(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad today ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, September 11, 2014, to honor those who perished in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Flags will be flown at half-staff on the state Capitol building and on flag displays in the Capitol complex, and upon all public buildings, grounds, and facilities throughout the state. Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.

DES MOINES, IA (09/11/2014)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald's Great Iowa Treasure Hunt fall publication is scheduled to be released soon. The soon to be published list contains the most recent unclaimed property names that were added to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt.

"New names will be published in upcoming weeks that have been added to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt," Fitzgerald said. "I encourage everyone to search for their name in the paper. You may also search for your name by visiting greatiowatreasurehunt.com. Checking the paper or visiting us online is well worth the short time it takes."

The Great Iowa Treasure Hunt program has returned over $182 million in unclaimed property to more than 438,000 individuals since Fitzgerald started it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property's owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report and deliver unclaimed property to the state treasurer's office, where it is held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits, safe deposit box contents and many other types of property.

Check the unclaimed property database to see if the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt has property belonging to you. Simply visit greatiowatreasurehunt.com to begin your search. Be sure to like Great Iowa Treasure Hunt on Facebook and follow the program on Twitter @GreatIATreasure.

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If you're like jazz trombonist and music producer Delfeayo Marsalis, a member of the acclaimed Marsalis family from New Orleans, you appreciate the "old-school" ways of doing things.

For Marsalis, that means doing without automated music created and played at the push of a button, cooking without a microwave and not being too quick to replace a lost cell phone.

"Some people ask, 'How could you go weeks without replacing your phone?' But for me, I look at it as a much needed vacation," he says.

"At the same time, I'm like most other people: when I have a smart phone on me, I find myself checking it frequently."

While Marsalis isn't anti-technology, he fondly recalls a time when more people interacted with others who are right in front of them, rather than staring at a gadget in their hand - especially when it comes to family. The father of a young teenager, he offers the following tips for improving quality time by doing without the ubiquity of cell phones.

•  Consider a "No Cell Phone Day." In fact, that's the name of his new children's book, (www.KidsTownPress.com), about a tech-entrenched father who spends a happy birthday exploring New Orleans with his daughter - without his cell phone. A monthly "no cell phone day" allows you to fully engage with the people around you, whether they're your kids, your parents, or your friends. Without the distractions of work and spam email, you'll can have meaningful conversations and simply spend time laughing with the people you love. You'll have those memories to cherish for a long time to come. If you really want to connect with yourself and loved ones, plan on a regular No Cell Phone Day.

•  Play dates that don't require cell phones. When Marsalis takes his 13-year-old daughter and her cousins out for a fun day out at the mall, followed by a movie and dinner, he makes a deal with them to leave their phones at home.

"We're all together on these occasions, so there's no concern for safety, and it would be sad to go through all the trouble of spending the day together while, half of the time, they're preoccupied with their phones," he says. "In addition to the occasional outing, we set aside time at home when we can't use cell phones."

•  Make dinner time a cell phone-free zone. While food is especially important to any self-respecting son or daughter of New Orleans, sitting down to eat together is a sacred time for every family. Children and adults alike face significant stress and pressures every day in the world outside the home. Closing the doors on that world and coming together for an hour each evening to relax and refresh in the comparative safety of those who most love us is essential to our well-being.

•  Play "What Do I Know without My Cell Phone?" Research suggests cell phones are compromising the short-term memory of children. More and more of us - children and adults alike - rely on our smart phones, rather than our memories, to retrieve information. Exercising our brains with trivia, math and other cognitive games can help all of us stay mentally sharp.

•  Most importantly - don't be afraid to be bored! Life doesn't have to be a sci-fi movie all of the time. Ask your child to reflect on their greatest memories to date; chances are 0 percent that the content of those memories will involve cell phones.

About Delfeayo Marsalis

Ribbons Awarded at Iowa State Fair Draft Horse Show

DES MOINES, IA (09/03/2014)(readMedia)-- Percheron and Clydesdale horse exhibitors from across the country earned ribbons during competition judged August 14 through 16 at the 2014 Iowa State Fair.

Shining Stars Percherons of Pleasant Hill won the show's Six-Horse Hitch Showdown.

View Online: http://readme.readmedia.com/Ribbons-Awarded-at-Iowa-State-Fair-Draft-Horse-Show/9689505

Banners Awarded in Iowa State Fair Simmental Cattle Show

DES MOINES, IA (09/03/2014)(readMedia)-- Owen Brothers Cattle Company of Bois D'Arc, Mo., was awarded the Grand Champion Purebred Bull banner in the Simmental Cattle show judged August 16 at the 2014 Iowa State Reserve Grand Champion Purebred Bull honors were awarded to Schick-Haefner Cattle Company of Clinton, Ill. The Iowa Champion Bull was exhibited by Sherrie, Bradley and Ashl Moores Simmental Farm of Rose Hill while Springer Simmentals of Cresco was awarded the Reserve Champion Iowa Bull banner.

Madison Udell of Sioux City won Grand Champion Purebred Female and Iowa Champion Female honors. The Reserve Grand Champion Purebred Female banner was awarded to Trey Jass of Garner. Lashmett Farms of Winchester, Ill., exhibited the Reserve Champion Iowa Complete results attached:

View Online: http://readme.readmedia.com/Banners-Awarded-in-Iowa-State-Fair-Simmental-Cattle-Show/9689474

Dairy Goat Honors Awarded at Iowa State Fair

DES MOINES, IA (09/03/2014)(readMedia)-- Champions were named in the Dairy Goat Show judged August 15 and 16 at the 2014 Iowa

View Online: http://readme.readmedia.com/Dairy-Goat-Honors-Awarded-at-Iowa-State-Fair/9688858

Ribbons Awarded at Iowa State Fair Draft Pony Show

DES MOINES, IA (09/03/2014)(readMedia)-- Draft ponies earned honors during their show judged August 14 through 16 at the 2014 Iowa State Fair.

Complete results below:

Draft Pony Ladies Cart - 48" & Under

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

3) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

4) Crystal Creek Farm, Prole

5) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

6) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

Draft Pony Cart - 38"- 45"

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Kimberly A. Hols, Runnells

Draft Pony Cart - 45"- 48"

1) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

2) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

3) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

4) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

5) Crystal Creek Farm, Prole

Draft Pony Team - 38"- 45"

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

Draft Pony Team - 45"- 48"

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

3) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

4) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

Draft Pony Unicorn Hitch - 48" & Under

1) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

2) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

Four Draft Pony Hitch - 48" & Under

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

3) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

Six Draft Pony Hitch - 48" & Under

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

Draft Pony Youth Cart - Driver 12 & Under

1) Kimberly A. Hols, Runnells

Draft Pony Youth Cart - Driver 13-18 Years

1) Crystal Creek Farm, Prole

2) Kimberly A. Hols, Runnells

Draft Pony Youth Team - Driver 18 & Under

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

2) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

Draft Pony Halter - Mare

1) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

Draft Pony Halter - Gelding

1) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

2) Anne Hildreth, Altoona

3) Douglas Anderson, DVM, Davenport

4) Wolf Farm, Farnhamville

"Nothing Compares" to the Iowa State Fair. The 2014 Fair ended August 17. The 2015 Iowa State Fair is set August 13-23. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

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