General News

City works with IML Container to prepare for expansion (09/05/08)
The Le Mars City Council approved buying a piece of railroad equipment to assist an expanding Le Mars business that relies on rail for shipments. IML Containers is currently depending on rail to bring in materials for their planned expansion in southern Le Mars, according to City Administrator Scott Langel...

O'Keefe pleads guilty to stabbing (09/05/08)
The man charged with stabbing another man with a butcher knife in a Le Mars downtown apartment in January pleaded guilty to four felony charges Thursday. Jody Brent O'Keefe, 35, signed a plea agreement that could land him in prison for up to 40 years for the death of Samuel Ray Toliver, 32...

No jail time required for Kingsley funeral director (09/03/08)
A Kingsley funeral director will have to pay nearly $180,000 in restitution to a former business partner for money he admitted to stealing, but he faces no prison time. Mark Francis Rohde, 49, who pleaded guilty in August to stealing about $179,000 and to tax evasion, both felonies, was sentenced Tuesday in Plymouth County District Court...

Council delays action on bumpy downtown intersection (09/03/08)
"We've cut $700,000 from the budget, reduced services, cut back on books for the library, and eliminated some mowing of city properties, and cut people's jobs. If we don't have the money, we don't do the project," Le Mars City Councilman Rex Knapp said Tuesday referring to repair of the Plymouth Street/Central Avenue intersection...

Work on GIS website puts Plymouth County on the map (09/02/08)
Plymouth County's success with owning and operating a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) website will soon be known around the world. Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise, owner of AutoCad Map 3D software used on the county's GIS website, wrote a customer success story that will be published in the company's trademark magazines, displayed at GIS conferences and on its website...

Questions answered on school levy issue (08/29/08)
Two public information meetings brought approximately 75 Le Mars Community School District residents out to learn about the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) Wednesday and Thursday evenings. A vote on whether to implement the levy will be held on Sept. 9, the same day as school board elections...

Offices closed for Labor Day (08/29/08)
Americans will celebrate the country's 126th annual Labor Day, the three day-weekend that marks the unofficial end of summer. There will be several closings in Le Mars for the day. The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, after the Central Labor Union came up with the idea and planned a demonstration and picnic for that day...

Music festival uses hotel/motel tax grant to bring people to Le Mars (08/28/08)
A Hotel/Motel Sales Tax grant is paying off for Le Mars. More than $6,000 of the 5 percent sales tax revenue from hotel and motel rooms rented in town was given to a group advertising the 33rd annual National Old Time Country and Bluegrass Music Festival, held this year in Le Mars for the first time...

Harker's closes after 100 years in Le Mars (08/27/08)
A century-old Le Mars establishment is folding. Harker's, a food service company that began with a meat market started by George Harker in 1906, will have its last day Friday, according to Harker's president Jim Harker. Cardboard boxes fill the front lawn of the Le Mars corporate headquarters building at 801 Sixth St. S.W...

School board members answer questions about ISL (08/26/08)
On Sept. 9, voters in the Le Mars Community School District will decide whether to approve a tax levy that would raise money for LCS teacher salaries, books, programs and transportation fuel. That Instructional Support Levy (ISL) has proved the source of much debate. Two LCS School Board members -- Patrick Murphy and Mark Stelzer -- sat down with the Daily Sentinel editorial staff to talk through some of the questions about the levy...

New library director could be reading in Le Mars by Nov. 1 (08/26/08)
The hunt for a Le Mars Public Library director is moving ahead full steam as officials now have a handful of applicants to consider. The personnel committee met Monday to shorten that list even more, said Randy Becker, president of the library's board of trustees...

Flood benefit showcases old-time country musicians (08/25/08)
Saturday night's Country Music fundraiser for flood victims in the Cedar Rapids area raised nearly $1,200. It also gave area residents and guests a taste of the music to be presented at the 33rd Annual National Old-Time Country & Bluegrass Festival and Contest at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds starting today (Monday) and running through Sunday, Aug. 31...

Leaving behind her comfort zone (08/21/08)
When Jaclyn Ver Mulm packed her bags for China this summer, she had two things on her mind: visiting her sister and catching some of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But more was in store for the young woman from Le Mars during her three-month stay in the country...

Bypass interchange work may light up next council agenda (08/21/08)
The probability of lighting the Highway 75 Bypass interchanges into Le Mars may well be among agenda items in the near future for the Le Mars City Council. Councilman Rex Knapp Tuesday shared with fellow council members the issue, which the joint urban renewal board addressed at its meeting earlier this week...

