Orange City, Iowa — A man who Orange City Police officers believe burglarized an Orange City business has been arrested on two felony counts.
According to Sioux County Jail arrest records, 21-year-old Chayton Quail of Spirit Lake was arrested on Thursday, December 17th at the Dickinson County Jail in Spirit Lake and was transported to the Sioux County Jail in Orange City.
According to court records, Orange City officers believe that Quail is responsible for a break in at Digital Plus in Orange City on or about October 3rd, 2015. Records indicate Quail is accused of gaining entry to the building through an unlocked window on the west side of the building. Officers say he allegedly stole several items of merchandise and took cash.
Quail was charged with one count of Third Degree Burglary and one count of Second Degree Theft. Both charges are Class D Felonies.
Jail records indicate unsecured bail was set at $5000. Quail was released the next day after posting bail.
Sheldon, Iowa — The Christmas festivities are wrapping up in Sheldon.
Sheldon Chamber Coordinator Allison Cooke says the festivities wrap up Monday night with music and a final visit from Kris Kringle.
Cooke also reminds folks that they are still accepting food donations for Upper Des Moines. You can drop off any non-perishable food items at the SCDC and help them fill some “Shop Local” bags.
Also, she says Holiday Bingo runs until December 31st. They will be drawing at the end of December for another winner.
Hawarden, Iowa — A Chatsworth teen was taken to the hospital after an accident on Friday morning, December 18, 2015.
The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office reports that about 8:05 AM, 15-year-old Trayven Lidgett of Chatsworth was driving a 2001 Plymouth Neon northbound on Highway 12, about three miles south of Hawarden, when he lost control of his vehicle, which entered the east ditch and struck a tree.
The Hawarden Ambulance took Lidgett to the Hawarden Hospital.
The Plymouth sustained approximately $2,000 in damage.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Hawarden Ambulance crew and Hawarden Fire Department.
Granville, Iowa — A Granville girl is one of 42 Iowa students who has been nominated by Senator Joni Ernst to be considered for appointment to one of the United States Service Academies.
According to Senator Ernst, Caroline Ascherl of Granville was nominated for consideration to appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Ascherl is a 2015 graduate of MOC-Floyd Valley High School, who is currently studying in Rhode Island.
Other northwest Iowans nominated by Senator Ernst include: Peter Eckard of Milford, and Cole and Glenn Hackbarth of Spirit Lake, all of whom were nominated for consideration to the Naval Academy.
Ernst says she’s honored to nominate so many outstanding young leaders throughout the state who excel in the classroom and in their communities.
With Senator Ernst’s nomination, each student is one step further in the extremely competitive admissions process for the U.S. Military Academies.
Sheldon, Iowa — If you’re a local entrepreneur trying to start or expand a business, there’s a contest tailor-made for you.
The economic development organizations in northwest Iowa are once again teaming up to bring the statewide Dream Big Grow Here business grant contest to our region.
The Dream Big Grow Here contest is an opportunity for Iowans to fulfill their dreams of self-employment or expansion of their current business. Sheldon Economic Development Director Curt Strouth says the contest allows entrepreneurs the chance to submit their dreams to start or expand a business, then encourage friends, family, and customers to vote for them online.
From now until January 31st, entrepreneurs in Cherokee, Lyon, Monona, O’Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux and Woodbury counties can submit their business or startup ideas to www.DreamBigGrowHere.com. Those submitting an idea will choose among the categories of Pre-revenue, Retail/Wholesale, Hospitality/ Restaurants, Ag Innovation, Professional Services, and Manufacturing/Bioscience/ Information Technology. Strouth tells us why the categories exist.
Voting on the submitted ideas will take place February 8th to the 12th. During the voting period, the entrepreneur will recruit others to vote for their entry at www.DreamBigGrowHere.com. Five entries will be selected from each industry category to advance to the statewide contest at the statewide entrepreneurial conference, EntreFEST, in Iowa City on May 19, 2016. Each entrepreneur that advances in their industry category will participate in a pitch-off event against the other industry finalists for a chance to win $5,000. The winners of each industry category will then advance to the finals the evening of May 19th for a chance to win a grand prize to be announced at EntreFEST 2016.
There’s also a regional contest to be held in April. Strouth says you don’t have to win at the regional contest to be considered for the state contest. He says they’re actually two separate contests but you only have to enter the state contest to be entered for both. The regional contest will allow the top five vote-getters in northwest Iowa to refine their pitches, showcase their ideas, and compete in a regional pitch off event for $5,000. Additional details about the regional contest will be announced in March.
Strouth says they encourage entrepreneurs to enter.
Des Moines, Iowa — Federal officials have called for a 60-day delay in Governor Terry Branstad’s plan to move 560-thousand Iowans who get their health care coverage through Medicaid into managed care plans.
Governor Branstad and his staff wanted four private companies to start managing care for Medicaid patients January 1st. But officials in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services say that timeline would cause “serious disruptions” for tens of thousands of Iowans. There are Medicaid beneficiaries who haven’t been able to figure out whether their doctor, hospital, caregiver or nursing home is part of one of these new managed care networks.
A letter sent to Branstad, however, indicates the federal government “will ultimately” grant the State of Iowa a waiver to shift all Iowa Medicaid patients into managed care plans. Governor Branstad has issued a written statement, calling that a “green light” to implement the switch on March 1st.
