Thursday, May 11, 2023
Vol. 158, Issue 19
Decorah, Iowa 52101 www.decorahnewspapers.com
One Section email: news@decorahnewspapers.com
Price One Dollar phone: 563-382-4221
fax: 563-382-5949
Saluting beef producers during
Beef Month 2023 Winneshiek County Beef Queen Kayleigh Smith with her show cattle Stella (at left) and Yolanda.(Driftless Multimedia photo by Roz Weis)
Aaron Whittle enters the courtroom at Winneshiek County Courthouse May 3 to be sentenced for the March 2022 shooting death and destruction of the body of his stepfather, Larry Whittle. Aaron had originally claimed Larry was missing, only to admit several days later that he had shot his stepfather accidentally during a verbal altercation and had burned his body and hidden the body on the family’s cattle farm. After a week-long trial, Aaron was found guilty of second-degree murder in early March, and his appeal for a new trial was denied in late April. A second-degree murder charge in Iowa carries a mandatory 50 year sentence, which is the sentence handed down to Aaron. Additionally, he will have to serve 35 years in prison before being eligible for parole, and will have to pay restitution to the victim’s estate, labor costs for the forensic anthropologist, as well as autopsy fees. Escorting Whittle into the courtroom are Deputy Sheriff Gregg Rude and Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx. (Driftless Multimedia photo by Denise Lana)
Whittle sentenced to 2023 Winneshiek County Beef Queen excited 50 years for murder to share knowledge, experience of stepfather Former Little Miss Cowgirl is crowned Beef Queen
By Roz Weis
Kayleigh Smith, daughter of Chad Smith and Sarah Smith of rural Decorah, is excited for the upcoming year promoting and spreading knowledge about the beef industry in her role as the 2023 Winneshiek County Beef Queen. Communicating with consumers and advocating for the beef industry is her main objective. “I’m most excited to get to reach out to people and teach them about beef, about what is actually true; along with getting to meet new people and helping the Winneshiek County Cattlemen with promotions,” she commented. A junior at Decorah High School,
Smith is not new to the “Beef Royalty” circles in the area. She served as Winneshiek County’s Little Miss Cowgirl back in 2017. “Ever since then I’ve always wanted to be the Beef Queen,” she said. Along with helping her family run a 50-head cow/calf operation and caring for her own cattle, Smith is an active member of the Decorah FFA Chapter. She has competed at the local and state levels in leadership competition for the past two years. She also is an active member of the Hesper Helpers 4-H Club, and she has a member for the past eight years. This year marks Smith’s eighth year showing cattle. “This year, my plan is to show a
market steer and heifer, along with my home-raised breeding heifer,” she said. “So far, with this year’s calves, I have shown at Charles City FFA open show, Badger kickoff in Madison, Wis., and at the Benton County FFA open show in Vinton…I hope to go to a couple more open shows along with the Big 4 Fair in Postville coming up in June.” She said she is currently working on expanding her Simmental beef herd. The new Beef Queen is a busy student and a “hands-on” helper on the farm. Smith feeds her “show cattle” every morning and night, and she feeds the
By Denise Lana
Aaron Whittle, the 44-year-old Decorah resident who was convicted in early March 2023 of second-degree murder in the shooting death and burning the body of his stepfather, received a 50-year prison sentence May 3. Larry Whittle was shot and killed by Aaron in the late night of March 17 or early morning of March 18, 2022. Aaron testified he and Larry were engaged in a face-to-face argument in the middle of the night when Larry threatened Aaron with a shotgun. According to Aaron, the gun accidentally went off as he struggled with his step-
father, and Larry was shot in the face at close range. Aaron then burned Larry’s body and went to extensive means to cover up Larry’s death by saying Larry was missing. Several days passed before Aaron caved and admitted his role in the death and disappearance of Larry. Scant remains of Larry were recovered in a large metal feed trough, hidden under and behind numerous hay bales on the family’s cattle farm. Aaron was found guilty in early March of second-degree murder, and an appeal for a new trial
Visit us online - www.decorahnewspapers.com Whittle sentenced
Beef Queen Visit us online - www.decorahnewspapers continued on page 9
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School Board hears update on 2023 education legislation By Roz Weis Decorah Community School District (DCSD) Superintendent Dr. Tim Cronin gave a rundown of the education bills passed in the 2023 Iowa legislative session during a meeting of the Board of Education Monday night. Among the highlights was the passage of HF68 Education Savings Account (ESA)/School Choice signed into law earlier this year allowing every Iowa family to access up to $7,600 of state money per student to pay private school costs like tuition and fees. The new law will be introduced in phases, with 2023-24 eligibility limited to incoming kindergarteners, all students not enrolled in a private school for the prior two semesters (could be either homeschool, from a public school, or potentially new to the state), and a student enrolled in a private school with a household income at or below
300 percent of the federal poverty line, $83,250 for a family of four. In the second year (2024-25), eligibility is limited to all entering kindergarten students, all students not enrolled in a private school for the prior two semesters and students enrolled in a private school with a household income at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty line, $111,000 for a family of four, and a prior year recipient of an ESA. In the third year (2025-26), there are no restrictions, with all K-12 students in Iowa eligible, regardless of income. Applications for ESA are being accepted starting later this month. Other new state legislation highlighted in Cronin’s report were the following: • Senate File 538 and Senate File 482 preventing people from using school restrooms that do not align with their designated gender at birth. • Senate File 496 requiring schools
to adhere to distribution of “age-appropriate” materials and requires schools to publish a detailed explanation of the procedures or policies in effect for the parent of a student enrolled in the school district to request removal of a book, article, outline, handout, video or other education material available to students in the classroom or library. Requires the policy to be prominently displayed on the district’s website. A detailed explanation of procedures or policies to request a review of decisions made by the school board, including the petition process for a public hearing. • SF 391, which outlines specific education standards and provides for up to five virtual snow days or 30 hours of virtual learning in the school calendar. • House File 604 which creates a new disciplinary procedure for teachers dealing with violence in the classroom and disruptive students.
A comprehensive listing of new education bills was provided in the superintendent’s report for review by the board, and it is available online at the district’s website. Other action In other action, the school calendar for the 2023-24 school year was approved. Classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 23. Virtual “snow days” would be implemented after the assigned snow make-up days pending state law and banked hours. Graduation is set for May 19, 2024. Identified in the calendar were four potential school make-up days (May 20-23). Barring unforeseen school cancellations, the end of the school year should be prior to Memorial Day next May. The board heard a report from High School Principal Brad Hurst and DHS Guidance Counselor Pat Trewin on the career and technology education
standards which are to be approved by the board on an annual basis. Outlined during the meeting was the DCSD Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) in accordance with State Board of Education’s standards. Through connection to the ICAP, each year in grades 8-12, students are encouraged to design, reflect and consider steps needed to achieve their postsecondary goals. The local educators explained the many programs offered to Decorah students throughout those four years, including options in the areas of agriculture, business, finance, marketing and management, human services industry, and applied sciences, technology, engineering and manufacturing. A Career Technical Advisory Committee is made up of several faculty members and support staff at the school.
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THANK YOU TEACHERS! TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 8-12