Final chapter in Baby Jessica saga ends with Anna Schmidt
The long custody battle over Jessica ends as Dan and Cara Schmidt raise their daughter in Blairstown now named Anna. Roberta DeBoer publishes Losing Jessica while Iowa lawmakers revisit adoption policies in light of the protracted case. If new policies prove effective, Anna Schmidt will have been the last Baby Jessica.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Jessica
Dan
Cara Schmidt
Blairstown
Anna
Iowa
Ann Arbor
Jan
Roberta DeBoer
Schmidt
Schmidts
DeBoers
Anna Schmidt
Sidewalk sale reflects Cedar Rapids downtown evolution
Last Thursday the Cedar Rapids downtown sidewalk sale showcased new sidewalks street lamps and brickwork creating a pleasant setting. Vendors from women and men clothing stores jewelers and a drug store offered wares while the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra joined with mugs and shirts. The event highlighted how downtown retains a retail focus for office workers despite missing older department stores Armstrongs and Killians and the occasional block long gaps between shops. Best wishes to the merchants keeping the sidewalk sale spirit alive. Ducers MERCHANTS held a sidewalk sale.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra
Yesteryear
Armstrong’s
Killian’s
Ducers
Vladimir Zhirinovski Shows Fringe Appeal Fading
A Moscow dispatch notes Vladimir Zhirinovski, a blunt right wing figure, once seen as presidential material by some, now losing popularity as political figures begin to write him off. The AP reports his taxing cuts foreign aid stance and blunt rhetoric still resonate with some real people while others doubt his long term viability.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Moscow
Associated Press
Vladimir Zhirinovski
Letters to the Gazette About a Celebrity Murder Case
The letter imagines a famous athlete accused of killing his ex wife and her friend. It describes his arrest, media attention, stark innocence pleas, and the public perception of justice versus wealth. The piece questions society’s tolerance for a rich public figure evading murder consequences.
Branstad’s Iowa governorship exposed as political con
Cedar Rapids writer David Claney accuses Terry Branstad of tax increases and spending hikes, claiming 445000 new jobs created while 345000 were lost. The piece alleges influence by contributors like Frank Starr and recalls a teen killer linked to Starr’s circle.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
Terry Branstad
Bonnie Campbell
Fred Grandy
Branstad
Bang
Frank Starr
Starr
Frank
Matthew Gill
Gill
Jeff Ragland
Lighted Ordinance Aims At Better Nighttime Efficiency
Cedar Rapids readers discuss the Lighting Efficiency Task Force goals. The aim is to direct outdoor light to targets, reduce sky glare, protect safety, and conserve energy while involving police and neighborhood associations in the process. Community members urge council support for responsible lighting.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Police den
Wellington
Frank Olsen
Cedar Rapids
Gazette Seeks Letters on Public Matters
The Gazette invites letters and guest columns but notes not all can be printed. Most letters address public business and are subject to editing. Writers must provide full name signature address and adhere to a 700 word limit every BQ days.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
the Gazette
Chae Renidsette
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
Describing a contentious long bike ride controversy
A commentary attacks a subset of riders who used oncoming lanes during a large bicycle event. It recalls dangerous near misses with motorists, questions blame in potential crashes, and urges patrol monitoring to prevent future hazards.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Atkins
Blairs Ferry Road
Left wing fundamentalism blamed for Democratic stance on life and environment
Column argues that Democrats, led by Clinton and Begala, are influenced by left wing religious zeal, prioritizing environmental and animal protection over human crime. It cites a Florida case over sand dumped on wetland and a California farmer’s tractor seizure over a rare rat, as examples of the new internal threat to the party.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Joseph Farah
Clinton
Vic Fazio
D-Calif
White House
Paul Begala
Democratic National Committee
David Wilhelm
Democratic Party
Florida
California
Left-wing fundamentalism in new desert protection stance
The text argues that left wing fundamentalism promotes a new value system under the California Desert Protection Act. It claims the movement seeks to keep deserts unchanged, expands federal control, and treats Earth as sacred. It contrasts human activity as moral failure with nature as protected, calling it a form of Earth worship.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maryland
California
Best kept political secret and left-wing fundamentalism
The piece argues that left-wing fundamentalism mirrors religious extremism by opposing clear moral judgments and expansive social programs. It contrasts this with right wing fundamentalism in the Republican Party and urges scrutiny of all sides, citing Joseph Farah and Los Angeles Times as context.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Clinton
Fazio
Wilhelm
Joseph Farah
Inside
California
Dispatches
Los Angeles Times
Also Mentioned on This Page
J.P. Hladky Jr
Board of
Joe Hladky III
Ken Slaughter
Dale Larson
Jerry Elsen
Chatmen
Mark Bowden
Gary L. Roberts
Toddville
David Claney
Webster's
Wee
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