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New law lets counties remove "obstructions" from roadsides

June 14, 2006 By

A new state law that takes effect July 1st has surprised some Iowans. Linn County Road Superintendent Mike Duffy says the law lets counties can get rid of anything in in a yard that obstructs the right-of-way on county road, such as a mailbox or retaining wall.

Duffy says that includes, “Anything that someone can hit and won’t give in an accident.” Duffy says the county can go out and remove the item without notice and the homeowner would have to pay the cost of removal.

Duffy says though, Linn County will give residents a little time. He says they’ll give 48 hours notice, and you’ll have 48 hours to remove the “obstruction.”

Paul Brauer spent three-thousand dollars installing his driveway head-wall, and says 48 hours isn’t enough time to remove it. He says it would take a week for him to take out the wall.

Duffy is taking photos of potential obstructions in Linn County to show landowners.

Filed Under: Politics & Government

New Hampshire insider says race wide open early

June 14, 2006 By

Iowa’s governor is in New Hampshire today laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign in 2008. For that effort to succeed, Tom Vilsack must enlist the support of foot soldiers like Carol Appel who talked this week with Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson.

Sixty-nine-year-old Carol Appel was heavily courted by the Kerry and Dean campaigns in 2004 because she’s one of the party stalwarts who turns out voters in Strafford County, which is in eastern New Hampshire. She started out in politics back in 1960 by stuffing envelopes for John Kennedy’s campaign and she’s been active in the Democratic party ever since.

Appel saw Vilsack two years ago when the governor spoke briefly to New Hampshire’s delegation at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. “I think it’s the only time I saw him,” Appel says. “He was a pleasant guy.” Appel judges the 2008 presidential race — in New Hampshire — as wide open at this early point. “People I know who are activists are really looking at people fairly and want to give everybody a chance to make their case,” Appel says. “I’m glad when they come several times because we get a chance to see them get better.”

Appel offers this assessment of the New Hampshire electorate. “My experience sometimes is that the rank-and-file of Democratic voters…sometimes can be more conservative than the party activists and the candidates discover that,” she says. “As party activists, we deserve some credit for the work we do and for thinking about issues and for caring as much as we do and we deserve candidates who speak to our issues, but reality also is that on Election Day, the people who come out to vote are more than us.”

Appel just stepped down after 10 years as county-level chair. She’s now the vice chair of Strafford County, New Hampshire Democrats.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Judge says Gage video testimony can’t be used in Bentley trial

June 14, 2006 By

A judge has made a ruling on the use of videotaped testimony from a now-dead Cedar Rapids girl. District Judge Denver Dillard says the video cannot be used as evidence in the trial of 34-year-old James Bentley of Vinton, the man accused of sexually abusing 10-year-old Jetseta Gage.

Judge Dillard agreed with a defense attorney who said the videotape violates Bentley’s right to confront his accuser. The tape reportedly details three years of abuse but Bentley’s lawyer was not allowed to cross-examine Gage. Trial is to start July 10th in Clarke County — a move due to publicity.

Bentley’s brother Roger was convicted earlier this year and is serving a life prison term for the girl’s kidnapping and murder in March of 2005.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Mills County Sheriff seeks help in identifying body

June 14, 2006 By

Authorities in southwest Iowa are asking for the public’s help in identifying a body found in a ditch over the weekend. Mills County Sheriff Mack Taylor says the remains of a female were found in tall grass located about a mile north of Highway 34 and within five miles of Interstate 29.

While her age and race are not known, Taylor says she had brown hair tied in a ponytail, and a tattoo of a red rose on her right calf. Officials determined the body had been there for anywhere from two-to six-weeks. They say she was fully clothed, wearing a size-five pair of blue jeans, a dark, extra-large mesh-jersey tank top and white, size-seven tennis shoes.

In addition, Taylor says two gold-colored necklaces were found with the body, each with a cross. One of the crosses had five, inset diamonds. Officials don’t know how she died. Her body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s office for autopsy. The results aren’t expected back for several weeks. Anyone who thinks they may know the woman, is asked to contact the Mills County Sheriff’s office at 712-527-4871.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Plan could help displaced workers in Webster City/ Fort Dodge

June 14, 2006 By

A plan to help displaced workers in north-central Iowa is working its way through Congress. Iowa Congressman Tom Latham says the House Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that helps prepare the workforce of the Fort Dodge/Webster City area for the upcoming layoffs at Electrolux.

Three-hundred-thousand dollars was secured for Iowa Central Community College to help analyze the workers’ current skills, match the skills with existing jobs in the region and provide vocational training.

Electrolux plans to eliminate seven-hundred of the current 19-hundred factory jobs in Webster City when it moves production of front-load washers and driers to a new factory in Mexico in late 2007 or early 2008.

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Missing fisherman’s body found in Cedar River

June 14, 2006 By

The search has ended for a missing fisherman in northeast Iowa. A person hunting for clams in the Cedar River found the body of 31-year-old James McNally of Nashua late Tuesday morning. Officials say McNally was swept under the water just after midnight Monday morning while fishing with a friend.

McNally reportedly waded into the river just below the Nashua Dam, lost his footing, and went under the water. Authorities say McNally’s chest-high waders filled with water and pulled him down. McNally’s body was found around 11 A.M. Tuesday about a half-mile downstream from the dam. Officials say the drowning is the first in Nashua in more than 40 years.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Malls host Flag Day events

June 14, 2006 By

Nearly 500 shopping centers across the U.S., including several in Iowa, are taking part in events to mark Flag Day today (Wednesday). Patrice Duker, spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers, says there are different patriotic activities planned at each mall as part of the “Old Gloryous Celebration.”

Duker says there is a host of flag raising activities across the country, some involve the local AM-VETS and V-F-W while others are raising food and supplies for local troops who are on duty overseas. Other malls are gathering Boy Scout troops to teach flag etiquette or local singers and bands to perform patriotic music.

She says this has been months in the planning with multiple goals in mind. They’re wanting to honor the troops and veterans while raising patriotism. She says some shopping centers are creating flags with hand-prints after dipping their hands in red, white or blue paint.

Duker says the shopping centers in Iowa and nationwide are providing a forum for families, friends and coworkers to come together for an important patriotic holiday that should not be overlooked. She says “We have to remember the flag and take the opportunity to raise flag awareness.”

Iowa malls taking part in the events include: Coral Ridge Mall, Coralville; Jordan Creek Town Center, West Des Moines; Lindale Mall, Cedar Rapids; Mall of the Bluffs, Council Bluffs; Quincy Place Mall, Ottumwa; Southern Hills Mall, Sioux City; Southridge Mall, Des Moines. For more information, surf to “www.oldgloryous.com”.

Filed Under: Human Interest
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