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Iowa’s construction industry sees deep job losses

November 27, 2009 By

A study finds the construction industry in Iowa is among the hardest hit in the nation during this economic downturn. The report finds two in every 25 jobs lost nationwide are being lost in the construction industry. Toby Mack, president and CEO of the Associated Equipment Distributors, says the construction industry is in a depression, not a recession, and every state is being impacted, especially Iowa.

Mack says research shows Iowa has about 28,000  jobs that are “connected, depended on or directly involved in contruction equipment, manufacturing and distribution.” He calls it “a very, very substantial piece of economic activity.” He says the study found Iowa’s lost more than 10,400 construction jobs since 2006.

The study found Iowa had the 4th-highest percentage of job losses in the construction equipment industry and was 10th among states in most output lost. Mack says the industry nationwide has shed 37% of its workforce during the downturn, which is more jobs lost than either the automobile or finance industries.

Mack’s organization is urging federal lawmakers to pass a new highway bill, as the old five-year plan recently expired. “Congress has not yet acted to replace the current program with a new program and we’re advocating strenuously for Congress to take immediate action,” Mack says. “There are bills that have been worked on but they haven’t been fully introduced yet.”

While the legislation is zeroed in on transportation and the building of roads and bridges, he acknowledges the home construction industry is also badly sagging. “We’re urging Congress to do things like extend the First Time Homebuyer tax credit but our real focus right now is on the highway program because that drives a tremendous amount of activity in our industry,” Mack says. “That’s where the opportunity is immediately available to create some more economic activity in our sector.”

While Congress is tied up tackling issues like health care reform, Mack says the nation’s roads and bridges are crumbling — and crowded. “We do have hope and we think it’s vital that it happen soon,” Mack says. “We know Congress is busy with other things but we think this is so important to the country. This nation is losing its competitiveness and productivity advantage because of congestion and restricted capacity on the surface transportation system.”

He says this issue isn’t just for the benefit of the construction industry, but for the economy and the country as a whole. The study was conducted by the analysis firm, IHS Global Insight. It says the states suffering the greatest losses are: California, North Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, with Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio close behind. For more information, see the website: www.StartUsUpUSA.com

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Christmas shoppers expected to be more bargain conscious

November 27, 2009 By

An estimated 134-million shoppers are expected to take to the stores today as “Black Friday” kicks off the Christmas shopping season. Iowa State University economist, Meghan O’Brien, says while many shoppers will want to load up on Black Friday gifts, they likely won’t have the money to do so. O’Brien says retailers are aware of the situation.

O’Brien says one the trends they’re seeing is retailers are responding to the competition by not just trying to capitalize on Black Friday, but offering huge sales all the way up until the holiday. O’Brien expects shoppers to takes notice of the sales.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Business Tagged With:

Underground water source in Iowa subject of study

November 26, 2009 By

An underground aquifer that provides drinking water for 300-thousand Iowans is the subject of intense study. That’s because a state law passed three decades ago forbids draining the “Jordan Aquifer” below 200 feet of its 1975 water level.

“One of the questions that we have about these deep, underground water sources is, since we use them quite heavily: How long can we do so?” says Bob Libra of the Iowa Geological and Water Survey. “And can we look, can we ballpark, crystal-ball out in the future and say, ‘If we are using water in this manner for the next 20, 40, 60 years will we be running into problems? Should we think about managing things differently now?’” 

The Jordan Aquifer is the most-widely used aquifer in Iowa, with the city of Fort Dodge and many more moderate-sized cities throughout the state pumping water from the aquifer for drinking water, as well as industrial use.

“When you are pulling out an awful lot of water — and we’re moving around billions of gallons every year — one of the big concerns we have is changes in the quality of the water. Will we be pulling water in from above or below (the aquifer)…and then impacting the quality of the water we’re trying to get out and drinking?” Libra asks.  “And will we see increases in certain constituents in the water just because of the effect of the pumping?” 

Libra and others have been reviewing mountains of paperwork, as pumping records for the Jordan Aquifer date back to the 1880s. They’re trying to figure out when the aquifer might reach the level that late-1970s law set as a stopping point. 

