Essential Estrogen

Here's your earworms:

Martina McBride, This One's For The Girls --

Dixie Chicks, Lubbock Or Leave It --

First time I heard that last song I was immediately transported back to my young adulthood in the south. "Out on the strip the kids get lit so they can have a real good time. Come Sunday they can just take their pick from the crucifix skyline." Yup, that pretty much sums it all up.

The news this week has to be the civil rights advances in Iowa. Not only did a judge rule Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional, but our state welcomed its first same-sex legally married couple. Since I've already beat that drum, we'll skip to the next big news: the four states allowed by the DNC to hold nominating contests outside of the window (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina) teamed up to ask presidential candidates not to campaign in states that disobey the rules.

Four State Pledge Letter

Whereas, over a year ago, the Democratic National Committee established a 2008 nominating calendar;

Whereas, this calendar honors the racial, ethnic, economic and geographic diversity of our party and our country;

Whereas, the DNC also honored the traditional role of retail politics early in the nominating process, to insure that money alone will not determine our presidential nominee;

Whereas, it is this desire of Presidential campaigns, the DNC, the states and the American people to bring finality, predictability and common sense to the nominating calendar.

Therefore, I __________, Democratic Candidate for President, pledge I shall not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential election primary or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina, as "campaigning" is defined by rules and regulations of the DNC.

The cover letter sent along with the pledge was signed by Sen. Tom Harkin, Gov. Chet Culver, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan, Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democratic Party Chairwoman Jill Derby, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley, Congressman Jim Clyburn and South Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler.

The letter and pledge from the four states was issued on Friday, Aug. 31. There must have been news about what might be coming down the pipe on Thursday because Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm issued her own letter to the candidates which stated: "I strongly urge you not to sign any pledge that would prevent you from campaigning in Michigan." She went on to tout the power of labor and business interests in the state.

It has also been reported that Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman issued a one-sentence statement in relation to the four-state pledge: "I don't see how anybody who believes he or she should be president of the United States of America could get tricked into signing a pact to ignore tens of millions of diverse Americans by a selfish, four-state alliance of party insiders.

Typically, given my position, I attempt to write very straight-forwardly when reporting on matters of the nominating calendar. That last statement, however, has the hairs on the back of my neck rising and is well due a bit of editorializing. I don't see how an official of any state that appreciates, first, the rule of law and, second, the democratic process in America could stoop so low as to call the four-state pledge selfish. What is selfish, in my opinion, is to thrust more states into an already front-loaded calendar that prevents reasonable, responsible and effective campaigning by all Democratic candidates. The time to have had this fight is long gone and to further debate the calendar and leapfrog the front states is a disservice to not only the American people, but to the candidates who have spent time and money organizing in places that they were promised in good faith would lead the process.

There was a tie -- or at least a near tie -- between New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd in the race to be the first candidate to sign the pledge. Delaware Sen. Joe Biden signed next and was followed, roughly 24 hours later, by former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. There are conflicting reports in relation to New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. On one hand, her campaign indicated the letter was received, spokesperson Mo Elleithee told Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic that they "are reviewing it." On the other hand, Beth Reinhard of Naked Politics is reporting that Patti Sollis Doyle, campaign manager, has indicated the pledge was signed. As of this writing, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel have not made any response to the pledge letter.

The other bigs news this week was the IAFF endorsement of Sen. Chris Dodd. As I wrote in my previous post, the importance of the endorsement of the firefighters cannot be over-played. Not only do they bring an air of respect to the campaigns they endorse, but they provide immeasurable groundwork. Lots of sites have published the video from earlier in the week so I thought we'd jump back about five-six months to Dodd's address to the firefighters in Washington:

In other news...

• There is an excellent post at Prairie Robin -- a blog I just discovered today -- on the significance of Iowa.
• Deo Gloria provides some fine insights on how politics and the church do and don't mesh.
• What's worse than high school students who can't find Iraq on a globe? Bloggers who still don't know the difference between Iowa and Idaho. You live by Des Moines? Is that near Cincinnati? Oh! You live in that state that produces all the potatoes! At least the author of that that last link corrected the mistake...

The Diocese of Davenport released a letter yesterday stating that one of its priests, Very Rev. Gerald Stouvenel, was placed on administrative leave July 27. The letter was released by Davenport Bishop Martin Amos and stated that Stouvenel will remain on leave until investigations regarding sexual abuse are complete.

"According to the diocese of Davenport policies relating to sexuality and personal behavior, I have placed Father Stouvenel on administrative leave effective July 27 while a full investigation is being done regarding the credibility of the allegations," Amos wrote.

Amos also encouraged prayer for "all people who have been abused and for the people affected by abuse."

Four people have come forward to claim that Stouvenel molested them more than 30 years ago when they were minors. No criminal charges will be filed since the statute of limitations -- 10 years after the victim's 18th birthday -- has passed.

