May 16, 2012

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Five kids arrested for trashing vacant Des Moines home

May 16, 2007 By

A group of five kids are in trouble for trashing a vacant house in Des Moines.

Des Moines Police Sergeant Todd Dykstra says the kids were arrested after cops were tipped off by someone who saw the vandals in action. "Based on the information that was shared and these kids being at another location…committing some criminal mischief, they were finally apprehended by officers," Dykstra says.

The house was vacant, but being remodeled. "They broke in and broke all the windows, lights, toilet lids, bathtubs (and) kicked holes in the walls," Dykstra says. "Just destroyed the inside of the house."

Garbage was also shoved down drains to plug the plumbing. Damage has been estimated at $20,000.

The incident happened sometime after 8:30 and before 11 o’clock on Tuesday morning — when those kids should have been in school, according to Dykstra. "It is frustrating to see that such young kids were involved…they ranged from 12 to 13 years of age," Dykstra says.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development currently owns the home, which was under renovation for resale.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Haas to play Iowa event on Champions Tour

May 16, 2007 By

The top player on the Champions Tour has committed to play in a tournament in West Des Moines next month. Jay Haas will take part in the Principal Charity Classic at the Glen Oaks Country Club. Tournament director Jeff Starr called Haas "the premiere player" on the Champions Tour the last two years. It’ll be Haas’ first time playing in the Iowa event.

Haas has already won two tournaments this year. Haas leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings. The calculations are made in a similar way to what’s done in NASCAR and the P-G-A Tour. Golfers get points based on their winnings and their scores. Starr, the tournament director, says the winner of last year’s Champions Tour Cup was decided on the last put on the last hole of the last tournament of the year.

Starr says they are pleased with how the tournament field is shaping up for the event at Glenn Oaks. Starr is waiting on a couple of golfers, like Hale Irwin and Fuzzy Zoeller, to decide whether to play in the tournament. The Principal Charity Classic is June 5th through the 10th.

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Luther opens NCAA regional baseball play

May 16, 2007 By

The Luther College baseball teams opens an NCAA division three regional in Bloomington, Illinois this afternoon. The Norse are the top seed in the six team regional after winning the Iowa Conference tournament title over the weekend.

Luther coach Brian Gillogly says they haven’t taken the title since 1985 and they’re excited to be able to move on and play in the regional. The Norse open against Augustana of Illinois. Gillogly says Augustana is a perennial power in a good conference, and he expects them to be a very good hitting club. He says eight out of their nine hitters are left handed.

Gillogly says having the top seed is an advantage if you can get off to a good start. Just like the conference tournament, he says the first game is huge. Luther is 29-9.

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Webster City softball coach says this is final season

May 16, 2007 By

A successful high school softball coach is calling it quits. When the Webster City softball team takes to the diamonds later this month to start the 2007 season, it will be the final one for Dave Hilton. The long-time coach of Webster City’s softball program submitted his resignation to the district’s school board Monday night.

He’s been the softball coach in Webster City for 30 seasons. Hilton coached Webster City’s 1988 championship team and coached his 1994 and 1995 squads to the state tournament. Hilton had also coached girls basketball at Webster City, but he retired from that job two years ago. 

Audio: Pat Powers report. :32 MP3

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Camp teaches about the origins of food

May 16, 2007 By

There are all kinds of educational summer camps available, but one in particular can teach you about the origin of the food you eat. The Practical Farmers of Iowa summer camp is called "Your Backyard Grocery Store," and includes food education with the traditional summer stuff.

Practical Farmers spokesperson Cedar Johnson says the camp held in Boone,  is part of their overall philosophy. She says their organization is focused on keeping farmers on the land, local foods and community building. Johnson says they try to help consumers connect directly with their farmers, so the consumers know where their food comes from. Johnson says the camp expands on that by teaching kids about the origins of food.

Johnson says there are a lot of benefits to knowing where your peas and carrots are grown. Johnson says it’s in a sense for the farmers, but it also is for people to help strengthen their communities. Johnson says, "I personally believe that getting kids thinking about this at an early age is well worth our time."

While the grocery store is the place most people get their food, Johnson says that is changing. She says there’s a "Farm to Folk" organization in Ames where the food comes directly from the farmers to the people who order it. Johnson says you can also get your meat directly from the locker. Johnson says the camp isn’t just all talk about beans and greens.

Johnson says they have campfires, swimming, hiking and all the traditional camp activities. She says though, the programming is focused on food, and all the food at the camp is locally grown.

The P-F-I camp is June 6-9th at the Des Moines Area YMCA Camp near Boone, and is a family camp for people of all ages. For more information, call: 515-232-5661 or visit the Parctical Farmers of Iowa  website .: 

Filed Under: Agriculture, Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:

Governor signs bill that increases earned income tax credit

May 16, 2007 By

Governor Chet Culver has signed into law a bill that eases the tax burden on low-income families in Iowa. The new legislation increases the state’s "earned income tax credit" from six-and-a-half to seven-percent. It also makes the tax credit refundable — ensuring a refund for those who in the past weren’t eligible because they didn’t earn enough.

"By making the tax credit refundable, tens of thousands of Iowa families will no longer be required to pay taxes on their state income," Culver says. The governor expects 160,000 Iowans to pay less in state income taxes as a result of the tax change.

The governor says the legislation’s timely because in recent years, low-income Iowans have experienced greater financial hardship due to increased state taxes. Culver signed the bill into law during a ceremony Tuesday inside the Old Capitol in Iowa City.  

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

House approves measure to name Davenport courthouse after Leach

May 16, 2007 By

The U.S. House Tuesday approved a bill that would name the Davenport federal courthouse in honor of former Republican Iowa Congressman Jim Leach. Representative, Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, co-sponsored the bill. Braley says he first met Jim Leach as a freshman in college as Leach was campaigning in what was then the First District in 1976.

Leach went on to win the election and was Braley’s representative. Braley says this is a “very important bill to me personally,” and says the last time he talked with Leach, they were at the Dan Gable Wrestling Museum in Waterloo. Braley says that election in 1976 was the first time he was eligible to vote, and says it was not a vote cast for Leach.

“I’m pretty confident that I voted for his opponent in that election,” Braley says. Braley says Leach had a long and distinguished career of public service representing the citizens of eastern Iowa for 30 years, and that’s why he sought to have the building named for Leach.

Braley says “this is going to be a great honor, and one that’s well deserved.” The other co-sponsor of the bill is Representative Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Mt. Vernon, who defeated Leach. The bill will now moves to the Senate for approval. Iowa’s two Senators have introduced similar legislation in the Senate.

 

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