The funeral is today in Mason City for one of the two Iowa National Guard members killed in a rollover accident last week in Johnston. Services will be held later this afternoon for Specialist Dustin Colby of Clear Lake, the 20-year-old member of the 11-33rd Transportation Company that was killed in an accident Friday near Camp Dodge in metro Des Moines. Colby’s driving partner, 30-year-old Sergeant Bruce Pollema of Hull, was also killed in the accident. Colby is the second member of the 11-33rd to die during the call-ups for Operation Iraqi Freedom. 23-year-old Specialist Josh Knowles of Sheffield died back in February when the truck he was in was hit by a mortar outside of Log Base Seitz near the Baghdad International Airport. Colby’s funeral service will take place at 3 o’clock this afternoon at the Iowa National Guard Armory in Mason City at 1160 19th Southwest, with burial at the Kensett Cemetery.
AARP honors businesses
Two Iowa businesses are on a list of employers honored by AARP for their policies friendly to older workers. Among the “30 best Employers for workers Over Fifty” is Muscatine-based Stanley Consultants. President and CEO Gregs Thomopulos says it’s all part of the company’s corporate core values. They call employees “members,” and he says experience is very important in the company’s service to its clients. As long as they’re in good health and perform well, they’ve always encouraged members to keep on working “till they’re ready to go play golf.” Thomopulos says that doesn’t mean they don’t have plenty of young people, too. He cites Will Rogers saying that if you stay on the same track, you’ll get run over. The challenge is to maintain focus and grow business, and the company philosophy says regardless of how much business there is, they’re hire new graduates each year from within the various disciplines of the engineering field. What’s an older worker have that a young one might lack?Experience, Thomopulos says — when you come right out of school you know the latest theory and technologies but in terms of design, experience means you’ve learned from projects. And the company’s growing so fast that despite its recognition for hiring and retaining older workers, even more young ones seek it out to apply. Stanley Consultants, which is doing work in Iraq, consults with foreign and American customers on engineering projects. The other Iowa firm honored for treating “mature workers” well is the Principal Financial Group in Des Moines. To read the article surf to www.aarp.org
Truckers try new type of tires to save fuel
Semis rolling down Iowa’s highways are starting to look a bit different. Some trucking companies are now using what are called “super singles,” a wider tire that replaces double sets of trailer tires. Scott Weiser, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, explains the benefits. With the wider single tire, there’s less rolling resistance and better fuel economy. The trailers are more maneuverable and there’s also less weight in the absence of all those tires, so the truck can carry more cargo. Weiser says the super single may eventually eliminate the concept of an “18-wheeler.” At the back of a semi-trailer, there are four sets of double tires. The super single reduces that cluster of eight tires to just four tires. The new tractor-trailer truck looks essentially the same but is a 14-wheeler. Weiser says the super single isn’t a good fit with every trucking operation, but is being embraced by some outfits. Another way truckers are looking for better mileage is by using tires equipped with automatic inflation systems that constantly keep them at the proper pressure.
President Bush visits farm show
President George Bush came to Iowa again Tuesday, speaking to a friendly crowd at the Farm Progress Show in Alleman. The president told the crowd of farmers there’s more work to be done to ensure the economy, and the farm economy in particular continues to grow. President Bush said he’s presented an energy bill to Congress. Bush says Congress needs to pass that energy bill and get it on his desk, with its plans for conservation, clean-coal technology, plans to explore for oil and natural gas “in environmentally-friendly ways,” and recognition of the potential for corn and soybeans. Bush said “I believe in ethanol and I believe in bio-deisel.” Bush says one of these days thanks to research someone will walk into the Oval Office and announce “The corn crop is up and we’re less dependent on foreign energy.” The president also said there’s more to be done to make schools centers of accountability. Bush says 3 years ago when he took office there were too many kids not learning the basics but he says he “challenged the soft bigotry of low expectations,” and believes in accountability and an excellent education for every child. Bush talked about improving health care.The president says “we got the job done” by strengthening Medicare for seniors, working with Iowa senator Chuck Grassley to correct problems that underfunded rural hospitals that care for Medicare clients. The president told a crowd of listeners that one day, leaders of the U.S. and Iraq will sit down and talk about peace, just as leaders of the U.S. and one-time enemy Japan have done. Bush says by serving “the ideal of liberty” is making the world more secure, noting “freedom is not America’s gift to the world,” it’s God’s gift to all people in the world. Traffic was tied up when the president’s limousine traveled from the airport on Des Moines’ southside right through downtown and stopped at a hotel before proceeding to the farm show about fifteen miles farther north.
Iowa Republicans in NYC go to Harlem to help
Thirty-five Iowa republican delegates boarded a bus in Manhattan yesterday and got out in Harlem. The group volunteered to spruce up a park. Some sanded and painted park benches. Others worked on landscaping, spreading mulch. Keith Hunter of Des Moines has never been to New York City before and relished the chance to see another burrough. “It’s an opportunity to show the true heart of republicans, to give back to those in need,” Hunter said. Bernard Hayes of Cedar Rapids says he wanted to do something to “pay back” New Yorkers who’ve been so welcoming of the G-O-P, and that includes wielding a paint brush or broom. “I’m willing to tackle anything,” Hayes said just before boarding the bus. John Ortega of Bettendorf says he went the park to “accomplish something positive. Unlike the democrats, what they do is just tear things up and cause havoc and we’re going to give a little bit back to the community…leave a little goodness here.” Luana Stoltenberg of Davenport was also part of what the GOP billed as its day of “compassion in action.” “I guess we hope to let people know that republicans are very compassionate and we do love people and that’s why we’re involved in government,” she said. Ray Hoffman of Sioux City says it was a “remarkable” day, working alongside people from North Carolina and South Dakota. “Get out there and do something, rather than just taking all the time, give back,” he said. “I’ve been really, really lucky and I’ve kind of lived the American dream so for me it’s just kind of a natural to do something like that.” Several legislators were part of the group, including state Senator Larry McKibben. “Part of what we need to do as republicans is put a face on the party,” McKibben said. “Not only is the war on terror important, but our relationship to people and I think the ‘Compassion Across America’ (program) is a great way for the republicans to go out and say to folks, ‘Look, you know we care about your ordinary lives, your daily lives and we care about your communities and we’re going into your community to help,’” McKibben said. Senator Nancy Boettger of Harlan who came prepared for hard work. “I brought my work gloves,” she said, holding a pair of leather gloves. “I don’t do any work outside without my glove.” And state Representative Dwayne Alons of Hull worked alongside. “I think it show people that republicans are compassionate people and want to help folks out…we want to extend our hand,” he said. Isaiah McGee of West Des Moines helped organize yesterday’s service project, and he was invited to sit in Vice President Dick Cheney’s box last night in the convention hall.
