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Boswell says challenger Fallon not "genuine"

February 29, 2008 By

Congressman Leonard Boswell says his challenger in this June’s third district Democratic primary is not being "genuine" with voters on a variety of issues. Ed Fallon, a Democrat from Des Moines, is challenging Boswell in the June primary. "I don’t think that Ed is too genuine in some of the things he says," Boswell says.

Boswell cites Fallon’s support of presidential candidate Ralph Nader back in 2000, over Democrat Al Gore, and wonders what Fallon, who has endorsed Barack Obama, will do in the fall with Nader in the race. Boswell also faults Fallon for criticizing Boswell’s vote to go to war in Iraq.  "I was presented by the Commander-in-Chief of the United States of America that there was weapons of mass destruction going to be used against Americans and I was misrepresented on that as were a number of others, as you know, in both the House and Senate and it should not have happened," Boswell says, "but we listened to the chief executive, who had more information than anybody else."

In addition, Boswell takes issue with Fallon over criticism that Boswell has failed to promptly respond to voters who want the troops out now. "A number of times I have voted for us to bring our troops out of there," Boswell says. "And of course he says I don’t, but I do." Boswell says he initially voted against a timeline for withdrawal because his experience in the military made him doubt the military had drawn up an orderly plan for such a witdrawal.

Boswell’s harshest charge against his challenger may be that Fallon has been an opponent of corn-based ethanol. Boswell cites a letter to the editor Fallon wrote in 1993 in which Fallon talked about the ethanol "myth." 

"In Iowa, ethanol’s a myth?" Boswell says. "Come on, give me a break."

Fallon has charged that Boswell is a "Bush Democrat" because of his initial support for the Iraq war and votes on key issues important to the Bush Administration. Boswell, in turn, suggests he’s compiled a long list of examples which show Fallon is out of the mainstream.

Boswell made his comments on the Iowa Public Television program "Iowa Press" which airs this evening at 6:30.  A spokesperson for the Fallon campaign was not immediately available.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Iowa City High advances in 4A

February 29, 2008 By

Iowa City high held off a second half rally by Linn-Mar and earned its first trip to the championship game. Kelly Krei scored 27 points, including 12-of-15 from the foul line as the Little Hawks downed the Lions 55-39. Krei says they knew at halftime that Linn-Mar would make a run at some point, and they did and they held them off.

Krei talks about advancing to the title game says her school has never made it this far, and it feels good to beat a great team like Linn-Mar. City high led by 12 at the half before the Lions roared back by outscoring the Little Hawks 13-5 in the third quarter. But City High never relinquished the lead and put the game away at the foul line by making 23 of 31.

Linn-Mar coach Mike Brandt says some of the shots that could have made a difference didn’t fall. He credits City High with doing a great job on defense and making it hard to shoot. Jaye Hutcheson led Linn-Mar with 14 points but the Lions struggled from the field by hitting only 24 percent for the game.

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Man escapes after biting trooper

February 29, 2008 By

Authorities in Iowa and Nebraska are searching for a man who crashed a stolen car this morning and escaped on foot — after biting an Iowa law officer. Iowa State Trooper Tim Sieleman says he was in pursuit of the driver on westbound Interstate-80 in Council Bluffs, when the fleeing suspect headed into Omaha and lost control of the car on an exit ramp.

Sieleman says: "No other vehicles were damaged. No public was injured. No damage to the state vehicle. The only damage was done to the stolen vehicle." He says the run-away driver crashed because he was simply going too fast for the slick pavement.

"He just lost control getting off the bridge with the early-morning conditions and lack of experience of driving at 60 miles an hour on an off-ramp. Not good for 45," the trooper explains. Sieleman says the driver ended up bouncing off the concrete sides of the ramp before coming to a stop. He says he then tried to pull the driver out of the car but the suspect bit him on the hand and then took off running.

He says: "As I tried to keep him from jumping over the wall, he did bite me on the hand at that time, at which time I released him and let him fall to the ground." The search for the suspect continues, though his name hasn’t been released. A woman inside the vehicle was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. She then was arrested on several outstanding warrants. 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Supreme Court says Shelby County doesn’t have to pay deputy’s defense fees

February 29, 2008 By

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled Shelby County does not have to pay the legal fees of a deputy involved in a fatal shooting. Shelby County Deputy Sheriff Chad Butler shot and killed Dwayne Jens after a high-speed chase in December of 2004.

Jens was unarmed and a grand jury charged Butler with voluntary manslaughter, but the deputy was found not guilty of the charge after a three-day trial. Butler asked the county to pay some $60,000 in legal fees for his defense.

