February 9, 2012

You are here: Home / 2009 / August / Archives for 5th

Grassley concerned by Clinton trip to North Korea

August 5, 2009 By

Senator Chuck Grassley is celebrating the safe return of two American journalists who’d been held in North Korea, but Grassley worries about the trip former President Bill Clinton had to make to gain their release.

"First of all, we ought to be very thankful that these two young girls are home safely," Grassley says. "In the process of that happening, a former president of the United States doing that enhances the credibility of Kim Jong-il…The biggest and meanest dictator in the world should not have that sort of recognition."

Grassley, a Republican, uses the word "sad" to describe the situation in North Korea.

"Particularly when they’re shooting missiles into the air, particularly when they’re trying to develop a nuclear bomb, particularly when they have people starving to death and all that," Grassley says. "We should be cognizant of the negative things that go along with the good thing that President Clinton did."

According to Grassley, the North Korean government has lied to three presidents — Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — and Grassley says it’s unfortunate former President Clinton met face-to-face with Kim Jong-il before the North Korean leader pardoned the American journalists.

"They always say they’re going to do things and then they never do them, so they’re outright liars and we shouldn’t give our blessing to that sort of a guy, and in a sense, that’s what you do when you have a former president having audience with him."

AUDIO: Grassley on N Korea trip…MP3 3 min.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Marion men don’t check out, arrested for marijuana possession

August 5, 2009 By

Two young men were arrested on drug charges Tuesday after they failed to meet their checkout time at a hotel in eastern Iowa. Marion Police Chief Harry Daugherty says officers were called to the Microtel Hotel at 11:25 a.m. because workers there couldn’t wake the two occupants of a room.

"According to the housekeeper, they appeared to be passed out," Daugherty said. The officers were eventually able to rouse the two 18-year-olds, identified as Andrew Shank and Brandon Heiar, both of Marion.

"When we arrived, the officers observed marijuana in the room. We got a search warrant and the subjects were arrested," Daugherty said.  Police found more than four ounces of marijuana and alcohol in the room. Shank and Heiar are both charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of alcohol under the legal age and drug tax stamp violations.

Heiar is also charged with interference with official acts and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were taken to the Linn County Jail. 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Iowa State coach says team is ready to move ahead

August 5, 2009 By

With a new coach in place the Iowa State football team begins preparations for the upcoming season looking to improve upon last year’s 2-10 record. I.S.U. lost the final ten games of the 2008 season and after it was over coach Gene Chizik bolted for Auburn.

Paul Rhoads enter his first season at the helm and says everyone is ready to move on. Rhoads says the team is “fresh and their enthusiastic”, with no turmoil in the program and excitement about the upcoming season. Rhoads says it will be important to maintain a positive attitude no matter what the outcomes of games are. He says they talk about not being satisfied as a player and as team, and says they also tell them not to get frustrated.

Rhoads says they may lose some football games, but they have to see the things they are improving on and can’t dwell loses and have to continue pushing forward. Rhoads has served as an assistant at several schools but this is his first stint as a head coach. He says he is not approaching this season any differently.

Rhoads says he doesn’t believe it is any different than when he was a student coach starting out in 1989, he says the game has to be played and coached with emotion and enthusiasm. Improvement begins with a defense that gave up nearly 36 points per game in 2008, and Rhoads says they have to be a much improved tackling team.

Rhoads says the Cyclones must limit big plays, as they have to make teams earn their points and shorten the game. The Cyclones not only need to find several new starters on defense they must also build depth. He says the depth is not settled on offense, but is more established.

A year ago Austen Arnaud was locked in a battle with Philip Bates at quarterback. He enters his junior season as the established starter.

Arnaud says his teammates elected him captain and that is good, and he says it is his team, and has to be for the team to succeed. Arnaud says his play will dictate how they play as a team.

Arnaud leads an experienced offense that will run a no-huddle spread offense this season installed by new offensive coordinator Tom Herman. Arnaud believes the Cyclones will be able to score a lot of points, and that’s the main goal, outscore every opponent. Arnaud says while the Cyclones will spread the field they still want to be balanced.

Arnaud says they will still run the ball alot, along with passing. The Cyclones open the season at home against North Dakota State on September third. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Regent says future state budget picture remains bleak

August 5, 2009 By

The board that governs the three state-supported universities talked about the budget prospects for the next year at its meeting in Cedar Falls today. Board of Regents member Michael Gartner of Des Moines, offered a stark assessment of the chances for increased money from the state.

Gartner says state receipts are down 23% from last year, "and there’s no indication, despite what some of the Democrats are saying…that it is turning around." Gartner says the financial situation won’t be changing anytime soon. "I think it’s going to be an extraordinarily difficult year, and we’re not going to be able to look at the legislature for much of an increase if anything, and we’re going to be lucky if we hold steady," Gartner said.

