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September looks to be the 19th wettest

September 30, 2010 By

With harvest season fully underway, busy farmers will welcome the news that soggy September is almost over and October promises to be a much drier month. State climatologist Harry Hillaker says much of the state got dumped on by rainclouds during this month, especially parts of south-central Iowa.

Allerton, along the Missouri border, had more than 16 inches of rain during September, putting the town over 60 inches for the year, what Hillaker says is “a pretty amazing total.” The statewide average was around 5.5 inches of rain for the month, which is about 2 inches above normal.

The month ends as the 19th wettest Iowa September in 138 years of record keeping, while we’re already in the 9th wettest Iowa year on record — and there are still three months left. As far as the temperatures, Hillaker says Iowa was almost spot on normal for September.

The month was only slightly warmer than normal, with a statewide average about seven-tenths of one degree above usual.

For October, Hillaker says tractors and combines likely won’t be getting stuck in the mud during the harvest this time around, as they did last year. He predicts the month ahead will be drier than normal or right about normal, which means only about two-and-a-half inches of rain statewide.

As for temperatures, the best bet is for a warmer-than-normal month ahead, as there have already been seven such warmer-than-normal months in a row. Hillaker says the La Nina weather pattern we’re in globally makes it likely the warming trend will continue. Still, beware, as the first frost in Iowa usually arrives during October.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Weather

Federal officials warn flood victims of potential text scam

September 30, 2010 By

Federal officials are warning Iowans affected by this summer’s floods about a text-message scam targeting people seeking federal disaster assistance. FEMA, the FBI and the FCC are investigating reports of a text messages received by people in neighboring states including Wisconsin, that promise new information from FEMA. The cell phone users are then charged a monthly fee of $9.99 if they accept the service.

FEMA spokesperson, Anita Westervelt says the agency does NOT communicate about disaster assistance by cell phone text messages. “If they do get a text message, don’t respond to it, don’t press star. But if you already have we are trying to contact the carriers, and hopefully arrange that people will have that taken off their bill,” Westervelt says. She says the messages come at a time when people have a lot of other things on their mind.

“It’s always good to be cautious and then especially when you’re in the throes of a disaster or the disaster clean up. Because you’re not thinking like you normally would,” Westervelt says, “And when you’re reaching out for help and help comes looking for you, people are very trusting.” Westervelt says Iowans who believe they’ve received fraudulent text messages can contact FEMA or the state attorney general’s office.

Thirty-four Iowa counties are currently eligible to apply for individual federal aid for damages suffered during this summer’s heavy flooding. The application deadline is October 13.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Conlin outlines education agenda (AUDIO)

September 30, 2010 By

Roxanne Conlin, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, says it’s time to expand the number of low-income parents who can send their preschoolers to the government’s Head Start program. 

“It is a great investment. I mean, there is no doubt about it,” Conlin says. “It is a lifetime investment, so the advantages far outweigh, by about 17 times, every dollar that we spend.” 

Conlin held a news conference this morning to outline her education agenda. She criticized Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, her opponent, for voting against expanding Head Start “at least 14 times.”

Grassley communications director Eric Woolson says Grassley has vote to increase Head Start voting 23 times since 1989.  “For the last 10 years, and most likely back to 1989, there have been no separate votes on whether or not to fund Head Start, so it is not accurate to say that Grassley voted against Head Start funding specifically,” Woolson said. 

Conlin today said she supports a tax break that would allow teachers to deduct the cost of the supplies they buy for their classrooms. According to Conlin’s campaign staff, teachers nationwide spend more than $800 million out of their own pockets. “To buy pencils and paper and school supplies for their own students in their own classroom and that’s bad enough,” Conlin said, “but then for Senator Grassley to vote not even to let those dedicated teachers to take the money they spend on behalf of their students off their incomes taxes is just despicable.”

Conlin is also calling for a new financial break for new college graduates who agree to teach in a troubled school. She’d have the government write off their student loan payments for every year they work in a “low achieving” school.

Conlin favors tougher national standards for preschool through 12th grade as well. “I think that abolishing the Department of Education is an extreme idea and one most people don’t support. People are jealous of keeping control of the education of their own children, but everybody expects standards,” Conlin said. “Everybody expects their child to be taught to read. Everyone expects them to learn how to count, and to add and subtract. That’s the kind of standards that I’m talking about.”

