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INSIDEThe games begin

One of the highlights of this year’s Univer-sity of Okoboji Winter Games will be Satur-day’s Polar Bear Plunge, but there will beplenty of other things to do during thethree-day festival. PAGE A3

ONLINEMovies in a minute

Bruce Miller reviews this weekend’s filmsin his Movies in a Minute. Find the videoreview at siouxcityjournal.com

INDEX WEATHER More on page A2 and at siouxcityjournal.com

TODAY19/-3

Chanceof snow

SUN14/5

Chanceof snow

SAT14/1Partlysunny

THE MINIComics A9

Classifieds D1

Nation A12

Markets A7

Movies C4

Obits A10,12

Lotteries A3

Opinion A8 60%

Barack Obama promised in his campaign that he would bringchange and hope to America. This must be why the Dowposted its biggest losses in history on presidential inauguralday. Big change, isn’t it? - Jeff Bruning, Mapleton, Iowa

Working the barrel no laughing matter

By Meagan Sextonmsexton@siouxcityjournal.com

SIOUX CITY — Taunting bulls is the funpart of rodeo clown David “Hippie” En-gelkes’ job.

But during a relatively routine performancein April of 2008 in Henderson, Minn., hedidn’t expect the agitated beast to join him inhis barrel.

“I coaxed him (the bull) into coming right atme,” said Engelkes, a 29-year-old rodeo clown fromSteamboat Rock, Iowa.“Right before he hit me Idropped (into the barrel). Iwas looking out the top anddidn’t see the bull and didn’thear any bull fighters sayanything. The next thing Iknow I can feel myself beingelevated.

“It was an odd feeling to beup in the air and have a bulls face at my feet.”

Yet, such is the life for a rodeo clown. En-gelkes, who has been performing for aboutseven years, will be entertaining crowds Fri-day and Saturday during the Barnes Bull Rid-ing Challenge at the Tyson Events Center.

His wife Rebekah, 24, and their daughterEmma Shea, 17 months, will be watchingfrom the stands.

“He’s pretty safe in the barrel,” RebekahEngelkes said. “It’s alittle nerve-rackingwhen you see the bullactually hit the barrel,but you get used to itafter awhile.”

Rebekah said watch-ing a bull charge at herhusband took somegetting used to.

“It was very scary atfirst,” she said. “Therewere a couple of timesI had to turn aroundand not watch.”

Bob Barnes, producer of the show, said En-gelkes adds a lot to the show.

“He’s funny,” Barnes said. “He works thebarrel. We have some Mexican Fighting Bullsand they hit the barrel and roll him around. Aclown is very much a necessity.”

Barnes believes Engelkes will reach the topof the rodeo clown industry, which wouldmean performing at the Professional RodeoCowboys and Professional Bull Riding Asso-ciations most prestigious events.

Engelkes, who also rode bulls for 10 years,said he enjoys being a rodeo clown becauseit’s steady work and for the love of entertain-ing people.

“When you’re clownin’ it’s a guaranteedpaycheck and you don’t get busted up as bad(as bull riding),” he said. “I’ve been entertain-ing crowds for free since I was born. So Ithought, ‘Hey if I can make a living doingsomething that I love that’s the best way tolive.’ I can do this for a lot of years to come,until I get old. You can’t ride bulls forever. It’sa young man’s game.”

If you goWHAT: Bob Barnes Bull Riding Challenge &Stockyards Heritage Days

WHEN: Opens at 9 a.m. today and Saturday,with bull riding at 7:30 p.m. both days.

WHERE: Tyson Events Center

TICKETS: $16, $24 and $34 for adults.$12 and $34 for ages 3-12. Available atTyson Events Center Box Office, ticket-master.com, all Ticketmaster outlets andby phone at (712) 252-3434.

OnlineLog on to siouxcityjournal.comto watch a videoof David “Hippie”Engelkes talkabout life as arodeo clown.

BARNES BULL RIDING CHALLENGE

Journal photo by Tim Hynds / Find more photos and buy copies at siouxcityjournal.com

Rodeo clown David “Hippie” Engelkes of Steamboat Rock, Iowa, carries his barrel off the back of histruck Thursday at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City. Engelkes, a rodeo clown since 2002, said hisbarrel is the only protective gear he uses.

David Engelkes

Life of a professional rodeoclown is serious business

Expert: Girls’ blood was on Harris’ hands, shoeBy Molly Montag

mmontag@siouxcityjournal.com

SIOUX CITY — A Sioux City manon trial for murder had his 8-year-oldstepdaughter’s blood on his handsand her older sister’s blood on hisshoe, an expert testified on Thursdayin Woodbury County District Court.

