Wishes to Walt Disney World® Resort may be the most typical wish for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but there was nothing commonplace about a six-year old Underwood girl’s wish. Elizabeth (her last name was not released) wanted to go to the Disney Theme Park to meet Belle, Cinderella, Tinkerbell and Rapunzel, and when her wish was fulfilled, Elizabeth became the 2,500th child to receive a wish in the state of Iowa.

Elizabeth from Underwood gets her wish to visit Disney World, in FL

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa grants the wishes of children living with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. A wish come true helps children feel stronger and more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical conditions. For many wish children and their families, it marks a turning point in their fight against their illnesses.

The Iowa Chapter grants approximately one wish every other day and 82 cents of every dollar donated goes directly toward wishes. Examples of some of our wishes include to have a room redo, to meet a sports or movie celebrity, to be a dolphin trainer, and to go places like the Super Bowl or, like Elizabeth, to Walt Disney World® Resort.

In 2012, the Iowa Chapter is celebrating its 25th Anniversary and 2,500 wishes granted to Iowa’s children living with life-threatening medical conditions.

(Press Release from the Make-A-Wish Foundation)

A traffic stop on Interstate in Cass County Monday afternoon resulted in the arrest of a Washington State man on a drug charge, and the seizure of cash. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Wayne Brosam told KJAN news the arrest occurred after he pulled a 1999 Honda over for speeding, at around 4:40-p.m. near the Marne Exit (51-mile marker) on westbound I-80. Brosam says after the driver denied him permission to search his vehicle, Cass County Deputy Brian Quist and his K-9 partner “Kane” were called to conduct a free-air search around the car. The dog indicated on the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. During a “Probable Cause” search, Brosam and Quist located a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, along with $4,000 in cash, tucked away in suitcase, located in the trunk of the car. 

The cash was seized, and the driver, 42-year old Lloyd V. Dual, of Eatonville, Washington, was taken into custody on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance for Personal Use. Dual was booked into the Cass County Jail and released this (Tuesday) morning on $1,000 bond. Trooper Brosam said he became suspicious of Dual’s intentions when his travel plans didn’t make sense. The man told the Trooper he was traveling from Indiana to Washington State. While in the Trooper’s vehicle, Brosam said he could smell marijuana on the man’s clothes.

The latest data indicates two incumbent congressmen in Iowa will be battling for reelection in a district that has a slight Republican voter registration edge. After the 2010 Census Iowa lost one of its five congressional districts and Republican Congressman Tom Latham of Clive and Democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell of Des Moines are running against one another in the new third district. That district now leans Republican. The district covers 16 counties in southwest Iowa and includes the city of Des Moines. 

The latest statistics indicate nearly 35 percent of voters in the district are registered Republicans, while about 33-and-a-half percent are registered Democrats. The rest are independents. The other two Democratic congressmen from Iowa — Bruce Braley of Waterloo and Dave Loebsack of Iowa City — are running in districts which have a Democratic voter registration edge. 

Republican Congressman Steve King has been representing a district that has a significant G-O-P edge. The new fourth congressional district has a 47-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats. Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack is challenging King’s bid for a sixth term. Go to www.radioiowa.com to see the latest information on voter registration in each of the four congressional districts.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)