“Locally there are places where, when the water levels have fallen a couple of hundred feet and we can ballpark into the future and see that continuing to happen, there’s a the day-to-day cost of just how much more dollars, energy it takes to extract the water,” Libra says.  “So there are a bunch of factors like that are involved.” 

According to Libra, way before all the water is pumped out of the aquifer, the quality of the water that remains may be less than desirable.  As for that 1975 water line that was to serve as a cut-off for pumping, Libra says water users throughout the state are “pushing that limit” on the Jordan Aquifer.

“That limit — we have exceeded it some places and, again, projecting into the future, into that even 20 year time frame, if we keep using the aquifer as we are now, we will be exceeding that over fairly large areas,” Libra says.  “And if use increase, say, 25 or 50 percent which would be in keeping with how the increased use has been going of the last 50 years, then those areas would be larger and larger.” 

Officials in the “Water Allocation” program at the Department of Natural Resources have the authority to stop pumping from the Jordan Aquifer.  Libra says they’re “grappling” with that.

“It’s not doomsday around the corner, but we know we’ve got something going on and we know we’re in a very long-term business here. It’s not the problem du jour. It’s how do you manage things for the very, very long-term for the best interests of the state,” Libra says.  “And so what we’re trying to do is come up with recommendations for how that limit should be handled.  Is it the correct number? Are there other ways of thinking about this? And what we’ve been doing, really, is try to build the tools so we can do this in an intelligent manner in the long run.” 

According to Libra, the Jordan Aquifer provides water for many of the state’s ethanol plants, too.  The Department of Natural Resources will hold meetings in the Cedar Rapids and Fort Dodge areas in December to discuss Libra’s study of the aquifer and plans for future use of the underground water source.

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

Volunteering is another way to give

November 26, 2009 By

The executive director of the state’s largest shelter for runaways says if you find you have less money in the current economy, that doesn’t mean you can’t give something to others. Stephen Quirk runs the Youth Emergency Services and Shelter (YESS) in Des Moines says volunteer time is one commodity that can be just as important as money.

Quirk says as a non-profit, donations of money are important, but he says they are always looking for volunteers and mentors at the facility and in the community to reach out to kids and help them cope with different circumstances. He says you don’t need any special skills to help.

Quirk says they run a criminal background check and do extensive interviews with all volunteers, beyond that he says they are looking for any adult who is willing to work with the kids. They have children from birth through age 17, and they try to link up kids with adults who are most comfortable dealing with them. Quirk says they get a lot of interest during the holidays, but can use help anytime during the year.

He says the kids that spend Christmas with them will have great time thanks to donations, but he says they are in need all year round and are always looking for donations and volunteers. Quirk says you can find out more at yessiowa.org, or call your local shelter and ask about volunteer opportunities.

Filed Under: Human Interest

ISU poets stage tactile art/poetry show for the blind

November 26, 2009 By

Most art exhibits carry signs warning you not to touch them, but an installment opening next week in Des Moines encourages just the opposite. Tracey Morsek, director of the Iowa Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, says the exhibit is called “More Than Words: A Tactile and Audible Poetry Experience.”

Morsek says it was created through the guidance of Iowa’s poet laureate, Mary Swander. “This exhibit will have poetry that has been written by Iowa State University students,” Morsek says. “In addition to their poems, they are also bringing tactile art to express some concept that comes through in their poetry as well.”

One poem about autumn will include a container that’ll hold things like leaves or mittens, which the observer can touch while listening to the words of the poem. Another will include raised pegs and bumps that depict different stars and constellations represented in the poem.

Morsek says the I-S-U students were very interested in determining what types of touchable items might have the most impact on people who are visually-impaired. “The class interviewed a few blind readers who work for the Department for the Blind about those kinds of things,” Morsek says. “They’ve really studied this and I hope that they’ve integrated it in different ways because there are a number of students working on it. I have a feeling each piece will be different and unique.” She says some of the students are musicians and singers, so she also expects some of the poems to have both tactile and audio components.

While the exhibit is being created specifically for visitors who can’t see, she predicts people with 20-20 vision will also be drawn in — to experience it with all of their senses. “We found that out this summer when we unveiled some permanent installations of tactile art that were done for us by an artist from Colorado,” Morsek says. “We have a tactile version of ‘American Gothic’ that has proven popular with both sighted and blind visitors alike.”

