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Motorists driving along the 6000 block of Douglas Avenue near Merle Hay Mall in northwest Des Moines will be told, via a billboard, that eating bacon can lead to rectal cancer.

(CBS/AP) DES MOINES, Iowa - A Des Moines man who allegedly tried to lure a young girl into an alley, wound up with stitches and a black eye after the girl's mother took matters into her own hands, according to authorities. Polk County police sources say that Robert C. Harding tried to lure a 13-year-old girl into an alley near where she was playing with friends outside her home.

Hello Catholic FReepers. I have just created an online petition regarding the Latin Mass in Des Moines, Iowa. There is currently ONE Latin Mass celebrated in the entire Diocese of Des Moines; in the basement of St. Anthony's Catholic Church. The petition is asking to have the Mass moved up to the Sanctuary where it belongs. The petition states: We, the undersigned, appeal to Monsignor Frank E. Chiodo to move the Tridentine Latin Mass, currently celebrated in the basement of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Des Moines, Iowa, and restore it to its proper place, the main sanctuary of the...

DES MOINES, Iowa—Prominent Republicans here pretty much splinter into two camps on the question of whether Sarah Palin will jump into the 2012 presidential race. One side points to a mysterious California lawyer named Peter Singleton as proof the former Alaska governor will definitely run. The other side points to Mr. Singleton as proof she won't. "When it comes to Palin in Iowa, it's pretty much Peter Singleton," said Iowa Tea Party Director Ryan Rhodes. "The guy is everywhere." Crisscrossing the state in a series of rented cars, the 56-year-old Mr. Singleton has spent the better part of five months...

Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King announced an expanded list of speakers for a conservative conference he'll hold next month in Des Moines to underscore the nascent GOP nomination fight that will unfold in his state over the next year. South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint will keynote the Conservative Principles Conference on March 26, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is scheduled to participate as well. Now King has added Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former Ambassador John Bolton and Herman Cain, all of whom are exploring the 2012 race for the White House. The roster skews heavily to the most conservative...

Help freep this poll. It is half way down the page on the left side. The question is Should guns be banned on local government properties?

DES MOINES, WA -- In November police officers tased, then shot and killed a 120-pound Newfoundland named Rosie. The shooting sparked both a community vigil for the dog and an independent review of the officers' actions. Although initiall reports were that the dog was acting aggressively when she escaped from her fenced yard and was spotted roaming neighborhood streets, video taken from the patrol car dash-cams may cast the shooting in a different light. Warning: Videos contain graphic sounds and language. The videos, released by Des Moines Police show the dog being tazed by an officer, then running away. In...

When asked how many were coming or when they were coming, Mullet said he wasn't going to let anyone know ahead of time. He (Mullet) said he wasn't stupid.

The mainstream media love lists. On almost any day, open up the paper or log on to your favorite news website, and there's some sort of list: The Richest Americans. The Best Colleges. The Most Powerful Political Leaders. Whatever. These lists are designed to look like valid studies. They may even tout a rigorous methodology. But most of these lists are generated using arbitrary -- and often ideologically driven -- criteria. The lists that I find most frustrating are those that rate cities. The Happiest Cities. The Best Cities to Raise a Family. And this week's entry: "The Best U.S....

Move follows two-year sting operation NEW YORK - The FBI arrested a Florida doctor and a New York martial arts expert on federal terrorism charges, saying they conspired to treat and train terrorists, federal prosecutors announced Sunday. Rafiq Abdus Sabir, a Boca Raton physician, and Tarik Shah, a self-described martial arts expert in New York, were both charged in Manhattan federal court with conspiring to provide material support to al-Qaida, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. Both men are American citizens. Prosecutors said Sabir agreed to treat jihadists, or holy warriors, in Saudi...

RFFM.org NEWS -- by Dan Gura, Associate Editor CHICAGO, IL -- The Springfield Nativity Scene Committee (SNSC), in conjunction with the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, announced the Nativity scene which made history as it stood in the Illinois state capitol building in Springfield was a total success and the group intends to make the project an annual affair. The group also announced it has received inquiries for legal and logistical assistance from residents in Iowa and Wisconsin who would like to put up similar religious displays next Christmas season. “Things couldn’t have gone better,” said Dan Zanoza, Chairman of the...

