News

LE MARS — Traffic and turning at the 18th Street Southwest and Highway 75 intersection was a topic of discussion at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Council member Rex Knapp said he was still getting calls about it. City Administrator Jason Vacura reported on what has been discussed at the Public Safety Committee and what steps are and may be taken...

LE MARS — Get your ticket punched for a train ride in the snow as the Le Mars Community Theatre presents, “Murder on the Orient Express” beginning Friday, Feb. 21. The Agatha Christie novel, adapted for stage by Ken Ludwig, will run from Feb. 21-27, with shows at 7:30 p.m., each night and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m...

(Sentinel Photo by Allen Hamil) The Le Mars Community girls bowling team earned their sixth consecutive trip to the state tournament by shooting the top score of 2,830 at the state qualifying meet held at Sweet 16 Lanes on Tuesday. The Lady Bulldogs edged Fort Dodge by 12 to secure the automatic bid to the state tournament. The team advances to the Class 2A state tournament which will be held at Cadillac Lanes in Waterloo on Tuesday, Feb. 25...

LE MARS — Last Wednesday, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office swore in the newest member of their department. Gehlen Catholic first grader Boston Kneip took the oath and became the department’s first-ever Junior Deputy of a Day. Kneip received the experience after his parents, Troy and Noelle Kneip, had the winning bid on the silent auction item at the Floyd Valley Foundation’s recent fundraiser...

LE MARS — A third amendment for engineering services for the Water System Improvements project was on the city council agenda Feb. 4. The amendment included the design and construction of a sanitary sewer main as part of the project. City Administrator Jason Vacura explained the additional work is to extend a sewer line out the length of Lincoln/Lake Avenue on the south edge of Le Mars, to the proposed Well #14 site...

PLYMOUTH CO. — Several Plymouth County Historical Museum volunteers attended the museum board’s Feb. 11 meeting to voice their concerns about the conduct of some of the board members. During the open forum time, Eva Mouw read a prepared statement to the board and others attending, starting with, “There is a shadow hanging over this museum. I, and other museum friends, some of whom are here, are deeply concerned.”...

DALLAS, Texas — The Le Mars facility of the Dean Foods Company is amongst the list of entities which are a part of an asset purchase agreement. On Monday, Dean Foods Company announced it and certain of its subsidiaries have entered into an asset purchase agreement with Dairy Farmers of America (“DFA”) through which DFA will acquire a substantial portion of Dean Foods’ business operations...

(Family Features) — While family history and age cannot be changed, there are everyday steps men can follow to take charge of their health, including prostate health, and maybe even prevent problems down the road. Consider these tips to help lead a healthier lifestyle...

LE MARS — Calvin Christian Reformed Church welcomes its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Nevada DeLapp back to the pulpit this Sunday. He will conclude his series of sermons on Revelation with the 21st Chapter of the New Heaven and the New Earth. Angeli Shieh and Miriam Hector will play the piano and organ duet of “The Holy City” on the piano and organ for the prelude...

LE MARS — The United Methodist Church of Le Mars (UMCL) welcomes those seeking a church home to join in worship and other activities of the church. This Sunday, Feb. 16, the UMCL Choir will rehearse at 8:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Les Feldick’s Bible Study, “Revelation,” will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Meeting Room by the offices...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Water Department Superintendent Rich Sudtelgte presented the 2019 Annual Water Report to the city council at its Feb. 4 meeting. The average daily water pumped in 2019 was 2,608,500 gallons, Sudtelgte reported, down 86,833 gallons per day from 2018...

LE MARS — Let the planning begin. Members of the Le Mars RAGBRAI Advisory Board are gearing up for the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) July 19-25. It was revealed at the end of January, that Le Mars was selected to be the host city for the start of the ride...

LE MARS — Ah, Valentine’s Day. For adults, it may be about flowers and candy, a candlelight dinner and romance. For school children, it may be about candy, but it’s more about the valentine cards they will receive and the ones they give. Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, also called St. ...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Community School Board received preliminary budget information and a budget process timeline at its Feb. 10 meeting. Superintendent Dr. Steve Webner outlined the process to meet the April 15 deadline to file a certified budget for FY21 with the Department of Management...

AMES — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer two, two-hour workshops March 21 and April 4 for anyone interested in being certified to sell morel and oyster mushrooms within Iowa. The workshops are held every year during the spring on the Iowa State campus...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking teams of eight to compete in the third annual Trivia Fundraiser. The event will be held at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 3, in the party room of the American Legion, 110 Plymouth St. West. The event will consist of two rounds of 15 trivia questions, with the team scoring the highest points at the end of each game walking away with a cash prize and a trophy. Prize amounts will be determined based on the number of teams competing...

LE MARS — Ten Le Mars Community Middle School students will have their artwork on display in the Sioux City Art Center’s 30th annual Juried Youth Art Exhibition: Middle School 2020. The show opens Feb. 15 and runs through April 12. The exhibition includes works in a wide variety of materials and styles...

LE MARS — A total of 15 contracts to 13 sub-contractors for the renovation of the Le Mars Community Wellness Center were approved at the Feb. 4 Le Mars City Council meeting. Bids were received and opened at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21, and were reviewed by project manager Ryan Wiltgen of Wiltgen Construction, and city staff...

LE MARS — One of the larger Ice Cream Days’ events is being reinvented. A new vision by the Ice Cream Days Committee will see the massive vendor event, formerly known as Art in the Park, relocated to downtown Le Mars on Saturday, June 20. “When people think of a festival, they think of one location where they can park and walk around and enjoy the festivities. ...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Daily Sentinel was honored with two Iowa Newspaper Awards during The Iowa Newspaper Association and Foundation Awards Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 8, in Des Moines. The Sentinel’s news staff were recognized for Best Use of Graphics and Best Headline Writing, in the Daily Class I - circulation under 10,000, category...

LE MARS — There will be three more years of fireworks displays sponsored by the City of Le Mars. The city council approved a three-year contract with J & M Displays, Inc., of Yarmouth, to provide the fireworks display for Le Mars. The contract was part of the consent grouping items approved at the Feb. 4 meeting...

LE MARS — Kevin Eekhoff, bank president of Northwest Bank in Le Mars, has announced the plan to close their Northwest Bank drive-up facility located at 1321 Hawkeye Ave. S.W., Le Mars. The last day of operation at the Le Mars south location will be on Saturday, May 9...

LE MARS — Le Mars pork producers Bill and Joan Tentinger, Le Mars, were honored as 2019 Iowa Master Pork Producers during the Iowa Pork Congress held in Des Moines. The couple was nominated for the award by the Plymouth County Pork Producers. A Master Pork Producer award denotes an individual’s or family’s excellence in pork production, as measured by their pork production statistics, their commitment to We Care® principles, and their contribution to their community. ...

PLYMOUTH CO. — In less than eight months, every United States citizen with plans for domestic air travel or admittance to federal facilities will need a REAL ID. According to Plymouth County Treasurer Shelly Sitzmann, the Department of Homeland Security has elected to implement the REAL ID Act implemented the REAL ID Act and will begin enforcing it Oct. 1...

LE MARS — Three of four applications for Hotel/Motel Sales Tax dollars have been recommended for funding by the Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Committee. The receipt of the recommendations was acknowledged by the council at its Feb. 4 meeting...