Firefighters found Alysha Suing, 8,and her sister, Kendra Suing, 10, dead

in their second-floor bedroomwhile responding Jan. 6,2008, to a report of fire in thebasement of their home.

Experts testified Thursdayabout blood, DNA and finger-print evidence as prosecutorstried to connect LawrenceDouglas Harris Sr., the girls’stepfather, to their deaths.

Harris, 26, faces two counts

of first-degree murder forkilling the girls in what policesay Harris initially describedas a spell that “had gone bad.”

Criminologist Kristan C.Evans said Alysha Suing’sDNA was found in severalsamples taken from Harris’hands at the time of his arrest.Alysha Suing’s DNA also wasfound on the tip of an approx-

imately 12-inch knife found on thetop shelf of Harris’ bedroom closet.Another expert testified two of Har-ris’ fingerprints were found on theknife.

Evans, who is with the Iowa Divi-sion of Criminal Investigations crimelab, said Kendra Suing’s DNA wasfound on one of Harris’ shoes.

HARRIS TRIAL

OnlineGot a question aboutthe trial? Ask a questionon our live blog at 8a.m. today at siouxcityjournal.com. For com-plete coverage of the case againstLawrence Douglas Harris Sr., visitsiouxcityjournal.com/harristrial.

Pit bull ownersfile complaintwith the state

By Lynn Zerschlinglzerschling@siouxcityjournal.com

SIOUX CITY — A couple who haveprotested the City Council’s ban on pit bullshave filed a complaint with a state official con-tending city officials retaliated against them andother dog owners.

In a letter to William Angrick II, the state om-budsman in Des Moines, dated Wednesday,Rick and Deborah Borg wrote, “We would liketo have your agency investigate this matter anda report be issued including any recommendedremedial action.”

The Borgs contended the council and city of-ficials retaliated against some pit bull ownerslast fall after they testified against the proposedban on new pit bulls in the city. The couple saidcity officials mailed threatening letters, drafteda “hit list” that sent Animal Control officers tosome dog owners’ homes to check if the dogshad been licensed and took other actions.

The council passed the pit bull ban Sept. 15.The Borgs have attended most council meetingssince Councilman Aaron Rochester first pro-posed the ban and continue to attend meetingssince then to lobby the councilmen to changetheir minds. The Borgs, who live at 412 ColonSt., also helped organize an informal group ofpit bull owners.

Those who speak to the council are asked togive their names and addresses for the publicrecord. In November, after the Borgs and otherscomplained to the council they had received let-ters, City Clerk Lisa McCardle said her officechecked whether dog owners who spoke atmeetings on July 21 and 28, Aug. 25 and Sept.15 and 22 had obtained pet licenses.

Those licenses cost $10 to $30, dependingupon whether the animal is spayed or neutered.Many of the same people talked at each meet-ing.

“We did not mail letters to the participantsthat already had pet licenses,” McCardle toldthe Journal in November.

The Borgs and others said people received theletters even though they had obtained the re-quired licenses.

City Manager Paul Eckert defended what hecalled the courtesy letter, saying the city fieldscomplaints from residents about troublesomeneighborhood dogs.

During the pit bull hearings, Mayor Mike Ho-bart said, “Many individuals flaunted the factthat they don’t register their dogs.” Hobart saidhe didn’t fault city staff for sending out lettersbased on what was said at the public meetings.

According to the ombudsman’s Web page, theoffice has the authority to investigate com-plaints about Iowa state and local governments,with some exceptions.

LawrenceDouglas Harris HARRIS, PAGE A11

Dozens of Siouxlanders join pro-life ralliesBy Meagan Sexton

msexton@siouxcityjournal.com

SIOUX CITY — Delila Sengerstood in front of Planned ParenthoodThursday afternoon in Sioux Citypraying and thinking about her 20healthy grandchildren, unable to imag-ine what it be like if one of themwasn’t here.

Senger joined 50 other people andBishop Walker Nickless of the Dio-cese of Sioux City for a prayer vigil inobservance of the 36th anniversary of

legalized abortion in the United States. Nickless said he and many others

have joined efforts with those through-out the country to advocate for life.

“We want to join with all those peo-ple who care so deeply about thosewho cannot speak and that’s the un-born,” Nickless said.

