JOHNSTON – A spokesman for the Iowa National Guard says one soldier died and one was injured during while trying to save fellow soldiers during a rescue mission Saturday in Afghanistan.
Colonel Greg Hapgood says 32-year-old Staff Sergeant James Justice of Grimes died and 21-year-old Specialist Zachary Durham of Des Moines was injured as they helped the pilots of a downed helicopter in the Kapisa Province near the Pakistani border.
Hapgood says Sergeant Justice and Specialist Durham were part of a “quick reaction force” that was routed to the scene to help rescue the pilots. He says the two soldiers landed in their helicopter at the landing zone and came under enemy small arms fire, and Sergeant Justice was killed and Specialist Durham was injured. Hapgood says Durham is undergoing treatment at the Bagram hospital. Justice and Durham are part of the First Squadron 113th Calvary that is stationed at Camp Dodge.
Justice joined the guard in Denison as part of Company C, 1st Battalion in September of 1998.
He says they don’t know what caused the helicopter to go down, and says it was a matter of timing that the two Iowa soldiers were called to respond.
He says the quick reaction force is something that is often appointed ahead of time for a particular day, and in this particular case the Iowans were available and in the closest proximity to the incident and were called upon to respond immediately. Hapgood says the area of Afghanistan is one that is particularly dangerous.
Hapgood says there is a lot of activity anywhere in the Pakistani border area right now and a downed helicopter is a “magnet for insurgent or Taliban forces to have an opportunity to harm Americans or destroy important equipment.” Justice was born in Manning and graduated from Irwin-Kirman-Manilla High School in 1997. He was a full-time guard member, and Hapgood says he had just joined the unit in March after they requested someone with his type of experience. His parents are Larry and Lillian Justice. Sergeant First Class Kevin Schaefer was a friend of Justice’s and said he was ready to go overseas as soon as he was asked.
“One of his goals was to get onto this deployment,” Schaefer said, “we would talk repeatedly in the office, that he wanted to get into the fight, and he was working toward that goal, and they needed him, and he jumped on it and said ‘take me’.” Schaefer says he was a great guy who was a Hawkeye fan who liked to joke around.
Schaefer says Justice’s nickname was “Juice” and everybody called him that. He says they had running joke between the two of them where Justice would come into Schaefer’s office and look at his Iowa State diploma and make a point of staring at it before saying “I knew there’s something wrong with you.” Schaefer says he would in turn tell Justice something he couldn’t repeat in public and tell him to get out of his office. He says this happened on a regular basis. Justice is survived by a wife and three-year-old daughter. He is the third Iowa National Guard soldier to be killed this month in Afghanistan. (News report by Radio Iowa)
LE MARS – Egg-citement wasn’t the only Easter weekend fun in Le Mars.
Dave Grosenheider of KLEM Radio/Powell Broadcasting Director of Sales talked with Iowa Geocashers President Richard Buman as the sounds of the “Bunny Hop” played from the speakers at Claussen’s in downtown Le Mars.
Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/Bunny flash mob.mp3{/audio}
LE MARS – Le Mars Community School Board of Education members will find out about a fund raiser tonight (Monday).
Gayle Vonk from the Le Mars Educational Enhancement Project (LEEP) will provide information about the proceeds from the group’s “Taverns for Textbooks” fund raiser.
A renewal of the stadium agreement with Gehlen Catholic will be discussed.
Changes in the high school handbook for the next school year will be presented by assistant high school principal Mark Iverson.
The board is expected to close a portion of the meeting to the public to discuss the purchase of real estate. The board will also have a negotiation strategy session which is exempt from the Iowa Open Meetings law.
The public meeting begins at 7:30 tonight at the Education Service Center.
AGENDA:THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LE MARS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
APRIL 25, 2011
EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER
940 LINCOLN ST SW
7:30 P.M.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Agenda Page 1-3
Approval of Minutes
April 13, 2011 Page 4-5
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AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER 940 LINCOLN ST SW APRIL 25, 2011 7:30 PM I. CALL TO ORDER II. LEEP PRESENTATION Gayle Vonk from the LeMars Educational Enhancement Project will present a check to the Board of Education in the amount of the proceeds from the “Taverns for Textbooks” fundraiser held earlier this school year. III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Regular Meeting – April 13, 2011 (page 4-5) IV. CONSENT GROUPING
A. Claims and Accounts (see enclosed)
B. Quarterly Vendor Report (see enclosed) V. REPORTS AND INFORMATION A. Reports
1. Unscheduled Audience
A 10-minute module of time is available for audience participation. 2. IASB ABLE II Meeting The Iowa Association of School Boards hosted an ABLE II meeting titled “Leading for Change Through Improved Communication” in Spencer on April 14, 2011. Board members who attended will report what was learned. 3. National School Board Convention The National School Board Convention was held April 8-11, 2011 in San Francisco. Board members who attended will report on meetings they attended. B. Information 1. IASB School Law Conference The annual school law conference hosted by the Iowa Association of School Boards will be held in Des Moines on May 3, 2011. Board members interested in attending should notify Dr. Wendt.
