The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 1

Iowa Life Buccaneers player hopes to join his brother in the NHL. Sports BELLS AND WHISTLES Is Once reserved for the fanciest cars, extras are now widely available SATURDAY, JANUARY 15,2011 THE NEWS IOWA DEPENDS UPON ONTHEWEBANDYOURMOBILEATDESMOINESREGISTER.COM 75C STATE EDITION Governor's Inauguration NEW ERA DAWNS FOR BRANSTAD Culver commutes 2 inmates' sentences 'Fairness' is behind acts on last day as governor, he says 'NEW COVENANT': Governor wants Iowans' relationship to government reset EDUCATION: He says he'll push for plan to give kids top-notch schooling GOALS FOR IOWA: 'You ain't seen nothing upbeat leader tells skeptics By LEE ROOD lrooddmreg.com In one of his last acts as governor, Chet Culver on Friday commuted the prison sentences of two inmates a domestic abuse victim, now fighting cancer, who was convicted in a 1981 murder case, and a robber whose sentence Culver considered "overly harsh." The commutations were the only two issued by Culver during his four years in office. He issued no pardons on his last day in office. "I am passionate about ensuring that people who break the laws serve their time and that the public safety is protected," Culver said in a statement. "But there also is a time for fairness, Lowrey and common sense about the use of tax Schertz payer dollars on our corrections system." 7 Sheila Mae Schertz, 58, was serving a life sentence at the Mitchellville prison without the opportunity for parole for first-degree kidnapping.

John Lowery was serving a 25-year term at the Newton prison COMMUTE, PAGE 12A JOHN GAPS HIREGISTER PHOTOS Gov. Terry Branstad's granddaughter Bridgette Branstad takes a moment to inspect the menacing tigerskin rug in one of the rooms at Terrace Hill as the Branstad family poses for a formal photo shortly after Friday's inauguration in Des Moines. I More inside 'NEW COVENANT' Branstad outlined five principles he says will bring the state and its people together. Pages 6A, 7A FIRST DAY Branstad rescinded two executive orders. Pag 3A KATHIE OBRADOVICH By THOMAS BEAUMONT tbedumontdmreg.com Terry Branstad took the oath of office of governor again Friday, promising to dramatically simplify state government's mission and committing to a set of principles he said would deliver Iowa into a generation of prosperity.

Branstad began his fifth term by recognizing the dissatisfaction with government that echoed in Iowa and around the United States in the fall elections last year. "Our old ways of doing the government's busi ness must be radically altered to do the people's business," Branstad said in front of an audience of more than 1,800 attending the inauguration ceremony at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. "We must be rid of the yoke of government, which taxes us too much, spends too much and regulates us too much." Branstad, a Republican, already was Iowa's longest-serving governor before leaving office 12 years ago. He defeated first-term Democrat Chet Culver on Nov. 2.

INAUGURAL, PAGE 6A Do you want smaller government? Help out in your community. Pag19A Report: Let women be in combat roles An advisory panel says the current military ban is a barrier to promotions. By PAULINE JELINEK Associated Press Washington, D.C. A military advisory commission is recommending that the Pentagon do away with a policy that bans women from serving in combat units. The recommendation breathes new life into a long-simmering debate.

Though thousands of women have been involved in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with some losing their lives there, they have done so while serving in combat support roles as medics, logistics officers and so on. Pentagon policy now prohibits WOMEN, PAGE 12A 'Magnificent' tour just part Friday gave new meaning to the phrase "old home day" for members of the extended Branstad family, who joined several hundred other Iowans on a tour of Terrace Hill. Gov. Terry Branstad held a two-hour open house at the governor's mansion as part Terrace Hill of the big day of the inauguration festivities. Andrew Branstad, 26, recalled the fun times he had there as a boy during the first 1 6 years his Uncle Terry was governor.

"Hey, Trayce," he told his 5-year-old nephew, "when SCENES, PAGE 7A I Online DasMoinasRegistar.com PHOTOS from Terry Branstad's inaugural ball VIDEO and photos of Friday's swearing-in ceremony COVERAGE and analysis from our political reporters TEXT of Branstad's and Reynolds' speeches Gov. Terry Branstad greets grand niece Madison Branstad, 5, of Forest City, held by her dad, Andrew. For horn dali vary Call customer service at (877) 424-0225 Index Obituaries 15A 16A-17A Opinion 18A-19A Classifieds 118 Comics 8B-9B Breaking news on your phone Text "DMRNEWS" to 44636 (4INF0) to sign up for breaking news text alerts. High 21 Low 5 Partly cloudy. Pag20A OM-9O0O2S4O19 i OJM vOF NISSAN'S MOST POPULAR MODELS OTNJHri I 1.