http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/ Goewey, IA News http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/8463014497b0eb9eafd2b5774380f6dc.html There is quite a bit of celebrating going on at the Hendrick Motorsports complex in Charlotte NC these days and Landon Cassill finds himself right there among itNot in the middle of it perhaps but certainly a big part of the whole dealPowerhouse Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating Jimmie Johnson's third straight NASCAR Sprint Cup championship and all the trappings that goes with the title Cassill a Cedar Rapids native who drives in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Earnhardt Jrowned JR Motorsports is taking it all inEverybody's just real proud right now Cassill said in a telephone interview Tuesday Jimmie he's just unbelievable and everybody's just real proud of everything that's going on over at HMSThey should be proud of Cassill too The 19yearold has won the Nationwide Series rookie of the year honors based on his performance in 19 starts this season He recorded five top10 finishes and8212; his best showing was a sixthplace at Gateway International Raceway on July 19 and8212; captured one pole and earned 529982 for his teamHe finished 26th in overall Nationwide points one spot ahead of fellow rookie Bryan ClausenIt's just something you don't always picture I guess Cassill said I always knew growing up this was part of the NASCAR driver I wanted to be but it's still a little surrealCassill shared the JR Motorsports No 5 Chevrolet ride with several other drivers during the course of the season including Earnhardt Jr That presented special challengesAt times it went better than expected with some consistent racing in there Cassill said The toughest part was getting out of the car for five weeks and then getting back in it and trying to repeat what you did five or six weeks ago But everything went well and obviously well enough to win the title That's pretty cool tooCassill started racing gocarts when he was 4yearsold and moved up through the ranks at Hawkeye Downs Speedway driving a legends car a modified and a late model He ran in the ASA Late Model Series while still attending Jefferson High School and signed with Hendrick Motorsports in March of his senior year when he was only 17He's matured as both a person and a driver as he's made a bit of a splash on the national racing scene And he feels he's a better driver today than he was when he was touring the halfmile at Hawkeye DownsI'm at least a little more polished in the NASCAR ranks he said I'd like to think I was a good driver when I raced late models but I think I've just been molded into a more fitting driver for NASCAR rather than late model racingIt all has to do with just everything that goes with the procedures of NASCAR racing It's not really like when any driver not just me comes into NASCAR and discovers some hidden talent You just adapt more to the way the NASCAR series' run their racesCassill can't really talk about what the future holds for himself because no one really knows what the future holds for NASCAR The country's economic crisis can hit industries like auto racing especially hard because it relies so heavily on corporate sponsorship and the backing of domestic automakers like General Motors and FordNASCAR isn't going away of course but the dicey economic times makes planning for next year more difficultIt's still kind of up in the air We're working on it as far as getting the sponsorship Cassill said It's a tough time right now and it's going to be a battle but hopefully we can fight through this and get back on the other sideIt's rough These teams are relying on what other companies are doing so when everybody else is struggling you can see the effects on our sport as wellCassill was to attend the Nationwide Series rookie of the year luncheon at The Speedway Club in Charlotte on Tuesday then will head to Orlando Fla to be honored at the Nationwide Series banquetIt's just a dream come true Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports and The National Guard have worked hard for me and I can't thank them enough Cassill saidn Contact the writer: 319 3688841 or jeffdahngazcommcom http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/37cab0b3ca57b1fcbd42bc0f91ef2373.html All judges on the ballot were retained by Iowa voters in the Nov 4 election according to county auditors' returns compiled by The GazetteThe judges up for retention are listed below by court name and the percentage of their approval:l Iowa Supreme Court: Justices Brent Appel 724; Mark Cady 73; Daryl Hecht 718l Court of Appeals: Larry J Eisenhauer 734; Terry Huitink 72; Rosemary Shaw Sackett 728l District 1A Associate Juvenile Judge: Thomas Straka 818l District 1B Judges: Thomas N Bower 779; Brad Harris 774l District 6 Judges: Nancy Baumgartner 771; Marsha Bergan 762; Patrick Grady 773; Fae HooverGrinde 738; Thomas Koehler 761l District 6 Associate Judges: Casey Jones 778; Russell Keast 753; Barbara Liesveld 759; Angeline Wilson 771l District 7 Judges: J Hobart Darbyshire 728; Marlita Greve 735; Mary Howes 743; Gary McKenrick 742l District 7 Associate Judge: Christine Dalton Ploof 717l District 8A Judge: Daniel P Wilson 73l District 8B Judge: Mary Ann Brown 782; John G Linn 75; Michael Schilling 769l District 8B Associate Judge: Emily Dean 776 http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/fab4d25a28d22d2d6bba9811713bd529.html Republicans in the Iowa Senate selected new leadership after an extensive caucus Tuesday in Des Moines Sen David Johnson an Ocheyedan Republican was under consideration for Minority Whip the http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/a3ad5146e2ddda93fe09243a46b4842b.html Services for Florence A Woolston 92 of Spencer formerly of Sutherland will be held at 2 pm Thursday Nov 20 2008 at Maple Grove Church in Sutherland Rev Michael Hyde will officiate the http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/4893994843d084891c6aaff820047673.html Clay County Deputies and members of the Spencer Police Department continue to see numerous drivers who choose to be on Clay County roads even through their driving privileges are in question In some http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/693e1ea875d942c26ef5896f19b7aafd.html There is an endless number of new programs and projects Fort Dodge leaders would like to do but a strictly limited amount of money available to pay for it allIt's a struggle officials deal with every year But on Tuesday they attempted to tackle the whole range of issues and set priorities to guide their work for the next year to 14 months http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/3f6e542ee76d2dfed4cc5713f90d7b41.html Senate Republicans chose a Chariton businessman to serve as their minority caucus leader for the next two years in the 83rd General AssemblyThe direction is up said Sen Paul McKinley who emerged from a closeddoor meeting in which he was selected to replace Sen Ron Wieck RSioux City and lead a Republican caucus at a historic low of 18 membersThat could change if a recount alters the outcome in Senate District 10 where Waterloo Democrat Jeff Danielson emerged with a razorthin win over GOP challenger Walt Rogers of Cedar Falls in the Nov 4 electionMcKinley who was first elected in 2000 said Iowa Republicans are committed to rebuilding their party from the ground up after suffering election losses that were amplified by dissatisfaction with national Republicans and Democratic legislative candidates who ran as Republicans during the 2008 campaignHe said the GOP game plan for the coming two years would be to offer a positive message and concrete ideas for protecting taxpayers improving education and reducing government rather than merely be a party that opposes what the 32member Democratic majority seeks to doI look forward to working to leading the Senate Republicans and working on legislation that lowers taxes shrinks government retains Iowa's probusiness economy and finds ways to decrease spending unlike the Democratsponsored bills that have left this state with a 500 million deficit McKinley saidAlso chosen for the Senate GOP leadership positions were Sens Steve Kettering of Lake View as minority whip and Pat Ward of West Des Moines Brad Zaun of Urbandale Nancy Boettger of Harlan and David Johnson of Ocheyedan as assistant leadersSenate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal DCouncil Bluffs congratulated McKinley and pledged majority Democrats are ready to work with Sen McKinley the minority party's new leadership team and all members of their caucus to balance the budget responsibly and keep our commitments to Iowans http://www.axtora.com/homesites/us/iowa/goewey/content/ca5573a11caa4f6d64add77286123132.html Iowa Senate Republicans have elected Paul McKinley of Chariton as their new leader ousting former minority leader Ron Wieck