The claims appeared as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed by the diocese in October 2006. Just this week the bankruptcy judge provided the religious group more time to file its reorganization plan. The plan must now be provided by Oct. 1 and approved by the court no later than Nov. 30. The plan is required to describe how the diocese will pay its creditors, most of whom are abuse victims.

The bankruptcy case began amid mounting clergy abuse lawsuits -- claims that had already cost the diocese more than $10 million. More than 150 claims from alleged abuse victims have been filed in the case. It was the nation's fourth diocese to seek court protection.

Stouvenel served the SS Mary and Patrick Parish in West Burlington for 13 years and currently has duties at parish offices that serve the Fort Madison Catholic Community. Although The Hawk Eye is reporting that Rev. Troy Richmond will take over Stouvenel's duties as temporary pastor during the investigation, community documents have not reflected this change.

Stouvenel also served on the Diocesan Youth Ministry Committee of the Diocesan Board of Education as one of six deans. Stouvenel represented the Keokuk Deanery and, based on internet archives, was listed with that title on the Davenport Diocese website as late as yesterday. According to the Quad-City Times, he also served on faculty at Assumption High School. He was ordained on Aug. 12, 1972.

The Davenport Diocese has more than 100,000 members in 22 Iowa counties.

A friend emailed a "Survey for Us Adults" to me two weeks ago and, today, sent me a threatening follow-up message (cleaned up to remove the curse words):

Look, woman, I know you're busy. We're all busy. But if you don't take five minutes and answer my survey, I'll never share lattes or shop Tommy with you again. And, because you took your time about it, I now demand you post it on EE. You really don't want to feel my wrath, do you?

There was more but, as you can see, not only is does an excellent shopping buddy hang in the balance, double-mocha lattes are at risk too. No doubt this is going to help my blog rankings on the search engines...

What bill do you hate paying the most?

Insurance

Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?

You do know that I have three children? Uhmmm... I honestly don't remember.

Last time you puked from drinking?

This is either going to be a boring survey or a replay of Gonzales' Congressional testimony... I don't remember that either. Years ago.

When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar?

Why? What did you hear?!

Name of your first grade teacher?

Mrs. Martin. I have a picture in my scrapbook of being spanked on my birthday by her. (Let's see a teacher get away with that today!)

What do you really want to be doing right now?

Flying through the mud in the Jeep, finding some quiet and remote area and setting up camp

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

It changed all the time. That's probably why I enjoy being a reporter so much. Each day I get to meet and learn something new.

How many colleges/universities did you attend?

Two: a community college during summer and university in winter. I'm working on number three.

Why did you choose the shirt you have on right now?

Well, it's a cami and it doesn't need a bra.

What do you think about the current gas prices?

How in the world am I supposed to give a survey-like answer to that question? I'm thankful I don't have to commute everyday.

If you could move anywhere and take someone with you, where and who would you take?

Of course, where ever I go, the family goes. I'd really enjoy moving close to the beach in Oregon... maybe Seaside or Canon Beach... and it would be a hoot to live closer to my sister Peggy.

First thought when the alarm went off this morning?

I don't use an alarm clock. My body wakes up without one.

Last thought before going to sleep last night?

It's 4 o'clock already?!

Favorite style of underwear?

That's a secret between my husband and I

Favorite style of underwear for the opposite sex?

Again, a secret

What errand/chore do you despise?

Washing dishes

If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?

Absolutely. I'd go nuts if I had nothing worthwhile to do.

Get up early or sleep in?

Stay up late

What is your favorite cartoon character(s)?

Speed Buggy and/or toys from the Island of the Lost Toys

Favorite thing to do with a member of your own sex?

Talk! Road Trip! Shop! Eat Out!

Have you found real love yet?

Oh yes

When did you first start feeling old?

I don't feel old, but I realized I'd been around a long time when I heard the songs I enjoyed in high school playing on the instrumental station.

Favorite 80's movie?

Anything with the brat pack

What do you get every time you go into Sam's Club?

I don't go to Sam's Club. I would go to Costco, but we still don't have one here.

Beach or lake?

Vacation or residence?

Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?

No, but I do think it's been an exclusive club for too long.

Favorite guilty pleasure?

Two guys -- Ben and Jerry.

Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?

Rocky Horror Picture Show, but only live

Cowboys or Indians?

Yum!

Cops or Robbers?

Neither

Who from high school/college would you like to run into?

You know... that guy I did that thing with

What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?

Z-102.9 -- however, my daughter picked the station

Norm or Cliff?

Cliff

The Cosby Show or the Simpsons?

Cosby Show

Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?

It's been so long ago that I don't think I'd change it.

Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?

I guess if you call Iowa City sitting directly across from me, I like Deeth just fine.

If you could get away with it, who would you kill?

I don't think I could kill anyone -- unless the person had hurt my children, then I'm nearly positive I could become very violent.

What famous person(s) would you like to have dinner with?

Marie Wilson, Bette Midler, Janet Evanovich

What famous person would you like to sleep with?

Well, that's pretty personal!

Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher or its intended purpose?

No.

Last book you read?

The last Harry Potter.

Strangest place you've ever brushed your teeth?

