oil - $153,000, Wells Dairy - $25,000 and Bodeans Baking Company - $63,403...

City leases Willow Creek Bar and Grill to Fiddelke (01/13/10)
In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Le Mars City Council chose Mike Fiddelke, of Orange City, to lease the bar and grill at Willow Creek Golf Course for 2010. The lease, at a rate of $30,000 per year, is tentatively set to begin March 1. The other candidate seeking the lease was Kathy Schwader, of Le Mars, who had been recommended for the lease by the Le Mars Park Committee at last week's city council meeting...

Transfer brings Chrysler back to Le Mars (01/13/10)
A Le Mars auto dealership is expanding. Le Mars Ford is adding Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep sales and service, according to owner Bob Jensen, of Sioux City. Jensen is transferring those franchises from Heartland Motors, which he owns in Hawarden, to his Le Mars dealership...

Extension staff settling in at new offices (01/05/10)
Freezing rain and snow didn't stop the Plymouth County Iowa State University (ISU) Extension Office staff from moving to its new office at the Le Mars Convention Center lower level just before Christmas. "We were ready to go," said Ann Schoenrock, 4-H County Youth Coordinator last Wednesday as she gave a quick tour of the new office space. It is in what was formerly known as the Vanilla and Chocolate Rooms, previously occupied by Wells' Dairy Inc...

Rewind 2009: The worst of times and the best of times (12/31/09)

Holiday shoppers scurry downtown, retailers optimistic (11/30/09)
Christmas music played as people swarmed downtown Le Mars stores this past weekend making retailers hopeful for a positive holiday shopping season. "Our weekend went very, very well," said Robin Grosenheider, owner of Hotopp Jewelry & Gifts. "I was pleasantly pleased."...

Local grocery stores feed the hungry (11/17/09)
Local grocery stores are working to bring food to the tables of those who can't afford to buy it. At the Le Mars Wal-Mart, twice a week, a truck from the Food Bank of Siouxland pulls up to the back of the store. When it drives away, it's loaded with about 15 boxes of food to distribute to regional agencies helping people in need...

Couple plans to build semi trailers at former grain site (11/10/09)
A Le Mars couple will be transforming a former grain mill site west of Le Mars into a manufacturing business for semi trailers. Clint and Leslie Chapman, now owners of the 3.59-acre property about 2 miles west of Le Mars on Highway 3, received approval Monday from the Plymouth County Board of Adjustment for a conditional use permit to manufacture live-bottom trailers at the site...

China to lift ban, pork industry sighs in relief (11/02/09)
Last week officials from China announced plans to lift a six-month ban on pork imports from the United States -- news that could be a shot in the arm for a suffering pork industry. The ban has yet to be lifted, but National Pork Board president Tim Bierman, of Larrabee, Iowa, has no doubt this will have a widespread positive impact on the pork industry...

Faber's hobby wine earns high rank (10/28/09)
A Le Mars man's wine, made from grapes grown in his backyard and fermented in his basement, was picked champion in its class last weekend. Wayne Faber entered his dry red wine in the Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest last weekend, an annual event for Schleswig, 45 miles south of Cherokee...

Locally-made cottage cheese sweeps national competition (10/22/09)
Cottage cheese manufactured at Dean Foods in Le Mars rose to the top in the 2009 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. In fact, the three entries from Le Mars, labeled under the Old Home Foods name, took first, second and third in their category, in a field of 11 entries from competitors like Kraft Foods and Westby Co-op Creamery...

Former teacher turned author returns to Hinton (09/21/09)
Jane Kauzlarich wrote her book "Quack," then she published it and began selling it and now she's written a song about it. Kauzlarich, a retired Hinton Community School teacher, will be reading "Quack" and singing with pre-kindergarten through fifth graders Wednesday at the school...

Long-time Le Mars auto and sales dealership changes hands (09/18/09)
Lynn Nuebel, owner of Nuebel Chevrolet, announced this week that he sold his 26-year-old auto sales and service business to a trio of local men. Brent Brownmiller, Todd Brownmiller and Scott Taylor purchased the property to open their new venture: Total Sales and Service...

Wells' Dairy helps region rank high in food processing (09/14/09)
Plymouth County's largest employer helped push the Sioux City metro region to the top of the list for food processing industry growth in a New Jersey magazine. Sioux City, along with the surrounding area, was picked as the Top Metro for Food Processing Industry Growth in the August issue of "Business Facilities." It is, the magazine said, the leading growth center for food processing, food products and agribusiness...