The Shelby County supervisors declined to pay. It was argued that not paying the fees would hurt the morale of law officers, while the other side said paying the fees might make law officers engage in undesirably risky behavior.

The Supreme Court ruling did not address either argument, it simply says the Iowa legislature has not chosen to enact legislation requiring local governments to provide a defense for county officers in criminal matters while they are on duty and the officer is acquitted on the charges.  

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Bill setting gift card rules clears first hurdle

February 29, 2008 By

A bill that would set new state rules for gift cards has cleared one hurdle at the statehouse, but changes may be in store for the legislation. Senator Roger Stewart, a Democrat from Preston, says they’re still looking for agreement on several issues.

"I really, truly believe we’ve got some ideas out there that will really be helpful and that we’ll reach the goal that we want really want to reach which is to really bring fairness to gift cards," Stewart says. Stewart, who is a banker, is the manager of a bill that cleared a subcommittee in the Senate this week.

"What it does it takes away any fee and any expiration date," Stewart says of the bill. "That’s the basic part of it." The state treasurer has suggested that retailers keep track of unused gift cards and once those cards expire, turn the money over to the state rather than putting it toward the bottom line of businesses.

"We’re still working on that part of it," Stewart says. "You know, that’s still an open question." Which means legislators may decide against such a move. Stewart says his constituents have told him stories.

"Obviously, there’s all those anecdotes where they find one in the dresser drawer that they didn’t use from a long time ago. I think we’ve all experienced that," Stewart says. "We know we don’t get them used on all occasions."

Some retailers reduce the value of an unused gift card over time. For example, after 90 days it’s worth $10 less. But Stewart says the bill they’re considering would end that practice as that kind of a move would be considered a "fee" and fees on gift cards would be forbidden. The bill outlining new consumer protections for gift cards is due for debate in the Senate Commerce Committee next week.

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State investigating deaths of 20 children from flu, respiratory illnesses

February 29, 2008 By

An unexpected upturn in the number of Iowa children dying this winter from the flu and other respiratory illnesses is prompting state — and federal — health officials to investigate any possible links. Dr. Patty Quinlisk, Iowa’s chief epidemiologist, says about 20 children have died this season, all under the age of four.

"We are a little bit concerned. We are having more deaths in young children than we would expect. It may not be that the deaths are related to each other but when things like this happen, we like to investigate to make sure there that isn’t something going on that we can intervene on or educate on to lower the risk of more children dying," Quinlisk says. While it’s been a particularly nasty and prolonged flu season, Quinlisk says by no means were all of the deaths due to the flu, but several were, and that’s why they’re investigating any possible connections between the multiple child fatalities.

Quinlisk says: "We know that they had laboratory tests around the time of death that were positive for two of the different flu viruses, one an A and a B," in addition to a respiratory virus known as R-S-V which is not that uncommon in children, and adenoviruses, which causes things like more serious colds.

Quinlisk says the figure of 20 deaths may go higher, as state health officials are asking physicians across Iowa to be sure to report any deaths involving child patients. She says it’s difficult to pinpoint how many such child deaths would be typical during an Iowa winter. She says it’s hard to come up with an absolute number, but perhaps ten children would die statewide in a more typical winter from the flu, the R-S-V and other viruses combined.

Twenty deaths is reaching out of the norm and she adds, "This many deaths would not be expected…so having this many is of concern and we want to investigate it." Quinlisk urges Iowa parents to use common sense in helping to keep their kids healthy — including keeping them away from sick people, getting them vaccinated for the flu, keeping them home from school if they’re sick and following strict hygiene procedures, including frequent hand-washing. 

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Iowa Supreme Court upholds decision to fire Ames coach

February 29, 2008 By

The Iowa Supreme Court has thrown out a lower court ruling that overturned the firing of the former Ames High boys basketball coach. The Ames school board fired head boys basketball coach Dennis Cullinan in 2004. He had been the coach for eight years.

The firing came after an incident in which Cullinan met with star player Alex Thompson in school hallway December 16th of 2003 following a game. The school board said that meeting violated an agreement with Cullinan reached earlier after several parent complaints that Cullina was verbally abusive and demeaning to players and his style was negatively impacting the basketball program.

Cullinan appealed his firing and demanded his job back with back pay. The district court and court of appeals sided with Cullinan, saying the one incident was not enough motive for the school board to fire the coach. But the Iowa Supreme Court ruling says while the board’s termination order discussed the December 16th incident at length, its order made it clear that the termination was based on Cullinan’s entire history with the district, not just the December 16 incident.

The court says the latter incident was, apparently, merely the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. The high court threw out the appeals ruling and earlier decision, and sent the case back for an order "affirming the the decision of the board." 

Supreme Court ruling on fired Ames coach. PDF

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education Tagged With:
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