Iowa’s Public Safety Commissioner faced tough questions at the statehouse today (Tuesday). Commissioner Kevin Techau apologized to legislators for what he called a “misunderstanding.” Techau’s under fire for telling a newspaper reporter he’d review the State Patrol’s policies that keep large sections of police reports secret if the newspaper donated money to his agency. Techau says he made the statement, but feels it was taken out of context. “I regret the misunderstanding and my failure to communicate properly, and I apologize for causing this to be construed in that way,” Techau testified. Techau says he did not mean to suggest he is unwilling to review the policy without the newspaper’s money in hand, but only that such a review would be expensive. “I apologize for not being a better communicator in this instance,” Techau says. Yet Techau, who constantly fidgeted during a question and answer session with legislators, seemed to dig himself in deeper as he was asked repeatedly to explain himself. “We have a number of challenges budgetwise, as we all do, and realistically, if someone wanted to work with us, we certainly would do it,” Techau told lawmakers. Techau says he didn’t go into the meeting looking for money for his agency, but “it occured” to him during the discussion that a “contribution” might be a possible solution. But Representative Scott Raecker, a republican from Urbandale, says Techau improperly suggested that money needs to change hands before department policy changes. “There is no law prohibiting this, and I think it’s important that we do prohibit it. It would be no different than a legislator saying ‘You know, if you make a contribution to…the State of Iowa, then I’ll introduce your bill,’” Raecker says. Raecker plans to sponsor legislation that would make it illegal to suggest something like that. Anyone involved with state government would be barred from soliciting a donation that will then influence a vote, a judgement or a decision if Raecker’s bill becomes law. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board is reviewing Techau’s comments to determine if he violated existing state law.
DNR issues air quality alert for state
The Iowa Department of Natural Reources issued an Air Quality Advisory today (Tuesday), saying the air quality across large areas of Iowa was unhealthy for sensitive groups. D-N-R air quality specialist Brian Button says It’s a problem that extends beyond Iowa. He says, “We have a stagnant air mass across the upper midwest, where normal everyday emissions are not dispersing or mixing in the atmosphere like the typically do.” Button says certain people will be more affected by the stagnant air than others. He says people in senstive groups, such as those who have lung or heart disease, asthma, and even healthy adults, shouldn’t be out exercising, doing a lot of heavy activity, etc. He says they should try and postpone those activities until Thursday, when more typical air quailty conditions return. He says the level of pollution in the air is measured by the Air Quality Index — and it’s unusual to see it this bad in Iowa. He says, “Typically in Iowa, the air will fall into the “good” or “moderate” catagories on a daily basis. The A-Q-I is usually one-to 50, which is “good,” while 51-to 100- is “moderate.” Anything over 101 is potentially unhealthy for some of the more sensitive groups that are outdoors doing a lot of activities. The A-Q-I in Des Moines today measures 119. In Cedar Rapids, it’s 112, and a monitor at Viking Lake State Park in Southwest Iowa’s Montgomery County, produced a reading of 104. Surrounding counties experienced similar levels, while other areas of the state have elevated, but more moderate pollution levels. To put the conditions into perspective, Button says other parts of the country, such as in Los Angeles, California, experience days like this 80-days out of the year, and at higher levels. Our air quality he says, is better than what Americans breathe on a typical day.
Report calls Anita nursing home fire arson
Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s office have released the preliminary results of their investigation into a fire at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Anita. Jim Saunders, the Public Information Officer with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, says based on their preliminary findings, investigators have concluded that the fire was intentionally set, though local and state fire marshals are still investigating. The fire broke out shortly after 10:30 Saturday night, and was contained to a single room in one wing of the nursing home. Anita and Wiota firefighters responded quickly, but Saunders said the facility’s sprinkler system also gave them a head-start on containment of the flames. The sprinkler system helped prevent the fire from being more of a serious incident than it was. Firefighters say they hauled out a couple smoldering pieces of vinyl-covered furniture that created thick toxic smoke when the fire spread to them. Two people were treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation — the resident in the room where the fire occurred, and the charge nurse who was on-duty that night. Saunders says the Cass County Sheriff’s office wants to hear from anyone who has information about the fire.