Tens of thousands of abortion oppo-nents rallied Thursday on the NationalMall in Washington, D.C., to mark the36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade amid

Journal photo by Jerry Mennenga

Bishop R. WalkerNickless of theDiocese of SiouxCity speaks into ahandheld walkie-talkie to those at-tending the pro-life vigil Thursdayin front of PlannedParenthood onStone Avenue. RALLY, PAGE A11

Salmonella scareColumnist Jesse Claeys says sometimes looking

at death is worth itLOCAL A4

In the Oscar hunt“Button” and “Slumdog”

lead Academy nominationsA&E C22

A01-11 1/22/09 10:45 PM Page 1

Harris: Defense expected to begin todayAssistant County Attorney

Mark Campbell rested thestate’s case Thursday afternoonafter testimony from medicalexperts, criminologists, evi-dence technicians and a com-puter technician.

In his opening statement lastweek, Campbell told the juryHarris and his former wife,Marla Stroman, were havingmarital problems and impliedHarris killed the girls to getback at Stroman for a sus-pected affair.

Defense attorney MichaelWilliams, an assistant publicdefender, is expected to begincalling witnesses today. So far,Williams has not given anopening statement. Harris’ at-torneys are expected to use an

insanity defense.In videotaped police inter-

views shown to the jury earlierthis week, Harris said he wasresponsible for the girls’ deathsas the spellcaster but deniedmurdering them.

He spoke extensively to theinvestigator about witchcraft,saying he was trying to cast aspell to help his 13-year-oldstepson straighten out his life.The spell must have reversed,Harris said on the tape, killingthe girls and causing a fire inthe family’s basement.

Forensic pathologistMichelle Catallier, an associatestate medical examiner, toldthe jury on Thursday thatAlysha Suing, who was foundwith a green cloth belt wrappedaround her neck, had a brokenneck and died of strangulation

due to asphyxiation. The Irving Elementary third-

grader had marks on her neckand a tear in her genital area,but investigators testified theydid not find evidence of semenon either girl.

Kendra Suing died of as-phyxiation, Catallier testified,saying marks on the girl’s neckwere consistent with the use ofa woman’s slip found with thebody. She also suffered twodeep parallel cuts on one of herarms and a cut in her genitalarea.

In addition to hearing med-ical testimony, jurors also werepresented with evidence foundinside the home.

They watched an approxi-mately 25-minute video tour ofthe Harris home, whichshowed blood stains on a bed,

pillow and stuffed animals neara bed.

Prosecutors brought severalitems into the courtroomThursday, including a drawingof an inverted pentagram witha goat’s head inside the sym-bol, bells, a necklace with aninverted pentagram pendant,seven black candles and onewhite candle.

Jurors also saw severalbooks police say they found inthe house, which included textsabout casting spells, paganism,witchcraft, Marilyn Mansonand the writings of occultistAleister Crowley. Although itwas referenced in court docu-ments filed in the months lead-ing up to the trial, police saidthey did not find a copy of“The Satanic Bible” in thehome.

FROM PAGE A1

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Individuals from Sioux City, Remsen and students from Spalding Catholic High School in Granville attend the pro-life vigil Thursday in front ofPlanned Parenthood on Stone Avenue in observance of the 36th anniversary of legalized abortion.

Rally: Planned Parenthood targetedconcerns they could face politi-cal setbacks under the newpresident.

Anti-abortion groups onThursday targeted PlannedParenthood Federation ofAmerica, which provides fam-ily-planning and reproductive-health services — includingabortions — at its nationwidenetwork of clinics.

Planned Parenthood receivesextensive public funding forits non-abortion services, andanti-abortion activists contendthis amounts to an indirectsubsidy of abortion that shouldbe halted, especially during aneconomic crisis.

President Barack Obama cantake some steps without Con-gress. Abortion-rights support-ers hope he will quickly repealthe so-called “global gag rule,”

which bans overseas familyplanning groups that receiveU.S. funds from providing any

abortion-related services or in-formation.

“He could move right

away,” said Nancy Keenan,president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “It wouldmake a big, big difference inthe lives of poor womenabroad.”

Meanwhile in Sioux City,16-year-old Jake Dagel, asophomore at SpaldingCatholic High School inGranville, Iowa, said hestarted a pro-life movement athis school after viewing avideo of a partial birth abor-tion.

“I hope people will drive byand see what we’re doing andmaybe change the mind of awoman,” Dagel said. “I thinkby being here and prayingwe’re continuing to hurt thepro-choice movement. If wedon’t do anything, who will?We have to be the voice....”

— The Associated Press con-tributed to this report.

FROM PAGE A1

WAITING FOR POLICELawrence Harris awaits questioning inan interview room at the Sioux City Po-lice Station. Recorded video shows himwith head in hands, rocking in the chair,rambling broken sentences, utteringsounds of varying pitch and speakingsome decipherable sentences.

