Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is ordering all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff from 5 p.m. Friday, November 30, to 8 a.m. on Monday, December 3, to honor 33-year old Sgt. Joseph A. Richardson, of Algona, who died while on patrol with the U.S. Army in Paktika province, Afghanistan, on November 16, 2012.

Sgt. Joseph Richardson

Sgt. Richardson’s funeral will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Algona. Maj. Gen. Timothy Orr, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, will be in attendance to represent the Branstad/Reynolds administration.

The governor’s directive applies to all U.S. and state flags under the control of the state. H.R. 692, signed in 2007, requires federal government agencies in the state to comply with the governor’s executive order that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of a member of the Armed Forces.

Flags will be at half-staff on the state Capitol building and on flag displays in the Capitol complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

Two men were arrested recently on separate warrants out of Audubon County. The Sheriff’s Department reports 27-year old Shane Austin Hill, of Harlan, was arrested Wednesday evening on an outstanding Audubon County warrant charging him with Failure to Appear (FTA) on a Contempt of Court charge associated with Possession of Methamphetamine. Hill was brought to the Audubon County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond. Shelby County Sheriff’s officials assisted in conducting the arrest.

And, 35-year old Nathan Allen Hines, of Emmetsburg, was arrested this (Thursday) morning, after he turned himself-in to the Audubon County Jail. Hines was wanted on a warrant charging him with a Revocation of his Probation. Hines was on probation for Possession of Methamphetamine/3rd offense, and Possession of Marijuana/3rd offense, charges. He appeared before the magistrate and remains in jail on $7,500 bond.

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) – An appeals court says a southwest Iowa city improperly removed one of its council members over allegations that he skipped too many meetings. The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled today (Thursday), that City officials in Sidney did not provide proper notice of the charges against William Clark before removing him. The court says the city overstepped its authority.

Clark was elected in 2009 to a four-year term. The council voted 4-1 to remove him in 2010 after he missed several meetings, even after he was warned about lax attendance. The mayor also claimed Clark had committed misconduct at a local bar during a run-in with another council member’s son.

Clark’s attorney says his client will seek reinstatement to the council, but that could be tricky since someone else now holds the position.