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Fire Marshal works toward putting smoke detectors in every home

January 29, 2011 By

The State Fire Marshal’s office is taking steps toward a goal of equipping every home in Iowa with a working smoke detector. The annual State Fire School is taking place today in Ames and involves training for firefighters from around Iowa.

State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds says they’ll be going home with some new skills and 9 volt batteries. The batteries, 13,000 of them, are part of a new program dubbed Operation Safe Senior.

Reynolds says Energizer donated the batteries which fire and ambulance crews will keep in their emergency vehicles. The batteries will be delivered to the homes of senior citizens when fire or EMS personnel are sent out on welfare checks or medical calls. Reynolds says fires resulting in fatalities could be greatly reduced in Iowa if more homes had working smoke detectors.

Over the last five years, 187 people have died in fires in Iowa. Reynolds says around 90% of those fires involved a home without a working smoke detector. Reynolds’ agency is also working with elementary schools to install working smoke detectors in the homes of Iowa school children.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Main Street Iowa program celebrates 25 years

January 29, 2011 By

The Main Street Iowa program is marking its 25th year. The program is designed to improve the state’s social and economic well-being by helping selected communities capitalize on the unique identity, assets and character of their historic commercial districts. Darlene Strachan, assistant state coordinator for Main Street Iowa, says the program has shifted its targets over two-and-a-half decades.

“We have changed in some respects where we’re adding urban neighborhoods into our program,” Strachan says. “Now we’re dealing with communities that are small as well as urban neighborhoods in the larger cities. Things though, in some respects, never change. There’s still the effort to get the volunteers involved. There’s still the effort to save downtowns and make them look better.”

Strachan says Iowa will be the destination this spring for Main Street officials from across the country.

“Iowa is hosting the national Main Streets conference for the first time ever,” she says. “Des Moines, Iowa, May 22nd through the 25th, we will be the host community.”

All 45 of the state’s Main Street communities will be involved in the event, the parties, the educational sessions and more. After 25 years, Strachan says the Main Street program continues to see positive signs ahead.

Learn more at :www.lifechangingiowa.com/community/mainstreetiowa“.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Business, Human Interest

Insurance commissioner cuts health insurance rate increase request from Wellmark

January 28, 2011 By

Iowa Insurance Commissioner, Susan Voss, has completed a review of the rate increase on health insurance policies for Wellmark and cut the rate the company had requested. 

Tom Alger, communications director for the Iowa Insurance Division, says Wellmark requested a 10.8% increase for three of the major pools, and the commissioner ruled they should get an 8.5% increase.

Alger says the commissioner also gave Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield notice the division plans to look into two issues in the company. Alger says they have decided to look at the carrier’s market share, and whether that presents any adverse impact for Iowa consumers.

[Read more...]

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

UNI puts 6 game win streak on the line

January 28, 2011 By

The U.N.I. Panthers put their six game winning streak on the line on Sunday with a visit to Missouri State. The Panthers are 7-3 in the Valley while the Bears lead the conference race with a record of 9-1. The Panthers have been taking care of the ball and in a Wednesday night win over Creighton they only committed seven turnovers.

U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobsen says if they keep improving on defense and rebounding and continue to get to the free throw line without turning over the ball, they should be in position late in the game to win, no matter who they are playing.

Jacobsen has found success with some smaller lineups the past few weeks. He says playing four guards and spreading the floor allows them to deal with their lack of size and he says they have been able to get a little creative and it has been good to them.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

ISU looks to rebound from home lose against OSU

January 28, 2011 By

The Iowa State Cyclones return to Big 12 action at home on Saturday against Oklahoma. I.S.U. is 1-5 in the league race after a home loss to Texas Tech while the Sooners are 2-3 in conference play.

Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg says Oklahoma has won a couple of games and built some confidence and have had a week off to prepare for this game. Hoiberg wants to see the Cyclones get off to a quick start. He says they have to find a way to bring energy and intensity from the

start, and he would love to have the other team have to call a timeout early to regroup, instead of having to do so himself.

Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel says he has a lot of respect for the Cyclones and says they shoot the ball well.

Iowa State is 14-7 overall. The Sooners are 10-9.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Boswell has face-to-face with potential party rival

January 28, 2011 By

Congressman Leonard Boswell says he made it clear during a face-to-face meeting with a potential challenger that he intends to seek reelection in 2012.

Former Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, a fellow Democrat, is exploring the idea of running for congress in 2012 and both live in Des Moines.  Boswell says the two had a one-on-one conversation on January 10.

“It was just a nice, cordial visit which we’ve always had. She told me that she is just exploring. She’s made no commitments at all and she’s looking at all possibilities. She told me she wasn’t raising money; she was just exploring what people think.  I defend her right to do that,” Boswell said this afternoon during an interview with Radio Iowa. “I told her, clearly, looking her straight in the face, that I am committed to run next time.”

Boswell made it clear last August, when he was seeking an eighth term in congress. that he would not voluntarily retire after serving 16 years in the U.S. House.

“It’s clear to her — it should be — that I intend to be there,” Boswell said this afternoon.

Boswell faced a primary challenge in 2008 from fellow Democrat Ed Fallon and key party leaders endorsed the incumbent Boswell over Fallon in that race. While it’s not clear yet that Boswell will face a Democratic Primary in 2012, he intends to ask the same party leaders to endorse him over Mrs. Vilsack.

“What have I not done that should have been done?” And I think that’s a fair question,” Boswell told Radio Iowa. “I feel that I’ve done respectably well in representing these people, our people, and I think that’s important.” 

Boswell’s birthday is January 10 — which means he and Vilsack met to discuss their political futures on his 77th birthday.

In late December, U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack — the former Iowa governor — said his wife, Christie Vilsack, was well-qualified to run for office.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Large Hot Lotto prize still unclaimed

January 28, 2011 By

A Hot Lotto ticket worth $16.5 million was sold at a Des Moines convenience store one month ago and no one has come forward yet to claim the big prize. Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich says he believes the person holding the ticket doesn’t realize it’s a winner.

“We can speculate a lot of things, but what we do know is someone out there has it and our assumption today is that they don’t realize it’s in their pocket, in a drawer or their car,” Rich said. The ticket was purchased at a Quik Trip on the northeast side of the capital city. It matched all six numbers in the Hot Lotto drawing on December 29.

“This particular ticket was a multiple draw ticket. So, as we looked at it, we were assuming they were probably waiting for all the draws to happen in case they won the big jackpot again or others and then would come in and claim the ticket,” Rich said. “That has not happened.” The last drawing on the ticket was on January 8. Rich says the lottery’s computers show the ticket also hasn’t been scanned at a lottery terminal in the state.

“We did a check of our system this morning,” Rich said. “Who ever does have the ticket has not gone to one of our retailers to check the ticket to see if it’s a validated winner.” Rich confirmed the lottery has video from the QT store of a person purchasing the ticket – but he declined to provide more details.

“We do have surveillance video of what could be the transaction. Verification will only happen once someone comes in and claims the ticket,” Rich said. The QT store is located just off Interstate 80/35, so Rich says the ticket holder could be a traveler from out of state. The $16.5 million jackpot is the largest unclaimed prize in the Iowa Lottery’s 25-year history.

Rich believes it’s the second largest unclaimed Lotto prize in U.S. history. A Powerball ticket sold in Indiana in 2002, worth $51 million, went unclaimed. Hot Lotto tickets are sold in Iowa, 13 other states and the District of Columbia. The individual holding the winning ticket has until December 29, 2011 to claim the prize.

Listen to the entire Iowa Lottery press conference here: Lottery 10:07 MP3

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:
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