THE QUESTIONING BEGINSSioux City Police Detective Jay Flecken-stein questions Harris about the fire,his dead step-daughters and occult be-liefs. Harris admits to killing the girlsbut cannot recall the details becausehe was possessed at the time.

LARRY AND MARLAAfter police questioning, Harris’ formerwife Marla Stroman is allowed tospeak with Harris. One of her firstquestions: “Did you sacrifice thegirls?”

Online exclusiveWatch three uncut, unedited, police-recorded videos of Lawrence Douglas Harris Sr. as he is interrogated by police and ques-tioned by his former wife, Marla Stroman, on the night of the alleged murders at siouxcityjournal.com.

Warning: The video contains graphic language and may not be suitable for minors. Viewer discretion is advised.

Journal photo by Jerry Mennenga

Jack Garthright, Sioux City, puts up a couple of signs at the front ofthe driveway leading into Planned Parenthood on Stone Avenue beforethe start of the pro-life vigil.

Dems push tax breaksthrough committee

By David EspoThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Amidgrim new evidence of economicweakness, legislation at theheart of President BarackObama’s recovery plan ad-vanced in Congress Thursdayover the persistent opposition ofRepublicans seeking deeper taxcuts.

“We are very pleased with theprogress,” said Speaker NancyPelosi, D-Calif., after $275 bil-lion in tax cuts cleared theHouse Ways and Means Com-mittee on a party-line vote of24-13. Democratic leaders havepromised the measure will beready for Obama’s signature bymid-February.

“It will create jobs immedi-ately, and it will also lay thefoundation for economic stabil-ity as we go forward,” Pelosiadded.

But Republicans said therewas no reliable estimate of thebill’s impact on employment.

“The American people de-

serve to know what they aregetting for their nearly $1 tril-lion,” said Rep. Dave Camp ofMichigan, the top Republicanon the tax-writing committee.

On the key vote of the day,Democrats closed ranks to pre-serve a tax break for this yearand 2010 that would mean $500for many workers and $1,000for millions of couples, includ-ing those whose earnings are solow that they pay no federal in-come tax.

Democrats also turned back aRepublican attempt to jettison anew federal subsidy to helplaid-off workers pay for healthinsurance after they lose em-ployer-paid coverage, and towaive income taxes on unem-ployment benefits for twoyears.

They argued that the GOPproposals would favor upper-in-come individuals and coupleswho, they said, benefited dis-proportionately from tax cutspassed during the administra-tion of former President GeorgeW. Bush.

Senate passes wagediscrimination bill

By Jim AbramsThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A wagediscrimination bill that heraldsthe pro-labor policies of the De-mocratic-controlled Congressand White House cleared theSenate Thursday and could beon President Barack Obama’sdesk within days.

The legislation reverses a2007 Supreme Court ruling thatnarrowly defines the time pe-riod during which a worker canfile a claim of wage discrimina-tion, even if the worker is un-aware for months or years thathe or she is getting less than col-leagues doing the same job. Ithas been a priority for women’sgroups seeking to narrow thewage gap between men andwomen.

The House is expected to actquickly to again approve themeasure, sending it to Obamafor his signature. The Housepassed a nearly identical ver-sion two weeks ago but thencombined it with another billthat the Senate didn’t consider.

Senate Majority Leader HarryReid predicted that “the first billthat President Obama will signwill be this piece of legislation.”He said the bill would send animportant message because“this administration stands forequality and fairness.”

Obama strongly backs themeasure and invited Lilly Led-

better, the retired Alabama tirecompany worker whose lawsuitinspired the legislation, to ac-company him on the train tripbringing him to Washington forthe inauguration.

Former President George W.Bush threatened to veto the billwhen it came up in the past, andlast year it died in the Senate.

The vote was 61-36. Republi-cans demanded that the bill hit a60-vote threshold for passage asa condition for moving on thelegislation.

The House approved the leg-islation during the first week ofthe new session of Congress,signaling that labor rights billsthat made little headway duringthe Bush administration will beat the top of the agenda thisyear.

Roll callHere is how tri-state sena-tors voted on the wage dis-crimination bill.

On this vote, a “yes” votewas a vote to approve thebill and a “no” vote was avote to reject it.

IOWA: Grassley (R) No;Harkin (D) Yes.

NEBRASKA: Johanns (R) No;Nelson (D) Yes.

SOUTH DAKOTA: Johnson (D)Yes; Thune (R) No.

— The Associated Press

A01-11 1/22/09 10:27 PM Page 2