A renewable energy program is getting a financial boost from the Minnesota-based McKnight Foundation. Eight-million McKnight Foundation dollars will go to a renewable energy program in seven midwest states over the next three years. These dollars build on a three-year-old program called “Wind on the Wires,” designed to bring wind energy to market by improving and expanding the current power grid infrastructure. McKnight will work with the San Fransisco-based Energy Foundation to administer the program, which will focus primarily on wind energy in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota.
Iowa’s Junior Miss comes home with spirit award
June 30, 2003 By
She didn’t win the crown over the weekend but the Iowa contestant in a national beauty pageant isn’t coming home empty-handed. The America’s Junior Miss National Finals were held in Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday night. An 18-year-old from California took the title this year, winning some 65-thousand dollars in scholarships and prizes. An Iowan is among the other young ladies who won honors. Rebekah Hamby, an 18-year-old from Ames, won the “Overall Spirit Award,” along with a five-thousand dollar scholarship. Hamby played the euphonium as her talent. She graduated from Ballard High School and will attend the University of Iowa in the fall. All Junior Miss contestants were judged in 5 categories: fitness, scholastics, poise, talent and interview.
Geographic Information experts meet in Ames
June 30, 2003 By
Many of the people who literally map out our lives are meeting today in Ames. It’s the biennial meeting of the Iowa Geographic Information Council. Andy Kula, a meteorologist and the vice president of the council, says geographic information is important to Iowans in many ways. He says local governments use the information in planning, locating utilities and mapping cities. Kula says it’s also important at the National Weather Service where he works. Kula says he’s interested in the sciences of the geographic information and being able to map temperature data, and mapping of data during storm warnings. Kula says the council was instrumental in an important project that will help their cause. He says last spring the group got together to take high-resolution aerial photography of the entire state. He says those photos are now available on the Iowa State University G-I-S website. Kula says he expects those photos to prove their worth. He says they can be used for land use studies and he can see the weather service using them for storm damage surveys. The Geographic Information Council will meet today through Wednesday.
Tama plant focus of ICA questions
June 30, 2003 By
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association recently held its first-ever summer conference, and ICA president Bob Johnson says a lot of the farmer-producers wanted an update on when a closed meatpacking plant in Tama will reopen. Johnson says the plant opening is set for July 21St. The Cattlemen’s Association created Iowa Quality Beef Supply Cooperative, a group of producers who bought the meatpacking plant last year and have been renovating it and installing state-of-the-art equipment. Johnson says the management is “pretty well all in place,” and they’ve collected about 1100 applications from people who hope for jobs in the plant. Johnson says the Tama area needs the jobs with the closure of the Meskwaki casino nearby. Johnson says concerns over Mad Cow Disease have kind of moved into the background. He says the National Cattlemens Association handled it well, and the public seems to have taken news about the disease without a drop in the sale of meat at the grocery store. Johnson says farmers are hoping to learn about “Country of Origin Labeling” that will make them keep more records and track every animal from its birth to the slaughter, to prove where the meat was produced.
Advocate says domestice violence programs suffer from state budget cuts
June 30, 2003 By
Two domestic violence programs have shut down in the past year, and the executive director of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence says more may be forced to close due to budget woes. Laurie Schipper of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence says on top of cuts in state aid, cities and counties have cut their contributions as well. Schipper says there’s a “real crisis” for domestic violence shelters and programs. The Legislature did not send Iowa’s 31 domestic violence shelters any state aid for the coming fiscal year, but Attorney General Tom Miller dipped into a victim’s compensation fund to find about $2 million. Schipper says federal funds have been cut back, too, and domestic shelters and treatment programs “are really struggling.” Schipper says that’s why the state’s “line item” appropriation is so important. Schipper says if the state funds don’t come through next year, “a significant number of shelters” will close.
Former UNI player signs major league contract
June 30, 2003 By
Former U-N-I standout Adam Boeve has signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Boeve was named the Missouri Valley Conference player of the year this past season and was taken by the Pirates in the 12th round of the draft. He will leave the Waterloo Bucks and will report to a mini-camp before being assigned to a Pirates’ Class-A affiliate. Bucks manager Andy Haines says they’re happy to see him go because the league is all about preparing players for the big show. Waterloo closes out a series at home against Madison, tonight. The Bucks have dropped 10 of their last 12 and stand 10-17 on the season. Haines says he still has a lot of confidence in his guys, and points to last year’s success when the team was average in the first half of the season but in the end wound up winning it all.
Two Mason City teams hold top spots in RI baseball poll
June 30, 2003 By
Two teams from Mason City are top-ranked in the latest Radio Iowa/High School Baseball Association Coaches Poll. For years, Mason City Newman has been a frequent visitor to the top ranking in either the 1A or 2A poll. Mason City High is making its own mark now as the Mohawks climb two spots to take over as the top-ranked team in Class 4A. Coach Troy Rood’s team has featured balanced hitting and a deep pitching staff to make a run at the CIML Iowa Conference title this season and a senior class that has shined in several sports has led the way. Rood says three of the members of the team will go on to play division one football, and he believes it says a lot about the trio that they’ve decided to stick around and play their senior season of high school baseball. The Mohawks’ move to the top comes one day after posting a 4-0 victory over Newman in a contest that drew more than 2000 spectators. Burlington remains second in 4A. Cedar Rapids Kennedy is third followed by Dubuque Hempstead and Lewis Central. Previously top-rated Urbandale falls to sixth. Despite Sunday’s loss, Mason City Newman remains top-rated in 2A, Dyersville Beckman is second, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Carlisle and Center Point-Urbana complete the top five. The other change is in 1A where Martensdale St. Marys, 21-0 to start the week. edges past Lansing Kee to take over as the top-ranked team. Rounding out the top five in 1A, it is Sentral of Fenton, Iowa Valley and Granville Spalding. Cedar Rapids Xavier remains top rated in 3A, Knoxville is second, then it’s Davenport Assumption, West Delaware and Vinton Shellsburg.
