SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
April 12, 2026
Sullivan’s Salvos 4/9/26
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Jordan!
*Happy 79th Birthday Gary!
*Privacy for Kristi Noem?
*Jail Discussion Coming Soon!
*Remembering the Tornado
*NCJC Gala
*Dems Hall of Fame Event
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Jordan!
My daughter Jordan turns 32 on April 8th. Jordan works at a place very similar to Four Oaks (but much larger) called Youth Villages in Memphis, Tennessee. She has worked there ever since she graduated from college. She continues to get promoted, and is doing very well professionally.
In addition, she coaches area youth (little kids through high school) in basketball and track. Jordan was always a great athlete, and she is really having fun with the kids!
More importantly, Jordan is a really good person. Man, am I ever proud! Happy Birthday, Jordan! I love you!
*Happy 79th Birthday Gary!
Happy Birthday to local activist, Labor leader, journalist, Scrabble Club President, and general man-about-town Gary Sanders, who turns 79 on April 14. If you know Gary, please drop him a line and wish him a Happy Birthday!
*Privacy for Kristi Noem?
Perhaps you saw the stories about Kristi Noem’s husband, and noted how Kristi Noem is now requesting privacy.
Here is the deal: I could care less what Bryon Noem does behind closed doors. As long as he is not hurting someone else, he should do whatever makes him happy.
But for Kristi Noem to request privacy? When her agents pulled people out of cars because of their appearance, did those folks get privacy? When her agents pulled children out of schools and daycares, did those folks get privacy? When her agency used their own “administrative” warrants to illegally search people, did those folks get privacy? When her agents broke down the doors to private homes, did those folks get privacy? When people (including kids) were housed in concentration camps with inadequate food, water, toilet, and medical services, did those folks get privacy? When her agents beat and in several cases murdered people, did those folks get privacy?
F you, Kristi. Perhaps you will get privacy when you arrive in Hell.
*Jail Discussion Coming Soon!
You all know that Johnson County has needed a better jail for better than three decades. The current structure is unsafe for inmates and staff alike, and we spend your tax dollars shipping inmates to other counties. The whole thing is a mess, and needs to be fixed.
Well, decision day is near! The Board has been pursuing locations for a new jail, and Supervisors will soon be taking a public vote on whether or not to support a new jail. Stay tuned!
*Remembering the Tornado
20 years ago this week a huge tornado roared through Iowa City, changing lives forever. On April 13, 2006, a tornado rated F-2 by the National Weather Service (wind speeds over 150 mph) hit Iowa City on a Thursday evening.
In its 5-mile path, the tornado uprooted trees, overturned cars, semis, and a train. It severely damaged many businesses and homes and destroyed St. Patrick Catholic Church, which had been located at 228 E. Court St. for more than a century. While there were around 40 injuries reported in Johnson County, remarkably only one person died, and that was in a neighboring county.
Houses on Iowa Avenue, Rochester Avenue, Hotz Avenue, and the surrounding area took the brunt of the blow. The Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive, Wal Mart, Menards, Carousel Motors, and many other businesses took huge hits. The Alpha Chi Omega sorority was destroyed. The 100+ year old home that housed the Randy Larsen Law Offices was demolished. Streetlights were twisted like paper clips. A huge glass window fell out of one of the Moen Buildings downtown. And as I mentioned, Saint Patrick’s Church was completely destroyed.
There are so many things I will never forget from that night.
First and most importantly, I was absent for the immediate clean up and recovery. As I noted, the tornado hit Thursday evening. I joined other Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Board members and huddled with Emergency Management Director Dave Wilson Friday morning, and he filled us in on the most critical next steps. Then late Friday morning my family got the call that Melissa’s mother might not make it through the night. We went to Des Moines Friday after school, and she passed on Saturday evening. We came back to Iowa City on Sunday afternoon, and a remarkable amount of recovery was already well underway. I loved my mother-in-law very much, and I always associate her passing with that dark day.
