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Des Moines interstate speed camera now operating

August 26, 2011 By

New traffic speed cameras have been installed on Interstate 235 through Des Moines. The cameras are focused on all four lanes of eastbound traffic along I-235 between 56th Street and Polk Boulevard.

They could catch motorists from around the state as many Iowans use I-235 when they visit or pass through Des Moines. The new cameras will start sending out warning notices to speeding drivers on Monday morning. A one-month grace period will end on September 28, when citations will be issued to motorists speeding at the location.

The speed limit in the area is 60 miles an hour. Police say citations will be issued to those going over 70 miles an hour. Des Moines installed a host of red light and mobile speed cameras around the city in early June. Traffic cameras are used in at least six other Iowa cities.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Lottery begins tailgate promotion with Iowa schools

August 26, 2011 By

The Iowa Lottery is set to launch a football-themed promotion with the University of Iowa, U.N.I. and Iowa State. The “Great State Tailgate” promotion will begin Monday with the sale of $2 scratch tickets. Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer says she understands that some Iowans might have concerns with an organization that promotes gambling partnering with the state’s universities.

But, Neubauer claims the deal is also about promoting Iowa tourism. “Yes, we’re a lottery and a gambling organization – but, we’ve chosen to harness the power of our marketing dollars to support a lot of great causes here in the state, be it tourism, veterans or education,” Neubauer said. “Fall football is one of the best tourism attractions that we have.”

The promotion comes four years after the Lottery and the University of Iowa ended a sponsorship deal amid concerns about the use of the Iowa Fight Song in a commercial. “We may not all agree on whether or not the Lottery should be doing a particular kind of promotion…I respect people’s opinions out there, but I think this promotion can accomplish a lot of good here in Iowa,” Neubauer said.

The new promotion will allow players to enter a drawing for a decked-out tailgate trailer with a value of $22,000. The trailer includes a big screen television, a home theater system, a gas grill and a portable generator.

The Lottery will have the trailer on display at Iowa, I.S.U. and U.N.I. games throughout the season. The trailer and five cash prizes of $1,000 will be given away in December. The winner of the trailer will also be able to customize the artwork on the outside.

Filed Under: Business, Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With: , , , ,

Forum discusses economy, job creation

August 26, 2011 By

A forum at Des Moines Area Community College (D-MACC) in Ankeny today focused on the economy and healthcare. Iowa State University president, Gregory Geoffroy, says the government can make a difference in creating jobs if it focuses its investment.

Geoffroy says he thought the Iowa Power Fund created under former Governor Chet Culver was a good program. Geoffroy says he was a non-voting member of the Power Fund board and saw the projects that came before the board. He says the seed money went into some “very powerful projects” and says if a few of them “hit it big its’ gonna be spectacular for the State of Iowa.” He says that’s why it is important to strategically invest in a key areas like the biosciences. Governor Branstad is reorganizing the Department of Economic Development and the way it handles business recruitment. Geoffroy says that is a good thing.

He says he’s sure the current administration will have priorities and make the kinds of investments that are needed. Geoffroy says the restructuring of the economic development organization needs to be given a chance, as it has the potential to make a difference. As an example of an investment that can pay off, Geoffroy cited the development of a lead-free solder by an I.S.U. researcher that has lead to the inventor taking home royalties of one-million dollars.

Geoffroy says the solder is now made worldwide and the university owns the patents and royalties on it. The I-S-U program shares a portion of the royalties with the inventor, so he says it has been a substantial outcome from the initial investment. Geoffroy says another thing he wants to see go along with the investment in research is the “advancement of fundamental science and knowledge.”

“So much fundamental science, the research that’s done, when it’s done you don’t know what the impact is gonna be and where it can be used,” Geoffroy says. He cites lasers and magnetic resonance imaging as examples. “Both of those were just scientific curiosities when they were first discovered and developed in laboratories,” Geoffroy says.

He says no one had any idea how important lasers and MRI techniques would become. Geoffroy says most people don’t understand how important the research is that is conducted at his school and others. He says it is a major issue and a failing of the universities that a majority of people don’t understand or appreciate the role of research and technology transfer at the schools. Geoffroy was one of several panel members in the forum.

Filed Under: Business, Education Tagged With:

Corps of Engineers says it welcomes review of Missouri River flooding

August 26, 2011 By

Top brass with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say they welcome independent reviews of how they handled upstream runoff which led to this year’s widespread Missouri River flooding. Brigadier General John McMahon, commander of the Corps’ Northwest Division, says calls by governors and members of Congress for a review of what went wrong could prove productive.

“Working together, we can take a long view of the problem set that faces us which is absolutely necessary for long-term success,” General McMahon says. Water releases from upstream dams have been dropping daily for a week and levels have dropped below flood stage in Sioux City this week for the first time in 81 days.

McMahon says much work will be required once the floodwaters recede. “It’s a very huge challenge that we face, not only for beginning the preparations for the 2012 season, but much further beyond that, setting the conditions for the basin in the future and what that might look like, talking about vision,” he says.

