Murray died in the crash. His wife, 46-year-old Julie Murray, was taken to University Hospitals in Iowa City where she later died of her injuries.

One of the couple’s four children, 18-year-old Nicole Murray, was treated at the hospital and released.

Mercy spokesman, Jim Wharton, says the decision makes no sense. “A Baptist hospital, a Catholic hospital, whatever, it would no longer be considered a religious employer, which means we lose the right to exercise what we call our conscious clause. Where if it’s something that’s totally contrary to what our principles and beliefs are we still have to violate our conscience to abide by a government regulation to provide these services,” Wharton says.

Wharton says the organizations that don’t abide by the new mandate risk losing millions of dollars in federal funds. “Every hospital in America for the most part, is dependent on Medicare and now they’re saying if you want the money you have to play by these new rules,” Wharton says.

“The problem is, the rules are unfair….We’re 125 years old, we’re founded on the beliefs of the Catholic faith and for us to be told that you have to do things that are contrary to our faith, we think is a violation of our First Amendment rights.” The new rules would take effect in August of 2013.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat, was asked about the issue during his weekly conference call with reporters. Harkin says he thought they had crafted the healthcare law to allow an exemption for individuals.

“I do believe that if you are broadly hiring , that you should provide broad insurance coverage, which would include contraceptive services,” Harkin says. “But if there is someone in the employ for that religious institution who is conscience bound not to do that, then they should be able exempt out of that portion of the health insurance coverage.”

Harkin was asked by a reporter from Carroll, where there is a Catholic hospital, if he supported the “first amendment right of Catholics to not offer birth control to workers.”

“I didn’t say that…I’m saying if they’re going to offer insurance broadly based…then they should offer these services too, but then I want to be protective of an individual, and an individual’s conscience on what he or she may have to do,” Harkin replied.

Harkin says there are many cases in society where people are compelled to pay for things that they don’t like. He cites as an example, the Quaker religion which does not support war, but it’s members pay taxes that support the military. “And the Supreme Court has upheld that in the past, so this is not the only case where religion has run into important public policy. I think the Quakers also have a legitimate gripe from their taxes being paid and going to support military wars and things,” Harkin says.

Audio : Harkin remarks on healthcare issue 4:38.

House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, is already calling on the Obama administration to reconsider the order, calling it a government mandate that violates the constitution.

Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City also contributed to this story.

A 20-foot-tall menorah will be lit in Des Moines to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Yossi Jacobson says Governor Terry Branstad will help to light to first of eight candles.

“He has traveled the state far and wide and now he’ll be traveling in the heights,” Rabbi Jacobson says. “He’ll be going up with me 20 feet in the air and bringing the light of Hanukkah throughout Iowa.”

Jacobson says there will be traditional music played at the service, which begins the celebration of Hanukkah which runs through December 28th.

“We hope to have many people there to take part and hopefully, afterwards, they will go to their own homes and light the menorahs there,” he says. “There are obligations for every individual not to be a spectator to watch others bring the light in. Everyone is obligated to bring their own light into their own life, their own homes.”

Latest U.S. Census Bureau figures shows there are about 6,200 Jews living in Iowa.

Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Algona Nativity scene.

One of north-central Iowa’s gems of the holiday season opens this weekend. The nativity scene created by German World War Two prisoners held in Algona opens for public display on Sunday.

Marvin Chickering chairs the Algona United Methodist Church Men’s Club which oversees the nativity scene.

Chickering says it’s a source of pride, not only for the church but for the entire community.

 ”It is something which is so unique and the story is so unusual and so interesting, for many people, it’s not Christmas unless they’ve come for a visit,” Chickering says.

Eduard Kaib was an architect in his private life and a non-commissioned officer in the German Army when he was sent to Camp Algona in the fall of 1944. Kaib built a small 12-foot-wide nativity set with figures made out of soil that were baked in an oven to harden them.

 The camp commander, Arthur Lobdell, saw the set and wanted Kaib to build a larger one for the following Christmas. Chickering says had Lobdell not been assigned to take over command at the camp in the summer of 1944, the larger nativity may never have been built.

He says it’s a heartwarming story since Lobdell could have been assigned anywhere and there were over a million POWs in camps across the United States. Kaib and five friends started working on the new nativity in January 1945, making 60 half-life-size figures, made of concrete over a wire and wooden frame and finished in molding plaster.

Chickering says the figures were restored in 2009 during a renovation of the building that houses the nativity. He says they brought the figures out to the entry of the building and realized that there was cracking and scaling that needed to be fixed, joking that the figures are aging just like real people.

