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Miller sets record for state titles

May 19, 2007 By

Tipton’s Ashley Miller set a new all-time record during the final day of the state high school track meet, winning the 800 and 1,5000 to secure her record 15 state titles.

Miller anchored Tipton to the class 2A distance medley relay title on Friday to win her 13th state title, tying her with Woodbine’s Debbie Esser who competed in the 1970′s.

Miller says she has had a lot of help in her career, and credits her coaches, parents and teammates for helping her be motivated and work hard.

Miller was asked which race is her best, and she says the 800. She says she can use her speed to her benefit in the 800.

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Marshalltown hosts electrathon race

May 19, 2007 By

The Iowa International Raceway in Marshalltown will host the first of a series of races designed to promote the use of electricity to replace fosil fuels. The Ailliant Energy Iowa Electrathon series involves small, one-person electric cars built by teams of high school and community college students.

Chris Horan is with the University of Northern Iowa Center for Energy and Environmental Education and serves as the program director says this has been going on for six or seven years.

Next week the series will race at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, then Muscatine in the fall. He says they’re working a on a nation race at the speedway in Newton. The battery powered car completing the most laps in one hour wins the race. 

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Regent says arming campus officers would do little to improve security

May 19, 2007 By

One of the new members of the Board of Regents suggests arming campus security officers would do little to improve security on the Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City campuses. Bonnie Campbell, a member of the Board of Regents, says she sees "no need" for campus security to carry side arms.

"I remind people that the guards at Virginia Tech were armed and that clearly didn’t resolve what was happening there or prevent it," Campbell says. A lone gunman shot 32 fellow Virginia Tech students to death four weeks ago before shooting himself to death. Campbell serves as Iowa’s Attorney General, then served as the head of the Violence Against Women office in the U.S. Justice Department.

Campbell says her work with F.B.I. agents and others with expertise convinced her the best approach is for security officials to train repeatedly on how they would respond to a violent situation. "We’re really talking about workplace violence. This is where students work. It’s where faculty work. Most workplaces don’t have armed guards," Campbell says.

David Miles, another new member of the Board of Regents, hasn’t made up his mind about whether campus security guards should be armed. He’s leaning against it, though. "I’d like to hear back from the universities and hear what their approaches are. There’s also going to be a lot of work done at Virginia Tech and nationally by a number of institutions and so I’d like to study that," Miles says. "I agree with Bonnie that we want to be careful not to have a knee-jerk reaction that simply makes us feel better, but that at Virginia Tech didn’t really help and may not help here, and I think we also need to focus on identifying individuals who might be at risk of doing something like this."

University officials are currently reviewing campus security plans and will make a report to the Regents this summer. Campus security guards currently are not allowed to carry side arms and Miles isn’t ready to say whether that policy should continue. "My understanding is that they’re trained in the use of weapons and that they have access to weapons," Miles says. "…But I don’t know the whole decision-making process behind that and I want to understand that better." Miles and Campbell made their comments on Iowa Public TV’s "Iowa Press" program. 

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , ,

Tourism office giving away gas

May 19, 2007 By

The tourism industry is worth five-billion dollars a year in the Hawkeye State and we’re in the midst of Iowa Tourism Month. Nancy Landess, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office, says there are several promotions underway, including one that could bring someone a summer of free gasoline.

Landess says: "We are encouraging people to go to our website, which is Travel Iowa-dot-com and they have an opportunity to sign up to win a 500-dollar gas card from Kum-and-Go, and as we’re seeing gas prices rise, I think this is a great promotion." She says there’s another way to win.

Landess says if you stop at any of the 20 Iowa welcome centers, you can sign up for a 100-dollar gas card. The names of the 21 winners will be drawn in early July. She says tourism employs more than 62-thousand people statewide and generates more than 280-million dollars in state taxes. Landess says there’s also the Iowa Travel Guide, which offers a host of ideas for great vacation get-aways close to home.

The guide is free and features all of the attractions and accommodations across Iowa, there’s also a calendar of events and a new transportation map. For details, go to " traveliowa.com " or call 800-345-IOWA. 

