If you want to read a good story about a courageous young man from Waterloo, Iowa and his equally courageous and loving sister read the news story, Sister helps her disabled veteran brother, December 25, 2010 by Mike Kilen. (mkilen@dmreg.com) Named at birth Emerald Ralston, this young woman is a gem. She serves us and then comes home and assists with her brother's care; her brother is a quadriplegic from injuries received when an IED exploded. I’d like to write more but I’ll never do it justice, so visit the Kilen article, its well worth your time.

• An IED is an improvised explosive device.
• A quadriplegic is a person with no motor skills or nerve function from the neck down.

In another story a 24-year-old marine on his way home to visit over the holidays was killed in an auto accident. The young man is Blake G. Hinds from Burlington, Iowa. See Iowa Marine dies en route home for holidays and Crash Kills Burlington Marine on Leave.