LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — Italian confectioner Ferrero is acquiring Wells Enterprises, one of the largest U.S. ice cream makers. Wells, a 100-year-old family-owned company based in Le Mars, Iowa, makes Blue Bunny, Halo Top and other brands. It produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year at plants in Iowa, New York and Nevada. The Ferrero Group was founded in Italy in 1946 and is now based in Luxembourg. Its brands are sold in more than 170 countries and include Kinder, Nutella, Tic Tac and Ferrero Rocher. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. It’s expected to close early next year.
WATERLOO, Iowa (KWWL) — A school bus and a U.S. Postal Service vehicle collided in Waterloo Wednesday afternoon. Officials say the incident occurred on 9th and Williston shortly after 3:15 p.m. A 14 year-old was transported to a hospital for treatment for a sore neck. Cause of the incident is currently unknown.
OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education says an Iowa school district failed to protect a Black student from pervasive racial harassment and now must take steps to help the student. The department announced Monday that it had resolved a complaint filed against the Ottumwa school district after investigating allegations of harassment in the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school year against a middle school student. The investigation found the harassment amounted to a “racial hostile environment” that violated the student’s federal civil rights. The statement says the student endured repeated racial slurs and other harassment. District officials were told of the harassment but didn’t take effective actions.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Iowa are investigating the death of a police dog that was left in his handler’s truck for nearly 24 hours on a day when the temperature soared to nearly 90 degrees. The Ames Tribune reports that Bear, a police dog with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, was found dead the evening of Sept. 2 by his handler, former Boone County Sgt. Dallas Wingate. Wingate told investigators he had put the dog in his truck around 10 p.m. Sept. 1 because the dog was barking at a deer. Wingate said he forgot about doing so until he went outside to feed his other dogs around 8 p.m. the next night. Story County Attorney Tim Meals and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the dog’s death.