A bathroom somewhere in New Mexico that had nasty, horrible sulfur water.

Do you have a teddy bear?

Define "have"

Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?

Along the 101

Do you go to church?

Sometimes

At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship?

Neither

Just how old are you?

Old enough

Now that I've completely this totally silly exercise, when do I get my latte?

Oh, I've been instructed to add that "all other Iowa bloggers are encouraged to also complete this survey so that we piss ant readers can know them better."

Former Iowa Rep. Ed Fallon will once again take to the Iowa airwaves as he guest-hosts the Mickelson in the Morning show on WHO 1040 AM and WMT 600 AM for a third time this Friday.

The show runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and will focus on whatever callers decide is important. Numbers to call the show are 515.284.1040 or 800.469.4295 (toll-free). Fallon says he'll do his best to get every caller on the air, but also warns that the phone lines can get very busy.

Fallon and Lynn Heuss are responsible for I'M for Iowa.

While polls in Iowa and the nation don't show their chosen candidates as front-runners, former Minnesota Congressman Rick Nolan and Iowa Rep. Mike Reasoner say the American people should stop and remember history.

"Of course there is some concern there," said Nolan, who has been traveling Iowa as a surrogate for Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd. "But, having said that, this time four years ago Joe Lieberman was the leading Democratic candidate here in Iowa, and shortly after that Dick Gephardt was the leading candidate and then Howard Dean was the leading candidate. The same has been true for other Democratic candidates -- Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, John Kennedy. Dodd is now right about where all of those winners were."

Reasoner, D-Creston, has been stumping on behalf of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden and also believes the lessons of four years ago are important.

"I believe, if you look back, Howard Dean was the odds-on favorite as the Democratic Party's nominee," he said. "John Kerry was not necessarily the person to beat. Likewise, John Edwards was not a front-runner. They were both back in the pack, but then they emerged in the late fall before the caucuses four years ago. That's exactly what I think you're going to see Senator Biden do, too."

Confidence, said the surrogates, comes from knowing Iowa will lead the nomination process.

"As we -- people around Iowa -- take our time and get to know our candidates, I think you'll see that instead of having the candidates as a group, individuals will begin to stand out," Reasoner said. "It won't be because they are on television or because of their star name, but because of what they have to say."

Rock stars and their tendency to fade was also on Nolan's mind.

"Iowa has a way of teaching everybody some hard lessons," Nolan said. "We have a great staff and some incredible volunteers here in Iowa. It seems to me after going around the state that Chris Dodd is on everyone's short list although not on as many people's first-choice list as I'd like to see. Many of the people who have chosen one of the big three -- or rock stars -- are very loosely committed to them."

An August poll conducted by AARP supports Nolan's assertion. A total of 5,000 AARP members were surveyed, and two-thirds were found likely to change their candidate preference as more is learned about other candidates' positions. Among Democratic participants in Iowa, more than seven in 10 say they are very (31 percent) or somewhat (46 percent) likely to change their candidate preference as they learn more about the issues between now and the caucus.

When poll participants were asked to rate candidates on how well they have addressed the issue of ensuring all Americans can build financial security for their entire lifetimes, 61 percent said they didn't know enough about Biden's stance and 65 percent said they didn't know enough about Dodd's stance to offer a rating. Ratings in relation to candidate stance on health care met with similar results. Dodd's stance was unknown to 61 percent, and Biden's stance was unknown to 58 percent of those surveyed.

"Should any of these others falter as the frontrunners have historically tended to do here in Iowa, I think we are well placed," Nolan said. "I think we're poised to make something happen."

Iowa's expertise in retail politics is what both makes the difference and confuses the rest of the nation, says Reasoner.

"You see not only the senator but members of his family and individuals speaking on his behalf going around the state to meetings in cafes, living rooms and meeting halls," he said. "Historically Iowans don't get together in groups of 400 or 500 people. Normally, you have five, 10 or maybe 20 people at a time. That's how we've traditionally conducted our caucuses. That's how we get to know our candidates, and that's how we get to identify with them. Just because someone is on television constantly and has name recognition right away doesn't mean that person will have a great caucus night. We want to know what that person has to say. We want to know how that person stands on the issues important to America."

As if my children didn't have enough national deficit to pay off, Reuters is now reporting that former Iowa Republican Congressman Jim Nussle has been confirmed as the nation's new budget director by a vote of 69-24.

Nussle will replace Rob Portman as the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Prior to the confirmation, presidential candidate and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd issued the following statement:

“The first way out of a ditch is to stop digging. Unfortunately, appointing Jim Nussle as OMB Director is another example of President Bush digging our nation in deeper. As a Congressman, Mr. Nussle has a long record as one of the chief architects of the President’s failed economic agenda. Under this President’s watch, our nation has squandered its surplus and has run record deficits. At the same the President’s economic policies have failed the American people. The typical American family earns less in real wages today than they did when the President took office. More Americans are without health insurance and for those that are fortunate to have health insurance, it has never been costlier. The cost of sending your children to college – the key for their economic security and the nation’s future prosperity – is skyrocketing and is in danger of becoming out of reach for many families. Gas prices have more than doubled, our roads and bridges are literally collapsing and the President fails to fully fund our nation’s infrastructure. Of course, the President still refuses to include the real costs of the war in Iraq in his budget.

