Winners

Some political analysts are saying that the results of Election 2006 sent a crystal-clear message that people in both parties are tired of Christians meddling in controversial political matters. They’ve grown bored with megachurch leaders who insist upon inserting a wedge into every issue that crosses their pulpit. And they want the church to return to its roots of compassion, social justice and peace — universal issues that unite, not divide. In Iowa, the leaders of Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran and United Church of Christ denominations are taking a step in the right direction. They announced they will join their congregations together at noon on the first three Tuesdays in December to pray for peace. It’s simple and profound and we hope it sets the tone, as we head into a season that should revolve around peace, but instead is pockmarked with war, violence and political infighting. Congregants in any of these denominations can contact their churches about specifics.

The Iowa Court of Appeals made the right choice in a controversial case when it ruled last week that an anti-abortion crusader must remain across the street from the Iowa City clinic where he frequently protests. The man, Dan Holman, was previously allowed closer to the clinic, where he could be in the direct path of patients entering the Emma Goldman Clinic, which provides abortions, among other women’s health services. The intersection of freedom of speech and women’s freedom to exercise the legal right to an abortion has been an extremely sticky matter for the U.S. judicial system, but this ruling by Iowa’s appellate court safeguards both sides’ rights.

Losers

Sure, Bill Gates gives buttloads of money to libraries and sick kids and the fight against tuberculosis. But Gates — or rather, his technology mega-empire Microsoft — hasn’t always used its power for good. And a jury, right here in lil’ ol’ Polk County, will soon decide whether Microsoft violated anti-trust laws when it considers a class action lawsuit against the company. The lawsuit potentially could affect anyone who bought Microsoft products and software after 1994 and up until 2006. The plaintiffs allege Microsoft squeezed out its competition to the financial detriment of its customers. According to Iowa Public Radio, the super-geek billionaire Gates is slated to make a cameo (read: to testify) in Polk County Court in January. Both camps have been working on the much-publicized case for months. Microsoft counts annual revenues of about $44 billion — giving it more financial clout than several small countries. Since the 1980s, Microsoft has been the target of withering criticism and a slew of lawsuits accusing it of cutthroat marketing practices and monopolistic tactics. Polk County now has the opportunity to show the rest of the nation, and the world, that it’s time to put a halt to companies who gain marketshare by unfairly pummeling competitors and bamboozling their own customers. Perhaps, Clear Channel, Wal-Mart or Gannett will be next… Sure, and Tom Vilsack will be our next president.

On the same day that funeral services were held in Riverside for a young Iowa man who died while serving in Iraq, Pentagon bigwigs said we should expect more troops to be deployed to Iraq next year. And despite calls for troop withdrawal from the newly established Democratic majority in Congress, Pres. Bush announced that American troops will not make a “graceful exit” from Iraq and will stay until “the job is complete.” Now, more than 139,000 U.S. soldiers are stationed in Iraq, and “staying the course” — Pres. Bush’s tagline for the Iraq war — has caused the deaths of more than 2,885 of our men and women in uniform, higher gas prices, a civil war in Iraq and destabilization of the Middle East… Perhaps its time to find a new slogan. May we suggest, “We screwed up and we’re sorry?”

In what amounts to a big loss for Iowa’s growing wine-aficionado crowd, the popular Wine Experience store in Windsor Heights announced it would close its doors by 2007, then abruptly closed up shop last week. Two other Wine Experience locations—one at Jordan Creek and one at Valley West Mall—remain open, for now. To add insult to injury, the now-shuttered Windsor Heights location has been reported to not honor gift certificates. It’s a move that may be illegal, the Iowa Attorney General’s office says. The Wine Experience, and especially its owner Kyl Cabbage, were beloved by the community for a laid-back, user-friendly approach to wine culture, well-attended tastings and classes and reasonable prices.

Certain Iowa elected officials have been finding themselves in the hot seat lately. Former mayor Richard Summy of the tiny town of Wilton is accused of conspiring to deliver marijuana. Former Dallas County Sheriff Brian Gilbert is facing felony theft charges after a wad of cash from a crime scene turned up missing while it was under his care. Now, Denny Crouse, a former fire chief in the rural town of Otho has been charged with the murder of his wife, Diane Crouse. He was arrested in Arizona, after the couple’s 8-year-old daughter came home from school to find her mother stabbed to death in the family’s home. The family — which also includes an 18-month-old baby — had moved to Arizona just eight months ago. Denny Crouse has been charged with first-degree murder. CV

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