The Old World meets the New World in eastern Iowa’s Amana Colonies today. Gregory Schmidt is producer of the Iowa Renaissance Festival, which he says is part King Arthur movie and part three-ring circus. It’s an emersion into what’s called edu-tainment, a combination of living history educational exhibits plus entertainment on five stages. There are 82 shows rotating all day with 18 various performing groups. Schmidt says the era of the renaissance and the dark ages appeal to people of all ages.The acts range from pirate comedy to jousting on horseback. Schmidt says there will also be at least 50 merchants, craftsmen and artisans set up selling their unusual wares from by-gone centuries. Items that are custom-made and hand-made including jewelry, woodwork, leatherwork, clothing, armor and swords. The festival began Saturday and runs through today (Labor Day). For more information, call (641) 357-5177 or surf to “www.festint.com”.
Iowa Motor Truck Assoc opposes bigger rigs
A federal study recommends making semi-trucks longer and heavier so more cargo can be carried by fewer trucks. Scott Weiser, president of the Iowa Motor Truck Association, has read the report and sees good and bad in the proposal. Weiser says those 18-wheelers on Iowa’s interstates would grow proportionately. Weiser says a new truck configuration should be adopted nationwide that would include more axles and a larger payload, weighing 96-thousand pounds, instead of the current 80-thousand. He says supporters of the study’s recommendations say bigger, heavier trucks make good financial sense and could relieve traffic congestion in cities nationwide. “When you can eliminate additional trucks, it’s the best thing you can do from a safety standpoint and certainly to address the efficiency question, having that truck and that fuel and that driver carry more product and become more efficient is good for the economy.” One huge drawback, Weiser says, is creating a fleet of these new super-trucks would be very expensive.us for that” He says the size and weight of trucks has been a big political issue for years. Weiser says the Iowa Motor Truck Association’s board of directors does -not- support the proposal to change the current 18-wheeler set-up and “would have to be convinced” that upgrading makes the best economic sense.
"Boomers" will demand more in old age
The 58-year-old who now heads Iowa’s Department of Elder Affairs says his “Baby Boom” generation will be more demanding in old age, and that’ll mean changes in the kinds of services available for the elderly. Elder Affairs director Mark Haverland says there’ll be more in-home services available. And he believes retirement communities will become even more popular as people want to give up caring for their houses and yards, and no longer wish to cook for themselves. Haverland says the state’s already-existing retirement communities are very popular and always full, and they’re building more all the time. Haverland says living in a retirement home gives the elderly the freedom to escape the drudgery of cleaning gutters, mowing the lawn and scooping snow. He says that’s of particular appeal to the Baby Boom generation.Haverland says the current generation of elderly seem to want to “do for themselves” and stay, independent, in their own homes as long as possible. He says his generation of Baby Boomers is sort of the opposite, and think of freedom as “somebody else does all my work for me.” Haverland was born in 1946 — the first year of the so-called “Baby Boom.”
HUSH in Iowa again this deer season
Iowa deer hunters will have a chance for a little extra practice and a chance to help the hungry again this fall. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ “Help Us Stop Hunger” or “HUSH” program allows hunters to shoot a deer and donate it to the Food Bank of Iowa. DNR spokesman Ross Harrison says the first year of the program saw 1500 hunters donate 1600 deer. He says Iowa beat all other states in the nation for the number of deer donated to such a program. About half the states have a program like HUSH. Harrison says Iow will continue the program this deer season in the 55 or so central Iowa counties and they have 28 lockers that’ll help process the deer for use by the needy. Harrison says hunters also chipped in some bucks to help process the bucks they shot. He says every hunter who buys a deer permit is asked if they’d like to contribute $5 toward the costs of the HUSH program. He says some 2000 hunters contributed the five bucks last year to help process the deer meat. Harrison says it’s easy for hunters to get involved in the HUSH program — all you have to do is buy a deer permit and then find a locker that’s in the program and take the deer there. He says you can find the lockers at www.iowahush.com. Harrison says the deer donated last year resulted in 80,000 pounds of ground venison, or more than 300,000 meals to customers of social service agencies in central Iowa.
"Citizens Academy" soon to convene
A new crop of recruits will soon start at a police academy, but they won’t graduate with a badge. On the other hand, it’s free and there’s no danger of getting shot or having to tackle criminals. Sergeant Craig Matzke at the Des Moines Regional Police Academy says an upcoming session of a joint “citizens academy” will give people a closer look at the job law-enforcement officers do. The goal’s to give them insight into what training’s required to become a police officer and what they experience, the firearms training, special operations and tactical teams, and other areas most people don’t know about. Sergeant Matzke says people get a far better understanding of the job of law-enforcement with this exposure than they did just reading the paper or seeing crime stories on TV. And he says it’s a diverse group that applies for the free civilian training sessions. Young and old have attended, some who are highly supportive of the law-enforcement community and some who were critical. But no matter where they’re coming from, he says participants get a better understanding of the officers’ work and a new perspective. Des Moines police and the Polk County sheriff’s department teamed up to create this Citizens’ Academy, which they’ve offered before. Other agencies in Polk County and around the state offer similar citizen academies from time to time. The sergeant says Iowans can go to their local police or sheriff’s department and ask for this kind of course, or just come with questions. He encourages people to approach them and discuss it, saying officers are proud of the work they do, and are more than willing to educate people about their job and how they do it. The 30 slots filled fast for Polk County’s citizen academy but Sergeant Matzke says it surely won’t be the last.
New "ranch steak" premieres this weekend
The arrival of Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer, but it doesn’t need to spell the end of grilling out. Nancy Degner, executive director of the Iowa Beef Industry Council, says a new cut of steak, called the “ranch steak,” is being rolled out in Iowa this holiday weekend. Degner says the physiology of cattle obviously hasn’t changed but this steak has emerged through research and a new cut of beef. The new “ranch steak” comes from the chuck section of beef where there are 35 different muscles. She says it comes from the chuck and it’s the beef shoulder center steak from the heart of the muscle in the chuck steak, also known as a charcoal steak. Degner says it’s similar to a sirloin steak in tenderness and is tender enough for grilling. Degner says the steak is being featured at Fareway Stores across the state and first went on sale September first. The Boone-based Fareway has more than 80 stores in Iowa.
Today’s elderly more active
It wasn’t too long ago that folks would have thought it weird for a 50 year old to be lifting weights or working out. But Mark Haverland, director of the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, says the tone of American life has changed. Haverland says staying fit is one way to control your own destiny. “Exercise is one of the ways that you can actually take matters into your own hands and be healthier as a result of what you do yourself,” he says. Despite the statistics showing more and more Americans are obese, Haverland has hope for the Baby Boom generation.Haverland says today’s 40- and 50-year-olds will live longer and healthier lives because they’ve developed regular exercise habits and paid attention to nutrition. Haverland says the trend “will change and alter the trajectory of aging a lot” in the coming years. Haverland says the “health-kick” that’s struck older Iowans will affect Iowa’s nursing home industry. Haverland says there’ll be a decreasing demand for nursing home care as folks are able to delay that “final step” to advanced care because they’ll be healthier in their 70s and 80s. Haverland says the notion of retirement as permanent leisure is, perhaps, going to go away and that is the most significant change between the current generation and the generation that’s soon to retire
