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Iowa Workforce Development to close 15 offices

May 17, 2006 By

Iowa Workforce Development will close fifteen of its 72 offices around the state. Spokeswoman Kerry Koonce says they’re already starting. Some of the offices will begin closing before the first of June, some not until around August first depending on things like the dates local leases end.

The offices to be closed include Forest City, Pocahontas, Clarion, Grinnell, Independence, Jefferson, Guthrie Center, Vinton, Monticello, Knoxville, LeMars, Missouri Valley, Corning, Chariton, and Sheldon. She says traffic was an issue, and some will close because of retirements or because they were only part-time “itinerant” offices open two or three days a week.

Koonce says people in affected areas like Grinnell should still be able to find the services they need She says that area still has offices available including Newton and Marshalltown where services will still be provided.

All the agency’s services, from searching for jobs or posting available positions to downloading forms and filing for unemployment claims can all be done on-line, 24 hours every day, at their website, “Iowa Workforce dot-org.”

Koonce says the budget’s a big factor in the closings and the agency was already short-funded from years of cutbacks before a recent scandal broke about large salaries paid to a central Iowa job-training program.

Related web sites:
Iowa Workforce Development website

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Silent ride remembers fallen bicyclists

May 17, 2006 By

Bike riders in Des Moines, Mason City and Charles City will take to the roadways in silence tonight (Wednesday) to try and create some noise about fallen friends. Scott Sumpter is one of the cyclists who’ll take part in “The Ride of Silence ” in Des Moines.

Sumpter says its a group of cyclists that “gather together to honor those that have been injured or killed on America’s roadways.” He says they also want to raise awareness that cyclists are on the roadways and are legally entitled to share the roadways.

Sumpter says bicyclists are concerned that people in other vehicles don’t seem to be paying enough attention to the bikes on the roads. He says, “The more we cycle, the more we seem to know people that have gotten hit, sideswiped or even killed.”

Sumpter says this is a worldwide event with 245 rides in 49 states, seven countries and five continents, all taking place at seven p.m. Sumpter says he knows of at least three riders from Iowa that have been killed while on their bicycles. Sumpter says Brian Shaver got killed last year outside of Ankeny, Doctor Bob Breedlove was killed in a cycling accident in Colorado, and Daniel Wisnewksi was killed in an accident just outside of Ames.

The cyclists in Des Moines will meet at the State Historical Building and ride silently through downtown Des Moines.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Human Interest

Company says it didn’t provide cellphone records

May 17, 2006 By

Many Iowans are kidding each other about having their phones tapped, in light of recent homeland security moves, but to many people, it’s not a laughing matter. Chris Hunt, a Midwest spokesman for Alltel, says his company’s customers don’t need to worry about Uncle Sam listening in.

Hunt says “We were not asked to provide any customer or phone records.” Recent reports said Verizon, A-T-and-T and BellSouth had complied with a National Security Agency request for tens of million of customer phone records, but Verizon and BellSouth now claim the records were not provided.

Hunt says Alltell didn’t hand over its records either. He says “We protect our customers’ information and our customers’ right to privacy.” Alltell provides wireless, local telephone, long-distance, Internet, and high-speed data services to residential and business customers.

Filed Under: Politics & Government

Le Mars police say failed marriage likely motive of murder-suicide

May 17, 2006 By

Le Mars police now says a failing marriage is likely what led to a triple-murder suicide last week. Police found the bodies of 38-year-old Timothy Hayden, his daughter Lyndsay, son Shawn and his wife 37-year-old wife Marilyn Hayden in their home last Wednesday.

Police say Tim Hayden left a note saying he did not want his kids to have to deal with his suicide. Investigators were not able to determine in what order the family died except that Tim Hayden was the last to die. The suspected murder weapon, a shotgun, was found next to Tim Hayden’s body.

Police believe the shootings took place in the early morning hours. Police say the body of Marilyn Hayden was found in the garage, 15-year-old Lyndsay was in a bathroom next to her bedroom, 17-year-old Shawn was in his bedroom and Tim Hayden was in a separate bedroom in the basement. The Hayden home has now been turned back over to family members.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Rainforest project makes announcements

May 17, 2006 By

Officials with the proposed Rainforest Project have two big announcements today on the progress of the environmental theme park. Bill Menner, Executive Director of Poweshiek Iowa Development, says they’ve announced a partnership with Siemens to be the “technology provider” for the rainforest, and have rolled out a name for the project — “EarthPark.”

Menner says Siemen’s has been in the forefront of the technology industry and that the new developments have been in the works for some time. Grinnell is one of four communities vying for the project.

Menner says the project’s board will make a decision soon. They’re still working on the site selection, talking with the four towns interested in hosting the project, and Menner says by the time the board meets next month they hope for a decision. Pella, Riverside and Tiffin are the other three communities in the running.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation

Ottumwa Cemetery Board faces charges

May 17, 2006 By

The five-member Ottumwa Cemetery Board is facing charges for allegedly violating the state’s open meetings laws. The Wapello County Attorney has filed civil charges against the board after an investigation by the state auditor’s office earlier this year.

The board is charged with violating the open meetings law on March 25th and 31st. The meetings in question reportedly dealt with possible disciplinary action against cemetery supervisor Bob Swanson, who is on paid leave pending an investigation.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Politics & Government

Track coach resigns over harrassment controversy

May 17, 2006 By

A longtime Northeast Iowa track coach is resigning in protest of bullying and harassment among students at the high school.

Harlan Heidelbauer, who has cross country at Allamakee Community High School for 25 years, quit his job Monday amid controversy over how a bullying incident was handled by school officials. A death threat which named two members of his cross country team, was written on a blackboard in the boy’s lockerroom last November.

One of the students named in the death threat has transferred out of the district as a result of the incident. The threat had apparently originated over hostility between the cross country and the football teams.

The student responsible for the threat was punished with a suspension. However, coach Heidelbauer contends the punishment was not severe enough to discourage someone from repeating the act and the situation will be worse next year.

Filed Under: Education
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