A Fort Dodge based Army Reserve unit will be sent to Georgia for a year long mission. The 875th Replacement Company has about 25 members. The unit will leave for Fort Benning, Georgia in spring 2010 for a year of active duty. The unit’s administrator says the soldiers will be providing other troops with medical checkups and training for missions overseas, including Iraq and Afghanistan. The 875th performed similar duties at Fort Bliss, Texas, in 2005.
Fort Dodge Army reserve unit heading to Afghanistan
July 21, 2009 By
Governor "troubled" by allegations against state legislator
July 21, 2009 By
This story was updated at 10:35 a.m.
Governor Chet Culver says he is "very troubled" that a Waterloo lawmaker has been accused of fibbing on his home address in order to save about $37,000 in tuition for his children to attend the Price Lab School at the University of Northern Iowa.
Representative Kerry Burt of Waterloo, a Democrat, is a former Hawkeye football player who was elected to a seat in the Iowa House last November. A spokesman for the Iowa Democratic Party has declined to comment on Burt’s case.
Culver, a Democrat, spoke with statehouse reporters this morning. "I’m very troubled," Culver said. "I’m very concerned about the alleged wrongdoings involved."
Culver, however, said Burt is just accused at this point and deserves his day in court. "I think we need to figure out exactly what happened with each and every person who was allegedly involved and again I think it’s important for the investigation to continue and I expect we will have a much better understand of exactly who was involved and what they did or didn’t do wrong," Culver said.
"And I might have more to say once we get more of the facts on the table." Culver notes there were eight other families who fibbed their addresses and reduced their tuition bills, including the director of the Price Lab School. Dave Smith is now the superintendent in Spirit Lake.
"This is a real concern that needs to be investigated thoroughly and any and all responsible for doing anything wrong should be held accountable," Culver said.
Culver has not talked with Burt about the case. "I want this investigation to move forward and because there is a pending legal investigation, it would not be appropriate to communicate with anyone involved at this point," Culver said.
Representative Burt was also arrested and charged with drunken driving in Ankeny earlier this year. His trial on those charges has been delayed ’til late August.
Last week the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa said Burt has shown a "lack of respect for the law" and should resign from the legislature.
Cool weather slows crops, but still looking good
July 21, 2009 By
Cool weather has had an impact on Iowa’s two major crops, but they are still in good shape overall. The U.S.D.A. crop report released by the state ag department says cool weather has caused the corn crop to lag behind in a couple of the key stages of development. The report says 45% of the corn crop has started to tassel, which is well behind the five-year average of 64%. And 26% of the corn has started to silk — which is behind the five-year average of 46% normally seen at this time of year. But even with the slower development, the report says 80% of the corn crop is rated good or excellent, with only 3% of the crop rated poor and one percent very poor. Soybeans are blooming at a 60% rate — 11 percentage points behind the five-year average. Overall though, the soybean crop is rated 78% good or excellent. Only one percent of the soybean crop was rated in very poor shape and four percent was rated poor. See the entire crop report here.
Grassley says move in Supreme Court nomination not a block
July 21, 2009 By
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley takes exception to the wording in an Associated Press report this morning. It says Senate Republicans plan to “block” today’s scheduled committee vote on the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor. Grassley insists it’s a “routine” move that will delay the vote on President Obama’s pick for a week.
“Any one member, Republican or Democrat, has a right to hold it over just for one week,” Grassley says. “What that member is doing is not blocking, as you use the word, we’re exercising a right that almost every member uses.”
Sotomayor is expected to win confirmation to the nation’s high court as its first Hispanic justice since she has a solid backing from the majority party, the Democrats.
Grassley, a Republican, admits the week-long vote delay is likely moot. Grassley says, “It is probably postponing the inevitable but there’s members who want to make sure that they’ve had plenty of time to review the record.”
When pressed, Grassley admitted he is among those who hasn’t made up his mind about how he’ll vote on the Sotomayor confirmation. Grassley says, “Well, if I had to vote today, I suppose I could make up my mind but I expect the routine to happen so, what’s the hurry?”
Some Republicans were ruffled during last week’s hearings by comments Sotomayor has made in the past about race, including when she said that a “wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
Class 1A: Thomas Weber, Mason City Newman
July 21, 2009 By
In three games the senior had eight hits in 12 at-bats. He had a home run, a double, a triple, drove in fopur runs and scored six times. Weber homered, drove in two runs and scored twice in a victory over Rockford. He was also perfect in three trips with a doubble, a triple and scored twice in a victory over Woden-Crystal Lake-Titonka.
Class 2A: Jake McGruder, Council Bluffs St. Albert
July 21, 2009 By
The senior tossed a four hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in a victory over Clarinda. He also doubled, scored two runs and walked twice.
Class 3A: Andy Briggs, Waverly-Shell Rock
July 21, 2009 By
The senior tossed a complete game three-hitter in a district tournament win over Charles City. He was two-of-five at the plate with a double, an RBI and also scored a run. In three games Briggs batted .467 with two doubles, a triple and scored four runs.
