The senior center averaged more than 22 points and 12 rebounds in three victories. Focht poured in 26 points, on 13-of-15 shooting, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked three shots. Focht connected on nearly 78 percent of his shots on the week and finished with eight blocked shots.
Class 1A: Ryan Focht, Villisca
February 10, 2009 By
Senators debate school consolidation
February 10, 2009 By
A state senator from Des Moines is suggesting that school districts with fewer than 750 students be closed and be forced to merge with another, but the idea’s drawing fire from a northwest Iowa lawmaker.
Senator David Johnson, a Republican from Ocheyedan, ridicules the idea of "rapid" school consolidation. "We might as well say not only is Iowa closed for business concerning some of the labor issues that are coming up in this legislature, we’re closed for education," Johnson says.
But Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, defends his idea. "I’m a little surprised that Senator Johnson would rise to defend big government, inefficiency and waste in the system," McCoy says, "because that is essentially what you’re doing."
McCoy says too many small Iowa school districts are unable to maintain a high school. "It’s probably time that this legislature start discussing this issue," according to McCoy.
McCoy says it is a "travesty" that students in rural Iowa are often unable to take the kind of classes as their peers in urban Iowa. "We know the system’s inefficient and yet rural Iowa is in such a funk out there and they’re so afraid of what is happening that they won’t even recognize the shift that has occurred in their communities," McCoy says. "…They’re continuing to defend a system that is inefficient, that does not provide equal opportunity to all students and does not meet the needs of a modern educational system."
But Johnson suggests the state’s biggest schools — in the Des Moines area, where McCoy lives, are doing worse rather than better than small schools. "Well, I wonder what kind of inefficiency we’re talking about here," Johnson says. "If we’re talking about Polk County, we know where graduation rates are. They’re going down the tube, but I would dare to say that in northwest Iowa our schools are at a 100 percent graduation rates."
McCoy says teachers and principals in Des Moines-area schools are working "very hard," but they cannot overcome lack of parental involvement in many cases.
McCoy promises to introduce a bill on the issue Click on the audio link below to listen to Johnson and McCoy’s comments this morning in the Iowa Senate.
Ida County Sheriff reopens case of missing woman
February 10, 2009 By
The "cold case" of an Ida Grove woman’s disappearance 12 years ago is being reopened by the Ida County Sheriff’s Department. Ida County Sheriff Wade Harriman says Connie Ruddy disappeared on February 10th, 1997, leaving her two young children alone in their home.
Despite considerable searches by law enforcement and the public, no trace was found of the 21-year-old woman until two-and-a-half years later. A fossil hunter in August of 1999 found a jawbone along the Boyer River near Dow City, some 35-miles from Ruddy’s home.
The jawbone was determined to be Ruddy’s, but despite searches along the river and the surrounding area, no other remains were found. Harriman says they’re re-opening the case today in the hopes of finding her killer. He says a substantial reward will be offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary to visit Iowa
February 10, 2009 By
The new secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will visit eastern Iowa Wednesday to gauge progress of flood recovery efforts. Janet Napolitano will tour flood-damaged areas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville and will meet with area leaders. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s encouraged Napolitano, who was sworn into office last month, is making the trip. FEMA is under her jurisdiction, Grassley says, and he believes the emergency management agency is responding in Cedar Rapids much better than it did after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast a few years back. Still, Grassley says there are things FEMA could be handling more efficiently in Iowa, as homeowners and businesses continue working to recover from last June’s flooding. Grassley says, “I think she’s going to have to explain how come money’s not flowing faster.” He points out the federal funds were appropriated last October but many relief dollars still haven’t reached the Iowans who need them. Grassley says he heard just last week from Iowa City homeowners and merchants who are frustrated that they’re still waiting on the promised federal help.
Grassley not swayed by President’s plea
February 10, 2009 By
Last night’s pleas from President Obama for Congress and the public to support the proposed $838-billion economic stimulus package had no effect on Senator Chuck Grassley. The Iowa Republican says he’s voting against the massive bailout. While the package might be able to create more than three-million jobs, Grassley says each of those jobs would essentially cost 300-thousand dollars.
Grassley says, "It didn’t contain enough initiatives to encourage investment, risk-taking entrepreneurship and the kind of activity that gets people to work today and keeps them working for the long haul, particularly, not enough help for small business where 80% of the new jobs are created." He says the stimulus bill was managed in a heavily partisan way by congressional leaders, a way that shut down collaboration.
Grassley says his office has received thousands of calls from Iowans who oppose the legislation, fearing it will not get the economy back on track. "I hope that the next major efforts start in a way that avoids political machine-type outcomes and yields really a common-sense product that the public can support," Grassley says.
He says Iowans’ cynicism is being fueled by the package’s massive government spending and long-term entitlement commitments that will leave the next generation with trillion-dollar deficits. The Senate is expected to vote on the package this afternoon.
Field of Dreams 20th anniversary celebration canceled
February 10, 2009 By
The 1989 movie featuring Kevin Costner was based on the book "Shoeless Joe" written by W.P. Kinsella. Don and Becky Lansing own the baseball field where the movie was shot near Dyersville. It’s remained a popular tourist attraction. The Lansings issued a news release announcing the decision to cancel the 20th anniversary gathering. The couple says with so many people losing their jobs it makes no sense to spend money on a celebration. Instead, the Lansings say they will donate $5,000 to a local food bank. 
Blaming the economy, the owners of the Field of Dreams movie site have canceled plans for a 20th anniversary celebration of the film’s release.
Council Bluffs newspaper cutting back
February 10, 2009 By
Tough economic times have hit the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil. Publisher Tom Schmitt says in an effort to manage rising costs, they are cutting back on the number of days each week they print.
"We are suspending, for an indefinite period of time, the print version of our Monday paper. We will print Tuesday through Sunday. We will be on-line all seven days. We will have a Monday on-line edition that will be updated every Monday," Schmitt. Schmitt says they had a difficult decision to make.
Scmitt says, "Like a lot of businesses, our industry is facing economic challenges. Newsprint has gone up 35-percent from last year. We were really faced with two options…. try to pass on the burden of those increases to our readers and our advertisers or find a way to save money for everyone. We chose to save money for everyone." Schmitt says no one lost their job over the decision to suspend the Monday edition.
Schmitt says the reporters will continue to work seven days a week. The editors will continue to edit because we are putting out the on-line addition. The carriers, who are independent contractors, will be delivering one less day a week. Schmitt promises the same amount of news despite the change.
