Information sought for 2012 Fairfield InfoGuide; more

Information sought for 2012 Fairfield InfoGuide

Local clubs, churches, schools and other organizations are asked to provide information about their upcoming special events to The Fairfield Ledger for the 2012 Events Calendar section of its ninth annual Fairfield InfoGuide.

Information should include the name of the event, the sponsoring organization, date, time, location, details and a phone number, email address or website address to contact for additional information.

Information can be e-mailed to news@ffledger.com; mailed to PO Box 110, Fairfield 52556; or dropped off at 112 E. Broadway Ave. Information should be marked to the attention of ?Fairfield InfoGuide.? Information should be submitted as soon as possible.

The Fairfield InfoGuide is a comprehensive look at the Fairfield community through informational news and advertising. It includes a vast amount of detailed directory-type information about what is available in the Fairfield area, including parks, recreational opportunities, schools, utilities, service clubs, churches and more, plus a 2012 calendar of events, which add up to a year-long reference guide for Fairfield and Jefferson County.

The InfoGuide is distributed with The Fairfield Ledger, plus extra copies are provided to the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce, Fairfield Iowa Convention and Visitors Bureau, motels, businesses and high-traffic lobbies to be used throughout the year to promote opportunities in Fairfield.

For information, call The Fairfield Ledger newsroom at 472-2116.

Photos, letters ready for pickup

Those who left old Christmas photos at The Ledger are reminded to pick up those photos as soon as possible.

Photos, which were left in the newsroom with self-addressed, stamped envelopes, have been dropped in the mail.

Teachers who would like to have their students? letters to Santa returned should pick them up as soon as possible. If teachers do not pick up the letters, parents are welcome to pick up their children?s letters at the newsroom.

The Christmas photos and letters to Santa were published in The Ledger?s Christmas Greetings section Thursday.

Live Healthy Iowa announces its ?Dream Team?

AMES ? In hopes of gaining an inside perspective into the 100 Day Wellness Challenge, Live Healthy Iowa has created the Dream Team.

The Dream Team is comprised of 10 Iowans chosen through an application process. Live Healthy Iowa will track the Dream Team?s journey, from their highs and lows, to their successes, struggles and pitfalls, and everything in between.

The Dream Team members are: Sarah Steinmeyer of Grundy Center, Shelle Sikkema of Clinton, Natalie Karas of Oakland, Nichole Crane of Nevada, Sandy Booker of Greenfield, Kathy Wheeler of Des Moines, Kris Rife of Lone Tree, Joni De Vos of Cherokee, James Brown of Cedar Rapids and Ed Egan of Johnston.

To find out more about the 100 Day Wellness Challenge, visit www.livehealthyiowa.org.

To follow the Dream Team through their journey, ?like? Live Healthy Iowa?s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/livehealthyiowa and follow them on Twitter at @LiveHealthyIowa.

Branstad opposed to user fee for parks

DES MOINES (AP) ? Gov. Terry Branstad says he?s opposed to enacting a user fee to help spruce up the state?s parks and would rather rely on the Iowa State Parks Foundation to generate donations for park maintenance.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Roger Lande says Iowans have told him they would be willing to pay such a fee to improve state parks.

The Gazette reports that Lande raised the possibility of reinstating a user fee during budget talks with Branstad.

DNR funding has declined since 2008 and with it the number of seasonal workers hired to maintain parks.

Public complaints resulted in more money for maintenance and the number of seasonal workers should nearly double from 80 in 2011 to 150 for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

23 pedestrians killed in Iowa in 2011

CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) ? The number of car accidents involving pedestrians is on the rise in Iowa, prompting officials to urge everyone to be more alert no matter how they?re using the roads.

There have been 23 pedestrian deaths since January in the state, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. There were 19 deaths in 2010.

The data also showed pedestrian injuries increased 10.7 percent from 2009 to 2010, from 478 to 529.

Department spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher told The Gazette of Cedar Rapids that drivers often don?t recognize pedestrians, believing them to be a deer.

Fisher said people should be particularly alert at night and in the early morning when more pedestrian accidents occur because visibility is low.

?For all persons using the road [it?s important] to remain attentive to everything that?s around you. You?ve got to be paying attention to what going on at that scene,? she said.