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Mason City rallies to try and win fiber optic network

March 18, 2010 By

Residents who want the Internet search engine giant Google to set up a fiber optic network in Mason City will rally this morning to create an online video as part of the community’s application. City Administrator Brent Trout says Google is recommending things like YouTube videos to spruce up the city’s application.

Trout says the video will show the town’s enthusiasm. He says Google wants to make sure it will go into test market communities that will be the best to show off its fiber optic system. Trout credits Google for the company’s “cutting edge” applications for business and personal use.

The rally is to begin at 11 A.M. at Music Man Square and attendees are encouraged to dress like computer geeks. The deadline for Mason City’s application to be submitted is March 26th.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City

Filed Under: Human Interest Tagged With:

Audit unable to sort out missing funds in Oran

March 18, 2010 By

A state audit has been unable to determine the extent of the theft committed by a woman who admits she stole money from a small northeast Iowa township. Anne McClain was the clerk of Oran Township in Fayette County until she resigned in September of last year after admitting she’d embezzled money from the township.

McClain returned $1,500 in cash to replace the money she stole. However, the state audit found nearly $3,300 of improper disbursements. That’s over twice as much as McClain paid back. The audit identified nearly $400 worth of checks McClain wrote to herself and her husband that “may not meet the test of public purpose” either.

State Auditor Dave Vaudt says it’s “not possible to determine” if more money was stolen. Oran Township is one of 20 townships in Fayette County. It’s a rural area with fewer than 700 residents.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

First Iowa heart transplant patient dies

March 18, 2010 By

An Iowan who made medical history with the first-ever heart transplant at the University of Iowa Hospitals has died. Emerson Martin died last night at his home in North Liberty at the age of 50.

It was 25 years ago that Martin was given only months to live. Doctors at the Iowa City medical facility performed the first successful heart transplant on Martin in June of 1985. Since Martin’s surgery, University of Iowa hospital physicians continue to perform these kinds of operations.

It is one of the leading medical facilities in the country for heart transplant surgery. Emerson Martin was a 1977 graduate of Webster City High School. He is survived by a wife and three children. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced later.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Braley wants to see final health care bill before deciding

March 18, 2010 By

While numerous strategies are being discussed as a way for Democrats to bring the health care bill up for a vote — Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley says he won’t decide on how he will vote until he sees the bill itself.

Braley says all the speculation about how the bill will be passed is premature until it goes through the rules committee and comes out in it’s final form, and he says he’ll wait to see that until he decides on his vote. Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, says a key is how the House and Senate bills come together.

Braley says he knows what’s in the senate bill and has strong reservations about things like the “Cornhusker kickback” provision, which he says they’ve been assured would be taken out in the final version. He says there’s still many questions about what would be included in the reconciliation bill, or the bill the combines the House and Senate bills. The Senate has talked about bringing forward it’s bill in a way that would allow them to bypass the need for 60 votes to stop a filibuster. Braley says he wants an up or down vote on the bill, but knows his constituents would understand if the senate used such a procedure.

He says any vote in the house that leads to the passage of the senate bill is a vote on that bill, regardless of the procedure used to bring it to a vote, and he says that is the reality for anyone who would vote for that bill. Braley takes issue with the premise that polls show the public doesn’t support the health care bill, as he says he’s seen polls that show people want health care reform. Braley also doesn’t buy the argument that no one knows what’s in the bill.

“This is the single most analyzed, reviewed, dissected, commented upon piece of legislation in the history or our country, bar none,” Braley says, “and for people to claim they don’t have an opportunity to read and understand what is going on, just doesn’t square with the facts.” Braley says as soon as the bill is approved he will put it on his website along with the senate bill. He says his constituents can read the bill and then comment on him before he makes up his mind on a vote.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

It’s game day for UNI in the big dance

March 18, 2010 By

Twenty years after their first NCAA Tournament victory the UNI Panthers will bid for their second one tonight in Oklahoma City when they play UNLV in the opening round of the Midwest Regional. Defense and guard play are critical in the tournament and the Panthers have been strong in both areas during a 28-4 season that included the Missouri Valley regular season and tournament titles.

UNI coach Ben Jacobson says the guards have been very good from the starters to the players off the bench, and he says they have enough versatility to play several of the guard positions. This is the Panthers fifth trip to the tournament in seven years and after four straight first round losses Jacobson says a win this evening would be a boost for the program.

He says people still talk about beating Missouri 20 years ago for the first win and Jacobsen says it is important to the program.

It has been 11 days since the Panthers last played and senior forward Adam Koch they hope to avoid a slow start. Koch says staying focused has been the key and they have done that all year.

It was a slow start that doomed the Panthers in a 61-56 loss to Purdue in last year’s opening round.

Senior center Jordan Egelseder says they need to come out ready to play, and most have had the experience of the tourney and need to be ready this year. Junior guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe believes the Panthers need to set the tone with a good first half and good defense.

UNLV is 25-8. Tip off is scheduled for 6:10p.m.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Burlington man shot after spraying police with anhydrous

March 18, 2010 By

A Burlington man was shot by officers who were investigating a suspected methamphetamine operation in southeast Iowa Wednesday. Iowa Department of Public Safety spokesperson Jessica Lown says the incident occurred around 4 a.m. in a rural area of Lee County.

“When (the officers) got to the residence, the suspect they were looking for approached them and sprayed anhydrous ammonia on several officers,” Lown said. The officers defended themselves with their guns. It’s unclear how many times the suspect, 51-year-old Earl Freeman, was shot.

Lown says Freeman was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Iowa City. His condition has not been released. The officers who were exposed to the anhydrous ammonia were treated and released from a hospital in West Burlington. Detectives with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation are investigating the shooting. Their work was delayed Wednesday because of the meth lab.

“It takes a little bit longer when you have to be careful about volatile chemicals and making the scene safe for investigation,” Lown said. She did not know how many officers fired their weapons.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Emergency action approved to help prevent flooding at Spirit Lake

March 18, 2010 By

Officials in Dickinson County have requested and received permission from the governor to have the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers make a cut in a county road that will help prevent flood damage at Spirit Lake. County spokesman Lonnie Saunders says they hope the cut in what’s called the Lower Gar Road will help them handle the water from snow melt and run off.

He says it is only a temporary measure that’s intended to alleviate the back pressure that’s built on the chain of lakes. The Corps would make the cut and the county would have to make the repair at a cost of 15 to $20,000. Saunders says it’s not a huge cost, but a significant cost, and one the county is willing to incur. He says the move could help prevent the type of flooding seen in 2003.

National Weather Service hydrologist, Mike Gillespie says the water level downstream is just below the seven foot flood level right now.

He says some lowlands along the Milford Creek would start flooding at the seven-and-a-half foot level and as it gets to eight feet there would be more significant flooding. Gillespie says at 10 feet there would be more flooding on the Lower Gar outlet.

The governor approved an emergency disaster declaration for the county to allow for the cut in the road. The governor’s office says the 1993 flooding caused $39-million in damage to homes, businesses and public utilities. The governor’s office says during 1993 similar action was taken to relieve pressure in the lake. However, in 1993, the request came too late to save homes from flood waters.

By Mark Bruggom, KICD, Spencer

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