“Congressman Nussle’s record in support of the President’s failed economic policy inspires little confidence that he will do what is really needed for America. Instead of continuing to pursue failed policies, we need to do an about face. The budget is a set of priorities, and this Administration’s priorities are all wrong. Until the Administration realizes this, I do not think we will see the change that America needs to put us back on the right track.”

To date, no formal statements on the confirmation has been release by the presidential hopefuls. They'll be posted here as they come down the pipe.

~~~UPDATE~~~

The Register is reporting that both of Iowa's Senators, Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, voted to approve the confirmation.

~~~UPDATE~~~

Radio Iowa ran the following statement from Nussle:

"I am humbled and honored to be confirmed as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. I thank the U.S. Senate for their broad, bipartisan support and will continue to work with members in both chambers of Congress on the important responsibility of delivering results for taxpayers.

"I look forward to helping to develop and implement the President's agenda by working with Congress on our common goal of balancing the budget and making government more efficient. This includes working with our agencies to ensure they are well managed so that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, or not at all.

We also need to hold the line on spending to maintain a pro-growth, low-tax environment that allows American workers to keep more of their hard-earned money. I am also committed to continuing efforts with Congress to responsibly address our Nation's biggest long-term fiscal challenge – the unsustainable growth in entitlement spending. It's a privilege to have the opportunity to work on these important issues on behalf of the President and with a tremendously talented group of professionals at OMB. As always, I want thank my family for their ongoing support of my public service."

Iowa's unemployment tax rate table will remain unchanged for 2008. This marks the sixth consecutive year the overall rate has remained steady, according to state officials.

Iowa Workforce Development is the state agency charged with collecting unemployment insurance taxes from employers and operating Iowa's unemployment insurance payment programs for workers. Unemployment tax rates are based on wages and recent unemployment benefit payments. Due to the design of Iowa's unemployment tax system and Iowa Workforce Development's oversight of the trust fund, no increase is anticipated.

In the state of Iowa, there are eight tables that each have 21 rankings. Rates vary from 0 to 9 percent on table one and 0 to 7 percent on table eight. Table one collects the most tax, and table eight collects the least tax. The table in effect is determined by a formula that considers the total funds available to pay benefits on the rate computation date, the total wages paid by all contributory employers during the first four of the five calendar quarters immediately preceding the rate computation date, and the highest 12 consecutive month benefit cost ratio during the 10-year period ending on the rate computation date. The bottom line is, in calendar 2008, the tax rate will continue to be calculated by using table six.

"The state has our commitment to carefully manage the trust fund in the coming year to continue this beneficial trend for Iowa businesses," said Elisabeth Buck, director of Iowa Workforce Development. "Iowa has one of the lowest unemployment insurance tax rates in the nation. Nearly half of our employers have a zero percent rate, and, of the remaining employers, over 75 percent pay less than 1 percent."

At the beginning of the year, Iowa Workforce Development launched the Unemployment Insurance Tax System, which allows employers doing business in Iowa to electronically file the quarterly employer's contribution and payroll report and pay unemployment insurance contributions online. Many employers throughout the state have logged on to take advantage of electronic filing and online bill-pay services.

John Miller is reporting for the Associated Press that IDAHO (not Iowa) Republican (not Democratic) Sen. Larry Craig is reconsidering his decision to resign from his post on Sept. 30.

A spokesperson for the senator is citing legal reasons for the change of heart.

On Aug. 27 Roll Call reported that Craig had been arrested for lewd conduct in a men's bathroom at a Minnesota airport on June 11, and that he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct on Aug. 8. As a result of the controversy surrounding his arrest and guilty plea, Craig announced his resignation from the Senate at a news conference three days ago on Sept. 1.

In other more important news, Mattel has issued its third toy recall.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Mattel announced the new recall just minutes ago. The recall includes roughly 700,000 Chinese-made toys that have excessive amounts of lead paint. Most are Barbie accessory toys that were manufactured between Sept. 30, 2006 and Aug. 20, 2007. It also includes 8,900 different toys from the Fisher-Price brand that were sold worldwide during July and August.

Lead can cause brain damage when ingested by young children.

A graduate of Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School has died from injuries he received while serving in Iraq.

Army Sgt. Kevin Allan Gilbertson, 25, is the son of Don Gilbertson of Palo and Keeley Unash of Cedar Rapids, the Gazette is reporting this morning. Nina, his wife, and the couple's 8-month-old son, Tommy, live in Germany.

Gilbertson was on foot patrol during his second tour in Iraq when he was shot by enemy forces on Aug. 29 in Ramadi. He was taken to Landstuhl in Germany where he subsequently died. Funeral arrangements are pending at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home.