Kingsley funeral director pleads guilty to theft (08/19/08)
A Kingsley funeral director pleaded guilty to stealing about $175,000 and avoiding paying taxes Monday in Plymouth County District Court. Mark Francis Rohde, 49, pleaded guilty to theft in the first degree and tax evasion as part of a plea agreement...

Saturday country music show will benefit flood victims (08/19/08)
A benefit for flood victims at Cedar Rapids with old-time country music will fill the Plymouth County Historical Museum this Saturday, Aug. 23, and give a preview of music to be enjoyed at the 33rd Annual National Old-Time Country & Bluegrass Festival set for Aug. 25-31 in Le Mars...

When mommy is arrested: Police plan for children on the scene (08/18/08)
Patrol cars pull up to a house, looking for an adult suspect. They enter the house to make an arrest. There, on the couch, an eight year old is reading a book. Suddenly, the plan changes. "Kids are so impressionable," said Le Mars Police Chief Stu Dekkenga. "It's a big deal, removing a parent. You don't want to traumatize the child."...

Plymouth County cracks down on drunk drivers (08/15/08)
The Plymouth County Sheriff's Office announced it will join other police agencies throughout the country in support of an intensive crackdown on impaired driving now through September 1. "The state has several times they do these things," said Chief Deputy Craig Bartolozzi. "Labor Day is one of the worst holidays for this kind of thing because of last minute vacationers and such."...

New charges filed against Holst regarding shotgun incident (08/14/08)
The man who allegedly shot at a car after reportedly being bothered by someone ringing his doorbell now faces two felony charges. Gary Holst, 68, of southern Le Mars, was originally arrested Saturday night after two people complained to the Le Mars Police about gunshots that evening. Holst was charged with reckless use of a firearm causing damage, jailed, and released after posting his $2,000 bond...

Akron man receives lifesaving award (08/12/08)
An 18-year-old Akron man was honored by Iowa's governor at the state fair on Friday for risking his own life to save another's. Shawn Milbrodt received a 2008 Governor's Lifesaving Award for helping save a 19-year-old's life last July. On July 20, 2007, Jason Bumsted, 19, was involved in a head on collision with another vehicle where both cars caught fire. Shawn Milbrodt and Grant Krentz, 21, of Sioux City, drove upon the accident shortly thereafter...

Three injured in Merrill accident (08/12/08)
Three passengers and one driver were injured Sunday when a Sioux City man failed to stop for a car on Highway 75 in Merrill. Peter Volodja Boe, 70, of Sioux City was westbound on C-44 at 7:45 p.m. and came to the stop sign at Highway 75 in Merrill, according to the Plymouth County Sheriff's report...

More Business 75 sidewalks may get another look (08/06/08)
Council members could, at some point in the near future, be re-walking the topic of sidewalks for business areas along Business Highway 75 south. Council member Delana Ihrke raised the likelihood of the walkways during Tuesday's council session having observed the increased pedestrian traffic in that area, she told fellow council members...

Senator Harkin plans Le Mars visit (08/04/08)
Senator Tom Harkin will be hosting a Le Mars meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6 during a cross-Iowa tour. The Democrat plans to visit with local residents about his work in Washington to help Iowa's working families. The public is invited to attend the cafe stop, which will be held at 10 a.m. at Lally's Eastside Restaurant...

O'Keefe stabbing trial delayed (08/04/08)
The jury trial for a man charged with stabbing another man with a butcher knife in a Le Mars apartment has been pushed again. Jody Brent O'Keefe, 35, of Le Mars now faces a 9:30 a.m. Sept. 9 trial. O'Keefe's first degree murder charges stem from a stabbing incident Jan. 24 in a Le Mars apartment that left Samuel Ray Toliver, 32, dead...

Wanted: Neighborhood block parties for Night Out (07/30/08)
Next Tuesday evening, neighborhoods around the nation will gather around picnic tables to help fight crime. Tuesday, Aug. 5, is set as National Night Out, a night when neighbors can share a meal and show their support for local anti-crime efforts, sending the message to criminals that their neighborhoods are organized and fighting back...

Sign theft could mean jail time (07/29/08)
When Mark Sturgeon looked out his window Sunday morning, his lawn looked a little emptier. The sign he put up two days earlier, supporting a candidate running for office this fall, was missing. He was not alone. "We have had some energetic people taking signs from all over the place," said Le Mars Police Chief Stu Dekkenga. "We had a call this morning on missing real estate signs, too."...

