The
good
The Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement
(IFAA) presented $162,900 in scholarships and
awards to youth who participated in 4-H and
FFA beef, swine, sheep and poultry projects
this year at the Iowa State Fair. The Aug. 20
ceremony included the presentation of 116 scholarships
with a value of $147,000, as well as 85 performance
and carcass awards valued at $15,900. When tallied
with the Sale of Champions receipts, the IFAA
provided $429,700 to young livestock and poultry
producers in order to sustain their interest
in agriculture and encourage related careers.
Makes food on the stick seem secondary.
Congratulations to five Iowa towns for making
CNN Money magazine's top 100 places to live
last week. Johnston was the highest-ranking
town coming in at No. 13 on the list. Urbandale
(No. 72), North Liberty (No. 74), Ankeny (No.
86) and Bettendorf (No. 95) also made the list.
The ranking of the towns were based on median
family income, state income tax rate, sales
tax rates, job growth and auto insurance premiums.
The bad
We all saw the way Des Moines police officers
manned the busy intersections near the fairgrounds,
making sure traffic ran smoothly and safely.
Unfortunately, one officer was badly hurt after
a drunk driver hit him while he was helping
pedestrians cross the street. On Aug. 19, a
Ford F350 truck driven by Keith Terry, 37, of
Belews Creek, N.C., struck Officer Phoukham
Tran. As of press time, Tran had undergone a
successful surgery at the University of Iowa
Hospitals and is recovering. Terry was arrested
and charged with serious injury by motor vehicle
and operating while intoxicated. Our thoughts
and prayers are extended to Tran, his family
and his friends.
We think someone read too many "Twilight"
books. Galveston, Texas, native Lyle Bensley,
19, was arrested after breaking into a woman's
apartment and trying to bite her neck. According
to police, Bensley, a self-proclaimed "vampire,"
forced his way into the woman's apartment and
made his way to the bedroom. Bensley, who was
only wearing boxer shorts during the attack,
hissed at the woman and struck her several times
while trying to bite her neck. The woman eventually
got away and called police. Upon arrival, officers
found Bensley shrieking and making growling
sounds in the parking lot. "I'm a vampire,
and I've been alive for 500 years. I have a
need to feed," he screamed. Bensley then
begged officers to arrest him because "he
didn't want to kill them." Bensley was
charged with burglary with the intent to commit
assault. The cops are considering arming themselves
with holy water and garlic.
The ugly
What the hell is wrong with people? Jeremiah
Lee Wright, 30, was arrested last week in Louisiana
after confessing to beheading his girlfriend's
7-year-old son, who had cerebral palsy and was
wheelchair bound. According to police, officers
were called after a passing motorist saw the
boy's head lying near the highway. Officers
searched the area and found the rest of the
boy's remains in a garbage bag. Wright confessed
to officers what he had done, saying the boy's
mother was out getting the car worked on when
he couldn't take any more. Wright was charged
with first-degree murder and is eligible for
the death penalty if convicted.
Next time you eat at a Waffle House, look out
for incoming traffic. Florida resident Charles
Patrick O'Bryan was arrested last week after
driving his truck through a Waffle House restaurant.
His reason — he wanted to drive over his wife,
who works at the establishment. According to
police, O'Bryan called his wife at work and
asked to speak to her. When she refused, O'Bryan
told another employee that he was going to run
his truck into the restaurant and kill everyone.
Later that evening, O'Bryan did just that, slamming
his truck into the building, causing extensive
damage and striking his wife, who was taken
to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
O'Bryan was charged with attempted murder and
felony criminal mischief. CV |