The Corps believes the Missouri River should be back to “normal” levels by the end of next month or early October. Colonel Robert Ruch, commander of the Corps’ Omaha District, says he understands that many, many people are upset with the Corps after the summer of flooding. Colonel Ruch promises the Corps will be candid with those who have suffered through months of flooding.

“We can tell the truth in so many ways and that’s what we’ll continue do,” Ruch says. “The books are open. It’s an emotional issue when you’re flooded. I feel for the farmers. I feel for the folks who are out of their houses and out of their businesses. I do expect a certain amount of that emotion to come out.”

Governors from the Missouri River basin have joined members of Congress in calling for an independent investigation of how the Corps handled the runoff that overflowed the six-reservoir system, leading to the releases that created massive flooding in Nebraska and Iowa.

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

Third and final trial in eastern Iowa murder ends

August 26, 2011 By

The family of a murdered eastern Iowa man expressed relief Thursday after sitting through three trials that resulted in three convictions. The last trial ended with a jury finding 45-year-old Denise Frei of Marengo guilty of first-degree murder in the July 2009 death of her live-in boyfriend, 33-year-old Curtis Bailey.

The trial was held in Scott County. Bailey’s 16-year-old son, Alex, teared up as the verdict was read. “Justice has been served, she’s going away and it’s great,” Alex told reporters afterward. “It’s nice to know this is all done and over with. We can move on with our lives and I can go back to school.”

Police said Frei beat Curtis Bailey with a rock and other objects in his home. She was aided by her son, Jacob Hilgendorf, and his friend, Jessica Dayton. They were both convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Bailey’s ex-wife, Michelle Geary, cried with her son Alex as Frei was led out of the courtroom. She said the family had been waiting for this day.

“I absolutely love seeing the handcuffs put back on her. We’re not vengeful people, but they took away a big part of our life and we can’t get that back,” Geary said. Frei claimed she was verbally, physically and sexually abused by Bailey for six years and had to end his life to save her son’s life and her four-year-old grandson.

The jury deliberated a little over four hours before returning the verdict. Frei now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

By Mark Carlson, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Air shows scheduled in western and eastern Iowa

August 26, 2011 By

Modern warplanes and historic aircraft will fill the skies during two major air shows on opposite corners of Iowa this weekend. The Thunder in the Valley Air Show in Waterloo is expected to draw 50,000 spectators, while Omaha/Council Bluffs hosts its Defenders of Freedom Open House and Air Show at Offutt Air Force Base.

Lieutenant Colonel Donovan Routsis is the 55th Wing Group Commander at Offutt and says they have an entertaining lineup, starting with parachutists. “The Army Golden Knights kick off our air show and then we’ll have an F-15-E Strike Eagle demonstration team,” Routsis says. “We’ll also have a Russian attack helicopter performing for the first time ever at a U.S. air show.

This will also be the first time we will have a B-2 (stealth bomber) on display here at Offutt.” In addition, the base has scheduled more than 20 aerial performers and more than 30 static displays. Flying can be a hazardous business and he notes, just last weekend, there were three deadly crashes at air shows nationwide. “We’re very saddened by the tragic accidents that happened last weekend and we express our condolences to those families and friends of those involved,” Routsis says.

“We’ve heard nothing from the FAA and our operations group stays in very close contact with the FAA in regards to accidents and our open house and air show are going to take place as scheduled.” Both airshows in Waterloo and Omaha are planned for Saturday and Sunday.

http://www.offuttairshow.com/

http://www.cedarvalleyairshow.com

Filed Under: Military, Recreation & Entertainment

Czech Village arts center returns with unique fundraiser

August 26, 2011 By

As the flood waters continue to go down in western Iowa, there’s another sign of the recovery from the 2008 flooding in eastern Iowa. The Czech Village arts center in Cedar Rapids is holding a grand re-opening concert this weekend. It took 16 months to get the center ready to go again.

A state I-JOBS grant is helping pay five million of the seven million-dollar renovation cost, and some creative fundraising is helping with the rest. Producing director, Mel Andriga, says they are selling the naming rights for the toilet stalls, urinals and commodes.

“I guess I’d say that at its best, fundraising is difficult. And to try to the come up with something that’s unique, for people to put a handle on, so to speak, is difficult. And we didn’t want to do what everybody else does,” Andriga explains. For $1,000, they’ll put the name of the person you designate on a plaque over the urinal or toilet stall.

Once known as the Czecho-Slovak Protective Society, it’s now called the C-S-P-S and Adriga says it isn’t just for artists, but includes an area for all creative types.

“It’s important for them to have a place, a meeting place and a centralized location. They have studio space and they have small business space, but they need kind of common space. And C-S-P-S for 120 years has been that kind of space,” he says. The renovated building now includes a studio theater, new gallery and exhibition area, and office space for several non-profit arts organizations.

Filed Under: Human Interest
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