Gehlen Catholic To Again Host Veteran’s Day Program
(Le Mars) –Veterans Day is Thursday, and again Gehlen Catholic school will hold a special Veteran’s Day program beginning at 8:45 a.m. Alissa Schipper is overseeing the annual tribute to our local veterans. She says local veterans have expressed their appreciation for the annual program.
The Gehlen Catholic Director of Campus Ministry says it is an event that involves the entire school.
Schipper says the Veteran’s Day Program will feature music, both instrumental and choral by the high school music students. The traditional military branch tribute will occur as various Gehlen High School students will parade into the Dreckman Memorial gymnasium displaying the flag for each specific military branch. Veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard are encouraged to stand while their respective flag is brought into the gym, and their respective military anthem is heard. Schipper says the popular roll call of the “Wall of Honor” featuring photos and a brief description of local veterans, many with a connection to Gehlen Catholic School, will again occur at this year’s program. Schipper says the students are often nervous about reading the more than 100 veteran names, but they understand the importance of the tribute, and they take the responsibility seriously.
Schipper says this year’s program will feature the origin as well as the significance of “Quilts of Valor”
Schipper says the Gehlen Catholic School Veteran’s Day program will begin at 8:45 a.m. and will last approximately an hour. The entire community is invited to attend the ceremonies honoring our local veterans. Schipper says following the program, a special reception will be held in the library for the local veterans.
(Veterans Day photos are from 2019 program.)
Secretary of State Paul Pate And Hy-Vee To Salute Veterans
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Hy-Vee will join forces to pay tribute to Iowa’s military men and women on Veterans Day. On Thursday, November 11, Hy-Vee stores across the state will distribute a free breakfast to all veterans and active-duty military in gratitude of their service to our country. Hy-Vee will also circulate the Iowa Secretary of State’s “Honor A Veteran” postcards, encouraging customers to pay tribute to a loved one who served our country.
“Veterans Day is about saying thank you and recognizing the sacrifice of those who defended our freedoms,” Secretary Pate said. “Since our statehood nearly 175 years ago, Iowans have risen to the task. I’m honored once again to work with Hy-Vee to pay tribute to these brave men and women.”
Approximately 30,000 “Honor A Veteran” postcards were sent to Hy-Vee stores across Iowa for use on Veterans Day.
“Together with our customers we have the opportunity this Veterans Day to show our support to those who have served us,” said Tina Potthoff, senior vice president at Hy-Vee. “This program is one more way we can thank our veterans for serving our country and show our appreciation to these brave men and women.”
The veterans receiving the postcards at Hy-Vee can write a tribute to a fellow soldier, submit their own information to receive recognition from the State of Iowa, or give the card to a loved one to post an acknowledgement. The postcards will be returned to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and tributes will be posted online at HonorAVet.net and Facebook.com/HonorAVeteran.
The person making the tribute and the veteran being honored, if they are still with us, will both receive an ‘Honor a Veteran with Your Vote’ lapel pin in the mail. The lapel pins are in the shape of Iowa and contain the red, white, and blue colors within the Iowa Flag. Secretary Pate encourages those recipients to wear them while voting.
Vigil For Murdered Fairfield Teacher, Reynolds Orders Flags Half-Staff
(Fairfield, IA) — Flags are flying at half-staff in Iowa today (Tuesday) in honor and remembrance of Fairfield Spanish teacher Nohema Graber. Governor Kim Reynolds said in her order, “Ms. Graber touched countless children’s lives through her work as an educator across our state by sharing her passion of foreign language.” Reynolds is encouraging Iowa homes, schools and businesses to join in honoring Graber by lowering their flags today. There is a public prayer service and vigil tonight (Tuesday 7 p-m) at Fairfield High School to remember Graber. Two of her students are charged in her death.
USDA Expected to Announce Record Corn Crop
(Des Moines, IA) — The U-S-D-A is scheduled to release an updated estimate of the 2021 corn crop later today (Tuesday). Iowa State University Extension economist Chad Hart says the mid-October prediction was a 15-billion bushel corn harvest — the largest ever. Hart says “so we are talking about a massive crop and basically the same story on the soybean side as we’re looking out there, a very large soybean crop as well.” Iowa is the nation’s top corn producing state. State climatologist Justin Glisan says Iowa has been in a structural drought since the spring of 2020, but those timely rainfalls during the growing season really held the crop on.
Spirit Lake Man Gets 50-Year Sentence in Sioux County Murder Re-trial
(Orange City, IA) — The sentence is 50 years in prison for a Spirit Lake man convicted of second-degree murder in a Sioux County retrial. Seventy-one-year-old Gregg Winterfeld was found guilty for the second time last month in the May 2020 shooting death of Grant Wilson from Cleghorn. The judge ordered a new trial in June because Winterfeld’s lawyers weren’t allowed enough challenges to strike the potential jurors they didn’t want on the panel. Investigators say Winterfeld shot Wilson after a day and evening of drinking in a rural Ireton home. Winterfeld will be eligible for parole in 35 years.
Using Lighter To Kill Bug Blamed For Gray’s Lake Fire
(Des Moines, IA) — Someone using a lighter to kill a bug is being blamed for starting an apartment fire in south Des Moines. Police dispatch audio says a person at the Gray’s Lake Apartments tried to light a bug on fire late Sunday night and accidentally set his futon on fire. Fire investigators have yet to release the official cause of the fire. No one is hurt, but seven families were evacuated and four apartment units were destroyed.
