Saturday, May 25, 2013
High-profile kidnappings like those involving Evansdale cousins Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook-Morrissey – and now Kathlynn Shepard – inevitably lead to talk of restoring the death penalty in Iowa.
Emotion-gripped cases like the abduction, sexual assault or murder of a child often provide a platform for capital punishment advocates to argue for reinstatement of capital punishment, abolished in Iowa in 1965. After the Evansdale cousins’ bodies were discovered, a pro-death penalty effort led by state Sen. Kent Sorenson, R-Milo, failed to gather much steam in the just-adjourned Iowa General Assembly, but the question lingers: Is the death penalty an effective deterrent? Capital punishment proponent Noreen Gosch, whose son was kidnapped three decades ago, argues that Iowa has “a kidnapping problem” and the perpetrators of those crimes would be less likely to abduct children in Iowa if they thought they would be executed. Opponents say …
Iowa’s innocence has been abducted again.
I am not a parent. But I doubt I’ll ever read another statement like the one issued by the parents of Kathlynn Shepard without tearing up and feeling like someone karate-kicked me square in the heart: "We would like to thank everybody who took the time from their busy lives to help search for Kathlynn. To see so much love in our community and the surrounding areas is amazing. Thank you for all of your prayers and we hope to have Kathlynn home soon. "We know that members of the public and media want to talk to us. Please understand, the idea of doing an interview is too overwhelming right now. Until Kathlynn is found, we’ll remain focused on our family. …” Stories like these are always tough. But what changed and awoke the latent mother …
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Both the U.S. Senate and House are working on immigration reform plans. What do you think should be done about the estimated 11 million people currently living in the country illegally or on expired visas.
A U.S. Senate immigration reform proposal that would allow the estimated 11 million residents living here illegally by the end of 2011 to remain in the country lawfully is expected to come to a final vote by June. The Senate plan would allow these people to earn a temporary status that lets them to work if they meet a number of requirements, including: passing background checks, submitting to fingerprinting and proving they've lived here before Dec. 31, 2011. The documentation process wouldn't begin until a border security system was in place, according to information about the bill posted on Sen. Mark Rubio's Senate website. The border security plan includes a border fence plan, an electronic system that would verify workers' status and …
Friday, May 17, 2013
Also, Patch offers advice to the lovelorn on how to stop wallowing in it. Please. You're making Patch want to poke her eye out with a stick.
Oh, grab a paper sack, stop hyper-ventilating and calm down. It’s only a bicycle. OK, it's not just any bicycle. It’s allegedly the greatest bicycle the greatest city on Earth, the greatest of the great planets in the universe, except possibly Uranus, because that’s how humor rolls on Craigslist. Seriously, this is genuis: “What makes this bike so much better than every other bike that has ever been pedaled? Glad you asked. It starts with the paint scheme. It looks like Iron Man if Iron Man were a bike. That's bold, son. Curb appeal. "It's probably also why some piece of trash stole the front tire that originally came with this beauty. Why didn't he steal the whole bike? Because he knew he wasn't man enough. That's OK, I replaced it with …
The Waukee City Council member, who is seeking re-election, says creating a Community and Economic Development Department with City Hall will help boost the city's growth.
Submitted on Behalf of Waukee Councilman Shane Blanchard: Councilman Shane Blanchard has been a huge supporter of establishing a Community and Economic Development Department within the City of Waukee. With the success of Alice's Road becoming a reality while being elected to Council in 2010, Blanchard knew the City had to be more active and hands on with respect to bringing businesses into the City. After meeting with WEDCO (Waukee Economic Development Corporation) in May 2012, Blanchard asked for data in relation to accomplishments in regards to Economic Development. "The taxpayers of Waukee are the largest contributor to WEDCO, giving $60,000 year for three years. As a representative of our taxpayers, I expect results," Blanchard said…
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Also, free stuff galore, and if you can’t give it away, how about smashing it to smithereens?
Do you believe in vampires? This is not a joke. Sure, right. And Craigslist is a great place to find dates. If you believe that, you believe in vampires, too. But before we wade into all that Craigslist angst, there’s more: Craigslist politics: Liberals will blame Bush. Conservatives blame Obama. Oh, and they don’t believe in science. Any questions? Of course. Do you hate your job? What does it even mean? This guy seeking advice need a dictionary. Endless metapause? It’s not her hormones, dude. It’s you. There’s lots of free stuff on Craigslist. Would anyone like some “dandy lions”? Is this a lion with a flare for fashion? They’re free, unless the answer arrives via text message. That’ll cost a dime. If you’re looking for a freezer that …
Under the Affordable Care Act, Iowa has to expand its health care coverage for the poor. The question is how to do that, and Democrats and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are in sharp disagreement.
Under the Affordable Care Act, Iowa has to expand its health care coverage for the poor. The question is how to do that, and Democrats and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are in sharp disagreement. Iowa Senate Democrats want to expand Medicaid, the federal-state healthcare program. Governor Terry Branstad, however, does not back Medicaid expansion. With the backing of Iowa House Republicans, he's introduced the "Healthy Iowa" plan as an alternative. Under the Democrat's bill, Medicaid expansion would cover up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, adding an estimated 150,000 people in Iowa to coverage. The federal government would pay for the expansion for three years, after which it would pay for 90 percent of the expansion. …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Plus, lots of posts that give love a bad name and other songs that will play over and over in your brain until you’re hand-clapping, knee-knocking and finger-snapping mad. You’re welcome.
Americans love their pets and spend millions of dollars annually on their comfort and well-being. Well, most of us, anyway. Are you a cat whisperer? Patch, living with her own devilish cat, knows a bit about this. Hang tight. She’ll get nicer in 10 or 12 years. More Animal News In Perry, a “jerk cat” mauled a mother squirrel. It’s in triage on someone’s front porch, but the nest is too high to return it to its little ones. Ideas? Does your pet have a Facebook page? If so, do they need friends? Someone in Ankeny wants a hedgehog. You Give Love a Bad Name So. Much. Sadness. And what they had is now just a bad memory. Then why add this: “You will always have the keys to my heart and I still wish I could take you to see the stars.” It was too …
Investment groups are pitching casino projects all over Iowa. Warren County voters will consider a Norwalk casino on Tuesday. Linn County voters already said "yes" to a casino.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Investment groups are pitching casino projects all over Iowa. Warren County voters will consider a Norwalk casino on Tuesday. Linn County voters already said "yes" to a casino.
Gamblers have 21 casinos to choose from across the state of Iowa, and seemingly every few weeks some investment group is making a play to grow that number. Talk of a new casino in Ankeny and Urbandale came and went. Over in eastern Iowa, Linn County voters approved building a casino in Cedar Rapids. Now a West Des Moines casino group, Wild Rose Entertainment, is putting money towards a campaign for a casino in Norwalk. Warren County residents vote on Tuesday. Even if Warren County voters approve the casino the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will still have to decide whether to grant a license. It's the same case in Linn County. There's 18 active casino gaming licenses through the Iowa gaming commission, and there's three additional …
Don Lloyd
1:18 pm on Saturday, May 25, 2013
Hang those S.O.B's! one trial and if convicted its over, no more cost to the tax payer and a length of rope can be used multiple times. These people generally pray upon young, naïve people. if the victims do survive they are the ones that will suffer a life time of wondering why nobody did anything to protect them. But if the perpetrator is dead that is one less of the worst kind of criminal to … more ›