Listen to Conlin’s news conference: capRCed

(This story was updated at 3:06 p.m.)

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

Drug Czar creates new award for fighting substance abuse

September 30, 2010 By

Nominations are being accepted through December 1st for a new award to be presented by the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy. It’s called the Innovation, Determination and Excellence in Action — or IDEA — award. Iowa Drug Policy Coordinator Gary Kendell is hoping the award will lead to a reduction in substance abuse around the state.

“Without recognizing those innovations and new ways of doing things, we’ll never find the next best practice,” Kendell said. “So, we want to be able to recognize folks that might be doing something unusual and new because that may be our next best practice.” Nomination forms are available on the Iowa O-D-C-P website. There are few eligibility requirements.

Kendell says people can nominate a group of people, an individual or an organization. “It’s the first year we’ve done it, so it’s going to grow as we do because we’ve not been through the process before,” Kendell said. “Really, we’re just interested in hearing about new and innovative things that are happening in the area of drug control policy and programs.” The inaugural IDEA award will be presented in January.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

Culver, Fitzgerald tout $335 million state budget surplus (audio)

September 30, 2010 By

Governor Chet Culver and State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald.

Governor Chet Culver and State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald — both Democrats — held a news conference this morning on the steps of the statehouse to announce the books on the fiscal year 2010 state budget are officially closed, and the state had a $335 million surplus.

“The issue of truth in budgeting is important because of my opponent in this race, Terry Branstad, has been dishonest with Iowans about his practices with respect to the budget and ours. He is simply not telling the truth,” Culver said. ”Today, I am calling on Terry Branstad and others who have been dishonest about our budget, and we’re asking them to come clean and to tell the truth.”

[Read more...]

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

Harkin says tax cut action will wait until after the election

September 30, 2010 By

Congress adjourned last night without taking action on a proposal to revive a series of Bush-era tax cuts. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat, says that issue will now be on hold until after the November elections.

“This is another thing people should consider when they go vote,” Harkin says. “Democrats have said we want to extend the tax cuts only for people of modest means, but for those that are making over $250,000 and above, they should pay their fair share. Republicans are saying, no, no, no. They want to extend the tax cuts even for the gazillionaires.”

Republicans argue many of the higher wage earners run small businesses which are key to creating jobs and helping the nation’s economy recover. Harkin says he strongly disagrees with the GOP’s vow to grant tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans. “We don’t believe they need a tax cut,” Harkin says.

“We think it’s time they pay their fair share. So here’s one good issue in the election about who people are going to vote for. Who do you want representing you when this tax fight takes place?”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has vowed the House will extend the income tax cuts to the middle class in the session that opens November 15th. Without action, the tax cuts will sunset December 31st and everyone will face a tax bump when 2011 arrives.

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

Iowa Architects talk about reacting to economy at annual convention

September 30, 2010 By

A group that’s used to planning things for others is looking at redesigning the way its members do business during its annual fall convention. John Darveau is the chair of the Iowa chapter of the American Institute for Architects. Darveau says dealing with the down economy is the top focus as they try to help members cope.

He says they’ve set up speakers and workshops that are different from the traditional talk about building, to focus on different ways to deliver services, different ways to do the things they do, and ways to enhance leadership skills. Darveau says the economy has hit all architects in different ways.

“Some of us are still busy, some aren’t, and we need to adapt as with every business out there,” Darveau says. “the world out there is changing and it’s changing fast, and we’re having to adapt our businesses just like everyone else. And that includes…delivering the way we do things in different ways.”

Millions of federal recovery dollars have been spent on building projects, but Darveau says those type of “linear” projects don’t create as much business for architects. He says the road projects focus on a few companies as lot of the projects are designed in-house by the government and don’t include a lot of outside work.

Darveau says they’ve sought more stimulus money for “vertical” design projects that would involve more architects. The conference also includes students, and Darveau says he will tell them there is a future in this profession. Darveau says this business has always been cyclical, and he says he tries to focus on the fact that it will change and architects will be busy again.

He says it was the same kind of market when he got out of school 22 years ago and things will change and the prospects for architects will go up again. The convention is meeting today and tomorrow at the Polk County Convention Complex in Des Moines.

Filed Under: Business
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