Pet Care

Apartments officially on national historic register (03/04/10)
A building which first was home to a hospital and is now apartments is Le Mars' newest listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Floyd Valley Apartments, at 110 Sixth Ave. N.E. has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. That confirmation was made Feb. 3, 2010, according to Iris Hemmingson, president of the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission...

Ten Le Mars scouts honored with Pope Pius XII emblem (02/08/10)
Ten local boys will be receiving the highest emblem in Catholic boy scouting. Michael Brandenburg, Tim Burwitz, Mitchel Christoffel, Preston Freking, Matt Klein, Kyle Mangerson, Zack Nemmers, Jonathan Puhl, Ryan Sitzmann and Andrew Theisen were honored Sunday at a Mass in Le Mars for earning the Pope Pius XII Emblem...

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...

Groomer keeps dogs happy in 'puppy salon' (01/29/10)
Tails wag with happiness as dogs get their pampering trim from Tricia Pippett, owner of Tail Trends, a new dog grooming business in Le Mars. Pippett opened her business Dec. 1, sharing space at Town and Country Veterinary Clinic, but has been doing grooming in Le Mars for 10 years...

From biomedical engineering to watercolors: Artist's journey winds its way to Le Mars (01/26/10)
A teacher told Jean Weiner she was born to paint. This affirmation came not during the Le Mars woman's high school career or even her college or graduate studies. It came after Weiner was in her early forties, had worked successfully in biomedical engineering, had two children and had battled a rare form of cancer...

LCS board cuts back early retirement policy (01/26/10)
A revision in the Le Mars Community School District's early retirement policy will be financially beneficial to the district while trimming some benefits to staff as well. It will continue to offer retiring certified staff with a contribution to the individual's medical insurance coverage...

Akron senior living apartments to close (01/12/10)
An eight-plex of senior living apartments in Akron is closing. The Senior Village North Apartments, under the umbrella of the Akron Care Center, will be closed by the end of February due to a lack of interest and the money it would take to upgrade it for assisted living...

Free H1N1 vaccination clinics scheduled (12/08/09)
Floyd Valley Community Health Service will be offering free public H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 and from 3:30 -- 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22 in Floyd Valley Hospital's Conference Center. These clinics are open to anyone that is in one of the following priority groups only:...

Free public H1N1 vaccination clinic scheduled (11/18/09)
Floyd Valley Community Health Service will be offering a free public H1N1 influenza vaccination clinic next Monday. The clinic will be 4-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23 in the conference center of Floyd Valley Hospital. This clinic is only open to anyone in one of the following priority groups:...

Iowa cat catches H1N1 from owners (11/09/09)
A 13-year-old house cat in Iowa that contracted the H1N1 flu from its owners is recovering. Ann Garvey, state public health veterinarian with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), said there's no indication the cat can spread the flu virus to other humans or animals...

Family Medicine Clinic to offer additional urgent care hours (11/09/09)
Hours of operation for the Family Medicine Clinic - Le Mars Urgent Care have been expanded to include Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5-8 p.m. Patients may be seen on a walk-in basis for acute health conditions. "We are excited to be providing urgent care services to our communities. ...

Ruden's massage therapy flourishing in downtown Le Mars (10/26/09)
Feeling a little anxious, neck a little stiff, have a pounding headache? Licensed massage therapist Shel Ruden, owner of Heavenly Healing Massage Therapy, said she might be able to help. Heavenly Healing settled into its new digs in downtown Le Mars at, 109 Plymouth St. N.W., Aug. 1...

Hand sanitizer pumps up locals against germs (10/16/09)
Free standing automated hand sanitizer dispensers for shoppers to use greet customers in the Le Mars Hy-Vee dairy section. That's just one precaution local stores and facilities are taking to combat the spread of germs in the wake of H1N1. Hand washing along with hand sanitization is the No. 1 prevention against the flu, other than vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control...

