The artist who paints the giant “Freedom Rock” in Adair County every year is slowly making progress on painting smaller, but similar rocks in all 99 of Iowa’s counties. Ray “Bubba” Sorenson started the statewide project in 2012. “I’ve booked 65 of the 99 counties and I just completed the 16th,” Sorenson says. The original 60-ton Freedom Rock, located near Greenfield, was first painted in 1999. It often features American stars and stripes, eagles, and other patriotic murals that are designed to pay tribute to veterans.

Sorenson says the boulders he’s painting in other counties are about a quarter to half the size of the original. Committees are formed in each county to help Sorenson decide what he’ll paint on their rock. “I have them send me ideas and I have my own ideas,” Sorenson says. “I kind of combine that and come up with sketches of something that’s unique about that county.”

The Manning Freedom Rock (Photo by Sorenson)

For example, Sorenson recently completed painting a rock that’s located in Manning in Carroll County and it includes a mural of a train trestle that still operates in Manning. Sorenson says he can paint 10 to 12 of the smaller boulders between the months of April and October, so he’ll be working on the 99 county project for the next 8 to 10 years.

“The big goal is thanking our veterans and to keep it patriotic. So, there are a lot of reoccurring themes like flags and eagles, but like I tell everybody, you can paint those in a million different ways. Each rock is unique to each county. When it’s done, there will be this unique 99-county, statewide-linked veterans memorial.” Sorenson charges each county $5,000, plus paint and travel expenses for the work. Painting each rock takes around two weeks. He says the project is currently booked through 2020.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Flooding concerns have eased in much of eastern Iowa as the Mississippi River crests at Davenport. The National Weather Service says the river crested yesterday at 20.89 feet, well above the 15-foot flood stage. That level is expected to drop starting today to below 18 feet by Thursday.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — A bicyclist has been struck and killed by a car in north-central Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol says 55-year-old Brian Lauterbach of Charles City died after being hit by a car Thursday night on Highway 14. Authorities say a 16-year-old boy from Rockford was driving the vehicle that hit Lauterbach’s bicycle.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Council Bluffs are investigating the stabbing death of a man on the city’s west side. Police say officers found a man with cuts to his neck after responding to a report of a possible stabbing or shooting around midnight yesterday. A woman has been arrested in the case.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Black Hawk County authorities say a burglary suspect has been injured in a leap from a building at the county landfill. The sheriff’s department says deputies responded to a burglar alarm at the landfill’s maintenance building Thursday morning. Officials say that as deputies closed in, the man inside an upstairs room leaped through a window and landed on a concrete floor. The man was taken to a hospital.

Authorities in Montgomery County report a teenager was arrested Friday afternoon after Red Oak Police responded to an alarm call. Officers went to 1908 Sunnyslope Drive just before 4-p.m and arrested 16-year old Dakota Lynn Girouex, of Red Oak. She was charged with Burglary in the 3rd degree, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Girouex was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs and held pending an appearance before a magistrate.

A Council Bluffs convenience store that was the subject of a robbery June 22nd, was hit again Friday morning, possibly by the same suspect. Authorities say at around 10:25-a.m., a white male in his 20’s entered the Kum and Go store at 154 Bennett Avenue in Council Bluffs and ordered a customer to the floor. He also demanded the clerk open up the cash drawer, then reached over and grabbed an undetermined amount of cash before fleeing the area.

During the incident, the suspect, who was described at being 5-feet 8-inches tall, wore a black-colored hooded sweatshirt with the word “Tap Out” on it, a black beanie on his head, blue jeans, UnderArmor gloves and a garment covering his mouth and nose. He kept his right hand in his pocket, and never displayed a weapon.

The suspect got away black, two-door Oldsmobile 88, said to have been driven by an Hispanic male who had long dark hair in a ponytail, wore a black sleeveless shirt and had a tattoo on his left shoulder. The vehicle had taped-over Nebraska license plates and gray primer color on the driver’s door.

The incident remains under investigation.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say no injuries were reported following a rollover accident late Friday morning, about 5-miles northeast of Red Oak. Authorities say 57-year old Douglas Mark Jones, of Red Oak, was driving a 2007 Chevy crew cab pickup eastbound on 160th Street, about one-half mile east of L Avenue, when a deer ran onto the road.

When Jones swerved to miss the animal, the pickup went out of control and entered the south ditch before rolling onto the driver’s side. The accident happened at around 11:30-a.m. The pickup, registered to Clyde and Naomi Jones, of Red Oak, sustained $15,000 damage. There were no citations issued.

Police in Council Bluffs report a Council Bluffs man is dead after he was stabbed in the neck today (Friday) Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson says officers were dispatched to the 3500 block of 5th Avenue at around noon. When they arrived, 52-year old Douglas Eugene Richt was found laying on the front porch of 3501 5th Avenue. Council Bluffs Medical personnel arrived on the scene and treated Richt, who was then transported to a hospital, where he died from his injury. 45-year old Jodie Marie Sherman, of Council Bluffs, was charged with Murder in the 1st degree, Willful Injury and Violating a Restraining Order.

Dawson said investigators have learned Richt came to the residence to pick up Sherman, who left the residence and got into the 1999 Saturn driven by Richt. A verbal argument ensued and a witness or witnesses observed Richt leave the vehicle and attempt to crawl onto the porch at 3501 5th Avenue.

Sherman also left the vehicle but was quickly apprehended by a uniformed officer in the area. Sherman was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail. An investigation into the incident continues.