The Good
The school year is half over, but that’s not keeping the Indianola School District from collecting educational supplies for children in Afghanistan. Behind the effort of Lt. Shaela Bresnan, a 2001 Indianola High School graduate, the district has filled more than 300 backpacks with school supplies that include paper, crayons, glue, pencils, pens, erasers, chalk and chalkboard. Bresnan is with the 649th Regional Support Group Army Reserve out of Cedar Rapids, which has been stationed in Kandahar since September. Bresnan’s goal is to equip 5,000 Afghan students and 200 teachers in the near future.
Christmas arrived early for David Goldman. Brazil’s Supreme Court chief awarded Goldman, who had been in a custody battle over his 9-year-old son, Sean, for the last five years, custody last week. Goldman had been fighting the Brazilian government, after his ex-wife, Bruna Bianchi, had taken their son to Brazil and never returned. She remarried and eventually died in childbirth, leaving Sean in the middle of a worldwide custody battle after Bianchi’s new husband won temporary custody. This will be an adjustment for Sean, but we imagine Goldman will do everything in his power to make the boy feel welcomed and loved.
The Bad
They say nothing good happens after midnight, but a new Iowa City ordinance may have taken it too far. Iowa City has enacted a curfew for youth that began last week. Youth ages 13 or younger will not be allowed in public places between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. For 14- and 15-year-olds, the curfew runs from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and for 16-and 17-year-olds, it midnight to 5 a.m. The fine for violating the ordinance is $50. Juveniles who are accompanied by parents or guardians or those participating in religious, school or political activities are accepted.
Christmas wasn’t so nice for one metro man. Last week Thomas Burns’ house was burglarized, and the suspects escaped with plenty of loot. Burns discovered that 400 DVDs, a Playstation 2 video game system and 12 games, an Xbox video game system and 10 games, a flat screen TV and a jewelry box, valued at more than $8,000, were missing. And criminals don’t take holidays off.
The Ugly
We’ve seen people being pushed down by other customers rushing in stores to get early morning bargains, but what happened in Chimbote, Peru, last week is ridiculous. A massive crowd gathered at a local stadium to receive free panetones — sweetened bread adorned with candied fruit — as part of an event sponsored by the regional governors political party. But things got out of hand quickly as hundreds of people surged toward the entrance, trampling and killing a 60-year-old woman. Along with the fatality, more than 10 other people were injured at the event. Customers must have been extremely hungry or panetones are that delicious, we’re not sure. Either way, we doubt a fruitcake giveaway would cause as much of a commotion.
Iowa has 85 state parks that draw a combined 14 million visits a year, but the state may close selected trails, parks and beaches if budget cuts continue to grow. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says all parks will be open next summer, with selected parts of them closed. Currently the DNR has asked for $40 million in stimulus money for park projects that would pay for constructing beach buildings, playgrounds and cabins, but the organization hasn’t received word on the application. In November, voters will decide whether to back a constitutional amendment that would clear the way for devoting $150 million a year to natural resources if lawmakers approve a sales tax increase. Iowans should make the correct decision to keep Iowa beautiful. CV