Rain doesn't dampen enthusiasm for fair (07/28/08)
Despite a burned extension cord at the Round Barn and a rainy start, the Plymouth County Fair went off without a hitch. Terry Reuter, fair board president, said there was a minor incident Friday at the Round Barn when an outside extension cord hanging in front of a spotlight lens heated up...

Local Pork Producers will donate to flooded hog farmers (07/23/08)
A group of northwest Iowa pork producers are coming to the aid of southeast Iowa pork producers who were hit hard by the June floods. The Plymouth County Pork Producers Association will once again operate its Grandstand Pork food stand during the Plymouth County Fair. The producers have decided to donate the entire day's proceeds from the stand on Friday, July 25, to help their flooded brethren in southeast Iowa...

Plymouth Oil may receive $1.2 million in tax benefits (07/22/08)
The State of Iowa pledged about $1.2 million in tax incentives to a plant near Merrill that will make corn oil for food and cooking. The $30 million Plymouth Oil plant is planned next to the 50-million-gallon Plymouth Energy LLC ethanol plant near Merrill. The projected completion date is July 31, 2013, according to an Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) spokesperson...

Robinson pleads not guilty in vehicular homicide (07/22/08)
A Merrill man pleaded not guilty to a charge of homicide by motor vehicle Monday in Plymouth County District Court. Danny Clyde Robinson, 49, is accused of that felony and operating while intoxicated, a second offense, regarding an Aug. 11, 2007 accident which claimed the life of a 78-year-old woman...

Pride Group fire in Primghar (07/18/08)
One man was injured after starting a fire near a Pride Group home for mentally ill individuals in Primghar, according to Pride Group CEO Mike Porter. The facility is owned and managed by Pride Group of Le Mars. The fire, according to Porter, was started with gasoline in a outbuilding near the group home, which houses 34 people. O'Brien County owns the outbuilding, Porter added...

LCS board sets July 25 hearing on ISL resolution (07/15/08)
The Le Mars Community School Board has set a public hearing on their intent to participate in the Instructional Support Program, a tax levy which would raise money for salaries, supplies and program costs for the school. The hearing will be noon on Friday, July 25, at the Education Service Center located at 940 Lincoln St. S.W...

Garage sale raises hundreds for flood relief (07/14/08)
A garage and bake sale hosted this weekend by Perry and Sonni Cosby's family raised more than $500 for flood victims in Cedar Rapids. The Cosbys and their three daughters held the sale at their house in southern Le Mars Saturday, inviting neighbors and friends to donate baked goods and garage sale items...

Remsen man injured in grain explosion in Alton (07/10/08)
ALTON, Iowa (AP) -- One person has been injured in a fiery explosion at a grain elevator in Alton in northwest Iowa. Officials say Matthew Galles, 31, of Remsen, was unloading grain at the Midwest Farmers Cooperative on Wednesday when the explosion occurred about 3:15 p.m...

Siren testing runs late Monday afternoon (07/07/08)
The tornado alert sirens in Le Mars were tested Monday, July 7, the first Monday of the month at 3:30 p.m. rather than 1 p.m. There is not threatening storm. Switiching some of the radio and paging equipment at the county's communications center caused the delay, according to Le Mars Fire Chief Wayne Schipper...

Couple hopes musical notes carry in dollars for prison church (07/07/08)
Foot stompin' country and gospel music will be featured in concert this Sunday in rural Remsen to help raise money for The Church of the Damascus Road. The congregation of The Church of the Damascus Road Evangelical Lutheran Church of America ministers to inmates of any denomination within the prisons in Fort Dodge and Rockwell City...

Rummaging for help (06/30/08)
Sonni Cosby and her three girls decided they wanted to do more than just watch the flooding relief efforts in eastern Iowa on the news. They wanted to help. Now they're planning a rummage and bake sale on Saturday, July 12 with all of the proceeds going to help flood victims in Cedar Rapids...

Flood damaged Iowa (06/19/08)
AMES, Iowa - June 18, 2008 - Ignoring or moving barricades and attempting to travel on closed roads can be extremely dangerous to motorists. The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) is receiving reports of motorists moving road blocks to travel on highways that may...

