LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Hundreds of wreaths are marking the graves of Nebraska and Iowa veterans as part of a nationwide memorial effort. More than 500 wreath-laying ceremonies were held Saturday – Wreaths Across America Day – to honor both living and dead veterans. Seventeen ceremonies were held at Nebraska cemeteries or veterans’ memorials. In Lincoln, more than 100 volunteers helped lay 645 wreaths at Wyuka Cemetery. Some 170 others were laid at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell.

A ceremony at the Iowa Veterans Ceremony near Van Meter was among six held in that state. Seven ceremonial wreaths were laid on memorials for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and POW/MIA. In Johnson County, some 75 volunteers laid 1,155 wreaths on veterans’ graves.

MOORHEAD, Iowa (AP) — An Illinois man has suffered injuries to his lips and teeth in a hunting accident in Monona County. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says 30-year-old Seth Johnson, of Plainfield, Ill., was hunting Sunday afternoon near Moorhead with a group of about 10 others when he was hit by a slug fired by another in his party. The slug travelled 167 yards and passed between his lips, injuring them and some of his teeth.

Conservation Officer Gary Sisco says the hunters were firing at a running deer when the accident happened. He says Johnson was lucky because the slug could have easily hit him in the face or neck. Johnson is being treated at an Onawa hospital for injuries not believed to be life threatening.

w/ Chris Parks

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COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A documentary about Iowa veterans of World War II and the recent visits of many to Washington to visit the National World War II Memorial is on sale to raise money to pay for more such trips. The 43-minute documentary, called “None Less Than Heroes – The Honor Flight Story,” was commissioned by the Central and Western Iowa Honor Flight Fund and sponsored by several Iowa-based businesses and individuals. The cost is $9.95, and all money raised will pay for veterans to travel to Washington. The film includes interviews with Iowa veterans, video of their trips to the memorial and Arlington National Cemetery and war footage from the National Archive.

A DVD of the documentary is available at Casey’s General Stores, Hy-Vee markets and online at http://www.honorflightfilm.org .

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested 29-year-old Bill Joe Gillespie of Red Oak at approximately 4:50pm Friday (12/9) night in Red Oak.  He was arrested on a warrant for criminal mischief in the 4th degree and was also charged with harassment.  Gillispie was being held on $2,000 cash bond.

Texas Governor and Presidential candidate Rick Perry will be winding his way across Iowa during a bus tour in the coming weeks. According to Perry’s campaign, the presidential hopeful will begin his tour Wednesday, Dec. 14th, with stops in Council Bluffs, Harlan, and Denison. Perry will be back in Council Bluffs December 27th, the same day he has stops planned in Clarinda, and Creston. Additional details on the times and places for his stops will be announced next week. Perry was in Atlantic September 16th, when he spoke with a group of employees at the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Atlantic is not included on his latest bus tour through Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is considering buying some property that was flooded by the Missouri River over the summer. The City Council on Monday will vote on the initial process of getting federal funds to buy the properties in two areas near the river. Building inspector Steve Carmichael says there are over 45 homes and other structures that are damaged beyond repair and they need to be demolished. He says they’re in a floodway, not protected by a levee. The city is working on a grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for buyouts. Local governments must provide 15 percent of the amount requested.

A teenager from Overland Park, Kansas was injured this (Friday) morning, when the van he was a passenger in rolled over off of Interstate 29 in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol says 16-year old Troy Burgett was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Jenny Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, following the crash which occurred at around 8:45-a.m.   Trooper says he was wearing a seatbelt.

Officials say a 2009 Ford van driven by 27-year old Kefentse Mandisa, also of Overland Park, was traveling north on I-29 about 6-miles south of Glenwood, when the van went out of control on the icy roadway. The vehicle slid into the median, rolled over, and came to rest on the driver’s side. Mandisa was not injured in the crash.

Students at the Lewis Elementary School were evacuated for a short time this (Friday) afternoon, after a smell of gas was noticed in the boiler room. Superintendent Dana Kunze says the incident occurred at around 12:15-p.m.   Students and staff followed the procedure for a gas leak evacuation, meaning they were taken to a safe location to await an investigation into the source of the smell.

An employee of Black Hills Energy arrived within minutes and a natural gas leak was confirmed. Kunze said there was a leak on the line leading to the hot water heater. After the line was shut off,  and when administrators were given the okay, students and staff returned to the building. Appropriate repairs are being made so the problem does not happen again.

Two farmers from Page County received the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) 2011 Young Farmer Achievement Award, Thursday. The award was presented during the organization’s annual meeting in Des Moines, to Justin and Jennifer Dammann. The Dammanns raise cattle, corn, soybeans, alfalfa and rye on their Century Farm near Essex.

In addition, they offer a number of diversified services including a seed business and custom farming, spraying and harvesting and grain hauling. Justin and his father also run a hay business. Justin and Jennifer have both served the Farm Bureau in various capacities at the local and state levels.

For their award, Justin and Jennifer received a plaque, the use of a John Deere tractor for one year/300 hours or a XT Gator and a 90-day NPNI farm Plan Certificate. They will also receive expense-paid trips to the 2012 American Farm Bureau annual convention in Honolulu (to represent Iowa in the National Young Farmer Achievement competition), the GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago in August and the IFBF Young Farmer conference in February.

The IFBF’s annual contest honors young farmers who show outstanding management ability in their farming operations and involvement in Farm Bureau and community activities. Second place in the contest went to Tom and Jessica Forbes of Monona County.  The Third place recipients were Mark and Stacy Boender of Mahaska County.