Sheriff hopes company can save jail money (10/12/09)
Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo hopes a company that provides jail health care programs can help curb rising inmate medical and prescription costs. Otterloo told county supervisors Tuesday he plans to contract with Advanced Correctional Healthcare, of Illinois, at $2,417 a month for its "cost saving" services...

'Well Aware' health fair is Wednesday (10/12/09)
Area residents can learn more about health-related services and programs in the Le Mars community and surrounding area by attending the "Well Aware" Community Health Fair Wednesday. The fair, sponsored by Floyd Valley Hospital, will be held from 2-6 p.m. at the Le Mars Convention Center upper level. The Well Aware Community Health Fair is free of charge...

Seasonal influenza vaccine clinics set in Plymouth County (09/17/09)
Floyd Valley Community Health Service will again be providing flu vaccine throughout Plymouth County. This year's seasonal vaccine covers three strains of influenza, A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like, A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like and B/Brisbane/60/2008-like...

County employee bargaining talks begin (09/04/09)
Bargaining employees in two county departments have entered into initial 2009 employee negotiations with the Plymouth County supervisors. The Plymouth County sheriff's department and the secondary road department submitted their first proposals Aug. 25...

A gift with animals gives Mairose a chance at her own business (08/06/09)
Natasha Mairose has always had a soothing affect on animals. Now she is using that gift in her new business Kozy Kennels. "It all got started because she really seems to calm animals--people would ask her to come to their homes and help with their pets," Natasha's mother, Carol Mairose, said. "One guy wouldn't leave town unless Natasha watched his dog."...

Rural Le Mars woman plans to open dog kennel (07/28/09)
Shawn Schiefen has been dreaming about opening a kennel for breeding and boarding dogs for several years. Monday, the rural Plymouth County woman took a step toward starting Windy Lane Kennels south of Le Mars, receiving some necessary variances from the Plymouth County Board of Adjustment...

Can't afford your prescriptions? Help may have arrived (07/14/09)
A big orange bus pulled into Le Mars Monday on a mission: to help uninsured and underinsured people get access to free or nearly free prescription drugs. The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) has been taking the "Help is Here Express" around the nation to match those people up with prescription assistance programs...

Grant will help provide sexual abuse education (07/13/09)
The Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (CSADV) Plymouth County outreach shared its message of sexual abuse prevention with more than 500 children this past school year. A $6,500 grant received this month from Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Iowa will help CSADV Plymouth County outreach continue educating elementary, preschool and daycare children...

Ordination, consecration service set for new Lutheran clergy (07/10/09)
Three Lutheran congregations will celebrate together as their newly called pastor and diaconal minister will be ordained and consecrated in a 3 p.m. service Sunday, July 12, at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Craig. Sarah and Joel Nye have accepted a call to serve the three congregations of the newly-formed Plymouth Ministries. This includes St. John Evangelical Lutheran, rural Akron, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran, Craig, and St. John Lutheran Church, Merrill...

Hospital, clinic merger will combine strengths (06/30/09)
Signing on the dotted line is all that's left to finalize the acquisition of Medical Associates by Floyd Valley Hospital (FVH). "It's the merger of our organizations," said Mike Donlin, FVH administrator. "We will take the best of both and mix them all up and have better health care services to offer."...

A mom with a message: Porterfield visits Washington D.C. (06/16/09)
"I'm not a lobbyist," Barbara Porterfield said. "I'm a mom." Even so, the rural Plymouth County woman just returned from Washington D.C. where she spoke to legislative officials about her family's plight to get affordable health care. Porterfield, a medical transcriptionist, had health coverage through her company until its ownership changed a few years ago...

County Veteran Affairs office to offer more hours (06/12/09)
Changes are ahead for the county Veteran Affairs office. Jim Henrich, Plymouth County supervisor chairman, read a letter describing those new requirements to the board during its Tuesday meeting. Legislation passed this year requires Veteran Affairs offices to be open a certain number of days depending on the county's population...

