The Freedom Rock, located just south of Interstate 80 on Highway 25 in Adair County, is being painted once again this year, by Greenfield artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen. It’s the 20th Anniversary of the Freedom Rock, which is repainted each year in honor of Memorial Day. Images on the 12-foot tall, nearly 60-ton boulder, pay tribute to our  men and women in the military.

Freedom Rock. Photo courtesy Maria & Ray Sorensen.

Sorensen started painting the original Freedom Rock® the first week of May and plans to be finished by Memorial Day 2018. In a press release, Sorensen says  “This year’s edition is simple yet powerful.” Almost the entire surface will be covered with random faces of those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq/Afghanistan.

Complimenting the faces will be a quote over a flag that reads: “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” – George S. Patton. The helicopter remains as the paint that it is comprised of has been mixed with the ashes of our Vietnam Veterans since 2006.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock® in Menlo, Iowa but works as an independent mural artist on the Iowa Freedom Rock® Tour. Sorensen is only able to complete about ten rocks per year, due to scheduling and weather and is currently booked into the 2021 year. Bubba said “I always say I have three goals with ‘The Freedom Rock®Tour’ and that is to honor America’s Veterans, promote Iowa tourism and provide for my family.”

The Freedom Rock® Tour is helped by the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation of Iowa Falls, Iowa, who provide the truck and Aluma Trailers of Bancroft, Iowa, who provide the trailer. For a list of complete counties booked for the Tour and locations of already existing Freedom Rocks®, please visit www.thefreedomrock.com.

Although it is Sorensen’s 20th annual year of painting the original Freedom Rock®, this is Sorensen’s sixth year on the Freedom Rock® Tour across Iowa. This also marked the second year since Sorensen began the 50 State Freedom Rock® Tour with rocks already painted in Missouri and Wisconsin. Freedom Rocks® have been booked for the states of Minnesota and Washington.

Sorensen plans to be at The Freedom Rock® over Memorial Day weekend, including Memorial Day to meet with visitors. Calendars as well as other merchandise are also available to help offset costs for the project.

Sheriff’s deputies in Mills County arrested a woman from Villisca on drug charges, late Sunday night, during a traffic stop. The Mills County K9 Unit stopped a vehicle for an equipment violation in Glenwood at around 11:30-p.m., and upon further investigation, arrested 60-year old Marlenedewylia Dukes, of Villisca, on four counts of possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of unlawful possession of  prescription drugs. Dukes was transported to the Mills County Jail without incident. Her bond was set at $6,000.

And, Friday night, 52-year old John Ira Bellville and 52-year old Julie Anne Adsit, both of Villisca, were arrested on drug charges, following a traffic stop on Highway 34 in Mills County. Both were taken into custody at around 11:25-p.m. and 11:57-p.m., respectively, and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bellville’s bond was set at $5,000, while Adsit’s bond was set at $1,300.

Two men from Nebraska were arrested in Council Bluffs early this (Monday) afternoon, in connection with a stolen vehicle. Authorities say 39-year old Mickey Scott of Bellevue, NE., the driver of the vehicle, faces charges that include Possession of a stolen vehicle, felony assault on a police officer, and felony forgery, for having several fake ID’s in the vehicle, which admitted to printing. Scott was also wanted on a felony warrant out of Nebraska. His passenger, 31-year old Anthony Orsi, of Omaha, was arrested on a felony warrant out of Nebraska

According to Council Bluffs Police, at around 12:30-p.m., officers noticed a Mercedes that they believed was stolen from previous notifications near the area of 8th street and 2nd Ave. The vehicle pulled into the parking lot of HyVee drug store from S. 8th street. It circled the parking lot and started heading south toward the exit.

Other officers responding to the area arrived about the same time and pulled in front of the vehicle. The original officer approached from the rear boxing the vehicle in. The Mickey Scott, the driver, looked back at that officer, accelerated in reverse and struck the push bumper of the police cruiser, causing minor damage to the Mercedes, and no observed damage to the cruiser. Scott refused to open the door when instructed.