As always, our deepest condolences and heartfelt thanks to the family.

It's a story that catapulted Iowa into the national spotlight, changed state law and continues to draw awareness to human trafficking. It's a recurring nightmare for parents across the nation... and a living nightmare for Noreen Gosch that has unwillingly launched her into a life of public service.

On this day 25 years ago, Johnny Gosch left his home to work his Des Moines Register paper route. What happened after that has been the subject of speculation. According to Noreen Gosch, two men approached him, he was thrown into a vehicle and kidnapped.

"Last September I received a packet of photographs," Gosch said during an abuse prevention conference in Cedar Rapids. The image of a young boy, hog-tied and wearing only his underpants and socks illuminated the wall beside her. "This is my son Johnny near the time when he was kidnapped. His is still 12-years-old in this picture."

Gasps and sobs filled the hotel conference room on that day in May, but Gosch stood in quiet testimony to what she believed happened to her son 25 years ago.

"I knew immediately it was my son and it has also been confirmed by forensic specialists at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who have examined and compared [the photos] with existing pictures I had," she said.

West Des Moines police are no longer tracking the origin of the photos, reports the Register. They stopped after a Florida investigator said the photos stemmed from a case he investigated prior to Johnny's disappearance.

Early this morning, Gosch wrote a personal note to her son on the website she created in his honor.

"You are loved and missed by all of your family," she wrote. "It is important for you to know that we have tried everything possible to bring resolution to your case, to make it safe for you to live your life. All of the information which we have researched and collected has been given to the FBI, it is in their hands now... If nothing is done then we will all know that they did not go forward with it.

"My hope is that the latest report saying you are still alive is true and that one day we will be able to see each other again."

She also posted a list of the things she knows 25 years after her son was kidnapped. She begins the list with noting how it all feels "like it was yesterday."

Gosch believes her son was taken for the purpose of satisfying pedophiles, that he was sold into a human trafficking network. She's had reports that he is alive and living in fear his life will be ended by those who wish to silence his knowledge of the trafficking network. And, of course, that the photos sent to her last fall are of her son and were taken shortly after he was kidnapped.

A month after Johnny was taken, Noreen founded The Johnny Gosch Foundation and developed a program called "In Defense of Children." She has toured the nation, providing nearly 1,000 personal appearances on missing children, law enforcement, human trafficking and overall awareness. On July 1, 1984 a bill she authored -- the Johnny Gosch Bill -- was passed into Iowa law. It mandates immediate police involvement when a child is missing. It has since been adopted by eight additional states.

That same year, she traveled to Washington, D.C. and testified before Congress as a part of hearings on organized crime. Her testimony led to death threats and also, in part, the eventual establishment of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She was invited by Pres. Ronald Reagan to the opening and dedication of the center.

She has also worked on two documentaries, one for HBO and another for the State Department. Her story and Johnny's story was the focus of a book, "Why Johnny Can't Come Home" that originally published in 2000.

Gov. Chet Culver is announcing today the launch of five new AmeriCorps in Iowa, bringing the total number of programs serving the state to 13.

"AmeriCorps members are tackling our toughest problems, strengthening our communities and improving the civic life of our state," Culver said in a prepared statement. "I congratulate all of the organizations receiving these grants and thank all those who have answered the call to service by joining AmeriCorps."

The new programs will focus on reducing child abuse, mentoring of adjudicated delinquents with learning disabilities, enticing volunteers, serving under-resourced urban communities and expanding services to victims, offenders (upon re-entry) and their families.

"AmeriCorps is a grant-funded program," said Kristin Honz, program officer for the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. "The new projects that are funded receive their resources from the federal funding agency. These organizations applied last winter and were notified earlier this spring and summer that they were selected."

She added that all Iowa programs start on Sept. 1, so the press release about the new programs was timed to be in conjunction with the start dates.

The five new programs are AmeriCorps Partnering to Protect Children (statewide child abuse prevention), Each One Reach One AmeriCorps Program (correctional services in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City), 2007 Planning Grant (Graceland University outreach), Iowa Campus Compact (Wartburg College outreach), and AMIGOS - Woodbury County Services Project (Siouxland Human Investment Partnership in Sioux City).

Often described as a domestic Peace Corps, AmeriCorps is a federally funded program that enables Americans ages 17 and over to commit a significant amount of time to voluntary service designed to meet community needs. In exchange for one year of service, AmeriCorps members receive a small living allowance and an education award to help finance their college education, vocational training or assistance in paying off student loans.

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service oversees the program as well as other volunteer and service opportunities in the state. More information can be found by visiting volunteeriowa.org or by phoning 1-800-308-5987.

Assistant House Majority Leader John Whitaker, D-Hillsboro, announced his support of Delaware Sen. Joe Biden. All the goodies on this endorsement were written up by T.M. Lindsey at Iowa Independent. It's a good endorsement for Biden both on the Iowa and the military fronts since Whitaker's son is currently serving in Iraq.

