The senior forward averaged just over 21 points and nearly seven rebounds in three games. Lipps scored 29 points on 12 of 14 shooting in a victory over Fort Dodge St. Edmond and also had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Hampton-Dumont. Lipps shot 63 percent for the week.
Class 4A: Maddie Manning, Ankeny
January 27, 2010 By
The sophomore forward averaged 14 points, five rebounds and five assists in a pair of wins. Manning scored 17 points and blocked three shots in a victory over Mason City. She also scored 11 points, grabbed nine rebounds and her free throw with no time left was the game winner against Indianola.
Head of Civil Rights Commission warns of delays
January 27, 2010 By
The head of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission warns there’ll be delays in investigating complaints of discrimination because budget cuts have sharply reduced his staff of full-time workers. Ralph Rosenberg’s agency investigates claims of discrimination on the basis of race, age, sexual orientation and other factors. He told a budget panel at the statehouse that more and more of the commission’s work is being done by volunteers.
“We now have more people who are not staff working for our agency than we have staff,” Rosenberg said. “That’s a way for us to stretch our budget because we realize that – currently and for the future – we’re not going to have additional state dollars.” One lawmaker questioned how consistent the commission can be with volunteer help, but Rosenberg calls it a short-term fix for tough budget times.
“Cases won’t be decided as quickly. We hope they’re going be decided just as fair,” Rosenberg said. “We’ll have greater delays. We’ll have delays in trying to train groups. For example, if landlords want us to do training…we just might not be able to get out to one of their associations as quickly or bring as many staff.” Rosenberg is referring to training for landlords who want to avoid violations of the civil rights statute.
On another issue, Rosenberg urged the legislature to approve subpoena power for the civil rights commission. He says issuing subpoenas during the investigation of a complaint will lead to quicker, fairer decisions.
Northeast Iowa administrator arrested on sex and drug charges
January 27, 2010 By
One of the top administrators at a northeast Iowa high school is jailed on sex and drug charges. Authorities say 39-year-old Shane Oswald, an assistant principal at Hempstead High in Dubuque, is being held in the Dubuque County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Oswald is charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee, distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and providing alcohol to someone under 21. Reports say there was a single victim who was a Hempstead student though it’s not clear if she’s still enrolled. Oswald has been on paid administrative nearly two weeks.
Senator suggests delaying spending on road projects
January 27, 2010 By
The chairman of the Senate Transportation committee wants the Iowa Legislature to consider rescinding 70 million dollars approved for road and bridge construction last year. Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the state is awash in federal stimulus money, which he speculates could be driving up construction costs.
He says postponing state spending on road projects may give taxpayers a bigger bang for their buck. There’s so much work being done and it doesn’t look like there’s as much value generated today as a result of it because there is so much work and so this might not be the time to invest that other $70 million,” McCoy says.
”We might wait a year. We might wait two years.” According to McCoy, the money initially approved for road and bridge repair may be better spent elsewhere.
Some Iowa eye clinics offering free glaucoma screenings
January 27, 2010 By
Free glaucoma screenings are being offered at some Iowa eye clinics this week as part of National Glaucoma Month. Glaucoma is a disorder that damages optic nerves and, left untreated, can result in blindness. Dr. Beth Triebul, an optometrist in Urbandale, says it’s important to have your eyes checked.
People who have a family history of glaucoma are at a higher risk of getting it themselves. Also, if you’re over 65 years old or have diabetes, you may be more likely to have it. Glaucoma is the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and an estimated three-million people have glaucoma, but only half of them know it. Just like we have a blood pressure, we have a fluid pressure within our eyes. Dr. Triebul says the quick, painless test checks that pressure.
“Basically, it’s a very simple procedure,” Triebel says. “We use an instrument that uses a puff of air to bounce off the surface of the eye and from reading that air, we can tell what the pressure is in the eye.” If glaucoma is confirmed in its early stage, she says it’s fairly easy to ward off.
Based on the screening, further tests would be performed to determine if it is glaucoma, which Triebel says is very treatable usually just with daily eyedrops. Triebel’s office, Vision Park Family Eye Care in Urbandale, is offering the screenings. Call for an appointment at (515) 720-3615. To find other Iowa offices near you, visit the Iowa Optometric Association website.
Newton school district looks at closing an elementary school
January 27, 2010 By
The Newton School District is considering closing an elementary building as part of its efforts to save money to make up for declining enrollment and the budget cut from the state. Superintendent Steve McDermott says the district needs to cut between 2.2 and 2.5 million dollars.
McDermott says he believes the district can make “several thousand dollars worth of reductions without harming the offerings that we provide the kids, and that’s what our goal is.” He says some of the cuts will be more difficult than others, but he says it looks like they can do some downsizing “without a lot of pain.”
The discussions include cutting the number of elementary schools from five to four. McDermott says realigning the buildings and cuts in personnel and programs will still leave the district short of its cost-cutting goal. He says that will leave them with two options.
McDermott says one is to make more cuts, the other is to raise the tax levy. He says the district needs to do the best it can to make reductions wherever it can to minimize the harm to the programs offered students without raising the levy. “But I think we will to consider a slight raising possibly of the levy on top of these very, very significant cuts,” McDermott says.
Public meetings will be held at each elementary school in February to discuss the realignment alternatives for the schools.
By Randy Van, KCOB, Newton