Officers broke the driver side window out and removed Scott from the vehicle. He was taken into custody without further incident.

MOORLAND, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says an Iowa state trooper was justified in fatally shooting a man during a gunbattle. The Webster County attorney’s office said in a news release Friday that Trooper Justin Parman “reasonably believed that the use of deadly force was necessary to defend himself or another.” Parman shot 26-year-old Joshua Ewing on April 29 in rural Moorland, southwest of Fort Dodge. Authorities say Parman found Ewing and a woman on a rural road, arguing near a vehicle. The department says Ewing pointed a handgun at Parman, and the two exchanged gunshots. Authorities say Ewing had fired several shots into his own vehicle before the trooper arrived.

BEMIDJI, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say a father from Iowa and his 4-year-old son drowned in a kayaking accident on a northern Minnesota lake. Hubbard County sheriff’s officials say deputies were dispatched to Hart Lake near Bemidji about 1:30 p.m. Saturday on a report of an overturned kayak and two people that failed to surface. First responders found the boy in the water and administered CPR. He was flown to the University of Minnesota hospital. Sheriff Cory Aukes says the child was removed from life support Sunday night.

Searchers found the body of the boy’s father, 42-year-old Jesse Anderson, of Northwood, Iowa, in the water on Sunday morning. Aukes says neither Anderson nor his son were wearing life jackets.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials have approved using a conservative law firm to defend the state in a lawsuit challenging a law that bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. The Executive Council of Iowa voted unanimously Monday to allow the Thomas More Society to represent the state in the lawsuit filed last week in state district court. The Chicago firm agreed to do the work at no cost to the state after Attorney General Tom Miller disqualified his office from defending the law.

The lawsuit, filed by Iowa affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, says the law violates the Iowa Constitution. It bans most abortions at around six weeks of pregnancy, making it the nation’s strictest abortion law. It’s set to take effect July 1. The five-member council includes Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is named in the lawsuit. She was traveling and didn’t vote on the issue.

Iowa State Fair officials have revealed the Grandstand acts for both Saturdays of this year’s fair in Des Moines. The Grandstand headliner on August 11 features a former American Idol contestant – Chris Daughtry. His band is called Daughtry. The other Saturday Grandstand act was an original member of the band Chicago. Peter Cetera will perform on August 18th with special guest Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Bo Bice.

The previously announced Grandstand Acts include: Casting Crowns (August 9), Reba (August 10), Old Dominion (August 12), Jim Gaffigan (August 14), Thomas Rhett (August 15), Earth, Wind & Fire (August 16), Sugarland (August 17) and Florida Georgia Line (August 19). One more act has yet to be announced.

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A woman has been convicted of child endangerment resulting in the death of her 17-month-old daughter in southeast Iowa. Court records say a jury found 29-year-old Ambrashia Chrzan guilty Friday. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 27. Chrzan and the father of little Avery McCoy, 37-year-old Anthony McCoy, were charged after the girl’s Nov. 9, 2016, death in rural Riverside. She weighed just 11 pounds. An autopsy found that malnutrition and neglect significantly contributed to her death.

McCoy’s pleaded not guilty and is set to begin trial June 5 in Washington County District Court.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Plans going before the Des Moines City Council include turning an empty downtown lot into expanded corporate offices and demolishing a nearby building to make room for a residential tower. The Des Moines Register reports that City Council will consider a preliminary development agreement Monday with EMC Insurance Companies. The agreement would give tax increment financing to EMC in exchange for a $24 million minimum investment. EMC and Blackbird Investments announced in January that they planned to swap land.

EMC would expand its headquarters at the former Younkers site, which Blackbird purchased in 2016. Blackbird in turn would demolish an aging mall and indoor food court owned by EMC to build the proposed $88 million skyscraper. Neither company has filed property deed transfers yet with the Polk County Recorder’s Office.