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2. IASB Safety Group Insurance Meeting The Iowa Association of School Boards and Jester Insurance Service, Inc. will be hosting the annual safety group insurance meeting in Storm Lake on May 10, 2011. Board members interested in attending should notify Dr. Wendt. 3. Football Stadium Rental Agreement
The Board of Education will discuss the renewal of the 3-year football stadium rental agreement with Gehlen Catholic which expired with the 2010 football season. (agreement enclosed.) VI. ACTION ITEMS
A. Personnel
1. Resignations
a. Kurt VanKley has resigned his assistant 8th grade boys’ basketball coaching
position effective at the end of the 2010-11 school year.
2. Contracts
a. Kristine Horras – MS Language Arts/Reading – $38,607.00
B. Other Items
1. HS Handbook Revisions
Mark Iverson, assistant high school principal will present the recommended revisions to the high school handbook for the 2011-12 school year to the Board for consideration. (see enclosed.)
2. Electronic Banking Agreements with Primebank
The Board of Education will consider two proposals submitted by Prime Bank to allow the district to continue utilizing the electronic banking services offered by Primebank.
3. Franklin/Clark Locker Replacement Quotes
Dr. Wendt will present the competitive quotes received for the locker replacement at Clark and Franklin to the Board for consideration. VII. OTHER BUSINESS VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS IX. CLOSED SESSION The Board of Education will enter into a closed session as allowed by Iowa Code Chapter 21.5(1)j to discuss the purchase of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property. X. ADJOURNMENT
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Negotiation Strategy Session The Board of Education will conduct a negotiation strategy session immediately following the regular meeting.
The strategy session is exempt from the Iowa Open Meetings Law.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING MAY 9, 2011, 7:30 PM
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The historic Dutton House in Sioux City has been severely damaged by fire.
Investigators are trying to find the cause of the Friday morning blaze, which was spotted by a neighbor.
The house was built in 1888 by George Dutton, who ran a print shop and weekly newspaper out of it. Dutton is also credited with opening the first movie theater west of the Mississippi River in Sioux City.
A couple and their two children live in the house now. They weren’t home when the fire broke out and destroyed the residence.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Hundreds of people have gathered in Waverly to mourn an Army National Guard soldier who died in Afghanistan.
Twenty-one-year-old Spc. Donald Nichols, of Shell Rock, was killed April 13 when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb. Another Iowa soldier was wounded in the attack.
Nichols’ funeral was Saturday morning at Waverly-Shell Rock High School. Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports his family and friends spoke of his ambition and positive attitude. His fiancée, Chelsey Bliss, said he wanted to do so much with his life.
His brother, Joe Nichols, called him a true hero. He had escorted the body home from Afghanistan.
Nichols is one of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Afghanistan this month. Sgt. Brent Maher (MAY’-er), of Honey Creek, died April 11. His funeral was Friday.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Iowa is among five states and the District of Columbia that have approved gay marriage law. New York State could soon be the next to join that group.
New York has always been a goal of advocates because of its size, high profile and unparalleled media presence. But the state’s growing push to legalize gay marriage may already be won thanks to shifting voter sentiment and a concerted, disciplined campaign.
Older New Yorkers opposed to gay marriage are being swamped by younger people who support it. And polls seem to show a new tactic by advocates is working in the suburbs and upstate, the more conservative region where the issue will be won or lost.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A disagreement over whether to approve one-year or two-year budgets and other issues will likely mean the Legislature won’t meet the April 29 scheduled adjournment.
Lawmakers are taking the delay in stride, but they say it will prove costly because after April 29, they will no longer be paid for daily meals and lodging.
Sen. Todd Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, says he’ll have to cut corners to pay for the extra hotel bills, but it’s part of being a legislator.
Rep. Dan Muhlbauer, a Republican from Manilla, says he’ll leave the house he’s been renting and share a place with two Democratic lawmakers.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents will consider proposals next week to raise room and board rates between 3 and 5 percent at the state’s three public universities. The board will also look at plans to eliminate staff at the state’s school for the deaf and create a public policy institute named for Senator Tom Harkin at Iowa State.
The board will meet Wednesday and Thursday in Ames. That’s where they’ll consider a plan that would increase room and board rates at Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
A proposal also calls for laying off five faculty members at the Iowa School for the Deaf.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former coach for a private Christian school in Ankeny has been arrested in a prostitution sting in Des Moines.
The Des Moines Register reports 47-year-old Steve Olejniczak, of Ankeny, was among 10 people arrested Thursday and Friday on prostitution-related charges. He posted bond and was released.
Police say officers used websites to identify and arrest suspects.
Ankeny Christian Academy administrator Joyce Hansen confirmed Olejniczak had been the school’s football and basketball coach, but declined to say when his employment ended.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Junior college standout Anthony Hubbard will transfer to the University of Iowa to play basketball.
Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery announced Saturday that Hubbard signed a letter of intent to play for the Hawkeyes next season. He’ll be a junior.
Hubbard is a 6-5, 220-pound guard from Frederick, Md. This year he attended Frederick Community College, where he averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game last season.
Hubbard spent his freshman year at Odessa Junior College in West Texas.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press
