The Soggy End

Richard Running took the stand too uncomfortably close to the end of the day for us. We were pushing to get our stories ready for the 5pm news. Running didn't walk into the courtroom until going on 4:30. Not all that much excitement, at least from what I could tell. He did offer a juicy headline. He said CIETC was "the problem child" for similar agencies in the state because of its history of money problems.

Running seemed to stick up for Janet Barto, his former Deputy Director at Iowa Workforce Development, a few times. He said she did the job of two people during her time there. He did testify he didn't know about the financial questions about CIETC until a month before the State Auditor's office released its report in April of 2006. He and Barto, of course, were supposed to know, since they headed IWD, which was supposed to oversee the dough at CIETC.

It seems like it's rained the entire time during my two plus days here in Davenport.

And look at the toll it took on my notebook. The wind picked it up...and dropped it...right in the middle of a puddle.

Time to clear out. Loretta Lynn's about to play across the street. Who knew she still performed? I thought I passed Lyle Lovett in the bathroom. I'm not kidding.