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

John Wayne Birthplace Society has good relationship with Wayne’s family

May 19, 2007 By

The John Wayne Birthplace Society is planning several events for May 25th to the 27th in Winterset to honor the 100th anniversary of actor’s birth. Wayne’s famous cowboy image is copyrighted and owned by his children, but society chair David Trask says that hasn’t been a problem for them.

Trask says the society has had a very good relationship with Wayne Enterprises since the group acquired the house in 1980. In 1982 son Michael Wayne came back for the dedication, in 1983 Trask says all three of Wayne’s sons came back and they unveiled a commemorative firearm. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan visited, and Wayne’s daughters were on hand to greet him. Winterset renamed a street John Wayne Drive in 1986. Trask says Wayne Enterprises tightened up the use of Wayne’s image in 2003 to make things more uniform.

Trask says that gives them a logo that now matches those used for other organizations involving Wayne, including Wayne Enterprises, The John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Trask says the society has a licensing arrangement with them. He says the family has been very willing to work with the John Wayne Birthplace Society.

Trask says they’ve been very generous in going to suppliers and creating special souvenirs to sell at the gift shops and giving the society price breaks on buying those souvenirs. The society holds tours of the Wayne home and is planning a new museum as part of the centennial celebration. Wayne was born May 26, 1907.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

Iowa soldier writes book about experiences

May 19, 2007 By

A southwest Iowa native has co-authored a book about leadership and the U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Major Brad Kasal, of Afton, wrote "My Men Are My Heroes" after serving in Iraq, where he was wounded in 2004. Kasal later received the Navy Cross, the Marine Corps’ second-highest honor. Kasal says being a Marine shaped his life in a variety of ways and he wants to inspire others with the book.

Kasal says, "One is to keep the legacies of the Corps alive in today’s generation. The second reason is to tell the stories of all the Marines and what they’re doing overseas. And the third reason is to talk about managing your recovery, hoping that someone who faces adversity can read it and get some inspiration and help them overcome an injury or some kind of adversity in their own life."

His own recovery from the leg injury took 18 months. Kasal says Marines are willing to risk their lives each other. He hopes the book will be widely read by everyone, not just Marines. He says, "I hope the book can be used as a tool for all Marines, all service members and everyone, no matter what your job is, to be able to see and learn about leadership, camaraderie and all the heroic actions the Marines are doing overseas." Kasal co-wrote the book with Nat Helms, who has covered military issues for "Soldier of Fortune" magazine and The Defense Watch, an on-line newsletter.

"My Men Are My Heroes" is available at Borders, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon-dot-com .

Filed Under: Military

Dodd offers foreign policy critique

May 19, 2007 By

Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd says the Bush Administration should renew one-on-one talks with Iran and Syria.

Dodd, a Democratic presidential candidate, delivered a foreign policy address at Drake University Friday. Dodd told the crowd he doesn’t understand President Bush’s unwillingness to open negotiations with two countries that could help stabilize Iraq. According to Dodd, past presidents set aside their ideological differences and sat down face-to-face to talk with their enemies.

"Ronald Reagan called them the ‘Evil Empire’ and yet would meet in Reykjavik on arms control issues. Richard Nixon was as outspoken anticommunist as anyone in the 20th century and yet was sitting down with Mao Tse-tung," Dodd said. "Responsible leaders understand that negotiations are something you do with people you have a problem with."

Dodd said the U.S. has become too isolated internationally under the Bush Administration. "Terrorism is a problem, but we’ll never solve the issue of terrorism alone," Dodd said. "This is an issue that requires multinational, international cooperation in the coming decades or we’re going to lose our ability to deal with this."

John Olsen, a Democrat from Ankeny who was in the crowd at Drake, says Dodd’s tenure on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee shows. "Ironically it seems to me that what theywould consider the second-tier candidates — Dodd, Biden and Richardson — all seem to have extensive knowledge and experience in foreign relations," Olsen said. "Why are they second-tier candidates? Why are people not listening to them?"

Carol Lind, a Democrat from Des Moines, agreed that Dodd is competent, but she worries he’s not electable. "He knew what he was talking about," Lind said. "I would think of his really seriously, but he’s so low down, I don’t think he has a chance. I hope the other candidates are listening to him, anyway, because I think he can help a lot."

Most public opinion polls in Iowa show Dodd trailing better-known candidates John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Filed Under: Politics & Government
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