State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds will help present two U.S. flags to the families of fallen firefighters from 2012. The ceremony at the Firefighter Memorial located north of Interstate 80 (exit 242) in Coralville, will take place 10:30-a.m. Sunday, June 9th. It will honor the following two firefighters:

Gilmore City Fire Chief Larry Nielsen, who died while on duty October 9th, 2012. The 66-year old Nielsen was responding to a barn fire when he suffered a heart attack. He was a 41 year member of the Gilmore City Fire Department.

Logan Firefighter Daniel D. Penrod, died on October 9th, 1905, responding to a house fire.  A chimney collapsed during the fire, killing the 36-year old Penrod immediately.  Penrod was buried the following day in the Logan Cemetery.  (No relatives could be located for Mr. Penrod, so his flag will be presented to the Logan Fire Department).

The State Fire Marshal’s Office officially recognizes every firefighter who dies in the line of duty over the previous year by presenting a flag that was flown over our state capitol in their honor.  The flag is carefully protected until the day of the memorial, when it is presented to the surviving family.

WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley will hold constituent meetings in 11 Iowa communities during the first week of July when the Senate is scheduled to break for Independence Day. Grassley will hold town meetings in Bedford, Corning, Red Oak, Clarinda, Sidney, Glenwood, Logan, Harlan, and Audubon. He will speak at the Rotary Club meeting in Atlantic. Grassley also will tour and hold a Q&A session with employees at Griffin Pipe Products Co., Inc. in Council Bluffs.

Grassley has held at least one meeting with Iowans in every one of the state’s 99 counties since 1980, when he was first elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. With the upcoming meetings with constituents in Southwest Iowa, Grassley will have been to 84 Iowa counties so far this year. The nine town meetings on Grassley’s July 1-2 schedule are open to the public.

His schedule is as follows:

Monday, July 1

8-9 a.m. Taylor County Town Meeting: Taylor County Farm Bureau, Board Room 607 Pollock Boulevard in Bedford

9:45-10:45 a.m. Adams County Town Meeting: Corning Nursing and Rehab 1614 Northgate Drive in Corning

12 noon-1:00 p.m. Montgomery County Town Meeting: Montgomery County Family YMCA 101 East Cherry Street in Red Oak

2-3 p.m. Page County Town Meeting: Clarinda Regional Health Center, EMS Garage 220 Essie Davison Drive in Clarinda

4:15-5:15 p.m. Fremont County Town Meeting: The Gathering Place Intersection of Cass Street & Ohio Street in Sidney

6-7 p.m. Mills County Town Meeting: Glenwood Senior Center 20 North Vine in Glenwood

Tuesday, July 2

8-9 a.m. Harrison County Town Meeting: Logan Community Center 108 West 4th Street in Logan

9:45-10:45 a.m. Tour Facility and Q&A with Employees at Griffin Pipe Products Co., Inc. 2601 Ninth Avenue in Council Bluffs

12 noon-1 p.m. Speak with the Rotary Club of Atlantic: Heritage House 1200 Brookridge Circle in Atlantic

2:15-3:15 p.m. Shelby County Town Meeting: Harlan Community Library 718 Court Street in Harlan

4-5 p.m. Audubon County Town Meeting: Audubon County Economic Development Corporation 800 Market Street in Audubon

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests late this week. 18-year old Jeffri Madison West, of Council Bluffs, was arrested early this (Friday) morning on a charge of trespassing. His bond was set at $300. On Thursday, 47-year old Brian David Konfirst was arrested for Driving While Revoked and for having no high-risk (SR-22) insurance. His bond was set at $2,000. And, on Wednesday, 35-year old Matthew Samuel Demorest, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on a charge of Theft in the 2nd degree. Bond was set at  $5,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says educators do not need to have a current teacher relationship with a student victim to be convicted of sexual exploitation by a school employee. The court in its Friday decision is ruling on an appeal filed by 37-year old Brent Romer, a former teacher in Cumberland and Massena. He was convicted in 2010 of sexual exploitation of minors and sexual exploitation by a school employee and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Court documents say he had sex with a 16-year old girl and photographed other minors partially nude. Romer says he could not be convicted of exploitation by a school employee because he was not their teacher. The court says since Romer was a teacher and the victims were students it’s enough to prosecute.

The Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic typically has many family fun events taking place during the summer. This year is no exception. Tamara Gibson, Kids Fun Fitness Coordinator at the Y, says one event that will be held June 14^th, makes sure kids stay cool and have a great time. “Water Fun in the Sun” takes place from 2-to 4-pm outside, on the north side of the Atlantic Middle School.

Gibson says the Atlantic Firefighters bring one of their trucks and make a giant “Slip-n-slide.” Last year, the firefighters built a giant sprinkler. This year there will be water fights and bounce houses, as well. Something new this year she says, is that the activities will be open to kids as young as those in the 2^nd grade, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. 

Last year, 99 kids participated in the event. Gibson says the number of kids currently signed-up is “pretty low,” but they typically get last minute registrations. Parents are asked to register early, if possible, because there is a waiver of liability involved. The waiver is specifically with regard to the Slip-n-Slide. 

Gibson says a snack will be served in the YMCA from 2:30-to 3:30-p.m., if the kids want to take a break from the wet-n-wild fun. Another activity third-graders and up can enjoy, is the National Guard rock climbing wall, which will be set-up June 19^th, from 2-until 4-pm just outside of the YMCA, at 1100 Maple Street. Gibson says the 30-foot rock wall was also in town last year, but there are some changes this year that will allow older students to participate.

She says high school and college-age students are welcome to partake in the activity. In addition, there will be a “Gladiator Obstacle Course,” “Boot Camp,” Flight Simulator and bounce house for the younger kids. Parents don’t have to worry about their kids falling from the rock wall, because as with real, military training, there are safety restraints to control their ascent and descent. Participants wear a weighted harness that slows them down when they come down. 

No special skills are needed to climb the wall, but all participants age18 and under, will be required to have a release signed by a parent or adult guardian prior to climbing and repelling. The event will be cancelled if there it is raining, or winds over 30-miles per hour, for safety reasons. Registrations are necessary by no later than June 18^th. For more information, call the Nishna Valley Family YMCA at 712-243-3934.