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Wartburg wins doubleheader against Dubuque

March 31, 2008 By

Junior pitcher Angela Hartwig of Long Grove picked up wins in both ends of the doubleheader and senior infielders Ashley Steines of Camanche and Ashley Rogers of Dubuque each belted home runs, leading No. 10-ranked Wartburg to a 3-2, 5-2 sweep of the University of Dubuque Sunday.

Wartburg coach Kare Kehe was happy with their performance, as she says Dubuque played well too. She says they hung in well through the first game that went extra innings.

Hartwig threw the final 5 innings of Wartburg’s extra-inning win in the opener. She threw another five innings to start the nightcap, getting the victory in both games. She’s now 11-1 on the season, and 47-6 for her career. Kehe says Hartwig was the ace last year and they are depending on her again this year.

 

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Bill would increase fines against poachers

March 31, 2008 By

A bill under consideration at the statehouse would address what wildlife experts call "outdated" laws on the illegal taking of animals. The measure, recently approved by the House Natural Resources Committee, would sharply increase the damages that convicted poachers pay to cover the replacement value of animals. Indianola Democrat Mark Davitt is a member of that committee.

"The only person that would qualify for paying any of this repayment to the citizens of Iowa are people that have already broken the law and been criminally prosecuted, which is where the fine delivered," Davitt said. "This is about the property only and what they owe back to the state of Iowa for taking this property illegally."

Davitt says the current replacement value of $50 for bobcats, for example, is way too low. "If you can find a bobcat skin on Ebay for as much as $600, a poacher would look at $50 as just a matter of doing business," Davitt said. Under the bill, the replacement value for a bobcat would increase to $200. Damages for certain fish would go from $15 to $500 because of the current high market value of their eggs.

"The fish eggs are being harvested out of illegally taken fish and that caviar can go for hundreds of dollars per pound. The fish then becomes a waste product for these poachers," Davitt said. The bill has already passed the senate, but is yet to go before the full house. 

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Crime fighting with a computer instead of a gun

March 31, 2008 By

A new criminal justice program at Des Moines Area Community College that focuses on cyber crimes allows those with an interest in law enforcement to fight crime with a mouse, not a gun. Jim Stick is the dean of the criminal justice program at DMACC.

Stick says you can have students who come into the program who have high skills in computers who don’t have a law enforcement emphasis. He says they would take all the courses in the criminal justice program and get a two-year degree and information on computers. “And they would literally sit behind a desk at a computer and work for law enforcement,” Stick says. He says the program will use 800-thousand dollars in high-tech equipment to teach the students many ways to investigate cyber crimes.

Stick says they will extract evidence from computers, P-D-A’s, cellphones and other devices confiscated during crimes. The students would work for law enforcement, but not be on the street driving a car and arresting people. Stick expects cyber crime investigation to continue to expand.

Stick says in the future he believes every law enforcement officer will have some training in computer forensics and how to collect evidence. But he says there were will a set group that does the extraction of the evidence, taking that evidence off a device without tainting the evidence.

The new criminal justice program with an electronic crime emphasis is being developed with federal grant money. Classes will be offered in the program this fall.

 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education

Penguins create a stir at Omaha zoo

March 31, 2008 By

While many Iowans might rather hear about spring, some creatures usually associated with winter are making a buzz in Omaha-Council Bluffs. The Scott Aquarium at the Henry Doorly Zoo is adding to its penguin population, now with more than 70 of the big birds. Curator Dan Cassidy says it’s taken a few weeks before the new penguins could be added to the exhibit.

Cassidy says, “U.S.D.A. requires any birds coming into this country to go through a fairly strict quarantine situation and then we extended it to check for some other things like parasites and other things before we put them into the exhibit.” The new additions include two types, King penguins and a single Macaroni penguin.

Cassidy says they were not in very good shape when they were discovered in South Africa early last year. He says, “When they found them, they were dehydrated and they had to be revived a little bit and because of their laws there, they were not able to re-introduce them back into the wild.” Cassidy says this is the first time a Macaroni penguin has been housed at the Omaha zoo.

