Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports Cindy Axne, one of three candidates for the Democratic nomination for the Third Congressional seat currently held by David Young, will be at the Atlantic Pizza Ranch on Wednesday, May 16th, at 5:30 PM.  Her campaign says Axne “Wants to fight to rebuild Iowa’s infrastructure, grow the state’s rural economies, protect Iowa farmers and maintain the rural quality of life. She plans to stand up for Iowa’s family farms and that starts by ensuring the Farm Bill works for all farmers including new farmers and small to mid-size farms. For the rural communities to be competitive, Iowa and the nation must reinvest in a solid infrastructure. That means repairing roads and nearly 5,000 structurally deficient bridges, water and sewer systems, and finally making sure that everyone has access to cellular and broadband technology.”

Cindy Axne, Dem. candidate for Gov. in IA

She says “Not only will that fix the infrastructure, but it will create thousands of jobs in the process. Iowa can be the leader in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.” While Axne was employed by the State of Iowa, she oversaw the Governor’s Agenda on Clean Energy and the Environment, helping bring the wind industry to scale in Iowa. In Congress, her campaign says Axne will, among other things, “Fight to increase research and development in the areas of soil health, carbon sequestration and water quality to clean up the water, improve soil for better yields and create jobs in the process. In order to protect the rural quality of life, [she] will fight to protect Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, so Iowa’s rural hospitals can continue to operate and serve those who are at risk.” And, “She will fight for funding for Iowa public schools, so they can retain quality educators, keep up with technology, and bring in more trades programs for Iowa children.”

Toelle says “The Iowa primary is June 5th but early voting and absentee balloting began on May 7th. “The time to decide on the best candidate to serve your needs and the needs of your fellow Iowans is now. The public is invited to attend and hear Ms. Axne discuss her policy plans.”

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man fatally injured in a fall at a Dubuque construction site. The Jones County medical examiner’s office said Thursday that he’s been identified as 57-year-old Timothy Leibold, who lived in Dubuque. Fire officials say Leibold fell Monday from an upper floor of a hotel being built. The Jones County medical examiner, Dr. Michael Weston, says Leibold died at an Anamosa hospital while in transport to an Iowa City hospital. The Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — The former director of a southeast Iowa boarding school has been sentenced to nine years in prison for child abuse despite the defense’s argument that he didn’t get a fair trial. The Hawk Eye reports that 40-year-old Benjamin Trane was sentenced Thursday. Trane was convicted in December of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a child by a counselor and child endangerment at the now-defunct Midwest Academy. The school closed in 2016 following a federal raid to investigate abuse allegations.

Defense attorney Alfredo Parrish filed an appeal the same day to the state Supreme Court. He’s seeking to overturn the decision and have a new trial. Parrish alleged the prosecution wasn’t adequately prepared for trial and was slow to give the defense evidence needed to properly defend Trane.

Lots of folks ride motorcycles when they are in their 20s and 30s. Then life happens and schedules, budgets, and lifestyles change to the point that many trade life on two wheels for a vehicle better suited for shuffling family around. As time passes and the kids grow up and incomes stabilize, many of those former 20- and 30-something motorcycle riders who are now 60-something, renew an interest in bikes. National statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that in the early 1980s the proportion of people killed in motorcycle crashes who were 50 and older started to increase, rising from 3 percent of all rider deaths in 1982 to 13 percent in 1997 and 36 percent in 2016. In 2016, 91 percent of motorcyclists killed were male.  

What to do if you’re thinking about riding later in life.

The key to riding safely in the latter stages of life relies on your understanding that things have changed, both in our own physical abilities and in the equipment. Be realistic about your own body. It’s natural that as we age, reaction times are slower and our equilibrium may not be as stable as it used to be, making balancing on a bike more challenging.  Changes in strength and flexibility may influence your ability to handle a 500-pound machine. “The first thing I would advise someone to do who wants to renew riding after some time off is to take a rider safety course,” said Kala Shipley, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s motorcycle safety program coordinator. “These courses are designed to help you assess your skills, learn new things, and help you test your riding limits in a more controlled environment.”

There’s always something new to learn. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers two levels of courses, the Basic Rider Course and the Advanced Rider Course. In the basic rider course, you’ll receive both classroom and controlled riding experiences. This course level is a great refresher, even if you rode quite a lot in your younger years. Laws have changed and so has the equipment available to motorcyclists. The advanced rider course is just a half-day and will help you hone your riding skills and assess your mental readiness to ride in traffic.

For more information on rider courses – https://iowadot.gov/mvd/motorcycle/motorcycle-rider-education