Floyd Valley Apartments nominated for Historic Register (05/28/09)

Health care: Is the system broken and can we fix it? (05/22/09)
Barb Walter, owner of Close to Home, a local shop, said her health care costs are getting out of hand. For self-employed people like Walter and her husband, they have to find and pay for health insurance on their own. "It goes up every couple of months," she said of the price they pay. "And we have a high deductible to keep our premium lower. We have no co-pay."...

Hospital's patient costs will increase next year, but remain low (05/20/09)
Costs patients pay for services at Floyd Valley Hospital will grow for the second year in a row. Even with the 4.2 percent increase, inpatient and outpatient costs will still be lower than other area hospitals, both rural and metro, according to Daryl Friedenbach, director of financial services at FVH...

Hospital's patient costs will increase next year, but remain low (05/19/09)
Costs patients pay for services at Floyd Valley Hospital will grow for the second year in a row. Even with the 4.2 percent increase, inpatient and outpatient costs will still be lower than other area hospitals, both rural and metro, according to Daryl Friedenbach, director of financial services at FVH...

County residents remain safe, officials ready for H1N1 Flu (05/04/09)
No suspected cases of Swine Flu have presented in Plymouth County, but the first case has been confirmed in eastern Iowa. Plymouth County health officials are prepared if the H1N1 influenza, which was previously called Swine flu, is found here. Deb Steffen, county public health nurse, has been in constant contact with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to stay abreast of what's happening throughout the state...

Floyd Valley Hospital now offers urgent care hours (03/16/09)
Urgent care services are now available through Floyd Valley Hospital's Emergency Department. These services are intended to provide additional access at a lower cost for outpatient care for minor illnesses and injuries that might be presented to the emergency department, especially after typical business hours, said Mike Donlin, FVH administrator...

Students say FFA keeps modern edge (02/26/09)
The Le Mars FFA chapter was chartered in the 1940s. But today's members say the club is far from outdated. "We're still a growing organization, making updates as we go," said Shawn Oetken, a junior at Le Mars Community School and officer in the local FFA chapter...

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...

City prepares for proposed Highway 3 widening (02/18/09)
Le Mars City Council members gave their approval Tuesday for plans and specifications for a new storm sewer project along Iowa Highway 3, which will ease current excessive storm water run-off near Floyd Valley Hospital. Cost of this initial phase of the project is estimated at $20,950. City Administrator Scott Langel estimated an additional $24,000 will be needed for construction work...

Doctor recruitment efforts plow forward (01/22/09)
It's no secret. There is a shortage of family medical doctors in Le Mars. Medical Associates -- the local clinic -- and Floyd Valley Hospital are in the midst of recruiting at least two doctors to bring to Le Mars. "There are doctors on the schedule for the next couple of weeks to visit Le Mars; meet, greet, learn and explore Le Mars," said FVH Administrator Mike Donlin...

The doctor is in: Remsen welcomes new clinic (01/19/09)
The new Remsen Medical Clinic, located west of the Remsen Post Office received an official welcome with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house on Friday, Jan. 16. Members of the Remsen community, FVH board of trustees, Ply. Co. Board of Supervisors, a representative from Senator Grassley's office, and members of the North West Rural Electric Cooperative (NW REC) joined Remsen city officials who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony held in the lobby of the Remsen clinic...

Pet licensing mandate gets mixed reviews from owners (01/13/09)
Angel is a Siberian Husky. Her owner Roxanne Langwell is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Angel and her two other dogs safe. That now includes a dog license tag required by the City of Le Mars, effective Jan. 1. "It's all right. If my dog gets loose, they can find her," Langwell said. "They can get her back to me faster."...

Flu hasn't descended on county yet, IDPH reports (01/13/09)
Wash hands frequently. Sneeze or cough into elbow, away from other people. That is the best advice healthcare professionals give to avoid contracting influenza and other flu viruses. No documented cases of influenza have been reported in Plymouth County...

Live Healthy Le Mars: The 100-day healthy living challenge is back (01/05/09)
It's got a new name, but the former Lighten Up Le Mars is back in town. Meet Live Healthy Le Mars. It's the same 100-day challenge as last year with some fresh offerings. Live Healthy Le Mars is a team-based physical activity and weight loss challenge that aims to help people form better habits in nutrition and physical activity...