Senate Republicans want teachers to pass test to work
The republicans in the Iowa Senate want to force new teachers to pass a test before they can work in the classroom. Senate Co-Leader Stewart Iverson, a republican from Dows, says the teacher testing proposal is meant to ensure there’s a qualified teacher in every classroom. “We want the best education that we can get for the students of Iowa,” Iverson says. “It takes a strong set of teachers.” Senate Co-President Jeff Lamberti, a republican from Ankeny, says they also want to let schools pay bonuses to certain teachers. Lamberti says schools should be able to offer “incentives” to teachers in shortage areas like math and science. Paul McKinley, a republican from Chariton who is co-chair of the Senate Education Committee, says he and his fellow republican senators want to give schools more money to boost teacher pay, but they want the pay hikes to correspond to performance. “What we want to do is to start emphasizing the achievement per child instead of the amount of dollars per child,” McKinley says. Mike Connolly, a democrat from Dubuque, is the other co-chair of the Senate Education Committee, and he is not wild about a test for new teachers. “I think it creates a whole ‘nother level of government bureaucracy that’s really unnecessary,” Connolly says. “Iowa teachers are sought after nationwide.” Connolly, though, isn’t ready to reject all the republican ideas. “Everything’s on the table,” Connolly says. “I suppose there’ll be some deal-making.” The republican senators also propose raising the tax credit to 25-hundred dollars for parents who pay private school tuition or pay for preschool. Parents of public school students may also use the credit to cover school fees for things like books or class trips.
New owners take over Osceola casino
A Las Vegas-based gambling company today completed it’s takeover of the Lakeside Casino in Osceola. Herbst Gaming bought the casino and two in Missouri last July from the estate of William Grace. Company president Ed Herbst says while they’re adding their trademark “Terrible’s” name to the Lakeside casino — they don’t plan any changes in management. He says all the managers have been in the industry and involved in casinoes for some time, so they’ll just be bringing the managers up to speed with the “Herbst philosphy” of marketing and food. Herbst told the Racing and Gaming Commission in January that they plan to “upgrade” the casino with new paint and carpet and also want to expand the hotel. Herbst says that won’t lead to any new jobs right away, but maybe down the line. He says right now they have over 500 employees and there aren’t any plans to increase that employment, but he says as they look at potential changes in the food and entertainment, there could be some growth in three or four months. Herbst says using terrible to describe a business might seem a little odd, but he says it goes back to a nickname given his grandfather by co-workers in his grandfather’s oil business. He says the co-workers would go into a town where his grandfather planned to expand his business and put up a sign that said “Terrible’s coming to town” and that stuck. He says his grandfather hated it and by the time he caught up with his co-workers to try and rectify the situation, it had become a popular recognizable name that became a standard. Terrible’s Lakeside Casino is now one of eight run by the Herbst company — including five in Nevada and two in Missouri.
ISU hopes to keep momentum from first conference win
The Iowa State Cyclones will try to make it two in a row tonight when they host Baylor in Big-12 action. The Cyclones are coming off an impressive victory over Oklahoma on Saturday, their first of the season in the Big-12.Cyclone coach Wayne Morgan says they’re yound and are hopefully growing up and learning how to get a lead and hang onto it. Could Saturday’s victory be a turning point? Morgan says he certainly hopes so, and hopes they understand what they did Saturday and hopes that will help them sustain it.Iowa State did not make a shot from more than 12-feet in the win over the Sooners but Morgan says they are not giving up on the perimeter game. He says he doesn’t think they’re a team of bad shooters, he says they aren’t great shooters, but they have some good shooters. He says he still encourages his players to shoot the three’s if they’re open as he says at some point the shots will start going in.Baylor is 9-8 overall and 1-5 in the Big-12. Coach Scott Drew has only six scholarship players on the roster and while it is not a situation he enjoys it does help him in one phase. He says you don’t have to worry so much about playing time an keeping people happy. He says sometimes when a player wants to come out of a game, he has to tell them to stay in. Drew says his team faces a difficult challenge against the Cyclones, as he says they’re talented and playing in Ames in not easy. ISU is also 1-5 in the Big 12 and 9-8 overall.
More information released on Eastern Iowa fires
We now know more information about two recent fires in eastern Iowa — including the name of a man who died in Brandon. 50-year-old Steven Harriell was killed in the Saturday fire. Harriell was apparently trying to rescue his friend, John Slager, who was not home at the time of the fire. Harriell and Slager had apparently been drinking together earlier in the day. Slager’s dog also died in the fire and the house was destroyed. The fire started near a woodburning stove. Also in northeast Iowa, the State Fire Marshal has determined the cause of the fire that destroyed the Manchester Rotational Moulding Company last Thursday. The Fire Marshal says the fire was caused by a faulty oven that’s used in the conmpany’s plastic manufacturing process. Four employees got out unharmed.
