West Burlington IA News-Sports-Opinion

Photo by Nancy Deen

A Russian Yak-52TW of the Aerostar Aerobatic Flight Team takes off from Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Friday morning. Three of the aircraft stopped to refuel on their way to an airshow at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

http://www.teamaerostar.com/

West Burlington / Notre Dame Varsity Softball

National Studio Arrangement / Photo by Dan Hockett

Back (l-r): Asst. Kaitlyn Caston, Asst. Coach Jason Yacko, Alex Yacko, Emily Siefken, Head Coach David Oleson. Middle (l-r): Tori Moore, Regan Fraise, Kori Mesecher, Tara Goff. Front (l-r): Riley Hale, Kelci Hill, Brandall Diaz, Machaela Diaz, Courtney Coffin. Not pictured: Jade Sorensen, Raegan Olson.

West Burlington / Notre Dame JV Softball

National Studio Arrangement / Photo by Dan Hockett

Back (l-r): Asst. Coach Jason Yacko, Asst. Coach Kaitlyn Caston, Madison Yacko, Head Coach David Oleson. Middle (l-r): Olivia Kreiger, Tori Moore, Kaitlyn Klein, Kaylee Dochterman, Mickenzie Larpenter. Front (l-r): Reagen Rogerson, Sydney Logan, Brandall Diaz, Tara Goff. Not pictured: Jade Sorensen, Jayla Kreiss.

Blasts illegal use of “plastic drones” to spy on Americans in their backyards

Congress recently passed legislation paving the way for what the FAA predicts will be somewhere in the region of 30,000 drones in operation in US skies by 2020.

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Weapons Grade Uranium was removed four years ago

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West Burlington / Notre Dame JH Softball Team

Back (l-r): Head Coach Laura Mickey, Kamaryn Atwater, Delaney Williams, Makaela Kreiss, Shaelyn Thomann, Hope Wolkenhauer, Madysyn Mennen, Amber DesJardins, Gabrielle Price, Asst. Coach Angie Prottsman. Middle (l-r): Kathleen McAtee, Mary Rose Roundy, Carly Huffman, Catherine Todd, Courtney Pealer, Laurel Kelly, Danielle Graham, Rachel Patejak. Front (l-r): Tigerlily Sorensen, Shayleigh Abbott, Kaeleigh Prier, Samantha Teel, Caitlin Spencer, Emma Todd, Allison Rechkemmer,Manager Emma Timberlake.

Sponsor Dollars and Attendance Dropping

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The top 100 universities* in America select leftist commencement speakers over conservatives by seven-to-one

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Obama “Brave” enough to order the killing Osama bin Laden…but had a back-up memo to blame the military in case it went wrong

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Mitt Romney Last Man Standing

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News from the Hill…

One of the biggest accomplishments we have been able to make in the last two years is the cultural change on how state budgets are crafted. There is still much to do, but we have come a long ways in improving the state’s fiscal house. When we took over as the majority party in the Iowa House, it was in a fiscal mess. Ongoing expenditures exceeded ongoing revenues and one time monies were continually being used to balance the budget. In addition, the previous General Assembly put the state in debt, instead of keeping the pay as you go philosophy. These practices placed more of the burden on future generations to pay. This had to stop and I am proud to say we put an end to these bad budgeting practices.

Two years ago when we took control we had inherited a $900 million budget gap with $437 million in cash reserves. At the end of the fiscal year 2013 it appears that the cash reserves will be full at $624 million, there will be $90 million in the Taxpayer Trust Fund and the ending balance is projected to be $300 million. This totals $1.014 billion. This will put the state in a much stronger financial position to build on in the future. Many of the big spenders just wanted to spend the money. They made statements like this, money is money; the state should just spend it. But it was that very philosophy that put the state in a financial mess before. The people of Iowa deserve better and they expect better money management. The money does belong to you, the people of Iowa; we are just the stewards of your money.

A fact that too many forget is the revenues are projections of what might happen. They are based on bi-partisan projections from the Legislative Service Agency (LSA), but they still are just projections. If the economy improves more than what LSA thinks it will, then the ending balance will be higher. However, if the economy slows or does not grow as fast, then the ending balance will be lower or not there at all. This is why it is very important not to spend more than what you take in and leave a balance in case the economy slows. This is the common sense approach I have ran on for ten years and it is still the common sense approach I will take to the voters again this year. It is just that simple.

Sine Die…
The 2012 Session of the 84th General Assembly adjourned Sine Die on Wednesday, May 9, 2012, at 6:13 p.m. There was much accomplished and unlike Washington DC there was much bi-partisan work.

“Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known.”
Ronald Reagan

For more information on these and other bills: www.legis.iowa.gov

-Tom Sands

“His life is complete fiction"

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Test reveals if you are obsessed with Facebook

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Falcon:

If Romney is called “Etch-a-Sketch” I guess we can call Obama “Silly Putty” since he’s always trying to cover and stretch every oddball cause in America to win their vote. How many times has he changed his approach on the gay and lesbian issue. It doesn’t matter what he does most Americans don’t go along with the gay and lesbian marriage campaign since about 32 states have already banned it.

Of course here in Iowa it wasn’t wanted either but three liberal judges decided they had the power to force it on Iowans without a vote; so now we’re stuck with it unless someone with the guts to intervene reverses the decision. The three dimwits who mandated the law are long gone and for good reason; so in a way the citizens of Iowa had the last say when it came to those liberal stooges.

LP