He says, “Our original idea was to send the Macaroni someplace else where they have Macaroni penguins because we don’t have any others here but we’ve become kinda fond of her now and we are trying to find her a boyfriend.” 

 

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

Legislators to focus on budget this week

March 30, 2008 By

The scheduled adjournment date for the 2008 Iowa Legislature is April 22nd and lawmakers are starting to nail down the details in next year’s state budget.  "We’ll start beginnning some budget debate as we shift to the final phase of the legislative session," says House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs says by Monday of next week, the public should be able to determine the scope of the budget plan Democrats are drawing up for next year. "We’ll have a full balance sheet out for everybody to review and understand what we’re doing," Gronstal says.

House Republican Leader Christopher Rants of Sioux City is predictably skeptical of the budget plan Democrats are advancing. "The Democrats don’t seem to have a roadmap yet on how they’re going to balance the budget or if they do have a roadmap, they’re keeping it to themselves and are unwilling to share it with the general public," Rants says.

State tax receipts are running way ahead of expectations, meaning there will be millions of dollars in the state treasury that are not budgeted this year. If there’s unspent money in state coffers on June 30th — the last day of the state’s current budgeting year — Senate Republican Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City says it should be used for road construction and repair. "We continue to talk about the serious problem that we’ve got and we’re not hearing any solid conversation about doing anything right away with that," Wieck says, "so if there are any additional monies available, that is where I’d put it."

Democrats who control the legislature’s debate agenda, however, are not interested in that move.

Also this week, Democrats may revive debate of a controversial labor bill and make changes in the legislation, changes sought by a fellow Democrat — Governor Chet Culver. Culver has raised concerns about the bill which would expand the subjects which may be discussed during public employee contract negotiations.

Senate Democratic Leader Gronstal is not willing to reveal what those changes might be. "We’re going to work with the governor. We’re not going to do it through press release or through press conference. We’re going to work in good faith with the governor and I’m confident we’ll get there," Gronstal says.

 

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Eastern Iowa hosts film festival, while Villisca movie premieres

March 29, 2008 By

A film festival is underway in eastern Iowa this weekend, while southwestern Iowa is hosting a movie premiere. The Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival runs Friday and Saturday at the Collins Road Theatres. Eric Freese, the fest’s communications director, says the rundown includes all different lengths, features, shorts, documentaries, animation, comedies and dramas.

Freese says 88 films were submitted this year and the judges narrowed the list to 40 for screening at the fest, which includes six more hours of movies than in previous years. There will also be three filmmaking seminars. He says what’s unique about the Cedar Rapids festival is that its focus is on Iowa.

Freese says every film must have an Iowa connection, like a key cast member or crew member who was born in, lived in or educated in Iowa, or the film is based or produced in Iowa, or has an Iowa theme. For details, visit the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival website at “ www.crifm.org “.

Also, both Saturday and Sunday, the downtown theatre in Villisca, another movie makes its world debut. “Haunting Villisca” is a fictional story interwoven with facts about the still-unsolved axe murders of eight people in the southwest Iowa town nearly a century ago. For information about that movie, visit the Haunting Villisca website at “ www.hauntingvillisca.com “.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

IRS hosts Super Saturday to give help with rebates

March 29, 2008 By

The Internal Revenue Service is holding what it calls a "Super Saturday" today to help people sign up for their tax rebate from the economic stimulus package. I.R.S. spokesman, Christopher Miller, says some 320 I.R.S. offices will take part.

Miller says there are special hours at the I.R.S. assistance centers, and you can go to the I.R.S. website to find out about the offices with special hours. Miller says they’ll have special Saturday offices from nine until three p.m. Saturday in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Sioux City to help people who normally don’t have to file tax returns.

Miller says in addition, volunteer tax preparation sites will be open in Clarion, Webster City and Waterloo to help people with their stimulus payments. Miller says most people won’t have to do anything but file their return to get the rebate.

 

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