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Former Clinton band teacher found guilty of sex charge

April 16, 2009 By

An eastern Iowa teacher will go to prison after his arrest in November for trying to arrange a rendezvous with a presumed teenage girl.

Sentencing is set for August 20th for a former Clinton High School Band teacher found guilty of trying to entice a teen into sex.

Thirty-four-year-old James Young was found guilty by a jury late Wednesday in U.S. District Court. That jury deliberated about two hours after hearing a couple of days of testimony in the case. Young faces at least ten years in prison on the conviction.

He was accused of trying to entice the 14-year-old girl into sex during sessions in internet chat rooms, but the contact was actually a DeWitt Police officer acting undercover on-line. Young’s defense argued it was entrapment and that he abandoned plans to meet the girl at a DeWitt motel.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education

Cedar Rapids buys Tiger Dams for flood protection

April 16, 2009 By

Officials in Cedar Rapids say a new flood protection measure should speed up the city’s response time to future flooding and eliminate the need for thousands of sandbags.

Public Works Maintenance Manager Craig Hanson says it’s called a Tiger Dam. The system involves a series of 50-foot long orange tubes. Each tube, when filled with water, is about a foot-and-a-half high.

"The main value of the Tiger Dams is speed," Hanson said. "Also, reduction of the use of sandbags and it also reduces potential injuries and reduces cleanup costs because sandbags, frankly, take longer to cleanup." Cheryl Witmer with the U.S. Flood Control Corporation says the dams are also stackable, so can provide extra protection where needed.

"Each 50-foot section replaces 500 sandbags and can be deployed by one or two guys," Witmer said. "No heavy equipment is needed. When you’re done with them, you drain them and roll them up and put them into storage."

The dams will give much of the city’s flood prone areas an extra two-feet of protection to about 24-feet. However, that’s about six-feet less than last year’s record flood stage.

Cedar Rapids bought nearly 300 Tiger Dams for about $400,000. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates permanent flood protection could take up to 15 years to build.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

It’s National Healthcare Decisions Day

April 16, 2009 By

Today marks the second annual National Healthcare Decisions Day, as adults of all ages are encouraged to make plans should the worst happen. Katie Smith, community relations coordinator for Hospice of Central Iowa, says an easy form can ensure the right decisions are made if you’re ever in a situation that you’re unable to make end-of-life health care decisions yourself.

Smith says, "What it is, is really a time to get people thinking and talking with their loved ones about sharing their wishes for their end-of-life care, setting up these, what we call advance directives documents when they’re no longer able to speak for themselves." She says even though it’s hard to talk about the end of your life, it’s just as important to make sure you have things set up ahead of time, and it’s not something worth procrastinating about.

"Although it’s difficult to start the conversation, that’s why Hospice of Central Iowa is putting together materials to kind of ease that process," says Smith. "What we’ve found is, it’s so much easier for folks to have these conversations and get things set up while they’re healthy and able to make those decisions."

A free packet is being made available by Hospice of Central Iowa that provides examples of advance directives, from the simplest to the very detailed. It also includes talking points to make sure everything is considered. According to Smith, there’s not even legal fees involved in the process.

"An attorney isn’t necessary, a notary isn’t necessary for the durable power of attorney for health care. That’s separate from an ethical will for financial matters. All that’s necessary are two witnesses to witness signing it," Smith says. The legal battle in 2005 with Terri Schiavo in Florida should make people realize that all adults need an advanced directive, she says, regardless of age.

A recent survey shows only 50% of American adults have one signed. According to Smith, you should make sure your designated proxy and your doctor both a copy of the document. Find out how to get your free packet here . 

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Democrat presses GOP about Republican nominee to EPC

April 16, 2009 By

A few Iowa senators are still debating the decision Republican senators made earlier this week to reject a Cedar Rapids woman the governor had nominated to serve on the Environmental Protection Commission.

Senator Dennis Black, a Democrat from Grinnell, raised the subject this morning during remarks on the senate floor.

"I’m kind of digging up an old bone, although hopefully that bone has not been buried," Black said.

