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Knee injury ends ISU center’s career

April 13, 2009 By

A series of knee injuries has ended the football career of Iowa State center Mike Knapp. The West Des Moines native started the first four games of the 2008 season before suffering a season ending knee injury.

Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says this will hurt their depth on the offensive line, as he says Knapp’s presence made a big impact and losing him is not something they can afford. Rhoads says the decision was reached after consultation with the medical staff. He says they looked at Knapp’s ability to return and play full strength versus what he would be like after football.

Knapp is one of two Cyclones who ended their career due to knee injury. The other is reserve receiver Alex Sandvig. The Cyclones close out spring drills this weekend with an intrasquad game and Rhoads says while the drills have been productive there is still a long way to go.

Rhoads says a player can never be frustrated, as that holds them back, but at the same time he says you can’t be satisfied with where you are at, or you are not moving forward.

Rhoads says all the players are ready for a game-like situation building from week one to the end of spring drills. He says by week 3 it is a grind, but the spring game gives them something to look forward to. Rhoads says the spring game will feature the first team offense against the first team defense and the second team offense against the second team defense. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Omaha/Council Bluffs named top 10 most affordable

April 13, 2009 By

Omaha/Council Bluffs is being named as one of the nation’s top ten most affordable metro areas in which to retire, according to U.S. News and World Report. David Brown, C-E-O of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, says the area offers a vibrant mix of things to do and also attracts younger people with its affordability.

Brown says, "You start looking at all the robust quality of life amenities that are here, you realize this might be a great place for them to locate even when their career is in full swing." One of the considerations in the survey was the availability of health care and Brown says Omaha/Council Bluffs has that covered.

He says, "We have one of the most dynamic health care systems in the country with two medical schools, three medical centers and a broad selection of opportunities and specialists." Brown says it’s always a good thing when the metro area gets this kind of recognition.

"Last year we were ranked in 32 rankings like this in the top ten of something or another and there has been eight or nine of them already this year that we have shown up in," Brown says.

The magazine noted that billionaire Warren Buffett continues to live in the same Omaha home he bought in 1958 for $31,500. While housing costs have gone up, the median home price in Omaha is now $113,044.

The other cities that made the cut are: Binghamton, New York; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Cocoa, Florida; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Montgomery, Alabama; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Roswell, New Mexico; San Antonio, Texas and South Bend, Indiana.  

Filed Under: Business, Human Interest

Report: Des Moines woman died before fire

April 13, 2009 By

Authorities have determined that a Des Moines woman, found dead in a burning apartment, did not die because of the fire. An autopsy report says 62-year-old Velva Schmitt died of "natural causes prior to ignition of the fire."

Des Moines Police Sergeant Vince Valdez says the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it appears to be some sort of accident. "There’s no foul play or suspect circumstances surrounding this investigation of her death," Valdez said. Schmitt’s son, 39-year-old Merle Ervin, said he tried to put out the fire but was overcome by heat and smoke. He was treated for smoke inhalation.

The autopsy does not reveal exactly how his mother died. "Something happened before that fire even started," Valdez said. "(Schmitt died) of natural causes, but what those are…it’s unknown."

The fire was reported just after three o’clock Saturday morning at the Sunburst Apartments. No one else was seriously hurt, but six residents were left homeless.

 

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Report says 15% of electricity generated in Iowa comes from wind

April 13, 2009 By

wind turbine A report by the Iowa Policy Project says the amount of wind power generated in Iowa is up three-fold since 2006. I.P.P.  research associate, Teresa Galluzzo, says they’ve been seeing signs that the amount of windpower was increasing.

Galluzzo says they asked the Iowa Utilities Board to update the amount of wind power produced in the state, “And they were shocked as we were to find out that 15% of our electricity generated in Iowa is coming from wind.”

Galluzo says critics of windpower production as a way to reduce greenhouse gases have said the cost of electricity would go up, but she says that isn’t the case. She says they looked back at electric prices before wind power production got going and says they found that prices remained lower than the national average, and haven’t been increasing as rapidly in recent years.

Alliant Energy recently requested a 17% increase in electric rates. I.P.P. executive director, David Osterberg, says that increase request is due to the failed efforts to build a new coal-fired power plant in central Iowa. Osterberg says Alliant is trying to charge customers “for the fact that they went ahead on Marshalltown, then got to the point where they got approved and then decided that they weren’t going to go forward.”

