A mixup by the University of Iowa caused raw sewage to be dumped into the Iowa River, the drinking water supply for the University and Iowa City. U-of-I spokesperson Ann Rhodes, says asanitary sewer line was mistakenly connected to the storm sewer drain –sending raw sewage directly into the Iowa River. The problem was discoveredlast Thursday.A handful of students were banned from their bathrooms yesterday.The students were told to use the residence hall’s public restrooms, andshower facilities reserved for university workers. The sewage dumpingdidn’t start ’til August 23rd, when students moved into the residence hall. Water samples have been taken for testing, but a state official says watertreatment plants likely removed any contaminants from the Iowa Riverdrinking water.
Smog hits two areas of state
There is a new top ranked team in class 2A in the latest Radio Iowa highschool football poll. Defending champion West Lyon has moved to the top of the 2A poll, edgingout second ranked Iowa Falls in a close vote after previously top rankedSigourney Keota lost to North Cedar. Emmetsburg is up a spot to third,Dike-New Hartford and Dyersville Beckman complete the top five. The othertop ranked teams remains the same. West Marshall is on top in 1A for thesecond straight week, Riceville is second followed by Conrad BCLUW, Postvilleand Sumner. West Bend Mallard is top ranked in class A, Madrid is second.Lynnville-Sully, Manning and Southeast Warren complete the top five. IowaCity West remains top ranked in 4A followed by Iowa City High then its WestDes Moines Valley, Bettendorf and Cedar Falls. Hrlan is top rated in 3A.Mount Pleasant is second, West Delaware, Clear Lake and Washington completethe top five…………..Governor Tom Vilsack met with the staff and management of the statepenitentiary in Fort Madison today. The meeting follows the stabbing of aprison guard and criticism by Corrections Director “Kip” Kautzky that theprison staff failed to follow procedures designed to protect their ownsafety. Vilsack says he believes the discussion was good and both sides arefocused on what’s best for the state. Vilsack downplayed the trouble at the”Fort.” Vilsack says it’s not an easy job keeping a lid on the state’s onlymaximum-security prison.Vilsack says the meeting at Fort Madison had been scheduled before thestabbing incident and was not a result of the controversy raised since thestabbing……………………………………………………………….A crowd of around 40 people attended the Jasper County Board of Supervisorsmeeting this morning to show support for a hog confinement operation outsideof Mitchelville. A group opposed to Tim Van Wyk’s operation says it iscausing high levels of nitrates in the Walnut and Camp Creek watersheds.Supporters today said the high nitrate levels could be due to a nearbylandfill or fertilizer applied to farm fields. Van Wyke invited thesupervisors to tour his 38-hundred head operation.Prairie City farmer Mark Wiggins presented the board with a petition insupport of all aspects of agriculture in Iowa. Wiggins says the state istrying to lure other businesses into the state and should do the same foragriculture.The supervisors voted to send a letter to the Iowa Department of NaturalResources asking them to study how the manure runoff might impact the twowatersheds. Randy Van, KCOB, Newton………………………………………………………………..The question of where and how hard Hurricane Floyd will hit the Floridacoast is still swirling in the air, but Iowa American Red Cross Volunteersare on the way to help. Emergency Services Director Lori Glover of theCentral Iowa Red Cross Chapter, says Iowa help is on the road.Two Emergency Response Vehicles from Iowa left this morning to wait inAtlanta, Georgia until they’re need in Florida. Another “ERV” will leavetonite or tomorrow morning for Atlanta. Glover says they’re also nine staffmembers who will head to Atlanta to wait for the storm to hit.Forecasters expect Floyd to move parallel to the Florida coastlinebefore making landfall in Georgia or South Carolina. But, they warn itcould hit anywhere from central Florida northward. More than two-millionpeople in the Southeast have been told to move inland to avoid the storm……………………………………………………………….The University of Iowa is screening children for reading and writingdifficulties this month. Dr. Ann Michael, director of the Wendell JohnsonSpeech and Hearing Center, says this is the first in a series of preventionprogramsThe free screenings target children between the ages of four-and-a-half tosix through a series of activities. The center staff can then judge if thechild is a candidate for reading and writing trouble.State officials say two areas of Iowa experienced unhealthy smog earlierthis month. Department of Natural Resources spokesman Brian Button says thehigh levels hit Cedar Rapids September 2nd and 4th — and were recorded inthe Quad Cities and Clinton areas Labor Day Weekend. Button says there are acouple of reasons for the problems.There are new, stricter federal guidelines for monitoring the air qualityand the state has more monitors working. Button says smog is ozone hangingaround near the ground. He says the right combination of conditions createsthe problem.Button says continued smog can lead to violations of the Federal Clean AirAct.