The Algona Nativity Scene will be at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds through New Year’s Eve. Hours are 2:00-9:00 PM Monday through Saturday and noon-9:00 PM on Sundays including Christmas Day.

For more information, visit: www.pwcamp.algona.org.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

“Frankly I don’t think Iowans…like to be told who they should vote for when they go to the Caucuses on January 3,” Scheffler says.

There has been speculation that a coalition of Iowa conservative groups might endorse a candidate, to try to rally support around a single, alternative candidate to Mitt Romney. Scheffler says if his own ”Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition” had endorsed a candidate, it would have caused “friction” among Christian conservatives.

“It just seems like a diversion from what the real goal is to turning out a lot of conservative voters to the Caucuses and trusting them to make their choices,” Scheffler says. 

Republican Congressman Steve King is holding out the possibility he will publicly endorse a candidate before the Caucuses, while Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Governor Terry Branstad have said they will not. The Iowa Family Leader, another conservative group that has led the charge against gay marriage in Iowa, has ruled out backing candidates Mitt Romney, Herman Cain or Ron Paul, but may issue a public endorsement of Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry or Rick Santorum.

Loverien says they have gone from using the “dynamic equivalent,” or making use of the meaning that they find in the Latin text, to the “formal equivalent,” which uses the literal sense of what the original text means in Latin. She says the text of mass, and the music they sing will all be adjusted on the first Sunday of advent.

Loverien says she’s been hearing from parishioners and believes the older members of the church will find it to be a major change.

“For folks who have been praying these prayers for 45 years, this is difficult,” She says. Loverien says a Baptist friend of hers once joked that the Catholics “all know their lines by heart.”

Loverien says that is true for those who have been in the church for 30 and 40 years, but she says the younger people don’t seem to have a problem with it. Loverien says the changes will be evident as soon as the mass begins. She says for example, one thing they will hear right away is “The Lord be with you” and the people with respond with “And in your spirit,” instead of the previous response of “And also with you.” Loverien says the response is more in line with the literal Latin version of the phrase.

The Iowa Catholic Conference says there are nearly half a million Catholics in Iowa. You can find out more information on the new changes by visiting: www.usccb.org./romanmissal.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Governor Branstad and granddaughter Bridget inspect turkeys pardoned for Thanksgiving.

Governor Terry Branstad will deliver his Thanksgiving message today during a service that features period style costumes and customs from the holiday. Branstad and his family will attend the annual “Pilgrim” service at the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Des Moines.

The ministers, deacons, choir and many of the parishioners dress up in 18th century New England costumes to mark the holiday. Branstad says this has been one of his favorite events as governor, as this is an American holiday celebrating our heritage.

Branstad says his kids have enjoyed the service in the past and this year they are all coming along with his grandkids and his uncle Ron from California. The governor says it’s a time to think of those who need a hand.

Branstad says there are still a lot of people in the state struggling because of the economy, and he says they are working to bring more jobs to the state. He says Iowans are a very caring people who reach out to others in their time of need — especially during this holiday season.

“I will never forget, before my wife and I were about to get in the car I said, ‘I can do this.’  She said, ‘We can do this,’” Cain said, his voice breaking.

Perry responded with an “Amen” and the crowd applauded. 

Rick Santorum spoke about his own failings as a father toward his baby daughter who suffers from a rare disorder.

“I decided that the best thing I could do was to treat her differently, to not love her because it wouldn’t hurt as much if I lost her,” Santorum said, adding he then prayed his daughter would live.

Newt Gingrich nearly wept while talking about a baby who had survived surgery to repair a rare heart defect, only to undergo surgery after surgery for the next six years to remove brain tumors.   

“You look at that and you say to yourself, ‘All right, do I want some bureaucracy deciding that on a percentage basis this is not worth the investment?” Gingrich said, sniffling, before continuing: “Or do I want a country that cares about every life of that depth? That is what next year’s all about.”

Perry again offered an “Amen” as an affirmation.

About 3000 people were gathered in the evangelical Christian church in Des Moines to watch the forum in person. Perry talked openly about his faith and at one point vowed to cut foreign aid to China.

“The idea that we are sending billions of dollars to China who are aborting 35,000 children a day is immoral and wrong and has to stop,” Perry said.