Osterberg says Alliant decided to “stick with a technology that everybody says they probably shouldn’t stick with.” Osterberg says the rate increase request includes some wind power, but a “bunch of coal.” The increase must be approved by the Iowa Utilities Board.

Galluzzo says the 15% number is just for electricity produced by wind in Iowa. She says it’s tough to tell how much of the wind generated power is actually used by Iowans. Galluzzo says they don’t know how much of a utility’s fuel mix gets sold, or how much wind they buy.

Galluzo says at the the end of 2008, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) found Iowa was second in the nation in installed wind-power capacity. Iowa had installed 2,791 megawatts of capacity by 2008, equal to 11% of the nation’s total wind capacity.

You can see the Iowa Policy Project report here .

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation Tagged With:

Gay marriage opponents hold another rally at capitol

April 13, 2009 By

Churck Hurley prays at rally against gay marriage. A few hundred Iowans stood outside the statehouse in a light rain late this morning to rally against gay marriage.

 It’s the second time in five days that those who oppose gay marriage have flooded the statehouse grounds to voice the outrage at the Iowa Supreme Court decision which legalized gay marriage.

Chuck Hurley of the Iowa Family Policy Center led the group in prayer to start the rally. "Thank you for these people who sacrificed to come here today and may you bless them and encourage them and prompt them to stand for your truth forever, in Jesus’ name," Hurley prayed, and the crowd responded: "Amen." Bill

Salier of Nora Springs, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002 who leads a group called "Everyday America," helped organize the rally.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here…to send a message to the folks in the gold dome behind us that we do not have to bow down to the robes of the Supreme Court simply because they dictate that we must," Salier said.

Salier urged those in the crowd who felt strongly on the issue to consider running against a legislator who supports gay marriage, or who has failed to support moves to place a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage before voters.

Crowd at rally against gay marriage. "We elect our representatives. And you know what? If we have a disagreement with them, we vote them out," Salier said, to applause. "…These people must feel the heat of the population and that is why we’re gathered here today."

Bob Vander Plaats, a likely Republican candidate for governor in 2010, challenged Democratic Governor Chet Culver to issue an executive order forbidding gay marriages in Iowa until Iowans can vote on a constitutional amendment which would ban same-sex marriage.

But Phil Roeder, a spokesman for Culver, says governors in Iowa do not have the ability to prevent or overturn a decision of the Supreme Court through an executive order. "It’s disappointing that some people, especially politicians, would try to mislead the public into thinking that governors do have such power," Roeder said in a statement.

The gay rights group "One Iowa" urged its supports to engage in a "virtual rally" and send email to legislators and the governor in support of gay marriage. The group’s executive director said "in tough economic times, (she couldn’t) imagine asking folks to take off work or school to attend a protest at the capitol."

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

Drake Relays 100th Anniversary adding more interest

April 13, 2009 By

The 100th running of the Drake Relays is less than two weeks away and the anniversary has sparked added interest. Drake ticket manager Jacki Embrey says sales are running ahead of last year. Embrey says they are up 12 to 15% and she believes there’s more alumni interest with the anniversary.

Embrey says there are four different ticket packages available, the all sessions for $85 dollars, the all-american which is Friday night and Saturday day $55, the gold package which is the daytime Friday and Saturday, and then the Friday day and Saturday night package that are $45.

Embrey says single session tickets are also being sold. Embrey says you can order tickets by calling 515-271-2647. Or you can order on-line by going here .

The Drake Relays are April 22nd through the 25th.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Des Moines investigators look for answers in fatal fire

April 13, 2009 By

Investigators are hoping to learn more today about what sparked a fatal fire in Des Moines over the weekend. Sixty-two-year-old Velva Schmitt was found dead inside a burning apartment early Saturday morning.

An autopsy is scheduled for today. When firefighters arrived on the scene just after 3 a.m., they found 39-year-old Merle Ervin outside the building on Des Moines’ southwest side. He told firefighters his mother was inside, but he had to get out because the flames and smoke became too intense.

The cause of the fire has not been released. Ervin was treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation. The local Red Cross is helping some other residents of the building that were forced to leave their apartments. 

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters
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