The exhibit opens December 1st at 7 PM in the Iowa Department for the Blind’s Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 524 Fourth Street, Des Moines, fourth floor. To learn more, visit www.idbonline.org and click on the “More Than Words” link.

Filed Under: Human Interest, Recreation & Entertainment

AFSCME leader says he learned value of unions from dad

November 26, 2009 By
Danny Homan

Danny Homan

A Sioux City native who is president of the union that represents thousands of workers in the executive branch of state government says he learned the value of unions from his father.  Danny Homan is president of AFSCME Council 61, the union which represents about 40,000 people who work in state, county and municipal governments throughout the state.

 Homan’s been in the spotlight this month, as 9,000 members in his union have been given an opportunity to vote on an “understanding.” It’d mean state executive branch employees take five unpaid days off in order to save 479 union jobs.  Homan plans to announce the results of that vote on November 30th.

“I’ll probably be in (the AFSCME state office in Des Moines) on Saturday or Sunday and tally up the tally sheets and we’ll make the announcement on Monday,” Homan says.

Homan didn’t take a public stand on the deal, and isn’t predicting which way he thinks the vote may go.

“This vote is about one thing and one thing only:  letting the membership of this union have a say in their own destiny,” Homan says. 

During a news conference earlier this month, Homan spoke emotionally about his start with the state and the workers who face layoff notices.

“I remember the day I was hired by the State of Iowa.  June 24, 1984 is when I thought I got a good job,” Homan said.  “And it meant the world to me.  There are 500 people that are looking at having their world come to an end.”

Back in 1984, Homan was hired to work at the state’s residential treatment facility in Sioux City and in 1985 Homan led an effort to start a union local in his workplace. Homan rose through the AFSCME ranks and in July of 2005 he was elected president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, the top state official in the union.

Homan grew up in a union family.  Homan’s father was a member of the Teamsters Union, driving short-haul routes in the Sioux City area.

“One thing my old man always told me, my dad: ‘If there’s a union there, you need to be involved in it because it’s the only way your voice can be heard,’” Homan says.  “If I deny the folks that have payed dues to this union the opportunity to vote this (understanding) up or down, I have denied them their voice.  That’s why I ran for this office.  That’s why I come into work every day, to make sure the members have a voice in what this union does.”

The roots of the AFSCME union date back to the Great Depression and a group of white collar state workers in Wisconsin who formed a union in their workplace.

(Danny Homan photo courtesy of  AFSCME)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

Atlantic man thwarts would-be phone scam…with math

November 26, 2009 By

Elderly Iowans are being warned about a telephone scam where someone claiming to be their grandchild calls and begs for money due to an incident. The stories may include a car accident, a medical emergency or legal trouble. Bart Webb, of Atlantic, says he got a call recently from someone who claimed to be his grandson.

The caller said he’d been arrested on a drug charge on the U-S/Canadian border. Webb says the alleged trial was supposed to have been held later that same day. The caller said Webb needed to wire $4,000 right away for bail and to hire an attorney.

Webb says his wife had answered the phone and talked to the person initially, but couldn’t tell if it was really her grandson. “He was crying and sobbing and everything: ‘Grandma, Grandpa, they’re going to put me in jail. Do something for me.’”

Beverly Webb was upset by the call and told the “grandson” they would get a hold of his father. The caller told her to keep the information confidential as he only trusted her. At that point, Bart Webb got on the phone and asked a question, since his grandson has a master’s degree in mathematics.

Webb says he asked the caller: “What is X squared plus 2-X-Y plus Y squared?” and the caller started mumbling and couldn’t answer, then tried to turn the questions around. Webb then asked another equation question typically found in calculus, which the caller also couldn’t answer.

Webb says the caller started screaming, “Grandpa, what are you doing this to me for?” and eventually just hung up.

Officials say anyone who gets this type of call should not provide any personal or bank account information. Since this type of fraud typically crosses international borders, prosecution is unlikely, as is the recovery of funds.

Webb says they tried to trace the call and the number seemed to originate in Tennessee, but when they called, there was no such number. He suspects an overseas scammer went through a U-S operator to carry out the attempted fraud.

Contributed by Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic

Filed Under: Crime & Courts
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