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Earthquake detection technology moving into Iowa

March 5, 2010 By

New technology will soon be coming to Iowa that might help scientists forecast earthquakes. Raymond Anderson, a research geologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says they’re especially interested in learning more about little-known fault lines, like the one that likely caused the unusual earthquake near Chicago in February.

“No one really knows exactly why that earthquake occurred there,” Anderson says. “There’s a fault down there somewhere that nobody knows about.” Since 2004, scientists have been moving a string of 400 seismometers around the country as part of a study called EarthScope funded by the National Science Foundation. Anderson says some of those devices will be placed in Iowa.

He says, “They’ll be able to use that to get a better feeling for some of the deeper crustal structures and maybe they can figure out what’s going on with that.” The devices will be able to help create a 3-D view of North America and to more closely identify active local and regional earthquakes in the states where the seismometers are placed. This summer, a string of the high-tech devices will be placed in western Iowa.

“The whole structure will be buried and there’ll be a little communication tower at the top that will communicate with a central facility in New Mexico via cell phone technology, believe it or not,” Anderson says. Officials hope the data collected in Iowa will help to better identify regional fault lines, with the goal of learning the potential for earthquakes here in the Midwest and around the world.

By Jami Brinton, KCRG, Cedar Rapids

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Two charged with setting off bottle bombs in Cedar Rapids

March 5, 2010 By

Two men are facing charges for setting off two homemade chemical bombs at a Cedar Rapids apartment complex earlier this year. Tim Bowen III and Mitchell Adney, both of Cedar Rapids, were charged Thursday in connection with an incident at the Hawthorne Hills complex on the night of January 31.

Authorities were called to the complex on the city’s southwest side after a pair of bombs exploded. Several more of the so-called “MacGyver” bombs failed to go off. No one was injured. Bowen and Adney, both 22, are charged with reckless use of fire or explosives – a serious misdemeanor.

If convicted, they could face up to a year in prison and be fined one-thousand-875 dollars ($1,875). A fire department spokesperson says Adney’s former girlfriend lived in the apartment complex.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Student removed from school after Facebook threat

March 5, 2010 By

A student at a northwest Iowa private school who allegedly threatened classmates Thursday on the website Facebook is no longer in class. Gehlen Catholic School officials in Le Mars say they followed their emergency plan when they removed one student who they say allegedly used electronic communication to make a threat against some other students.

The student is in the seventh through 12th grade level of the private school. Le Mars police were also contacted by school officials. Police have not charged the student whose name has not been released. School president Rev. Kevin Richter  says the school and Diocese of Sioux City take any threats of violence seriously and are cooperating with authorities.

By Joanne Glamm, KLEM, Le Mars

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education

Red Cross chapters taking nominations to honor hereos

March 5, 2010 By

American Red Cross chapters across the region are recognizing Heroes in the Heartland. Barb Michaels, spokeswoman for the Brushy Creek chapter in Fort Dodge, is taking nominations through next Friday, March 12th.

The event is really about honoring people in our community, just ordinary people who have done extraordinary things for individuals, for communities, for organizations.” Michaels says. “The nomination categories are pretty broad because we know there are so many people in our community who do good things, we want the opportunity to recognize as many as possible.” Michaels says all sorts of people could qualify for this special honor.

Possible nominees could include people who’ve used their Red Cross CPR training to save a life, or a mission group that’s traveled to other countries to help rebuild after disasters, or local volunteers who help the families of deployed soldiers. The Brushy Creek Chapter covers: Calhoun, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster, Wright and Hamilton Counties. The awards ceremony is April 16th at Willow Ridge Golf Course in Fort Dodge.

The Heroes for the Heartland program is also a fixture with several other Red Cross chapters, including those based in Des Moines and Omaha/Council Bluffs.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Human Interest Tagged With:

ISU study says violent video games lead to agressive behavior

March 5, 2010 By

An Iowa State University psychology professor has completed a massive study which he says proves exposure to violent video games produces more aggressive behavior in kids. Craig Anderson says the study involved analyzing 130 research reports from around the world. The reports measured levels of aggression among elementary school children on the first day of school and again several months later.

“Then, we were able to look and see if their video game habits measured early in the school year predicted increases or decreases of aggressive behavior over the course of the school year,” Anderson said. The study was published this week in the new issue of Psychological Bulletin, an American Psychological Association journal. Anderson says the team of researchers also found children who were naturally aggressive to begin with were not necessarily more inclined to play violent games.

“What the evidence currently shows is that the violent games cause an increase in the likelihood of later aggressive behavior,” Anderson said. “There’s not much evidence aggressive kids, being aggressive early, sort of predicts an increase in playing violent games later on.” Anderson isn’t suggesting every child who plays violent video games will become a serial killer, but says exposure to media violence should be easier to control than other risk factors.

“The interesting thing to me about the media violence risk factor compared to the others is that media violence is something that a parent can do something about…whereas a lot of the other risk factors are things a parent can’t control,” Anderson said. The study shows violent video game effects are significant across all cultures, in males and females and in all age groups. Anderson made his comments on the Iowa Public Radio program The Exchange.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine Tagged With:

Loebsack proposes congressional pay cut

March 5, 2010 By

Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Mt. Vernon, is a co-sponsor of a bill that calls for U.S. senators and representatives to take a five-percent pay cut beginning in January of 2011. Loebsack says it would be a pay cut that would reduce his salary by $9,000. The current salary for members of congress is $174,000.

Loebsack says many Americans have had to cut back and this is a way for congress to do so. “It’s a personal commitment that I think we need to make here in Washington to demonstrate to the folks at home, who are frustrated obviously,” Loebsack says. He says he hear’s from people every day who are tightening their belts.

Loebsack says it would be the first time that congressional salaries have been reduced since April of 1933 during the Great Depression. He admits it is a symbolic move. “Sure, but it’s also a beginning and I think clearly what we have to do here in congress is demonstrate to the American people, and the folks at home, that we take this enterprise seriously,” Loebsack says, “and it’s clearly a very small first step, but a first step none the less.”

Congress gets automatic cost of living increases unless they vote against them and this bill would also block any automatic increase in congressional salaries for next year. Loebsack testified before the House Budget Committee, Wednesday, urging fiscal responsibility and restraint. A Republican who hopes to unseat Loebsack in the second district is critical of his stance.

Mariannette Miller-Meeks released a statement saying: “Loebsack has been a rubber-stamp for much of the runaway spending in Congress he now denounces, voting for Nancy Pelosi’s agenda over 97% of the time and putting America on a path that will triple our national debt over the next 10 years.”

Miller-Meeks says it’s clear Loebsack “is getting pressure from working families across eastern Iowa who are sick and tired of the new spending, massive debt and looming tax increases that he voted for, in lock-step with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.”

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

State officials urge Iowans to buy flood insurance

March 5, 2010 By

State officials are urging Iowans in flood-prone areas to buy flood insurance. Angel Robinson, the Consumer Advocate in the State of Iowa’s Insurance Division, says only 15,000 Iowans currently have flood insurance. “I would also remind Iowans that their homeowners policies and the coverage that they’ve bought for their properties for commercial businesses will not actually cover them in case of a flood,” Robinson says.

Flood insurance is only available through the National Flood Insurance program. “Consumers without flood insurance, in case of a disaster, will have to hope for the possibility that there may be some form of financial support other ways. Usually that’s in the form of loans, which have to be paid back, and they’re in set amounts,” Robinson says. “So, again, flood insurance is something that consumers might want to consider.”

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Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Politics & Government Tagged With:
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