On Monday, all 18 Republicans in the senate voted against Shearon Elderkin’s nomination to serve on the Environmental Protection Commission. The top Republican in the senate has said Elderkin "misrepresented" her positions on specific water and air quality issues when she appeared before a senate committee and that’s why she should not serve on the state commission.  But Black, who is chairman of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, maintains that he doesn’t remember any senator asking Elderkin about those topics when she appeared before the panel.

"I don’t think I was asleep. I don’t think I had too much coffee," Black said. "I listened and actually was very impressed."

Black Republicans they’ve offended one of their own by voting against Elderkin.

"I wish you would reconsider," Black told Republicans. "Oh, and by the way, David Elderkin was a national Republican committee person; a very strong Republican family. And how could they have values different than you?" David Elderkin, a Cedar Rapids attorney, is Shearon Elderkin’s husband.

Senator David Johnson, a Republican from Ocheyedan, made no apologies for the Republicans’ decision to reject a fellow Republican.

"It is time to move on," Johnson told Black. "We have plenty, plenty, plenty of talent in this state to serve on boards and commissions."

Midnight was the deadline for senate confirmation votes on the governor’s nominees to state boards and commissions, as well as Governor Chet Culver’s picks to head state agencies. Yesterday, Senate Republicans rejected one of the governor’s nominees for the Power Fund Board as well as the man Culver, a Democrat, wanted to lead the Department of Human Services.

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

Mile record holder, indoor pole vault return for Drake Relays

April 16, 2009 By

Drake Relays logo. The record-holder in the mile run at the Drake Relays will be returning next week.

Alan Webb shatter Drake’s mile record in 2007 and that race has been voted by the fans as the most memorable event in it’s 100 year history.

Webb says he may’ve gotten lucky because he raced more recently, but says “that’s pretty cool.” Two years ago, Webb lowered the Drake record by better than three seconds. It was a record that had stood since the late 70′s.

Webb says it was personally a special day as the crowd and everything came together at the right moment and he was feeding off the crowd and it was a special day. He says that’s why he looks forward to coming back. It will be Webb’s second outdoor race and if the conditions are just right he may make a run at another record.

Webb says there are so many factors that go into a special performance, and he says if he gets on the track and things are working, he won’t hesitate to push it. The Drake Relays are April 22nd through the 27th.

The Drake Relays will be taking a pole vault exhibition indoors, again, this year. Director Brian Brown says a West Des Moines mall will play host to the pole vault next Wednesday April 22nd at the Jordan Creek Mall.

Brown expects the event to attract a large crowd even though it’s a 6 o’clock start. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Iowa State looking to change mentality of football team

April 16, 2009 By

Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads says this spring has provided a mental challenge as well as a physical one. The new staff is trying to intill a winning mentality in a program that has struggled in recent years.

Rhoads says there’s no hiding the fact that they lost 8 Big 12 football games, they’ve lost 10 straight games and have the longest road losing string in the country.

"Those things take a toll on you, you don’t go about your work and not be affected by that, so most definitely we’ve tried to establish a winning mentality for this football team," Rhoads says. He says they’ve tried to change things by doing drills that build a winning mentality and look to produce results.

Rhoads says they have made it a competitive atmosphere. From January 12th on he says there’s been a consequence for every action mentally and physically and he says they will continue talking about that through the spring, summer and into the fall.

The Cyclones’ spring game is Saturday afternoon. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Morningside softball facing big series

April 16, 2009 By

The Morningside softball team faces a crucial week as the Mustangs are in the thick of the Great Plains Conference race. Morningside is tied with Dana in second, a half game behind league leading Hastings heading into Wednesday’s doubleheader at Midland Lutheran.

Morningside coach Jessica Jones-Sitzmann says the weather will be a big factor this weekend becasue there is a lot of rain predicted. She says getting a sweep in the matchup will be key. Jones-Stizmann expects a close race to the end. She says the most important thing is to go out and play your game.

Morningside is 10-4 in the GPAC.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:
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