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IDP chair: Grassley to get “race of his life” in 2010

September 25, 2009 By

The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party says a candidate will soon emerge to give Republican Senator Chuck Grassley the “race of his life” in 2010.

Grassley will be seeking a sixth term in 2010. So far two Democrats from eastern Iowa have announced their intentions to run for the U.S. Senate.  But Iowa Democratic Party chairman Michael Kiernan suggests a well-known Iowa Democrat will join the competition. 

“Doug Gross has gone and pulled out of retirement Terry Branstad to run for governor so it got a lot of Democrats thinking, including myself, ‘Maybe it’s time,’ — and I’ll put this in a football analogy since my counterpart (the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa) owns a football team, that ‘Maybe it’s time to get a first-round draft pick,” Kiernan says.  “I’m going to tell you here today that Chuck Grassley is going to be in for the race of his life.” 

Des Moines attorney Doug Gross, the former chief of staff to former Governor Branstad who himself ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2002, has touted Branstad as the best candidate to run against Democratic Governor Chet Culver in 2010, but Branstad has held off making a decision until October.  Kiernan isn’t saying who his “first-round draft pick” is for the U.S. Senate race. 

“You’re just going to have to wait to find out,” Kiernan said this morning during taping of this weekend’s “Iowa Press” program.  “We want to wait ’til, obviously, after Terry Branstad announced his candidacy for governor.” 

Kiernan isn’t revealing the characteristics this phantom candidate may have either. ”I’ll just wait for the announcement,” Kiernan said.  “You will be impressed.” 

Grassley, who turned 76 last week, was first elected to office in 1958 when he won a seat in the Iowa House.  He was elected to the U.S. House in 1974.  In 1980, Grassley ran for the U.S. Senate, challenging first-term Democrat John Culver, the father of Iowa Governor Chet Culver.  In 2004, Grassley was reelected with 70 percent of the vote.  Kiernan suggests the outcome in 2010 will be much closer.

“I’m here to tell you today that it will be the toughest race that Chuck Grassley has faced since John Culver,” Kiernan said. 

John Culver finished that race with 45.5 percent of the vote compared to Grassley’s 53.5 percent — a margin of eight percent.  Grassley’s first congressional victory in 1974 was his closest contest.  He beat incumbent Democrat Stephen Rapp by less than two percent of the vote. 

“Senator Grassley doesn’t take any election for granted,” said Jill Kozeny, a spokeswoman for Grassley.  “He’s on the job for Iowans, safeguarding tax dollars, holding government accountable, protecting take-home pay from tax increases, looking out for consumers and fighting for seniors.  He’s in touch, he takes on the big issues, and he works every day for what’s best for Iowa.”

Kiernan, the Iowa Democratic Party chairman, made his comments during taping of the “Iowa Press” program which airs tonight on Iowa Public Television.  After the taping, Kiernan told reporters the as-yet-to-be-revealed candidate is “100 percent committed” to running against Grassley.

(This story was updated at 1:51 p.m.)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Deep River man charged with sexual abuse

September 25, 2009 By

The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s office has released details on the arrest of a Deep River man for sexual abuse. Chris Johnson reports that 33-year old James Timothy Tyler was taken into custody Tuesday evening at his Deep River home.

The arrest comes after a month long investigation. The original complaint of a possible sexual abuse was made in early August –and alleged that Tyler had sexual intercourse and threatened to use force against a 14-year-old victim over a five month span in 2007 and 2008. Tyler has been charged with one count Sexual Abuse 2nd degree, 9 counts Sexual Abuse 3rd degree and 9 counts of Child Endangerment.

The investigation is on-going and additional charges against Tyler are pending. Tyler is being held at the Poweshiek County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Contributed by Chris Johnson, KGRN Radio, Grinnell

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Backyard chicken flocks shine spotlight on Webster City Hatchery

September 25, 2009 By

A Webster City hatchery is getting some national publicity over the chicks it ships all over the country. The New Yorker magazine features the McMurray Hatchery in its September 28th edition. Hatchery spokesman Bud Wood says the article focuses on the increasing number of flocks of birds people are keeping in their back yards. Wood says backyard flocks are hot right now.

Wood says across the country, and especially on the east and west coasts, people are getting a few hens for their backyard for fresh eggs. “Hopefully it’s not a fad, I think it’s a way of life,” Wood says, “I think people like to know where their food comes from, getting closer to nature, the organic movement, the green movement, all those things have kind of rolled into one and produced a real demand for backyard poultry.”

Wood says he’s amazed at how the demand for chickens has changed. He says it’s been popular for many years to have a flock in the midwest and other rural areas, but he says it has been moving more and more from rural settings into urban areas. Wood says just the other day on “Good Morning America” a man who lives in Brooklyn, New York brought in his chickens and showed them. Wood says the movement has kept the orders coming into the McMurray Hatchery despite the down economy.

Wood says he feels bad that the economy is the way it is and people are struggling, but he says they’ve had good years recently and have been very busy. The article in the New Yorker is called “The ‘It’ Bird”. You can see a video showing writer Susan Orlean at her Hudson Valley home with her chickens from McMurray Hatchery on-line at: www.newyorker.com.

Contributed by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business

Leachman to introduce Young Frankenstein in Omaha

September 25, 2009 By

Thirty-five years after “Young Frankenstein” was unleashed on movie goers, the comedy-horror classic that starred an Iowan is returning to the big screen next month. The Joslyn Museum in Omaha will show the black-and-white production, featuring a personal introduction from actress Cloris Leachman. Organizer Bruce Crawford says getting Leachman, a Des Moines native, to introduce the film will be a real treat.

