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Bicycle Coalition pleased with decision to drop bike regulation

August 29, 2008 By

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is praising a decision by the Iowa State Association of Counties to drop its push for state and county ordinances to regulate bike riders. The move to regulate bikers came after a lawsuit against Crawford County by the wife of a man who died on RAGBRAI in 2004.

Mark Wyatt of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition says tighter bike ordinances would have made it tough for those who use the two-wheeled transportation. "We see bicycle liability as something that’s a rare instance, but we see promotion of bicycling as very important, both for economic and tourism and transportation and health issues," Wyatt says, "there’s all kinds of reason to stand behind bicycling, and I think it’s something that should be encouraged all across the state."

Hardin County had just passed a bike ordinance that required bike rides of over 10 people to obtain a minimum of one million dollars in insurance before holding the ride. Wyatt says it appears that ordinance will now be pulled back. Wyatt says it looks like the Hardin County Supervisors will repeal the ordinance on Tuesday.

Wyatt says the idea of pushing for tougher bike ordinances was trying to regulate something that doesn’t need regulation. Wyatt says it’s "a perceptions versus reality issue" as he says there’s a lot of education missing as a lot counties don’t understand bicycle risk management. Wyatt says the coalition is adding an education workshop to its January conference to address bicycle risk management and tort liability.

Wyatt says the issue is especially important now in a time of higher gas prices and people looking for alternative transportation. Wyatt says any bike dealer across the state will say they’ve sold a lot more "gas price bikes" than at any other time. An effort to get the legislature to make a law to bar bike riders from collecting damages form counties and cities for most accidents failed to pass in the last session.  

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Supreme Court rules in favor of red light cameras

August 29, 2008 By

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that cameras can be used to catch vehicles that are speeding or running red lights. The ruling involves two cases out of Davenport, but will likely impact the future of similar traffic camera programs in Clive and Council Bluffs.

In each case, a Scott County judge disagreed with plaintiffs who argued the cameras violated their civil liberties and the city ordinance was in conflict with state code. The Iowa Supreme Court today upheld those rulings.

The city of Davenport collected 1.3 million dollars from tickets generated by the cameras, before the program was suspended in January 2007. About half of the revenue went to the camera vendors. Supporters of the cameras say they improve safety, noting that Davenport’s system reduced red light running crashes by 60 percent at four intersections.

City officials in Davenport expect to reactivate their cameras soon. Clive suspended its camera program, while Council Bluffs continues to use its system to catch vehicles that run red lights.

AUDIO: Radio Iowa’s Pat Curtis reports on camera ruling. :58 MP3

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High school football season gets underway

August 29, 2008 By

In high school football action tonight bragging rights are up for grabs in Lyon County as class 2A second rated Central Lyon/George-Little Rock hosts class 1A third rated West Lyon. Central Lyon coach Toby Lorenzen says it is a great test for both teams. Lorenzen says they talk to each other as coaches and say it’s a big measuring stick for both of their programs, where they find out what they need to work.

The game has gotten so big that it now has a sponsor and they call it the Lyon County Beef Bowl, and there’s a traveling trophy. Both teams will play more important games this season but few will be as meaningful as this one. "It’s just great small town Iowa football," Lorenzen says.

This opens a tough non district slate for Central Lyon which will take on class 3A 6th ranked LeMars next week. West Lyon coach Jay Rozeboom says they don’t want to play down in non-district games as that doesn’t help them. He says they’ve been able to take some early loses and still do well. Rozeboom says a lot of questions will be answered tonight.

Rozeboom says a game like this will help them become a better team. He says they can watch tape of the game and see the things they need to do to improve and be able to win against the best teams. Rozeboom says they would like a chance to get the traveling trophy that goes to the winner.

There is an early showdown in class 4A as fifth rated Cedar Falls hosts second ranked Cedar Rapids Washington. Cedar Falls coach Pat Mitchell says a game of this magnitude right out of the gate forced them to alter pre-season workouts.

Mitchell says you normal start with the fundamentals in preseason, but he says in this case they knew they’d have to play Wash and knew what they would face, so the practices have been intense. Mitchell says limiting mistakes will be a key, as he says there are typically mistakes in first games of the season. Mitchell says their major concern is preventing the home run.

After losing to eventual state champion Bettendorf in overtime in the semifinals a year ago the Tigers feel they have some unfinished business. Mitchell says he’d be lying if he said they didn’t think about that, but says it’s something that makes them want to come out and win. 

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Star party planned for Whiterock Conservancy

August 29, 2008 By

A nature preserve in western Iowa that prides itself on being the darkest spot in the state is holding what it calls a "star party" for Midwestern astronomers this weekend. Tolif Hunt, executive director of the Whiterock Conservancy near Coon Rapids, says star gazers will be there from all across Iowa and several other states.

Hunt says astronomers are coming from central Wisconsin, Illinois and Nebraska. A public event tonight will include a short "Astronomy 101" class, open night sky viewing and sky interpretation from local and regional astronomers. Hunt says each telescope owner will show onlookers spectacular planets, galaxies, stars and more heavenly bodies that are millions of miles away.

Hunt says you can see a lot of the sky with binoculars and small telescopes but these guys will be bringing in telescopes which "weigh about as much as my little car and probably worth twice it," allowing people to see nebula and other spatial bodies that you can’t see with a standard-issue telescope.

