Winners

Racecar driver Helio Castroneves won the mirrorball trophy on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” last week, but lost his fiancée, Aliette Vazquez, in the process. Castroneves and his sexy dance partner Julianne Hough out-stepped finalists Melanie Brown of The Spice Girls and Marie Osmond. The day after Castroneves won the competition — which was viewed by more than 25 million Americans — news that his fiancé broke off their engagement ending their six-year relationship added more hype to the story. Rumors abound that Castroneves and the 19-year-old Hough — that’s right, 19 — are romantically involved as the couple twice shared a kiss in their dance routines. If the two hook up, it wouldn’t be the first time “Dancing With the Stars” participants have generated heat off the dance floor. “Cheetah Girl” Sabrina Bryan and her dance partner, Mark Ballas, are an item, as is Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff. Hough, who called off her engagement to dancer Zach Wilson, was also rumored to be romantically involved last season with her “Dancing” champion partner, Apolo Anton Ohno.

The Greater Des Moines Committee inducted Clayton M. Jones of Rockwell Collins and Mark C. Oman of Wells Fargo & Co. into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame at its annual black tie dinner. Jones is chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Cedar Rapids aerospace company. Oman is senior executive vice president for Wells Fargo. Former Iowa Gov. Robert Ray will serve as 2008 Chair of the committee, which established the Hall of Fame in 1975.

Chilean prostitute Maria Carolina auctioned 27 hours of sex last weekend to raise money for the country’s largest charity during an annual fund-raising campaign to benefit poor and disabled children. Carolina became an overnight sensation in the conservative Roman Catholic country where adult prostitution is legal by making news headlines and appearing on talk shows. Like Carolina, the televised charity event lasted for 27 consecutive hours. Organizers said they would accept Carolina’s pledge, but would not encourage “immoral” activities. Come on folks, it’s for the kids.

Losers

Timothy Elliott, the winner of a $1 million lottery scratch ticket, may not be so lucky after all. The convicted bank robber agreed not to gamble as part of his five-year probation that was handed down to him last fall after pleading guilty to unarmed robbery for a bank heist. Elliott has collected the first of 20 annual $50,000 checks from the Massachusetts lottery commission. A court hearing this week will determine whether Elliott violated his probation when he bought the ticket and whether he can keep the money.

West Des Moines parents face up to a $1,000 fine if they host an underage drinking party at their homes according to an ordinance being considered by city officials. The West Des Moines City Council approved the first reading of the ordinance, which would be the first “social host” law in Iowa. The ordinance would give the city discretion to fine the social host whether or not the person “knows or reasonably should know that an underage person has consumed al alcoholic beverage… and the person fails to take reasonable steps to prevent the possession or consumption.”

The state of Iowa is being asked by the feds to repay $1.5 million intended to help the poor and disabled. The inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is alleging that the state human services agency failed to oversee the use of state and federal Medicaid money that pays for services for children and young mothers. The feds say Iowa caseworkers failed to document services provided to clients. This isn’t the first time the Iowa Department of Human Services has been asked to give back money. The inspector general asked DHS pay back $3.5 million in 2006 and $10 million in 2005.

Residents of Greater Des Moines will see at least a 3 percent increase in their water bill starting next May. The Des Moines Water Works board of directors voted to increase basic rates by about 3 percent, from $2.28 to $2.35 per 1,000 gallons. The typical Des Moines household uses about 7,500 gallons each month, which equates to $6.31 more per year with the new rates. Water Works officials said the increase is needed to offset the 11 percent increased cost of treatment chemicals.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans don’t trust press coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign, according to a new Harvard University survey. Of the 1,207 adults interviewed nationwide, 88 percent believe that coverage focuses too much on the trivial and that more than 60 percent believe coverage is politically biased. When asked if election coverage was politically biased, 40 percent believed it was too liberal, 21 percent said it was too conservative, 30 percent found it neutral and 9 percent were not sure. The survey also revealed that 84 percent of those polled believe that media coverage has too much influence on American voting choices. CV

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