Leachman played the role of Frau Blucher in the film and Crawford calls her, “one of the biggest film and TV stars alive.” Mel Brooks produced the 1974 film, which also starred Gene Wilder, Terri Garr, Marty Feldman and Peter Boyle. The event on the evening of October 16th will be a benefit for the Omaha Hearing School for Children. Crawford says it only took a few calls to get the 83-year-old Leachman to agree to appear at the event.

He says, “Cloris will come out and she’ll regale the audience for a good five or ten minutes at least of stories, reminiscences, anecdotes and funny stuff about making the movie.” Crawford says it will be a night of fun for charity — and it’s very affordable. Tickets are on sale for $20 each at all 11 Omaha-area Hy-Vee stores.

Leachman will also be one of the judges at a dance contest that same weekend at the University of Nebraska/Omaha. Leachman was a contestant on TV’s “Dancing with the Stars” two seasons ago.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

Unemployment benefits extended 13 weeks

September 25, 2009 By

Iowa Workforce Development says the federal government has approved a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits for those out of work. Workforce Development spokesperson, Kerry Koonce. Koonce says when the extension is coupled with the original 26 weeks of benefits and past extensions, people can be eligible for up to 59 weeks of benefits. She says they will be going back to 5,000 people who exhausted their benefits after June 27th and may be eligible for the extension.

Koonce says they’ll let the 5,000 know how to apply for the extension. She says letters with information are going out today, and depending on their situation, they may be able to go to a local office to sign up or may be able to sign up on-line. Koonce says the increased level of unemployment triggered the extension. Koonce says it’s important for those getting benefits to keep up with the requirements. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Tagged With:

Week 5 features several key high school football matches

September 25, 2009 By

A pair of rated teams collide in eight-man action this evening as sixth ranked North Sentral Kossuth visits second rated Armstrong-Ringsted. N.S.K. coach Troy Adams says they need to slow down an Armstrong-Ringsted ground attack that is averaging nearly 300 yards per game.

Adams says they are kids with “pretty good wheels” and he hopes they can force them into a passing situation and take them out of what they want to do.

Armstrong-Ringsted coach Robert Zotz says the Eagles have a solid ground game of their own with a good inside out game that includes the option outside.

In class 2A, third rated North Fayette puts an unbeaten record on the line when the Hawks visit ninth rated Sumner-Fredericksburg in district four. North Fayette’s running game has led the way to a 4-0 start and coach Bob Lape says it begins up front. lape says they’ve put a lot of emphasis on the lines as they carry the team. He says you can have a great back, but without blocking, not much is going to happen.

The Hawks don’t throw it much but when they do it has been effective. North Fayette only has 12 completions so far this season but five have gone for touchdowns. He says they lull teams to sleep running the Wing-T and when people start to overload, they can hit the quick passes.

North Fayete is playing a Sumner-Fredericksburg team that is coming off a loss to number five Cascade. He says their backs are against the wall as they have to win to stay in contention for the district title.

In class 2A, seventh rated Collins-Maxwell-Baxter is at home in district seven against a West Marshall team that is 2-0 in district play after dropping its first two games of the season.

C.M.B. coach Rob Luther says they are well coached and won’t make many mistakes. Luther and his staff attended coaching clinics at Notre Dame and Iowa State this past spring. The result is a no-huddle, spread offense that is averaging 420 yards per game. Luther says it allows them to control the game and get the players in the best position to run a play that will succeed.

West Marshall coach Ken Winkler says this would be a very big win for his team. Winkler says Bondurant and C.M.B. are the two most talented teams in the district. Winkler says he is not as concerned about C.M.B.’s style of offense as he is the players running it.

He says the no huddle is designed to keep you from substituting, and in high school you don’t make as many substitutions. So he says the personnel are more of a problem.

Chris McArdle KILR Estherville and Elwin Huffman KOEL Oelwein contributed to this story.

Filed Under: Sports

King says Patriot Act should be kept in place

September 25, 2009 By

Republican Congressman Steve King is criticizing Democrats who object to reauthorizing parts of the Patriot Act. The legislation was passed after the 9/11 attacks to give the government greater authority to investigate suspected terrorists. Three sections of the Patriot Act are set to expire on December 31st and King, a Republican from Kiron in western Iowa, wants all three kept in place.

“The Patriot Act has proven itself very useful in keeping us safe,” King says, “including in opening up the terrorist plot that looks like it was targeted at Grand Central Station in New York.” Democrats want to tighten provisions which let the F.B.I. get a judge’s permission to conduct secret searches of bank accounts, computers and even the library records.

King is a member of a House subcommittee which held a meeting this past Tuesday to discuss the Patriot Act. King says the “roving wiretaps” allowed under the Patriot Act are useful because they allow federal agents to monitor cell phones. “Terrorists buy a cell phone, use it briefly and throw it away and get a new one,” King says. “We need to have a law that’s adaptable to that changing technology.”

While President Obama criticized the Patriot Act when he was a U.S. Senator, officials in his administration have said they would accept only minor modifications in the law. “It’s interesting that the president and the administration have taken a position in support of reauthorization of the Patriot Act even though people on his side of the party are working against it today,” King says. Some Democrats in the U.S. Senate intend to rewrite the law, add more restrictions, and rename it the “Justice Act.”

The American Civil Liberties Union argues the Patriot Act is unconstitutional and violates the privacy rights of Americans.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:
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