Due to its remote location in an isolated area of Iowa, Hunt says the area is prime for looking at the night sky. He says they looked at satellite pictures taken at night of the whole state during various seasons and it "jumps right out," as they’re situated in a place where light pollution isn’t a problem — about halfway between Des Moines and Omaha and between Kansas City and Minneapolis.

All ages are welcome. Star gazers are encouraged to bring a blanket. Whiterock Conservancy is a non-profit land trust dedicated to conserving and protecting Iowa’s natural resources, demonstrating sustainable rural land management and engaging the public with the environment through outdoor recreation and education. For more information, visit the Conservancy’s website .

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

Edna couple fined for improper disposal of appliances

August 29, 2008 By

A judge has fined a northwest Iowa couple $88,000 for improper disposal of used appliances. The Iowa Attorney General’s office filed the lawsuit against Harold and Sharon De Vos, who operate an appliance demanufacturing facility in the unincorporated town of Edna.

Attorney General spokesperson ,Bob Brammer, says the couple ignored earlier oders by both the state and the court to clean up the site. "Eighty-eight thousand dollars is a very serious penalty obviously, but (the judge) noted he could have delivered penalties of over seven million dollars given some of the violations were $5,000 a day and they ran for several years," Brammer said.

The suit accused the De Voses of operating without proper environmental permits and failing to clean up illegally dumped solid waste. "We think an $88,000 penalty…sends a message to anyone else doing this that you need to do it right, protect people and protect the environment," Brammer said.

In his ruling, the judge said he was most concerned about the improper disposal of refigerators, which resulted in the release of mercury and PCBs into the environment. Brammer says other demanufacturing facilities in Iowa should make sure they’re following the proper procedures.

"They have to follow environmental regulations because there are certain products in these (appliances), there might be PCBs or mercury," Brammer said. "People get paid to take the appliances and they get some income from the scrap metal, but they have to do it right." 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Shawn Johnson continue busy post-Olympics schedule

August 29, 2008 By

Sahwn Johnson talks with the media. Life continues to move at a hectic pace for Olympic champion gymnast Shawn Johnson. The 16-year-old West Des Moines girl used a rigorous daily training schedule to hone the skills that won her one gold and three silver medals in Beiijing.

But with the Olympics now over the schedule for Johnson isn’t any less hectic. She led the pledge of allegiance at the Democratic National Convention in Denver Thursday, and appears on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” tonight.

Johnson was asked about the whirlwind following a welcome back ceremony in Des Moines Tuesday, and when she might go back to classes at West Des Moines Valley High school.

Johson says she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to get back to school and how it will feel to be a normal student again. She was asked how her life has changed since winning the gold medal. Johnson says “I don’t know,” and says she doesn’t know if she feels any different. Johnson says she’s not sure if things will die down and be the same as before the Olympics.

Johnson says she doesn’t see things in a different way or feel any different and can’t say if things will go back to the way they were before. “I hope not, just cause I love the way things are right now, and I feel like this is what I’ve worked for,” she explains. Johnson leaves next week to begin preparing for a 30 city tour with her fellow gymnasts.

AUDIO: Shawn Johnson Pledge of Allegiance Thursday in Denver. :39 MP3

Filed Under: Human Interest, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Democrats look to November with convention over

August 29, 2008 By

The Democratic National Convention may be over, but the general election battle is still ahead. Some of the state’s most involved Democrats have big plans for the 66 days that lay between now and November 4th.Twenty-three-year-old Robert Jarvis of Oskaloosa was a delegate to the just-concluded convention in Denver.

Robert Jarvis "I never even expected to be standing here today back on January 3rd," Jarvis says of his convention experience. "I didn’t even quite know what a delegate was, but I knew I wanted to be involved more than I had before." Jarvis has quit his job and has no idea where he’s going after Denver.

"I’m actually not sure that I’m even going home," he says. "One of the promises that I made in my speech to ask the Iowa delegates to send me to national, I said that the young people were not going to fall asleep at the wheel so I’m actually taking a job with moveon.org as a field organizer to get people out to vote, to turn out young voters."

Delegate Paula Martinez of Carlisle says she leaves Denver, ready to do the work to turn-out the vote. "Make calls, knock doors, have meetings, get volunteers," Martinez says. "…Just work ’til I drop." Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge warned the Iowa delegates at the Democratic National Convention they don’t want a repeat of 2004.

"I can remember the sickening feeling that I had the night of the last election," Judge said. "We cannot let that happen again." Delegate Sandy Opstvedt of Story City, a member of the Democratic National Committee, says 2008 has already been different from 2004. "I’ve seen more people working this time toward the election process than I ever have in history," Opstvedt says.

Opstvedt credits the lengthy primary fight between Hillary Clinton and eventual party nominee Barack Obama. "(It) was just a phenomental event because it got so many people involved in the process and many are staying in the process — most are." Stephanie Imoff of Ames says the convention accomplished it’s goal.

"It’s amazing and I can’t wait to get everybody ‘fired up and ready to go’ back home," she says. Delegate Sandra Pope of Ottumwa says she’s been awestruck and isn’t quite ready for the convention to be over.

"To me it’s like, you know, when you get that favorite dessert and you taste it for the first time and you just want to keep it in your mouth for awhile," Pope says. "This is that moment that I just want to keep on tasting it, over and over." This past week the Obama campaign’s chief of staff told the Iowa Democrats in Denver that Iowa is one of 18 battleground states in the fall election. That was Obama campaign chief of staff Jim Messina. Read more on-line at radioiowa.com.

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