UPDATE: LeMars Teen Dies, Sibley Trucker Injured in Sunday Crash

Fatal Crash 2

LeMars, Iowa — Authorities have now released the name of the LeMars teen killed Sunday afternoon when his car was struck by a semi near LeMars.

Plymouth County Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo identified the youth as 16-year old Zachary Theodore Rolfes of LeMars.  According to the Sheriff, Rolfes was driving a 1992 Honda Accord northbound on Highway 75, north of LeMars, when the car swerved into the oncoming traffic lane and was struck by a 2011 Peterbilt semi, driven by 43-year old Jon Edwards of Sibley.

According to Van Otterloo, Rolfes was transported to the Floyd Valley Hospital in LeMars, where he was pronounced dead.  Edwards was also transported to Floyd Valley Hospital with what the Sheriff described as minor injuries.

Van Otterloo says the crash remains under investigation by the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol and the Plymouth County Medical Examiner.


Sheldon Woman Running For Congress

democrat donkeySheldon, Iowa — A Sheldon woman has announced her candidacy for the Democrat nomination for Iowa’s 4th District District seat in the U.S. House of representatives.  That seat is currently held by seven-term Republican Steve King of Kiron.

Kim Weaver of Sheldon made her announcement at the Democrat’s Iowa Wing Ding Event, held Friday at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake.  Weaver is currently serving as Chair of the O’Brien County Democrats, and is a member of the Democrat State Central Committee, and was a delegate to the 2012 Democrat National Convention.

Weaver is employed by the Iowa Department of Aging as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman.

Weaver is currently the only Democrat to throw their hat into the ring for the 4th District nomination to face King in the 2016 general election.


Alex Jinkinson Opens Up To KIWA

Alex Jinkinson 2Sheldon, Iowa — Over the past few months we’ve been telling you about a Sheldon native who was born without a specific gender identity, who had that situation corrected earlier this summer.

Alex Jinkinson will be the subject of a People Magazine article later this fall that will describe her personal journey, as well as her music.  Jinkinson sat down with KIWA’s Tom Traughber, and talked about what it’s been like on her journey from Sheldon, Iowa to the national spotlight, including her recent gender assignment surgery.

Jinkinson says that a lot has happened in the past four months.

She says that prior to this June, she had been an extremely private person.

Jinkinson said that undergoing gender assignment surgery really wasn’t a choice for her.

In addition to the upcoming piece in People Magazine, Jinkinson has a new single and music video set for launch.  She tells us about that song.

Jinkinson says she is truly humbled by the support she’s received, and continues to receive from the people of northwest Iowa.

Jinkinson says her People Magazine article, along with her single and video, will be released later this fall.

 

Here is KIWA’s complete interview with Alex Jinkinson:


Grassley To Visit Northwest Iowans

grassley-photo-officialNorthwest Iowa — Iowa’s senior United States Senator is scheduled to make several stops in northwest Iowa later this month, during the congressional recess.

Senator Chuck Grassley will be holding town meetings in Osceola, Clay, Palo Alto, Dickinson and Emmet counties.  He’ll visit with constituents in the Education Room at the Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley at 7:30 am on Wednesday, August 26th.  Grassley will also hold town meetings in Spencer, Emmetsburg, Estherville and Spirit Lake on Thursday, August 27th.

Grassley visits each of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once each year.  These town hall meetings normally last for about an hour.


Plane Makes Emergency Landing On Road

plane airplane clipartArnolds Park, Iowa — A small airplane made an emergency landing on a Dickinson County blacktop after running out of fuel early Thursday evening.

The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says they received multiple calls around 6 pm Thursday about a small airplane on County Blacktop A31, east of Arnolds Park.  They say one of the calls was from the Storm Lake Airport advising that the airplane had to make an emergency landing.

Dickinson County authorities identify the pilot as John Walker of Waterloo.  They say Walker was able to land the airplane safely.  The road was closed long enough for Walker to get some fuel.  After refueling the airplane, he continued on to the Okoboji Airport.


Concealed Weapons Carriers: Minnesota Will No Longer Honor Your Utah Permit

handgun gunSt. Paul, Minnesota — A recent change to Minnesota state law will have an affect on thousands of residents of other states, including Iowa.  Effective August 1st, Minnesota no longer honors Concealed Weapons Permits issued by the states of Utah, Missouri, Texas, or Wyoming.  Prior to August 1st, Minnesota had honored each of those states’ permits.

Minnesota has never honored Iowa Concealed Weapons Permits, and as a result many people who live in Iowa, but travel to Minnesota, obtained non-resident permits, mostly from the state of Utah, which allowed them to go armed when traveling in Minnesota.  However, Utah permits will no longer be honored in Minnesota.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, since 2003 their agency has been required to publish a list of states which have handgun carry permit laws that are not “substantially similar” to Minnesota’s Permit To Carry Law.  During the 2015 legislative session, a law was passed that changed the phrase “substantially similar” to simply “similar”.  As a result of the law change, the Minnesota DPS says they conducted a thorough review of all 50 states’ permit to carry laws to determine which are “similar” to Minnesota’s.

The DPS says that Utah was removed from the approved list because Utah does not require permit holders to demonstrate shooting proficiency, while Minnesota law does require range qualification.  The other three states, Missouri, Texas and Wyoming, were removed from the approved list due to laws in each state that allow some persons under the age of 21 to obtain a permit.  Minnesota requires permit holders to be at least 21 years of age.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says they will continue to annually review state laws governing the issuance of permits to carry weapons, and will post an updated list on their website each year.

The good news for Iowans and residents of other states who find themselves no longer able to carry in Minnesota is this; while the state of Minnesota no longer honors your Utah Non-Resident Permit, Minnesota Non-Resident Permits are available.