Michele Bachmann talked about her conversion experience at the age of 16. ”And that’s when I got on my knees, admitted I was a sinner. I gave my heart to Jesus Christ and I recognize that my actions just aren’t about this world. I’ll have to answer to God in the next world,” Bachmann said. “That’s a part, I think, of being president. When you take that oath, we’re answerable to God for the decisions that we make.”

Ron Paul joked that he’s proudest of being a medical doctor, because doctors are much better liked than politicians. 

“There’s nothing more marvelous in medicine than sharing new life and having delivered thousands of babies,” Paul said. “And this is a very joyous profession.”

Audience members like Kevin Butters of Ankeny say they liked the discussion, but it didn’t get them closer to deciding which candidate to support in the Caucuses.   

“I like Newt just because he seems to know a lot. He’s a very intelligent guy. He comes off really well,” Butters said. “But then I also like Bachmann and Santorum only because they seem to be (willing to say), ‘This is where I am, whether you like this or not. This is exactly who I am and what I’m going to be.’”

Karen Bode of Ankeny had hoped to learn more about the candidates.

“But also to say, ‘Oh, o.k. This one hits really right exactly what I believe and I didn’t get that,’” Bode said. “I probably became a bit more confused.”

Jack Ferguson of Newton seems to have narrowed his choices down to three.

“I like Ron Paul or Newt Gingrich,” Ferguson said after the forum. “But I’m afraid of a politician and so therefore, too, I might be looking at Cain because he’s not a politician.”

Clayton Bretey of Atlantic said he may be closer to choosing a candidate.

“They were all good. I was impressed with all of them,” Bretey said. “If any of them gets in, I think we’ll be all right.”

Mitt Romney was invited but did not attend.  None of his rivals mentioned him, although the moderator joked about Romney’s absence — and Gingrich quickly criticized him for doing so. The event was organized by The Family Leader and was a fundraiser for the organization.

“There’s a lot of secularists in the United States who think ‘Under God’ ought to be taken out of the Pledge of Allegiance and that ‘In God We Trust’ ought to be taken off of our coins,” Grassley says. “I think a vast majority of people in this country accept the proposition of the existence of God.”

He adds, most of those people have no qualms about it being expressed in the current manner. Grassley, a Republican, notes that the government isn’t singling out any particular religion with the statement. Grassley says, “Whether you’re a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian, there is a belief in God.”

The measure’s sponsor, Representative Randy Forbes, a Republican from Virginia, says the vote would both reaffirm “In God We Trust” as our nation’s motto and encourage its public display in all public buildings and public schools. Grassley agrees.

He says, “It’s an expression against secularists that feel that government should be taking actions that would even deny the existence of God.” The resolution going before the House reads: “If religion and morality are taken out of the marketplace of ideas, the very freedom on which the United States was founded cannot be secure.”

“For the people who pay attention to what the Catholic Church is saying, this is not going to be anything groundbreaking,” Chapman says. “But with all the discussion that’s taken place in the state about labor unions and where we should go with that, we thought this would be a good chance to reinforce what the church has been talking about.”

The title of the statement is “Labor and the Common Good” and Chapman says the document was approved 10 days ago when the state’s Catholic bishops, priests, nuns, deacons and lay people met for an Iowa Catholic Conference board meeting. 

“It’s clear that the church supports the rights of workers and labor unions,” Chapman says. “I think we always say that we need to have just wages and benefits and a living wage, good working conditions — and that there should be an opportunity to organize. At the same time, people have a free choice of whether to join a union or not.”

Chapman says those sentiments from the Iowa Catholic Conference were shared with lawmakers last spring when the Republican-led Iowa House passed a bill which would have no longer allowed public workers in Iowa to negotiatve over their health care benefits or layoff plans. The bill was never considered in the Democratically-led Iowa Senate, who said provisions in the bill which would have let individual government workers negotiate their own pay and benefits was effectively an end to the state’s collective bargaining rules. Chapman says Catholics believe there are other ways to make Iowa a better state.

“I think it’s fair to say that we’re putting up a yellow caution light when we’re talking about it taking away rights to organize,” Chapman says. 

Republican Governor Terry Branstad, who is a practicing Catholic, says if Republicans win control of the Iowa House and Senate in the 2012 elections, he will not press for changes in Iowa’s collective bargaining laws.

“No, we’re not looking at that,” Branstad says. “We’re looking at things we can do to attract more business and jobs to our state and that’s where I’m going to focus.” Branstad made his comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa Public Television. 

According to the Iowa Catholic Conference, there are nearly half a million Catholics in Iowa.