Dean Barker of Blue Hampshire has formally endorsed Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd. While this probably won't get a whole lot of play here in Iowa, it's an important endorsement for Dodd in the Granite State.

Karen Hanretty, deputy communications director for the Fred Thompson presidential campaign, wrote on The Hill's Political Pundit that "it's time to put America first and make Iowa go last."

This move, she said would bring about an end to expensive ethanol subsidies and allow those monies to be used elsewhere, indicating infrastructure as her preference.

Hat tip to Jay Wagner at Iowa Independent.

Although 364 Iowa school districts will have school leaders on the ballot this Tuesday, if history is any indicator, only about 6 percent of eligible voters will take time to voice their opinion. A new initiative launched by the Iowa Association of School Boards hopes to change that.

In 2000, an IASB survey indicated average voter turnout for school board elections hovered around 10 percent and was on par with general elections. The same survey this year indicated the number had slipped to about 6 percent.

"When these numbers from the auditors came back showing that -- depending on district -- turnout numbers ranged from about 4 to 6 percent it was disconcerting," said Jennifer Huffman, communications specialist for IASB. "You don't want to just assume the decrease represents a citizen's lack of awareness for the importance of school governance or a lack of interest in public education."

Huffman says the decrease in voter turnout combined with a difficulty some districts were having finding qualified candidates have led to some county auditors and state legislators to call for a change in the school board election process.

"There are some who have expressed a desire to combine the school board elections with November general elections," she said. "For many reasons, IASB wants the school board elections to remain annually in September."

Non-matching school and city boundaries, voters living in unincorporated areas, partisan politics being a part of general elections and potentially high turnover rates for school board members are just a handful of the reasons the IASB lists for keeping the school board election process in September. In order to keep the elections where they are, Huffman says the ISAB began discussing what they could do to increase voter turnout. A key component to that discussion was the fact that many school districts were having trouble convincing qualified candidates to run for the no-pay volunteer post.

"Back in April or May we began brainstorming the types of things we could be doing throughout the year to encourage people to run for school board," she said. "We partnered with the Farm Bureau, parent-teacher organizations and local chambers of commerce and requested they encourage their civic-minded membership to run for school board. The second part of the campaign we decided to invest some money -- something we had never done before -- for a radio campaign."

The 60-second radio spot, developed by Brownfield Communications as a part of IASB's "Care About Children" program, has been running on more than 70 stations throughout 93 counties since Aug. 27. Radio was chosen both because of it being economical and its ability to reach some of the state's rural areas. The ad highlights four of Iowa's school districts in an attempt to bring awareness to the varied and positive roles school boards can play within a district and a community. Those districts are Ogden, Sioux City, Louisa-Muscatine and Mount Vernon.

Listen to the ad:

Huffman says the four districts were chosen based on their individual excellence and innovative initiatives.

"Sioux City earned last year's T.E. Davidson Award, which goes to a school board every year that we recognize for its accomplishments and increasing student achievement," she said. "The Mount Vernon board was this year's recipient of the award for the stellar things they are doing in their district. We highlighted Ogden because they are one of the early pioneers for working within their community and with their community partners to set up a preschool program within their school system. Louisa-Muscatine has just been doing amazing things with technology in their schools."

In addition to the ad buy, Huffman emailed a copy of the audio file to many key members throughout the state and asked them to forward the file to their friends and neighbors. While not everyone who received the ad ended up forwarding it along, she says some good has still come from the grassroots effort.

"We have some school districts who have placed the file on their websites," she said. "These are baby steps. I knew we weren't going to increase voter turnout to 15 or 20 percent in a three- or four-month period of time and with one radio campaign. It's still a new and valuable way to present what school boards are doing for their districts. Hopefully, they'll be fired up and wanting to do more of it."

At the end of the day, Huffman says she is just hoping the work the IASB has done to find qualified candidates and to increase awareness of school and student excellence will translate to more people coming to polls on Tuesday.

Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, has some new shoes to fill in the beltway this fall.

Shortly before the August recess, Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minnesota, who serves as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, tapped Braley for service as the vice-chairman of the subcommittee on highways and transit. Braley will serve as second-ranking majority member of the subcommittee, led by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon.

"I am excited to be named vice-chairman of this subcommittee," Braley said. "It will allow me to have greater input on important transportation projects in Iowa and across the country. I look forward to working to promote the increased use of renewable energy and helping Chairman DeFazio tackle the important issue of highway safety in the wake of the Minneapolis bridge tragedy."

House rules require a vice-chairman from the majority party to be named to each committee and subcommittee to preside when the chair is not present.

Braley made history in January when he became the first freshman congressman from Iowa picked to chair a committee or subcommittee since 1959. He will continue to serve as chairman of the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology, which is under the House Committee on Small Business.

"These committee assignments allow me to have a direct impact on the needs of eastern Iowa, from strengthening our economy on the Small Business Committee, to promoting ethanol on the Transportation Committee, to investigating government waste, fraud and abuse on the Oversight Committee," he said.