DES MOINES — Officials on Friday issued a voluntary evacuation order for much of downtown Des Moines and other areas bordering the river. Officials recommended that downtown residents and businesses evacuate parts of downtown on either side of the Des Moines River by 6 p.m. Friday. Included are all areas in Des Moines' 500 year floodplain. The alert was prompted by rising river levels expected to peak at 8 p.m. Friday. Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie said they are asking for the evacuations "to err on the side of citizens and residents." The evacuation should begin immediately, Cownie said, and...

With snow and sleet pounding her hotel window, campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle dialed in to an early-morning strategy debate a few weeks ago among the top advisers of Hillary Clinton, who were bickering over stumbles that had caused Sen. Clinton to lose her edge in Iowa opinion polls. Strategist and pollster Mark Penn insisted the campaign shouldn't abandon its "strength and experience" message. Others on the call, including advertising adviser Mandy Grunwald, wanted to shift the focus of commercials and campaign stops to feature the warm and positive side of Sen. Clinton -- a concept Mr. Penn once dismissed...

DES MOINES, Iowa: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was endorsed Sunday by the mayor of Iowa's largest city and predicted more criticism ahead from presidential rivals as his political fortunes keep brightening. Meeting with reporters, Obama trotted out Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, who last month won a second term. He has focused on global warming and other environmental issues. "Senator Obama has made a promise and is willing an open-minded enough to listen to the mayor of the capital city of Iowa," Cownie said. "Together we can make change in Iowa." Iowa is significant because it is the first...

Yesterday’s Republican debate in Iowa is likely to prove more significant than the Iowa caucuses that follow in January. For starters, it demonstrated both the wisdom and the folly in having so many candidates on stage. Iowa frontrunners Romney (26%) and Giuliani (14%) got the chance to showcase their ideas, poise and style. Some second-tier candidates such as Huckabee (8%) and Hunter (1%) showed why they are still in the race while others, such as Constitution gadfly Ron Paul (2%), proved redundantly why they should not be. And in moments that should be remembered later in the campaign, at least...

Republican Presidential Candidate Debate #4 – Des Moines, Iowa 08/05/07 - Official Discussion Thread ABC News will be conducting a debate to be aired on This Week. The nine announced GOP presidential candidates meet in a campaign debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. George Stephanopoulos is the moderator; Des Moines Register political writer David Yepsen poses additional questions. Debate starts at 8 am CT (9 am ET/ 6 am PT) * check local stations for broadcast time in your area * Candidates participating Sam Brownback Rudy Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan Hunter John McCain Mitt Romney Ron Paul Tom...

It is just after Christmas in 2003 and John Edwards is running hard for president of the United States. He is in Iowa, with the caucuses about three weeks away. Pundits, guided by a massive disinformation campaign, have decided that Howard Dean is going to win Iowa. Edwards remains undiscouraged. A highly effective stump speaker, Edwards always gets a laugh by saying, "Objects in the mirror may be closer than they appear." Edwards is a product of the American middle class. His father worked in a textile mill, and his mother ran an antique refinishing business and then became a...

What is expected to be a major forum drawing 2008 Republican presidential candidates has been slated for October in Sioux City. The forum is scheduled to take place in the Orpheum Theatre downtown, and will rank as the largest politically related event ever held in the Orpheum, development director Kim Steffen said. With expectations of national media attention, the picturesque Orpheum will get major exposure around the nation, Steffen added. In the three decades since the Iowa caucuses took on greater political importance by catapulting Jimmy Carter to a presidential win in 1976, Sioux City has never been the host...

Per FR link/excerpt policy, Des Moines Register is link only: Click here to read article.

Sears corporate officials have apologized to two police officers who were told to leave the retailer's store at a Des Moines mall because their uniforms distracted the store's security guards. Officers Richard Glade and David Coy said they were kicked out of the Sears store in Merle Hay Mall in separate incidents this month. "They told me that while I was in the store, I'd probably interfere with thefts they were monitoring," Coy said. "I said, 'Well, that's great.' She said, 'No, it's not,' and that they paid people to monitor that activity." Kimberly Freely, a Sears spokeswoman at the...

