News

LE MARS — Le Mars will face challenges dealing with wastewater in 2023, the Le Mars City Council was told as it listened to four annual reports from city department heads during its Tuesday, Jan. 17 meeting. Wastewater Department Superintendent Doug Masuen said the department treated more than 770 million gallons of wastewater in 2022, an average of 2.12 million gallons daily...

LE MARS — After being closed since Nov. 14, the railroad crossing at 12th Street Southwest and Business Highway 75 should be open by the end of next week. Scott Kneip, street supervisor for the Le Mars Street Department, said he was notified Thursday morning (Feb. 2), that the Union Pacific Railroad has received all the parts needed to fix the railroad crossing signals...

LE MARS — When it comes to volunteers, The Le Mars Main Street program found they had a good one in Steve Albert. Albert was named the 2022 Main Street Volunteer of the Year recipient at the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner on Jan. 19...

LE MARS — Le Mars Community High School will send 13 entries to the State Large Group Speech Contest this Saturday, Feb. 4. The contest will be held at Le Mars Community. Fifteen groups competed at the district Large Group Speech Contest held Jan. 21 at Northwestern College in Orange City...

LE MARS — When a fire call comes in, firemen need quick and easy access to fire hydrants. The Le Mars Fire-Rescue Department is asking citizens for help in making sure fire hydrants are cleared of snow and ice. Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper has been driving the streets and taking note of fire hydrants which need to be dug out...

LE MARS — Plymouth County’s books are balanced and the balances are very strong. That’s the essence of a report delivered to the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors by Plymouth County Treasurer Shelly Sitzmann on Tuesday, Jan. 24. “County residents should be pleased to see funds are in balance, as well as seeing some healthy fund balances,” Sitzmann told The Le Mars Sentinel...

LE MARS — February is known as the month of hearts, love to be exact. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, one way to share love is by giving a small token to those you care about and the Floyd Valley Auxiliary has a good way to do just that...

A reception party and fundraiser for the Le Mars Arts Center, JAM23, will offer guests an evening of art, music and fun. The event is Friday, Feb. 3, at the Le Mars Arts Center, and runs from 6:30-10 p.m...

LE MARS — A multi-county Workforce Development effort is failing, according to a Plymouth County supervisor. It was intended to assist unemployed people through education and job training, but it is failing for a variety of reasons, according to Supervisor Craig Anderson, who is Plymouth County’s representative. They include interference from the federal government, a loss of local control, funding cuts and the simple fact that unemployment is so low...

(Sentinel Photos by Sarah LaBrune Jongeling) Hillview Recreation Area hosted a Women in Nature day on Saturday, Jan. 21. Participants were led on a snowshoe hike by naturalist Victoria DeVos. The women also cooked Hungarian goulash and apple crisp in cast-iron skillets outside...

LE MARS — Water Department Superintendent Rich Sudtelgte said water use increased in the city in 2022 compared to 2021. On average, 3.13 million gallons of water were used daily, Sudtelgte said, up 86,900 gallons from the previous year. “We have used a lot more water,” he said. “People used a lot more water.”...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner Jan. 19, offered chamber members the opportunity to celebrate the year 2022, the accomplishments and to hand out a few honors. One of the honors is that of Citizen of the Year, which this year was presented to Dave Hill...

LE MARS — Plymouth County’s insurance bill is going up. Ryan Berven, vice president of AssuredPartners, the county’s insurance broker/consultant, told the Board of Supervisors that on Jan. 24. The cost will increase 11.19 percent, Berven told three of the supervisors during an afternoon briefing...

Catholic schools in the Sioux City Diocese and across the United States will observe Catholic Schools Week Jan. 29-Feb. 4, under the theme, “Faith. Excellence. Service.” Amy Jungers, Director of Development at Gehlen Catholic Schools, said the week is filled with activities to celebrate all that is good about Catholic education...

LE MARS — Fire losses in and around Le Mars topped $1 million in value in 2022, according to the Fire-Rescue Department’s annual report. Most of the losses, $878,000, were in the city of Le Mars, according to the report presented to the council. Another $136,500 occurred outside the city limits. Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper said some losses were not recorded...

LE MARS — The Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner offered chamber members an opportunity to celebrate the past year and its accomplishments. One of the highlights of the evening Thursday, Jan. 19, a the Le Mars Convention Center, was the announcement of the Business of the Year...

LE MARS — Gehlen Catholic High School had 11 groups compete at the Iowa High School Speech Association district contest Saturday, Jan. 21. The district contest was held at Northwestern College in Orange City. At the end of the day’s competition, nine of the school’s 11 groups earned a “I” rating and will be moving on the State Large Group competition on Saturday, Feb. 4, at Le Mars Community High School, according to Laurie Kellen, assistant speech coach...

LE MARS — Community Development Director Mark Gaul, who started work on July 25, was one of four department heads asked to deliver an annual plan to the Le Mars City Council at its Jan. 17 meeting. Gaul said he was actually giving a six-month report, and it has been a busy introduction to the city. He said he is working with multiple people and organizations across the city...

CORALVILLE — The Iowa Department of Corrections has announced that Thomas Jordan Knapp, has died. Knapp was pronounced dead due to natural causes at 10:36 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 19, while in hospice at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center where he had been housed due to chronic illness...

LE MARS — Total Motors is adding to its inventory for the second time since 2021. On Thursday, Scott Taylor, the owner of the Total Motors dealership in Le Mars, announced the company will be completing the purchase of Ron Drenkow Motors in Sheldon in February...

LE MARS — Gehlen Catholic marching band students took the field at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, California, Wednesday, Dec. 28. Trip planning and fundraising were in the works since 2019 for the 30 students and eight chaperones who attended the trip...

LE MARS — The Plymouth County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach office has announced two new staff members in the Le Mars office. Both started in their positions Dec. 20. Kerstin Thoms has been named as the County Youth Coordinator for ISU Extension and Outreach in Plymouth County. She will assist youth to reach their full potential through partnerships and research-based experiences that are provided through the Plymouth County 4-H program...

LE MARS — More lots are needed in the Le Mars Industrial Park, the City Council was told during its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The city is down to six lots, Community Development Director Mark Gaul told the council. That’s why the council was urged to approve the fourth addition to the industrial park, which it did unanimously...

HINTON — Hinton Community School students in Clint Sargent’s business class got a visit from Senator Joni Ernst on Wednesday, Jan. 18.  It is part of the R.A.P.I.L. (Regents Alternative Pathways to Iowa Licensure) Program from the state of Iowa. RAPIL is a way to bring adults with real world experience into the classroom. Ernst is one of many speakers Sargent has lined up to share the ins and outs of working in politics, manufacturing, education, big business and more. ...

LE MARS — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors continued discussion and work on the 2023-24 budget on Tuesday. At last week’s meeting, board members discussed the recommendations of the Plymouth County Compensation Board for salary increases of 9 percent for elected officials and 8 percent for supervisors. Board members differed on what the final number should be and delayed a decision to this week’s meeting...