Former Congressman Leonard Boswell Dies
(Des Moines) — Former Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell, a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, has died at the age of 84. Boswell spent much of his political life representing southern Iowa in the state senate and then in the U.S. House before losing a bid for reelection to a ninth term. Boswell said
farewell to congress in December of 2012 in a speech on the House floor.
Boswell had previously served 20 years in the U.S. Army and retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel. Boswell and his wife, Dody (DOH-dee) — a teacher, then moved to a Davis County farm where Boswell raised cattle. He was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 1984. In 1993, his Democratic peers
elected him president of the state senate. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bonnie Campbell chose Boswell as her running mate in 1994, the year Republican Terry Branstad won a fourth term as governor. In 1996, Boswell won a seat in the U.S. House, where he served for 16 years. In saying farewell to
Congress, Boswell said he had lived the American Dream and he offered these parting words to his colleagues.
During his years in the state legislature, Boswell represented a sprawling southwest Iowa district that was geographically larger than some of the state’s congressional districts. Boswell routinely made calls to constituents who were hospitalized and served as the auctioneer at many community and party events. While serving in the U.S. House, Boswell led the Congressional
Prayer Caucus. At the National Prayer Breakfast in 2004, Boswell told the crowd about a key moment in his faith journey — about flying an airplane in Germany when he served in NATO.
Boswell, an assault helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, had a non- cancerous tumor removed from his abdomen in 2005. In 2015, Boswell announced he was having a tumor evaluated and he said the tumor could be linked to the chemical known as “Agent Orange” that was used during the war in Vietnam.
Reynolds Seeking Additional Federal Disaster Assistance For Tornado Stricken Counties
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she has sent President Donald Trump a letter seeking a presidential disaster declaration for five counties struck by tornadoes in July.
Reynolds is seeking Federal Emergency Management Agency individual assistance funding for Marshall and Polk counties. The individual program offers disaster survivors assistance for housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses and legal services.
Reynolds also is seeking money from a public assistance program for Lee, Marion, Marshall and Van Buren counties which sustained an estimated $6 million in eligible damage. The program helps to rebuild roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities or to cover costs of emergency work and
debris removal.
The National Weather Service says at least 19 tornadoes cut across central Iowa on July 19 with the worst damage in Pella, Bondurant, and Marshalltown.
Collins Resigns From Le Mars Community Board of Education
(Le Mars) — During the last Le Mars Community Board of Education meeting, Chis Collins, a director with the school board for the past 20 years, offered a letter of resignation from the school board, effectively immediately.
School Superintendent Dr. Steve Webner says the procedure now is for the school board to appoint a replacement for the position being vacated by Collins. Webner says the public will have the opportunity to submit a petition within 30 days indicating whether a public election should occur.
Webner says an individual has been identified as a possible replacement for the school board position.
Iowa School Board Association Settles With Fired Employee
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Association of School Boards will pay $20,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a lawyer and GOP activist who was fired after publicly praising Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Association director Lisa Bartusek said Friday the deal includes
$5,000 in wages for Anna Bergman and $15,000 from its insurer for her attorneys’ fees and damages. In exchange, Bergman dropped a lawsuit in which she claimed the termination violated her free speech rights.
Bergman was the association’s director of policy and legal services from October 2017 until her February firing. The Waukee resident has also been active in the Republican Party, and is currently running for a seat in the Iowa House.
In January, Bergman wrote an opinion piece for the Des Moines
Register that widely praised Reynolds’ record as governor, including on education funding. The column noted her association position.
Bartusek fired Bergman, saying the column wasn’t authorized by the association and conflicted with its nonpartisan objectives.
Bergman claimed she wrote the column as a private citizen.
Iowa Sets Record Low Unemployment Rate
(Des Moines) — Iowa’s unemployment dropped down to two-point-six percent in July. Iowa Workforce Development spokesman, Cory Kelly, says that’s down from two-point-seven percent in June.
Kelly says it is hard to tell if the rate has hit as low as it can go.
The number of working Iowans is estimated to have increased by 52-hundred in July. Manufacturing led the way in new jobs.
The construction industry had a small gain of 300 jobs — but it was the sixth consecutive month the industry added jobs. The negative side of the job market is in retail
Kelly says retail has been trending down in jobs since the start of the year as store closings were announced across the state.
The state unemployment rate in July of last year was three-point-one (3.1) percent. The U-S unemployment rate was three-point-nine (3.9) percent in July.
Remsen To Hold Annual Demolition Derby Saturday Evening
(Remsen) — The engines will be roaring, and the cars will be crashing as the Remsen Demolition Derby Association will be sponsoring their 41st annual Remsen Demolition Derby scheduled for tonight at 6:00 p.m. in the Jay-cee arena. Tickets for the event will be available at the main gate behind the
Mid-Sioux office, and a secondary gate on the west side at the top of the hill near the golf course. Spectators will pay $10, while participants are asked to contribute $50, and pit passes will sell for $25. There will be five divisions: modified, limite weld, street stock, compact, and hobo. A total of $8,700 in prize money will be distributed.
Witnesses Say Wrong Man Convicted In 1986 Murder
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – More witnesses are suggesting the wrong man may be in prison for 31 years for an Iowa girl’s 1986 homicide.
The testimony is a boost for inmate Daniel Harris, who maintains his innocence in the death of 16-year-old Kristina Nelson in Council Bluffs and wants a new trial.
Earlier this year, a man who was at a party with Nelson’s boyfriend on the night she was killed came forward. He reported that Nelson’s boyfriend and friend went to pick up Nelson, returned covered in blood, said they might have killed someone, talked of disposing a body and burnt their overalls in a
barrel.
Three other party attendees have now signed affidavits consistent with these claims. One reported seeing Nelson’s boyfriend struggling with a body in the trunk of a car. Another recalled seeing him upset and covered in blood.
Harris offered proof at trial that he worked at Burger King that
evening, but was convicted based on an informant’s since-recanted testimony.
Prosecutors oppose any relief for Harris.
Omaha Shooting Suspect Arrested In Sioux City
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Omaha police say a second man has found and arrested in Iowa on suspicion of first-degree murder in the shooting death of another man at an Omaha gas station.
Police said Friday that federal marshals and local police arrested
19-year-old Covarrubias Saturnino in Sioux City, Iowa.
Earlier this week, Omaha police arrested 37-year-old Antwan Lovejoy on charges of first-degree murder and two weapons counts.
Officers responded around 6 a.m. Sunday to investigate a report of shots fired at the store. They found 27-year-old Andrew Peek lying between gas pumps suffering from a gunshot wound. Peek later died at Nebraska Medical Center.
Police say store surveillance video shows Lovejoy shooting Peek and then Lovejoy and Saturnino fleeing in Peek’s car.