Gartner’s comments prompted Regents President David Miles to respond, "Other comments? Anyone that wants to be less gloomy is particularly invited to press the button," Miles said. Miles went on to say that Gartner’s comments are something that they have to take into account.

Miles says as they start thinking about the budget for next year they have to be cognizant of the kinds of challenges the state faces that Gartner reminded them of. He says they have to continue to make the case that to continue to maintain quality higher education, there has to be continued investment over the years.

The University of Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa, got budget help this past fiscal year from stimulus money. But that money is not expected to be available again for the next budget.

An official with University of Iowa Hospitals told the Board of Regents today that they’ve cut 285 jobs in response to the economic downturn. The job cuts included 137 layoffs. Earlier this year, hospital employees took voluntary pay cuts to trim 4.3 million dollars from the hospital’s budget.

University of Northern Iowa officials say some 100 employees have been approved for early retirement. Over 100 applied before the July 31st deadline. 

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

Culver deflects GOP criticism over budget

August 5, 2009 By

Governor Chet Culver says he’s "getting the job done" and is unconcerned about criticism from Republicans who say he’s misleading Iowans about the state’s finances.

Earlier this week Culver’s budget director touted a small uptick in state tax receipts in July, while the nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency concluded overall state tax collection still lag behind last year. The chairman of the Republican Party says Culver either doesn’t understand the budget or is intentionally misleading Iowans. Culver, a Democrat, says that’s just rhetoric.

"We’re coming up on an election year and I think what you’re seeing is a lot of kind of political rhetoric and any number of people considering running for governor and that sometimes can add to the level of partisanship," Culver says.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Roberts of Carroll says Culver should be "more honest" and "up-front" with Iowans about the state’s real financial condition. Candidate Bob Vander Plaats Sioux City accuses Culver of a "bunker mentality" that is disconnected from reality. Culver defends his administration’s fiscal record.

"We’re getting the job done and we will manage through this economic downturn just like we have for the last 30 months," Culver says.

Culver made his comments early this afternoon in Ames where he visited an Iowa State University solar project. Culver then traveled to Riceville to visit the Crane Creek Wind Farm which has 66 turbines.

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

No complaints, yet, about honking Des Moines buses

August 5, 2009 By

Authorities with the Des Moines public bus system say they haven’t had any complaints about honking bus drivers.

After a string of accidents in which buses have hit pedestrians, Des Moines bus drivers are now honking when they make turns in the downtown area of Iowa’s capitol city. Brad Miller of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority says other bus systems around the country have fielded complaints about the noise from turning alarms on their buses.

"The San Francisco system did have the alarms going off on left and right turns to start and they go so many complaints that (the alarms) are now just going off on the right (turn)," Miller says.

Des Moines buses eventually will be outfitted with the same kind of alarms to alert pedestrians that the bus is turning. Miller, speaking from his office near downtown Des Moines, says the new alarms may spark more controversy than the honking has.

"These automated alarms will go off every time a bus turns whether it’s here or way out in the suburbs in maybe a more residential community and so I think that will become an issue," Miller says.

The bus system in the City of Cleveland now requires bus drivers to honk their horns while turning after two fatal pedestrian accidents there. In the past two years there have been seven bus/pedestrian collisions in Des Moines as buses were turning left.

Ridership on Des Moines buses will soon skyrocket as people headed to the Iowa State Fair park at the state capitol complex and take the bus to the fairgrounds.

 

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters Tagged With: ,

Warm weather is on the way

August 5, 2009 By

A drastic change is in store for Iowans that have enjoyed the unusually cool summer. Miles Schumacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says Iowa will likely experience some of the warmest temperatures of the summer this weekend.

The warm air is expected to move into southwest Iowa on Friday. "Then Saturday and possibly into Sunday, we’ll see temperatures getting into the middle 90s," Schumacher said. "That, combined with the humidity…we are looking at the likelihood of heat indices getting up to 105 or so. We could have some Heat Advisories in effect by Saturday."

Temperatures will likely cool off a bit early next week, but another round of hot weather is forecast by mid-August. "In a normal year, this would be no big deal. It’s like, ‘oh, it’s going to be 95 again,’ but this year…I think it’s going to surprise people when it gets that hot again," Schumacher said.

Last month was the coolest July in Iowa history, breaking a record set in 1891. The warmup this weekend could be preceded by some severe weather. A chance of thunderstorms and heavy rain is forecast statewide Thursday night into Friday. 

Filed Under: Weather
« Older Posts