Predictions 2009: Where will we be this year? (01/02/09)
Has a fresh start ever looked so good? After a year when 401k reports were as dour as the news reports, and when about 11 months of television were dominated by presidential campaigning, 2009 smells fresh. We asked people around Le Mars and Plymouth County what their predictions are for the new year. Here's what they said...

A year to remember: Top stories of 2008 (12/30/08)
Editor's note: This is the first of two stories recapping 2008's top stories in the Daily Sentinel. 10. O'Keefe stabs, kills a man A butcher knife to the chest led to the death of Sam Toliver, 32, Jan. 24, 2008. Jody O'Keefe, 35, most recently of Le Mars, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and other charges and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. ...

Doctors on screen coming to Plains Area (12/23/08)
Wait time to see a psychiatrist or clinician at Plains Area Mental Health Center could be shortened thanks to a new teleconferencing system. It's called Telehealth and it will allow a physician to be in one location while a client is is in another. "By giving us more face-to-face time with a psychiatrist, it should reduce patient wait time, the time it takes to get an appointment," said Patrick Schmitz, Plains Area Mental Health Center's executive director...

Uncertain economy pinches health care patients and centers (12/22/08)
Today's economic downturn isn't only affecting what consumers pay at the pump or for groceries, it's also affecting how they pay for health care. Some families have to make a decision as to whether to pay for their health care needs because of higher insurance deductibles, co-pays and larger responsibilities in paying for care...

Remsen Clinic ready to give local boost to health (12/09/08)
Remsen residents and visitors will get their first peek at the new Remsen Medical Clinic soon. The nearly-finished building was going to be open for public viewing during the town's Olde Fashioned Christmas celebration Monday, which was postponed due to weather...

Floyd Valley Hospital wins national top performer Award (12/08/08)
Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars has been named a 2008 Summit Award Winner by Press Ganey Associates, Inc. Press Ganey currently partners with more than 7,000 health care facilities -- including more than 40 percent of U.S. hospitals -- to measure and improve the quality of their care. The company's databases are the largest in the industry, and allow facilities nationwide to benchmark results against peer organizations...

Hospital Auxiliary candy makers, volunteers ready for Goodie Sale (12/04/08)
Needs some Christmas candy or cookies to serve the family or guests and no time to prepare it? Then come out to the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary's 22nd annual Holiday Goodie Sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 6, in the hospital's lower level Conference Center...

Daycare providers face uncertain future in volatile economy (11/21/08)
Is an uneasy economy affecting local child care providers? Area licensed daycare center directors and state registered in-home caregivers have a mixed reaction to that phenomenon. Deb Kroksh, Akron Children's Center director, said she sees families moving away because of lost jobs or parents opting to stay home with children rather than utilize daycare centers...

Great American Smokeout - an opportunity to quit (11/20/08)
There may be a few less cigarettes lit today. That's because today, Nov. 20, is the 33rd annual Great American Smokeout, a day designated by the American Cancer Society as a time to quit smoking. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking cigarettes tops the list as the most preventable major risk factor of the nation's number one killer --heart and blood vessel disease...

Dog tags might help get strays home, veterinarian says (11/20/08)
A peppy Jack Russell terrier squirms in Tammy Singer's arms at the Le Mars Veterinary Clinic. This dog, the veterinarian assistant said, was brought to the clinic -- which also serves as the city pound -- several weeks ago. It was found loose near Greenwood Avenue in Le Mars. Although it has a collar, the pup has no tags to tell who its owners might be...

FVH remains in the black after annual audit (11/10/08)
Floyd Valley Hospital reports a continued balanced budget. The hospital's annual audit shows patient revenues at $20.8 million, up about 5 percent from 2007, with expenses around $19.9 million. "Our revenue growth has been healthy," said Mike Donlin, FVH administrator...

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