A soothing summer sound may be making its way back onto Des Moines streets. The City Council met tonight to discuss the possibility of allowing ice cream trucks back into neighborhoods. The trucks were banned 40 years ago when a 9-year-old girl was killed when she was hit by a car while crossing the street with her treat. Lawrence William of Kansas City, who owns several ice cream trucks, wants to bring his business to Des Moines. However, some are against bringing ice cream trucks back. South side Dairy Queen owner, Steve Sarcone, says the trucks present too many dangers....

WASHINGTON -- Immigration officials have now picked up all but two of the 11 Egyptian exchange students who came to the U.S. for a summer course in Montana but never showed up for classes. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tracked three of the students to Des Moines. They were arrested at about 8 p.m. Friday, and are being held in the Polk County Jail. They will be here until a federal immigration judge decides if they will face charges or be deported. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents won't say what led them to find these students in Des Moines...

Immigration officials have now picked up all but two of the eleven Egyptian exchange students who came to the U-S for a summer course in Montana but never showed up for classes. U-S Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tracked three of the students to Des Moines, Iowa, where they were arrested yesterday. Others were picked up earlier in New Jersey, Maryland, Chicago and Minnesota.

Dixie Chicks Cancel Des Moines Concert Des Moines, August 3, 2006 - First they were coming, now they have decided not to visit the Hawkeye state. Today the country music trio, Dixie Chicks announced they will not be performing at Wells Fargo Arena. The concert was slated for August 24th. No reason was given for the cancellation, but the group released a statement that said "This is a year where we weren't sure what to expect. We were prepared for a lot of things as we figure out this new phase of our career. What we weren't prepared for, however,...

Since you can't post anything from the Des Moines Register, here's a link to the article. Unbelievable!!! http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060303/NEWS01/603030387&SearchID=73237551850783

DES MOINES, Iowa -- An investigation concluded that a Des Moines woman faked her own death to avoid paying traffic tickets. Polk County investigators said Kimberly Du, 36, faked her own obituary and forged a letter telling a Polk County judge she was dead. Du is spending time in the Polk County Jail in connection with a forgery charge. Court documents show that Du tried to avoid paying several tickets by sending a letter to the courthouse. The letter is allegedly signed by Du's mother and said Du died on Dec. 5, according to court documents. Investigators said the information...

Two sides of eminent domain. BB&T Gets IT!. Rox Laird editorialist for the Des Moines Register Doesn't.

My company has a good 70% chance to move my job to Des Moines. Is this a Red State or a Blue state? If its a Rat stronghold how Bad is it? I've been a westerner all my life, and Ive never been back east with the dramatic liberal laws... And I never saw snow until I was 26 years old. I only drove on ice once. I'm in Phoenix. So I have to live with McCain's antics. I dont recall who the Iowa senators are. I need to Google this, but I'm afraid of what I might find.

Gov. George E. Pataki of New York is headed to Iowa this weekend for what associates described on Thursday as an exploration of whether he should run for president in 2008, reflecting what they called an increased likelihood that he would forgo a bid for a fourth term next year and turn to the national stage. Gov. George E. Pataki could grab the votes of G.O.P. moderates. Mr. Pataki's associates said he viewed the trip - as part of a visit by him to a National Governors' Association meeting, taking place in a state that begins the presidential selection process...

It is an inspiration to anyone who feels the surge of pride when the American Flag is raised, or the National Anthem plays for one of our Olympians on the medal stand. Every year, for the last five years, a talented artist, Ray (Bubba) Sorensen II, has done a Memorial Day tribute to our servicemen and servicewomen, both past and present, with a stirring tableau painted on a large granite boulder which stands next to Highway 25. The huge granite boulder came out the nearby Schillberg Rock Quarry and it weighs 56 ton (50.8Mg) and is 12 ft (3.7m) high....

Freedom is not Free The USS Des Moines (CA-134) is the last of the Navy's World War II class heavy gun cruisers. She is presently in mothballs at the Naval shipyard in Philadelphia and is tugging at her hawsers to get underway just one more time for a final voyage to Milwaukee County's Veterans Park where she will be permanently displayed as a historic naval ship. Philadelphia has been her home since 1961. In the very near future, the ship will either find a new home in Milwaukee or the Navy will tow her out to sea to sink her...

