American Legion Post #241 To Participate In “Wreaths Across America” Program
(Le Mars) — Wreaths Across America is a program held each year since 2007 where veterans place Christmas wreaths at the graves of fallen soldiers from previous years. The Wasmer Post #241 American Legion of Le Mars will hold a small ceremony on Saturday at the Plymouth County Veterans park located at 3rd Ave and 10th Street southeast beginning at 10:45 a.m. Wayne Schipper serves as the post commander of the local American Legion. He explains the purpose behind Wreaths Across America.
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Photos from last year’s “Wreaths Across America”ceremony held at Plymouth County Veterans Park.
Schipper says Le Mars is one of ten Iowa locations to receive the wreaths and to honor the past veterans. The wreaths all originate from the state of Maine, and Schipper says this year more than 900 thousand wreaths have been created, and will be placed at either the grave stones of veterans, or at memorials through out the nation. Wayne Schipper says the local American Legion post will place seven wreaths at the local veterans park.
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The elder Schipper says the number of wreaths have doubled in a few years. He says the program was started by a non-profit entity in Maine. Schipper says the wreaths look similar to other holiday wreaths.
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Iowa Revenue Projected To Be Lower For Next Year
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A panel of state budget experts has lowered Iowa revenue projections for the current fiscal year and next year.
Citing falling farm income resulting from lower corn and soybean prices, the Revenue Estimating Conference on Thursday predicted the state will take in about $7.04 billion for the fiscal year that began July 1. That’s nearly $9 million less than the group’s estimate in October.
Department of Management director David Roederer says state economic growth is slowing after several years of faster growth, fueled by high commodity prices that caused rising farm incomes.
For next year, the group says state revenue is likely to grow 4 percent to $7.33 billion. That’s about $21 million less than earlier projections.
The governor will use the numbers to craft the next state budget.
University Professors Association Says Selection Of Harreld As U of I President Was Wrong
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A national group says Iowa regents did a “serious disservice” by influencing the University of Iowa presidential search to favor their pre-ordained candidate, businessman Bruce Harreld.
The American Association of University Professors said in a report Thursday the Iowa Board of Regents “acted throughout in bad faith” the search to faculty and others seeking the presidency.
The report says that regents allowed several prominent higher education administrators to believe they were participating in an honest search, when Harreld had the inside track.
AAUP says it’s hard to see “how anyone of intelligence” would seek a future presidency at one of the three Iowa universities governed by the regents.
Harreld told the AAUP the report was accurate from his perspective. The regents have defended the way they conducted the search.
Two Men To Run Marathons In Each Of Iowa’s 99 Counties
MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – Two eastern Iowa men are attempting to run marathons in each of the state’s 99 counties.
44-year-old Dennis Lee of Walford and 30-year-old Daren Schumaker of Cedar Rapids plan to run in their 86th county, Cerro Gordo, on Saturday.
The men say the idea was born because both of their lives have been altered by losing family members to heart disease and strokes. The runs are intended to raise awareness and research funding for the American Heart Association
Lee and Schumaker will run a 100th marathon after running all of the counties. The final run will take place in the county that donates the most to the American Heart Association.
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Small Plane Crashes Along Interstate 29 Near Council Bluffs
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A small airplane has crashed along Interstate 29 near Council Bluffs, briefly forcing the freeway to close.
A Pottawattamie County emergency dispatcher says the crash was reported shortly before noon Thursday. The dispatcher says it’s not known whether anyone was injured or how many people were on board.
The Iowa Department of Transportation says authorities initially closed the interstate directly across the Missouri River from Omaha’s Eppley Airfield. Traffic was later restricted to one lane in each direction for several miles.
Traffic camera footage shows the wreckage in the grass alongside the interstate. Fire trucks and law enforcement vehicles are at the scene, blocking traffic.
Vander Plaats Endorses Texas Senator Ted Cruz For President
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A prominent Iowa evangelical leader has endorsed Ted Cruz for president.
It’s a coup for the Texas senator, who has heavily courted churches and pastors in an effort to win the state’s leadoff caucuses.
Bob Vander Plaats announced his endorsement Thursday in Des Moines, calling Cruz a “serious leader for serious times.”
Vander Plaats stresses it is a personal endorsement, not one on behalf of The Family Leader, the influential group he leads. The group’s board has decided not to formally back a 2016 candidate.
Vander Plaats supported former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008. Both won the caucuses, but neither went on to win the GOP nomination.
Retired Parks Service Official Charged With Stealing Native American Artifacts
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A retired National Parks Service superintendent has been charged with stealing ancient Native American remains from a federal museum collection.
Former Effigy Mounds National Monument superintendent Thomas A. Munson was charged Tuesday with embezzlement. He’s expected to be arraigned in federal court in Cedar Rapids next week.
The 76-year-old has been the subject of an investigation since 2011, when he returned a box filled with prehistoric bones to the monument in northeast Iowa. The artifacts included fragments of jaws and leg bones between 1,000 and 2,000 years old.
He said then that he had kept them in the garage of his Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, home for decades. Munson retired in 1994.
The revelation outraged representatives of the tribes who are affiliated with the monument and consider the site sacred.
Ames To Install Cameras At Campustown
AMES, Iowa (AP) – Police in Ames are considering adding cameras along a street that experiences persistent issues with assaults and other crimes.
The street is in the Campustown area, just south of the Iowa State University campus. Police say their chances of solving cases, like a recent attack that happened in February, would increase significantly if they had video evidence.
Authorities say the cameras would not be monitored 24 hours a day, but video footage would be looked at if a crime is reported.
Authorities recently went to the Campustown Action Association with the proposal. Police had proposed the idea in 2012, but the city council was not on board.
The association is seeking input from the public about adding cameras through an online survey.
