Orange City Tulip Festival Announces Court’s Costumes And Parade Marshals
(Orange City) — The annual Orange City Tulip Festival Extravaganza was held on Wednesday (March 15th) at Prairie Winds Event Center. The event featured a luncheon and program during which the costumes for the 2017 Tulip Festival Queen
and her Court were revealed, and the parade marshals were introduced. Members of the 2017 Tulip Court are Queen Karli Lang, daughter of Chris and Sherry Lang; Emma DeJong, daughter of Douglas and Jamie DeJong; Olivia Duesenberg, daugther of Gary and Rachel Duesenberg; Syndee Olson, daughter of Jody and Denene Nibbelink and Chad and Amanda Olson; and Noelle Sampson, daughter of Brent and
Teresa Sampson.
The costume this year is from the village of Hoorn which is
located in the west Friesland region, in the province of North Holland. The costume is circa 1850.
An additional highlight to the Extravaganza was the introduction of this year’s parade marshals. The Tulip Festival Steering Committee is very pleased to honor the Pressman-Koster Post 329 of The American Legion as the parade marshals for the 77th annual event.
Iowa’s Infrastructure Needs Improvement
(Des Moines) — A new report finds the quality of roads, bridges and other infrastructure is deteriorating both in the state and nation, hindering opportunities to compete in the global economy. Greg DiLoreto (dee-lah-RET-oh), with the American Society of Civil Engineers, says it’s vital to ensure Iowa’s
infrastructure will be improved and restored.
To the state’s benefit, he says Iowa spent 633-million dollars on bridges in recent years, more by percentage than many other states. DiLoreto says reversing the trajectory after decades of underinvestment in infrastructure requires transformative action.
Those costs to motorists cover a host of things like vehicle repairs, wasted gasoline and time spent in traffic. Iowa earned a C-minus on the Infrastructure Report Card, while the nation was given a D-plus, the same grade as on the last report card four years ago.
Our infrastructure challenges are significant but solvable, he says, through strategic, sustained investment, bold leadership, comprehensive planning, and careful preparation for the needs of the future.
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People Questioning If Worker’s Compensation Bill Is Needed
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Republicans argue a bill to revamp how workers are compensated for on-the-job injuries will fix a system that unfairly burdens businesses, but others question whether the current policy needs big changes.
The state House and Senate are considering identical bills intended to lower business costs by reducing coverage for some workers’ injuries, minimizing late fees for employers and allowing pre-existing conditions to decrease benefits.
Muscatine Republican Rep. Gary Carlson says the bill reflects complaints from some companies of increased workers’ compensation premiums.
However, the nonpartisan National Council on Compensation Insurance found that premium costs for Iowa businesses dropped in 2017 by an average of 4.7 percent. The group says when analyzing premiums, loss ratios and lost-time claims, the overall system is fair for employers.
Iowa Senate Passes Livestock Nuisance Bill
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that limits damages in nuisance lawsuits filed against livestock producers, arguing the operations are in the public interest.
Republican Sen. Dan Zumbach of Ryan tells The Des Moines Register (https://dmreg.co/2ms4tLc ) the legislation is intended to protect animal agriculture, which generates $38 billion annually in economic impact and provides 160,000 jobs in Iowa.
The bill allows for an affirmative defense to be raised when an animal feeding operation is accused of being a public or private nuisance or otherwise interfering with an individual’s property or enjoyment of life.
The defense could be raised regardless of the established date of operation or expansion of an animal feeding operation. It also limits compensatory damages, as opposed to punitive damages, and specifies three categories of
awards.
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Investment Officer Sentenced For 20 Years For Fraud
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A former Iowa investment adviser has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for felony theft and must repay more than $330,000 he took from seven people, mostly friends and family acquaintances, who trusted him
after he professed to be a main of faith.
David William Johnson convinced clients he had access to a safe high- yielding foreign bank investment that state prosecutors say was a Ponzi scheme.
Instead of investing their money, prosecutors say he used it to support his wife and 10 children.
Johnson, who is 57 and living in Texas, was ordered by District Court Judge Kurt Stoebe to repay all the money.
Johnson was sentenced Wednesday in Fort Dodge after entering a plea agreement.