Heinz Kerry Recalls Death of First Husband By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press Writer DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Teresa Heinz Kerry, who inherited a vast family fortune and heads a billion-dollar foundation, said Tuesday she would give up the money to have her first husband back. "It was a very sad day when that happened," Heinz Kerry said, speaking of Sen. John Heinz, heir to the Heinz food fortune, who was killed in a 1991 plane crash. "I'd rather have my husband alive than that money." Heinz Kerry, a philanthropist now married to Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the...

April 25, 2004, Des Moines - Thousands of people came to Vet's Auditorium to support Senator John Kerry. It was his first visit to Iowa since he won the Iowa Caucus 3 months ago. It was a reunion of sorts for John Kerry. A chance to see his loyal caucus supporters...and a few new supporters. It seems Senator Tom Harkin has put that Howard Dean endorsement behind him because he stood side by side with Tom and Christie Vilsack to support Kerry. Harkin said, "It's time to start making it happen here in Iowa and the rest of the country."...

RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT Memo to all of you who have braved this winter's bitter cold, piles of snow, and bad roads to train for the Boston Marathon: All you needed to do to qualify for this year's Boston run was be able to deliver the South Side of Des Moines come presidential-caucus time for our very own Senator John Kerry . The March 17 issue of US News & World Report describes a phone conversation between Kerry and Des Moines state Senator Matt McCoy , who just prior to their conversation had completed the San Diego Marathon. The mag quotes...

Two Murdered Outside Des Moines Restaurant Suspects Shoot At Police During Chase POSTED: 10:13 AM CST January 24, 2004 UPDATED: 1:27 PM CST January 24, 2004 DES MOINES -- Two people are dead and one is injured with a gunshot to the head following a shooting at a northwest side restaurant in Des Moines. Police exchanged gunfire with two suspects who led police on a long chase through the city before eventually being captured. The murder victims were found in front of the Casa Vallarta restaurant at 2327 Euclid, which is located in a shopping strip just west of the...

( Des Moines)-- A Democratic rally at the Drake University Olmstead Center urged young Iowans to get out and vote. The rally -- in support of Howard Dean-- was targeted toward high school and college students, a group known for not turning out to vote. The rally featured comedian Janene Garafalo and classic rock star Joan Jett, but was interrupted by a surprise visit from some unwanted guests. A group of college Republicans at their Midwest caucus leadership conference -- being held in the same building -- heard about the Democratic event, and crashed the rally. "There are seven of...

Political Rallies End in Brawl Two political rallies turned into a brawl Saturday night in Des Moines. A Democratic rally at Drake's Olmstead Center, urged young Iowans to get out and vote. It was targeted toward high school and college students. A group known for not voting. The rally featured comedian Janene Garafalo and classic rock star Joan Jett, but it got a surprise visit from some unwanted guests. A group of college republicans at their Midwest caucus leadership conference heard about the rally and stormed in. "There are seven of us who worked really hard at putting this conference...

As parents of family in harm's way in the middle east, I wish on their behalf to thank all of the persons who attended the rally and gave their support to our troops. Although it is a bad day today in Iraq for our people, WE WILL SURVIVE AND MAKE KNOWN THE POWER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES AND THE COALITION OF THE WILLING. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!

Des Moines Rally for America - 3-22-03

Rally for America 'Support Our Troops' This Saturday, March 22nd Des Moines, Iowa 2:20 pm Iowa State Capitol West Steps Bring yourself, your family, your friends, as well as flags and signs! Plenty of free parking just west of the Rally and the Capitol down the hill. Contact: EternalVigilance IowaRally@aol.com Sponsored by: Iowa Free Republic Network American Life and Liberty Coalition Iowa Life and Liberty Coalition American Conservative Coalition More sponsors yet to be announced...

Tuesday's elections hurt some prospects for the presidential caucuses, leaders say. By THOMAS BEAUMONTRegister Staff Writer11/10/2002 Influential Iowa Democrats say the presidential hopes of vanquished U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and outgoing House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt suffered significant damage Tuesday in their party's poor showing in the midterm elections.Daschle's failure to hold on to a thin Senate majority and Gephardt's loss of seats in the House mark the nation's rejection of their leadership and the need for new leadership, they say."I think that both Tom Daschle and especially Dick Gephardt are tremendously hurt by the election results," said...