TX Gov. Perry to Run for President

Gov. Rick Perry of Texas has joined the race for president and will officially announce the launch of his campaign on Saturday in South Carolina, aides confirmed Thursday.

Perry was already expected to make the announcement he was running for president at the third annual RedState conference in Charleston. Since news reports about the event never used the word “announce,” many assumed that Perry would officially kick off the event at some point afterward, perhaps at an event in Texas.

Perry is scheduled to speak at the conservative gathering at 1 p.m. in front of approximately 550 attendees, according to RedState.com. Two other Texan Republicans, former Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz, both candidates for Congress, are also scheduled to speak at the conference that day.

Perry is also expected to attend an evening house party at the home of New Hampshire Rep. Pamela Tucker Saturday, according to the New Hampshire Union-Leader. Perry is then scheduled to head to Iowa, where his activities will include a GOP dinner Sunday where both he and Michelle Bachmann are reportedly expected to speak.

The Big Game, if you are in Iowa

This is the big game on Saturday if you live in the Midwest between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

Predictions:  The game will be closer than last year's 35-3 blowout won by Iowa.

Both Iowa and Iowa State could be better teams than they were last year, and both teams had bowl wins.

Both teams are well coached.  Iowa by Kirk Ferentz and ISU by Paul Rhoads.

The game being in Iowa City is a big plus for Iowa.

Enjoy this rivalry, there is a chance this game might not occur with scheduling problems coming from conference realignment.

The final score will be 23-20  Iowa State.

Yes, I'm an Iowa State fan.

Central Iowa Water Safe to Drink Again

Good news for those in flood ravaged Central Iowa.  The water is retreating and it is safe to drink again.

City officials announced Sunday that the order in Ames that water be boiled first had been lifted.

Ames was forced to shut down its water system Wednesday after broken water mains were discovered as a creek and river flooded large swaths of the city. By Thursday, residents were allowed to use small amounts of water for showering or flushing toilets. Crews have repaired or isolated the broken mains.

The flooding in Ames came after three nights of heavy rain caused creeks and rivers in central Iowa to swell earlier in the week.