Employee health insurance plan awarded to Avera Health (06/19/08)
Le Mars city council members Tuesday voted to continue the city's Employee Health Plan with Avera Health with Northwood continuing as the city's reinsurance carrier. City Finance Director Bill Cole said that while the plan represents a 10 percent cost increase, the plan was the lowest of 15 proposals received. Despite the increase, he said, the city will be paying less for the insurance fixed costs in 2009 than in 2006 due to the health contract accepted at that time...

Corn oil plant seeks property tax relief from county (06/18/08)
A proposed $30 million corn oil plant near Merrill inched closer to reality this week. The Plymouth County Supervisors on Tuesday approved five years of property tax relief for Plymouth Oil L.L.C. The first year will be a 75 percent break declining to 15 percent in the fifth year...

Council approves city administrator pay hike (06/18/08)
Le Mars City Administrator Scott Langel is in line for a 3.75 percent pay increase for the coming year following action Tuesday by the city council. The council, meeting in a closed executive session, approved a fiscal year 2009 salary of $118,119 for Langel, compared to his present salary of $113,850...

Council delays action on fire truck replacement (06/18/08)
Le Mars City Council members are expected to, as Mayor Kick Kirchoff put it, "meet at the trough" at their next meeting to discuss the city fire department's need for a new fire truck to replace an existing 1985 truck. Members voted to table the matter until Councilmen John Rexwinkel and Rex Knapp, absent at Tuesday's session, could be present to join in the discussions...

Gas station falls victim to burglars (06/17/08)
CarGo Express Convenience Store No. 1 was damaged and robbed sometime after 11 p.m. Friday. Police estimated the value of items stolen and the damage done to the business at $7,000. Le Mars Police Department officers were called to the store, at 327 Plymouth St. N.E., at about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, June 14...

Awareness keeps recycling trend on the rise (06/17/08)
Education. That's the reason about 10,000 more pounds have been recycled this year compared to last year, city and county officials said. In Le Mars, as of the end of May,132,060 pounds were recycled compared with 85,000 in May 2007. When the recycling program began in 2005 during this same time period 61,680 pounds were recycled...

Kingsley man arrested after threatening deputy (06/16/08)
A 52-year-old Kingsley man is in jail after lying to and threatening a deputy then trying to evade authorities while carrying a gun Friday morning. Christopher Steven Mills was arrested after Plymouth County Sheriff Deputy Aaron Leusink came to Mills' home, 220 Rutland Street, at about 9:30 a.m. and attempted to serve him civil papers on a small claims issue...

Pedestrian struck by drunken driver Saturday (06/16/08)
Erik Wiltgen was hit Saturday night by a drunken driver while attempting to walk across 12th St. S.E. Wiltgen was initially transported to Floyd Valley Hospital and later life flighted to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City. The driver of the vehicle, Jeremy Murfin, of Le Mars, said he was traveling eastbound on 12th St. S.E. when Wiltgen stepped in front of his vehicle...

Local National Guard unit helps fend off floodwater (06/16/08)
Fifty-five members of the local National Guard unit were working through the night this weekend to help hold back flood water in downtown Des Moines and Burlington. The group from Le Mars' C-Troop 113th Cavalry left Thursday to help sandbag near the rising Des Moines River. This weekend they were called to Burlington to help with sandbagging efforts along the swelling Mississippi River, and they are continuing with that effort this week...

Local Scouts join vigil for four boys killed in tornado (06/16/08)
No local Boy Scouts were directly involved in the tragedy at the Little Sioux Scout Camp near Blencoe last week, but the tornado that claimed four Scouts' lives affected all of them. "We didn't know the boys but in a sense we're all brothers -- we have the same background, the same morals, the same beliefs," said Dean Christoffel, the Scoutmaster for Troop 184 of Le Mars...

Our Dreams: Class of 2008 (06/12/08)
This is the fourth story in a series looking at what plans and dreams local members of the graduating class of 2008 hope to pursue. For Shahryar Naqvi, the desire become a lawyer isn't motivated by fame, fancy things, or even the money that is commonly associated with the practice. For this 2008 Gehlen Catholic High School graduate, the aspiration to become a lawyer lies in one, pure motive: To achieve equality for the little guy...

Big Sioux could flood again at Akron (06/10/08)
The Big Sioux river crested Sunday at four feet above flood level and is starting to drop, but more rain predicted this week could turn that around. As of Tuesday morning, the Big Sioux was hovering at about 18.9 feet, with flood stage being 16 feet for the area...