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08/17/2009
IOWA NEWS
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Court officials say a program that allows Iowa's retired judges to continue hearing cases is even more valuable as the judicial system struggles during tough budget times. .
For more than two decades, older judges looking for a lighter schedule but who don't want to abandon the bench have taken part in the senior judges program. They promise to work a minimum of 13 weeks each year.
Court administrator David Boyd says the advantage for the senior judge is an increase in their monthly retirement benefit, a stipend of about $8,200 and health benefits.
He says the advantage for the state is assistance in dealing with the court's massive caseload, and it allows for a delay in hiring full-time judges for vacancies.
They are currently 34 senior judges. STABBING DEATH
Stabbing death after fight over loud music
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) A 40-year-old man has appeared in court after an apparent fight about loud music turned deadly in Dubuque.
Authorities say Michael Mayton has been arrested on charges of willful injury and going armed with intent after two men ended up getting stabbed Saturday night.
Dubuque Police Lt. Kevin Kline says one of the men died. The other man was hospitalized, but police didn't immediately have information on his condition.
Kline says things got out of control after a disturbance among neighbors involving loud music. He says Mayton lives across the street from the surviving man. He couldn't say where the other man lived.
Police didn't immediately identify either the dead or injured man. JACKSON-FERRIS WHEEL
Jackson's old Ferris wheel at festival
WEST POINT, Iowa (AP) It's a little piece of Michael Jackson in Iowa. Well, it's not so little. And it's not something the late King of Pop owned recently.
But a 65-foot high Ferris wheel at this weekend's West Point Sweet Corn Festival was once owned by the singer.
Archway Amusements of Imperial purchased it at auction last year when Jackson had to sell his Neverland Ranch.
There are no clear markings linking it to Jackson. And most people getting on and off the ride didn't know it had belonged to the singer.
One Archway employee told The Hawk Eye newspaper that the company doesn't publicize the connection.
The sweet corn festival ends Sunday.
Information from: The Hawk Eye, http://www.thehawkeye.com KNOXVILLE NATIONALS
Donny Schatz wins Knoxville Nationals again
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) Donny Schatz has powered his way to a fourth straight victory in the rain-delayed Knoxville Nationals sprint car race.
Schatz passed Joey Saldana for the lead on the 35th lap Sunday night and held on through the final five laps to collect the $150,000 first prize in the richest, most prestigious race on the sprint car circuit.
Now, he's just one short of the record five straight Nationals titles that Steve Kinser won from 1991-95.
Saldana, the runner-up for the third time in four years, led for the first 34 laps in the longest race in the 49 years of the Knoxville Nationals. But he had to slow to work his way around lapped traffic and that gave Schatz a chance to close the gap and eventually pass Saldana.
Pole sitter Stevie Smith finished third, and Tim Kaeding took fourth.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
© 2002 Associated Press.
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