Feds shut down Vantus Bank, Missouri bank acquires deposits (09/09/09)

Judge emphasizes design, gain in swine winners (08/03/09)
The term "design" came into play frequently Saturday as exhibitors in the Fair's Swine Show maneuvered their entries before Show Judge Dr. Tom Baas, Ph.D. Baas, a professor in the Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, explained that while the design of a pig "has always been very important" the design of the pig -- its structure and "how it's put together" -- is receiving added emphasis today in light of modern-day options for pork production...

Small portions, big tastes at fair's cooking school (07/29/09)
Ready to try something new in your kitchen and maybe win a prize? Then come out to the cooking school at the Plymouth County Fair at 7 p.m. Friday presented by Wells' Dairy, Inc. culinologist John Kennedy II. What is a culinologist? "It's part chef, part food science," explained Kennedy, admitting he has "one of the coolest jobs in the world."...

2009 fair truck recognizes fair board and swine show (07/27/09)
The 10th annual edition of the Plymouth County Fair collectible truck recognizes the swine show judging and members of the Plymouth County Fair board. The series of trucks is designed to recognize activities and scenes that make up the Plymouth County Fair...

Motor Inn to close door on Chrysler dealership (06/10/09)
The word came down late Tuesday afternoon from federal bankruptcy court -- Chrysler is clear to cut ties with 789 franchise dealerships, including Motor Inn of Le Mars. The judge's order stated that franchises can no longer act as authorized Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers, effective immediately, according to a story from the Associated Press...

Dean Foods ramping up for more volume (06/04/09)
A local dairy plant is adding employees to handle increased production volume. Plant manager Joe Leedom said during a Le Mars City Council meeting he anticipates 15-25 new employees will be hired. "Dean Foods has determined to transfer volume to our plant," Leedom said later. "It's a good-sized addition."...

Chamber hopes to reach all ages with celebration (06/04/09)
Are you ready for some wholesome family fun? Then the first annual Akron Summer Kickoff Saturday in Akron City Park is the place to be. The celebration, which begins at 9 a.m., will have activities for kids, adults, senior citizens and teenagers. "We kind of wanted to reach all ages and all areas," said Lori Rexwinkel, a member of the Akron Chamber of Commerce, which organized the celebration...

Oyens to celebrate centennial this weekend (06/03/09)
Oyens will kick off a weekend full of activities Friday to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Tri-State Car Cruisers Show. The Pork Producers will also be grilling pork burgers and brats that night, while Oyens Fire Department will be in charge of the beer garden...

A Hinton vintage: Couple opens winery (06/02/09)
The bundle of 400 grape vines that arrived at Barry and Brenda Dittmer's door nearly six years ago have come to fruit. This weekend, the rural Hinton couple opened the doors to Tucker Hill Winery, complete with seven varieties of wine. Around 300 people visited the winery and vineyard during the weekend grand opening to taste the fruit of the Dittmer's labor...

Motor Inn to continue -- minus Chrysler dealership (05/15/09)
The auto industry's turmoil is rearing its head in Le Mars. A local Chrysler auto dealership is one of 789 on a list to be cut in the automaker's bankruptcy dealings. Motor Inn of Le Mars will no longer sell new Chrysler brand vehicles starting early next month, but the decision won't be final until a judge approves the cuts...

Man charged with assaulting woman with putty knife (05/11/09)
A Kingsley man was arrested Friday morning at the Wells' Dairy North Ice Cream Plant in Le Mars after he allegedly assaulted a female employee by placing a putty knife against her throat, according to the Le Mars Police. Jeston Abon, 38, also an employee at the plant, was arrested at about 7:39 a.m. after allegedly assaulting both that female and a male employee who came to the aid of the female, according to the police report...

The grass is greener... Are you brutalizing your lawn? Here's how not to (05/05/09)
Lawn care with the best intention can still leave a yard looking abused. That's according to lawn experts Nicholas Peters and Al Vonnahme, of Le Mars. Both own lawn care and landscaping businesses. To grow a green, lush-looking lawn means getting to know your grass, Peters explained...

Opinions divided on biodiesel mandate (04/24/09)
A proposed law that would require all diesel sold in Iowa to contain 5 percent biodiesel has made it partway through Legislature but may not pass this year. Biodiesel is diesel fuel made from animal fats, corn oil and soybean oil. The Iowa Senate passed the measure in a 31-19 vote last week...

Dean Foods closes Lincoln plant, plans to relocate production (04/16/09)
A Dean Foods dairy plant in Lincoln is closing this fall, and the corporation may use the Le Mars dairy plant to help pick up the slack. Meadow Gold's downtown Lincoln dairy production plant, which employs 70-100 people, will close in September, according to Dean Foods spokeswoman Marguerite Copel...