Well, I'd planned to live-blog the presidential forum hosted by Univision tonight at the University of Miami. It doesn't look like that's going to be entirely possible. I had expected both Spanish and English, but it looks as if this is Spanish-only. I will attempt my best, but I'm quite sure it won't be good enough for a discussion on the issues.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson just went off about having to speak English while answering questions. He and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd are the only ones who are fluent in Spanish and I can see why he might be upset with not being able to answer for himself and having to rely on a translator. (The silver lining, I guess, is that Richardson can tell if the translator is doing a good job.)

The candidates are all answering in English, although their remarks are being over-cast by translators in Spanish. It is difficult to hear anything -- mostly just bits and pieces of the English coming through, if even that.

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich just received several rounds of applause for his views on Iraq and ending the war now. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama all scored big on this question based on audience response.

Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards is speaking now. Big applause as he finishes up. New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton also discussed the troop surge and earned big applause at finish.

Richardson just spoke about the surge in Iraq, but I honestly couldn't hear a word he said. He did earn applause at the end. Now former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel is discussing terrorism and why Osama bin Laden has not be captured. He earned applause on and off throughout. I caught bits and pieces of him speaking angrily about government agencies.

Dodd is answering the same question, or at least a close variation. The same subtitle is at the bottom of the screen: "Terrorismo." He is cut off (ran out of time?) and applause continues as the moderators move to a question for Obama, Clinton and Dodd on immigration (inmigracion).

Obama answers and is also told to stop, that his time is up. Moving on to Clinton.I wish I could tell you what she just said. The audience sure seemed to like it.

Dodd answering now -- and he also gains nice applause following his answer. Commercial/potty break.

Here, tonight, I've discovered yet one more time in my life I regret taking years of French instead of Spanish. Before the night's over, I'll probably be reduced to describing what each candidate is wearing.

The show is back and there is a beautiful stage background. The moderators, according to the title at the bottom of the screen, are continuing to ask about immigration: "Inmigracion: Trabajaria en reforma migratoria?" Kucinich is answering and receiving applause sprinkled throughout his answer -- big applause at the end.

Same question is to Richardson -- "freedom, diversity" I hear him say. He's discussing our nation's relationship with Mexico and how jobs need to be created there. If the bits I'm picking up are correct, this sounds like a portion of the stump speech he has given in Iowa. Lots of laughter and applause at the end.

Same question to Edwards. I still think he should have his eyes checked. Maybe the bright lights hurt them, but he really seems to blink a great deal. His right eye looks like its lid is sitting lower. Polite applause for Edwards when he finishes answering.

Gravel's translator is quite good -- trying to raise his emotion level to match Gravel. That's no small feat. Applause once during answering and once afterward for Gravel.

Clinton, of course, has a female translator. I can't make out even bits of what she's saying, although she has great hand gestures while talking. The gestures are very open, at one point extending her left arm up and out rather like the statue of liberty.

Same question to Dodd. He's also very animated with lots of hand gestures. His voice is going up as he discusses the money being spent in Latin America as compared to the money being spent in Iraq. The audience loves what he had to say.

The audience was quiet as Obama responded... reverent might be a better word. He received good applause following his answer.

Staying on the topic of immigration, we're back to Gravel. Suspenderia las redadas federales? Gravel is keeping his voice controlled this time and receives applause when he is complete.

Richardson has same question or a close sister. The screen bottom remains the same. Richardson is raising his voice now... speaking forcefully with direct hand gestures. He looks relaxed tonight, but more so than he has in previous debates.

New question concerning immigration for Edwards: Son necesarios trabajadores indocumentados? (Is that a question about deporting undocumented workers?) Edwards blinking is really bothersome. Even if he were speaking in English, I think I'd be transfixed by his eyes. Time's up for him in this round and he receives nice applause from the audience.

Kucinich, who has by far received the most audience response tonight, is answering now. He gets fired up at the end of his answer and gets appropriate audience response.

New question to Clinton: Como frenaria sentimientos antihispanos?

Clinton also looks really relaxed tonight. She's literally leaning with her right arm on the podium, using her left to make gestures and sometimes patting the top of the podium.

Same question to Obama and he receives nice applause at the end.

Edwards is up again and also answering the "anti-hispanic" question. He receives applause after his first sentence or two. He's now giving a portion of his Iowa stump speech and ticking off those his administration would help -- the poor, the disenfranchised. Good applause when he is done.

We are moving on to Latin America topics. First question to Richardson: "Amenaza tendencia izquierdista a EE.UU.?" I don't have even a guess on this one. Richardson mentions Chili in his answer -- that's the only piece I picked up. Polite applause when he is done.

Dodd has the same question. "We need to engage," says Dodd. This should be a topic he does really well with given his Peace Corps service in Guatamala. Big, big positive audience response when he completes.

Question to Edwards: "Considera a Chavez un dictador?" Edwards took a few moments to consider this question before he began answering. Edwards' answer includes thoughts that the United States should be a force for good in Latin America. Polite applause when he is complete.

