News

DES MOINES — Today, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has confirmed one case of the COVID-19 variant, SARS-CoV-2 P.1 in Iowa. This variant is also referred to as the Brazilian variant. "We are still learning about the characteristics of this strain including any potential impact on vaccine effectiveness," stated a news release issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health...

AMES — Artists of every age may participate in the Earth Week Chalk Challenge beginning Friday, April 16. The contest is meant to encourage everyone to get outside and express their love of nature during Earth Week (April 18-24) through creating chalk drawings...

LE MARS — Family members welcomed home members of the Iowa National Guard Troop C, 1st Squadron “Red Horse,” 113th Cavalry Regiment on Wednesday. The soldiers were escorted through Le Mars on their way back to the Armory where family members were able to reunite with their soldiers after 10 months...

AKRON — An Akron man has been arrested on five counts of sexual abuse. According to a news release by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, Kevin James Jacobs, age 64, from rural Akron was arrested on March 31. Warrants had been issued for four counts of Sexual Abuse 2nd Degree, Class B felonies, and one counts of Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree, a Class C felony...

LE MARS — Two new faces have joined the force for the Le Mars Police Department. Geoff Fay and Logan Sparr were sworn in during a ceremony held Monday in the council chambers at city hall. “We had a really competitive hiring process,” said Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte. “These two rose to the top because we felt they were the right not only for us but also the community. On top of that, they are already coming to us with some experience and training and that’s extremely beneficial.”...

LE MARS — The annual report of the Le Mars Ambulance Service showed a 3.3 percent increase in the number of calls in 2020 over 2019. Mike Wise serves as Le Mars EMS director and provided the report to city council members in late February. The Le Mars Ambulance Service is owned by the City of Le Mars and serves the City of Le Mars and the surrounding areas. The service operates as a “Provisional Paramedic” service and currently has a crew of 25 individuals serving the needs of our community...

LE MARS — An agreement between the Le Mars Community School District and the Le Mars Community Education Association (LCED) on salaries for the 2021-2022 school year was brought before the Board of Education Monday night. Superintendent Dr. Steve Webner presented the tentative agreement, which includes an increase in the teacher base pay by $800, a 2.06 percent increase. ...

LE MARS — It’s not every day the Le Mars City Council renames a street, but it happened at the April 6 meeting. Mayor Dick Kirchoff read the following: “Denny Callahan of KLEM has been the voice of Le Mars sports teams and countless other community events for 48 years. Denny retired from broadcasting effective April 1, 2021. In appreciation for Denny’s commitment to local sports and the community, it is proposed that Stadium Drive be renamed Callahan Drive.”...

ATLANTA — As of April 12, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC and FDA are reviewing data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the J&J vaccine...

AMES — A warm start to April is giving farmers an opportunity for an early start in the fields. How much to do now depends on where you farm and your level of risk assessment. According to the April 5 soil temperature map provided by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, nearly all counties in Iowa are at 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer — the minimum for planting corn. ...

LE MARS — Members of the Iowa National Guard Troop C, 1st Squadron “Red Horse,” 113th Cavalry Regiment will be welcomed home after a deployment of over 10 months. The group will be returning on Wednesday, April 14. The soldiers will be escorted from the Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City back to the Armory in Le Mars. The approximate time of arrival into Le Mars is 2 p.m...

PLYMOUTH CO. — Le Mars will be the site for an upcoming VA Hospital COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic in Plymouth County. The Sioux Falls VA Hospital COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for Plymouth County will be offered from noon to 3 p.m., Wednesday, April 14, at the Le Mars American Legion, 110 Plymouth St. S.W...

LE MARS — When the four students at the Le Mars Beauty College graduate this month, the doors of the educational institution will close permanently. Owner Todd Anderson said he is closing the school which has been in the Anderson family since 1969, and a beauty school since 1964...

LE MARS — The time has come to thank many people, in many ways as the Friends of Gehlen Catholic Ball of Gratitude kicks-off on Monday, April 12 and goes through Saturday, April 17. Beginning at noon, Monday, April 12, the online auction will open and is available to anyone who would like to view or bid on items. Simply text Gehlen Ball to 243725 to get started or visit gehlencatholic.org...

LE MARS — The Ice Cream Days Committee made a funding request to the city at the Le Mars City Council meeting Tuesday, April 6. The committee hopes to continue the Ice Cream Bash event, which put on in 2017 and 2018 by Insane Impact and in 2019 by the Ice Cream Days Committee, at the Olson Cultural Event Center as the last event on Saturday, June 19...

(Sentinel Photos by Allen Hamil/Beverly Van Buskirk) Gehlen Catholic prom goers followed the Yellow Brick Road in the grand march with the theme, “A Night in Oz, with the dinner and dance following. Across town at Le Mars Community, students were introduced by Elvis as they made their way down the Vegas Strip for their grand march. A dance followed for the prom goers...

PLYMOUTH CO. — Plymouth County is currently in sixth place for COVID-19 positive tests in the last seven days, according to the www.coronavirus.iowa.gov dashboard as of Thursday morning, April 8. Plymouth County is at 9 percent in positive tests for the seven day average, down from 13 percent reported on Tuesday...

LE MARS — U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley got a firsthand look at a new health center opening at the campus of the Wells Enterprises, Inc. Corporate Center this week. Grassley made the visit Tuesday as part of his 99 county tour across the state. “It seems to me to be a wonderful situation for the employees,” Grassley said. ...

LE MARS — Two items related to the upcoming 2021 RAGBRAI® event in Le Mars in July were on Tuesday’s agenda. The first was related to the city parks’ curfew. The 2021 RAGBRAI event will take place July 25-31 and will be starting in Le Mars. As the starting community, the city can expect well over 10,000 people, with the majority of them needing camping space beginning July 22, according to information provided to the council...

(Sentinel Photo by Kim Fickett) Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce ambassadors joined KwikStar executives and employees from the Le Mars store to celebrate the grand opening of the franchise’s 770th store with a ribbon cutting. KwikStar, located at 321 Fifth Ave. S.W., opened on March 25. The company has stores across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa...

LE MARS — The Le Mars City Council held two public hearings at the beginning of its April 6 meeting. The first was for the Floyd Valley Healthcare Specialty Clinic and Therapy Expansion Project, and the refinancing of outstanding indebtedness which was brought the council at its last meeting...

KINGSLEY — Progress is being made on the new competition gym and exercise facility being constructed at the Kingsley-Pierson high school in Kingsley. The new addition to the school will include a 1,200 seat gymnasium, exercise facility, changing rooms and some additional storage space...

LE MARS — Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte gave a review of 2020 for his annual report to the Le Mars City Council in March. “Today marks the one year anniversary that we got a phone call at night asking for an emergency meeting the next day,” Vande Vegte said. “It’s been a challenging year with COVID, and I think the city has met that challenge and I think the police department has as well.”...

REMSEN — The 30th annual Friends of St. Mary’s Ball is set for Saturday, April 10, under the theme, “Family of Faith,” which is also the theme for the school year. The ball will be held virtually this year, but contains most of the elements of a traditional event...

LE MARS — Gymnastics has been a sport Brielle Schorg had wanted to try for a while. Now, after her first season of competing, she is an All-Around State Champion. “It means a lot to me because I want to be a very good gymnast when I become older,” Schorg said. “If I can do this, I think I will be able to do good when I get older.”...