Hispanic population in Iowa continues to grow
There’s been a 74 percent increase in Iowa’s Hispanic population thisdecade. The Census Bureau estimates 57-thousand Hispanics lived in Iowa in1998, but Iowa State University sociologist Sandy Burke analyzespopulation figures and believes there are many more Hispanic residents inIowa. As an example, Burke says the Census Bureau estimates there weretwo-hundred-59 Hispanic residents in Buena Vista County in 1998, but schoolenrollment lists show almost 500 Hispanic children were attending school inthe Storm Lake area.And even with dramatic growth this decade in Iowa’s minority populations –including a 17 percent increase in African-Americans — only four otherstates have a higher-proportion of white residents. Overall, Iowa’spopulation climbed about three percent this decade, a figure consideredstagnant when compared to other states.
Bettendorf kidnapper captured
A Bettendorf kidnapping suspect is in custody in Colorado. Police arrested30-year-old “Smitty” Smith last night in Denver, Colorado. He was driving astolen car. Smith is accused of kidnapping his former girlfriend’sthree-year-old daughter from a babysitter in Bettendorf on Monday morning. The child’s body was found later in the day in Smith’s car, which was parkedin Moline, Illinois. Scott County Attorney Bill Davis says he’ll drop thekidnapping charge he’s filed against Smith if Illinois prosecutors file amurder charge.Neighbors of the child’s mother say the toddler called Smith “daddy.”
New Hampton Sara Lee plant draws interest
The Economic Development Director in New Hampton says he’s had somebusinesses nibble at the idea of using the soon-to-close Sara Lee bakeryplant there. Sara Lee plans to close the plant in December, putting 625people out of work. Development Director Herman Meyer says several companieshave shown some interest in the last couple of weeks.Meyer says the calls have come from all areas of industry.Meyer remains optimistic, but knows anything can happen and says he won’t behappy until they get a sold building.Sara Lee is asking 25-million dollars for the building. The company ismoving the New Hampton operations to other plants in North Carolina andMichigan.
Environmental council wants Ag wells tested
The Iowa Environmental Council is calling for state inspection andmonitoring of ag drainage wells which were targeted for closure in 1997. For a variety of reasons, few of the wells which drain into undergroundwater sources have been capped. Iowa Environmental Council ExecutiveDirector Linda Applegate says three-hundred-40 ag drainage wells wereregistered with the state earlier this decade, and a few have been closed. Others haven’t been capped.Applegate says in the interim, it’s important to ensure there’s notcomtamination seeping into the underground drinking water supply.The legislature in 1997 set aside three-million dollars to close the mostrisky ag drainage wells and to help farmers repair others.
Iowa coach to start a new QB against Northern Illinois
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says the offense needs a spark and he will insertsenior Randy Reiners as the starting quarterback against Northern Illinois.Ferentz says they are looking for a spark and perhaps Reiners’ style canprovide that.Northern Illinois is also 0-2 but Ferentz says it is an improving ballclub.Members of the offensive line have been shouldering much of the blame forthe lack of offense the first two weeks but Ferentz says the problems rundeeper than the front-line.