Gravel has the same question. His translator is once again working to keep up. Gravel is a very animated speaker and his voice is escalating as he talks. Something at the end about "You don't... with your enemies."

Question to Clinton: "Que pasaria en Cuba sin Fidel Castro?" She says, "That requires us to work with the entire hemisphere." She's discussing "misguided bullying policies" and gets HUGE applause and response from the audience.

Same question to Dodd. It's very difficult to hear anything Dodd is saying in English with the translator speaking. The audience, however, is responding. "We need safety and security," he says.

Back to Kucinich with a question about education: "Que puede hacer para frenar la desercion escolar?" He receives a big audience response in the middle of his response and keeps going. "If you don't stand for education, what do you stand for?" He receives probably the biggest response of the night so far with his answer on this question.

Same question to Obama. He is hitting on early childhood education and school construction. For the first time tonight -- at least I think it was the first time -- he receives audience response during his answer. He is also given good audience response at the end.

Richardson has a new question: "Reduciria educacion bilingue la desercion escolar?" He receives a big "hoot" from the audience in the middle of his response. From the bits I can hear, I believe he is discussing initiatives used in New Mexico.

Commercial/potty break -- take two.

That was a quick break. Back with a question to Obama on the Medica (healthcare?): "Por que es tan dificil el acceso al cuidado medico." He receives a big response and continues and then receives a big response at the end.

New question to Richardson: "Como resolveria el problema en un ano?" He is talking about lowering Medicare from 65 to 55 and hammering on early prevention. He is also interrupted with audience response and receives a big response at the end too.

New question to Dodd: "Como incluiria a los indocumentados?" He's hitting his experience with the Family Medical Leave Act and receives an amazing response in the middle of his answer. A big finish for Dodd and he receives good audience response for his efforts.

Question to Clinton: "Que aprendio para tener exito?" I think she made a quick joke/witty remark at the beginning based on the audience reaction, but I'm not sure what it was. She has both hands and arms going during this response, no longer leaning on the podium, no longer smiling. Good response for her answer when she is complete.

Question to Gravel: "Como aplicaria su experiencia personal en la solucion?" I can't hear a word Gravel is saying in English, but his hands are going up and down as he makes his points. Lukewarm applause for him when he completes.

Question to Edwards: "Es necesario aumentar impuestos?" He said one sentence and was given a good audience response. He is discussing universal healthcare and seems to be hitting on drug companies. "We need to do this to bring about the change we need for universal healthcare." Nice audience response at the end for him.

Question to Kucinich: "Por que nadie lo puede arreglar?" For what it is worth, Kucinich and Gravel are the only candidates to be wearing red tonight. All others, including Clinton, are decked out in blue. He says "We need to challenge the insurance companies." He gets a big response at the end and the moderators need to remind him his time is up.

A question on the economy (economia) for Clinton: "Como evitaria que propietarios pierdan sus casas?" I know Clinton mentioned Chris Dodd in her answer... that came through loud and clear. Not sure if she is agreeing with him or attacking him. Audience responds with polite applause when she is done.

Same question to Obama. The camera keeps pulling back while Obama is talking to include both Obama and Clinton in the same shot. No clue what Obama said, but he receives polite applause when he is done.

Question to Richardson: "Caul es la mayor contribucion hispana?" Richardson begins by saying he believes Latinos are the heart of America. Good question for him because he can continue to include himself in his answer... "we are this... we are that..." It allows him to make a major connection to the audience that others are not afforded. He's now being cut off and the question goes to Dodd.

Dodd is discussing the American dream and how it applies to all people. "It should not be denied to anyone." Loud applause for Dodd.

Same question to Gravel who is answering slow and deliberate, with lots of hand gestures for good measure. Now his voice is beginning to rise again. Good applause for Gravel when he is done.

Same question to Edwards who is discussing "richness, depth and diversity." Just my guess here, but I bet he's mentioning his father the mill worker during this answer. Applause for Edwards when he complete.

Same question to Kucinich. This is about all people everywhere, he says. He adds that we need to unlock the power of the human heart. Loud applause for him once he completes.

Same question to Obama. I believe Obama is drawing together how all families are the same -- no matter their color they "are waving American flags." Nice applause for him once he finishes.

Same question to Clinton. I believe she will be the last to answer this question. She also appears to be drawing the similarities between all the people in America -- their values, their wish to provide for families, etc. Really huge response for Clinton once she finishes.

The two moderators are center screen and I'm thinking this might be the end of the forum. It will be interesting to see if any of the talking heads pick up on anything done during this forum tonight or if it will simply be ignored because of the language differences.

Since I cannot tell you who did the best on the issues, I will tell you that I think Kucinich and Dodd did the best based on audience response. Two others high in the rankings are Richardson and Clinton. The audience seemed almost cold to Obama and Gravel. They were lukewarm to Edwards and that surprised me.

As far as I can tell, no candidate made any serious gaffes... at least there was no outward booing from the audience. I'm not sure how the Latino community in Iowa and elsewhere will react to Delaware Sen. Jo Biden not participating in this forum.