The Board of Supervisors was meeting that Thursday evening in the Boardroom at the Admin Building. Luckily, virtually no members of the public were present. We heard the sirens and recessed the meeting, and retreated to the bottom floor of the building, where the mechanical systems sat. You have probably heard folks say that a tornado sounds like being next to a train? It is true. I will never forget the looks on the faces of my colleagues as we heard the tornado pass. After about 3-4 minutes it got much quieter, and we stepped out the west doors. The trees at the Admin Building were full of insulation from the roofs of other buildings. A mattress from a distant store was laying in the yard. And as we looked east, we could see the tornado in the neighborhood of Hickory Hill Park.
We somehow maintained power in the building, so we ran upstairs and formally closed things out very quickly. And that is when I realized it was going to be almost impossible to drive home. For one, there were power lines down everywhere. In other cases, trees blocked the road. Our Ambulance Director shared with me a few days later how furious he was with the public – within an hour, Burlington Street was choked with cars full of gawkers. Ambulances were stuck in the street, lights and sirens on, but no way to get through. I finally managed to get home, and my phone continued to ring off the hook for hours with people sharing stories of the damage.
I lived for almost 24 years as backdoor neighbors to our good friends Dan and Beth Daly. The Daly family had a remarkable set of experiences on that evening. Dan is a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Church, and a devout Catholic. He has attended services at St. Pat’s his whole life – he continues to go to the “new” St. Pat’s today. It just so happens that April 13, 2006 was Maundy Thursday, so Dan planned to attend services.
When he asked Beth about it, she noted that her and their daughter Megan were going to go to Wal Mart instead. As a longtime labor activist, Dan bristled at his family shopping at Wal Mart, so a brief argument ensued.
The tornado hit Wal Mart while Beth and Megan were there. They ended up pulling mattresses off shelves and helping others shelter underneath them. All sorts of debris cam down on them and the other shoppers, but thanks to their quick thinking, no one was badly hurt.
The tornado then got to St. Pat’s. Father Rudy Juarez was the Priest that evening, and he hustled all the worshippers out of St. Pat’s and into the basement of the rectory next door. He got them there just in time, as minutes later both buildings were destroyed.
Once the family reunited and knew they were all safe, Dan made a snide comment – “That shows you what God thinks of Wal Mart!” Beth wasted no time in replying, “Then what must he think of St. Pat’s?”
Thank God they were able to laugh after that night, because many folks were not. The tornado of 2006 did a great deal of lasting damage. On the bright side, the community really rallied around their neighbors who suffered losses. I will never forget that night – and I certainly hope I never have to relive it!
One final interesting note – Iowa City never received a Federal Disaster Declaration for the 2006 tornado. Many feel it was because our then-US Representative Jim Leach had angered the Bush Administration with his anti-Iraq War rhetoric. Not to mention the fact that Leach was making the request for an area where Bush had actually finished *third* twice behind Gore/Kerry and Nader. Leach would go on to lose his own election that fall to Dave Loebsack.
*NCJC Gala
The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) is holding its 3rd annual Spring Gala on Saturday, April 18 from 5:30-8:30 pm at the Universalist Unitarian Society, 2355 Oakdale Rd, Coralville.
There is great food, a silent auction, and awards given to deserving community members. And all for a good cause!
My children went to NCJC when they were babies. And now I have grandchildren there. It is still doing magnificent work all those many years later.
You can buy tickets at: https://ncjc.org/gala26.html.
Please join us!
*Dems Hall of Fame Event
The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 16 at 7pm at the Holiday Inn in Coralville. 2026 marks the 16th consecutive year that the Johnson County Democratic Party has held a separate Hall of Fame event.
Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available.
The Hall of Fame inductees for 2026 are: Terry and Laurie Dahms, Linda Yanney, Joan and Tom Cook, and Mike Owen. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!
Tickets are available for a $35 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available.
*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa averages about 50 tornadoes per year. (Source: National Weather Service.)
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 5:23 PM
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