Calls to Quitline surge in advance of federal tobacco tax (03/31/09)
Calls to Quitline Iowa (1-800-QUIT-NOW) have surged by 20 percent since the price of cigarettes increased ahead of a new federal tax. With a 62-cent per pack increase in the tax on cigarettes going into effect April 1, Quitline Iowa is braced for even more calls. The sudden increase in calls is one of the most significant spikes since the Quitline began offering free nicotine patches and gum in addition to counseling by trained quit coaches in January 2008...

'A Time to Remember' features West Coast winemakers (03/30/09)
Six winemakers will be represented at the Le Mars Wine and Roses event, "A Time to Remember," this Thursday evening at the Willow Creek Country Club in Le Mars. "A Time to Remember" will benefit Alzheimer's Association programming in Plymouth County and features wine tasting with prestigious winemakers from across the United States...

New tobacco tax leaves retailers, smokers cornered (03/25/09)

Requests for county LOST grants reach nearly half a million (03/16/09)
Twenty-two Plymouth County groups are putting their name in for money from the $180,000 Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue grant pool. Asking for a total of $431,261, the 21 groups' applications range from buying a Wii exercise DVD -- a kind of interactive video game -- for special needs people to renovation of the Akron Opera House...

Blue Bunny Aspen Bar Acclaimed as Best and Most Innovative New Product (03/11/09)
Blue Bunny's new frozen creation, the Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bar, has been recognized by the grocery and dairy industry as one of the most exciting and innovative new products of 2009. The International Dairy Foods Association recognized the Aspen Bar as Most Innovative Novelty at their Ice Cream Technology Conference, while the National Grocers Association selected the Aspen Bar as one of the top three best new products at their 2009 Convention...

Goodwill employee discovers designer bag or lookalike in donations (03/10/09)
Sometimes the Goodwill Industries employees stumble across something big when they're sorting through donations. A Black Hills gold bracelet. A Calvin Klein prom dress. Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. But when Goodwill Industries employee Malinda Farmer saw the handbag, she knew it was something good...

This IS your grandma's Internet (03/02/09)
Generations are often defined by what music they love or how they view work. But more and more, young and old are coming together in one place: the Internet. Since 2005, the biggest increase in Internet users was in the 70-75 year-old age group, according to a study by the Pew Internet and American Life project...

Remsen co-op feeds sheriff's K-9 program (02/25/09)
Sabot, the German shepherd that sniffs out people and drugs for the Plymouth County Sheriff's office is well fed, thanks to Remsen's Farmers Cooperative Company. The co-op has been donating dog food for about three years to the tune of about 40 pounds each month, according to feed department manager Jon Perrizo...

Wells' Dairy expands nationwide voluntary recall due to possible health risk (02/24/09)
In response to the ongoing investigations of Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) and its Texas facility, Wells' Dairy, Inc., is expanding its recall and response to include a nationwide recall of select Blue Bunny, Great Value, Hy-Vee, Sysco, Fastco, Shurfresh, and Country Rich ice cream products because they may contain peanuts that have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella...

Nor-Am finalizes purchase of Harker's plant (02/18/09)
Nor-Am Cold Storage is the new owner of the former Harker's plant in Le Mars. Greg Brandt, Nor-Am president and CEO, said today (Wednesday) the company will be using the plant to repackage and manufacture some products serving area food companies. Opening day is not far for the new Nor-Am facility...

Cattleman's banquet planned for March (02/17/09)
The Plymouth County Cattlemen's Annual Banquet will be held Saturday, March 21, at the Le Mars Convention Center. Entertainment this year includes rancher Trent Loos, host of "Loos Tales" and "Rural Route" radio shows, public speaker and founder of Faces of Agriculture, which puts the human element back into food production...

Wells' Dairy builds new station to monitor pH (02/16/09)
A $550,000 pH monitoring station is going up at 910 Prospect Street south of Wells' Dairy's south ice cream plant. The station will help prevent highly acidic or highly alkaline water from flowing into the City of Le Mars' wastewater plant. "If the pH swings too far, it could wreak havoc on the plant," said Le Mars Wastewater Superintendent Ron Kayser. "It could eat pipes, eat away cement and actually be a safety concern"...

Le Mars United Way Campaign exceeds $85,000 goal (02/11/09)
The Le Mars United Way annual campaign has exceeded their goal this year by raising $92,200. "We are extremely happy with the community support we have been given. After raising nearly $70,000 last year we are thrilled to have raised $92,200 in a year filled with economic challenges," stated Kathy Bartelli, Le Mars United Way Board Chair. "This goes to show the true commitment of the Le Mars community."...

Courthouse goes wireless: System offers public access to Internet (02/10/09)
A dream is becoming a reality for Plymouth County Information Technology expert, Shawn Olson. Olson's department has received a Local Options Sales Tax grant of $25,000 to upgrade, improve, and expand the wireless network at the Plymouth County Courthouse...

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