January 27, 2012

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U-I students raise funds for the Rape Victim Advocacy Program

September 28, 2011 By

U-I students don high heals for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event.

University of Iowa students and others in the Iowa City community will be having some fun Saturday while addressing a serious issue.

The “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event will feature men wearing high heels and walking one mile to raise awareness and funds for the Rape Victim Advocacy Program based in Iowa City.

The walk is being organized by U-I senior Billy Davies and other members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Davies says, unfortunately, rape, sexual assault and gender violence have been problems on the U-I campus in recent years.

“It’s a serious issue and I just thought it was something maybe people could get behind,” Davies said.

Started in 2001, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a now a world-wide organization that has raised millions of dollars for local rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters. The first march in Iowa City is set to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday in front of the Old Capitol building.

Davies and more than two dozen other members of his fraternity have purchased four-inch high red stiletto heels. Davies admits they’re a little uncomfortable. “They’re not too bad, but I can’t imagine wearing those on a daily basis or walking really long distances in them. I think that’s sort of the point,” Davies said. Participants can register on site, but are encouraged to preregister at the Iowa Memorial Union box office.

The registration fee is $15, with discounts available for teams of five and 10 ($70 for a team of five, $120 for a team of 10). Anyone who registers must sign a liability waiver. “God forbid, I don’t think anyone’s going to hurt, but just in case somebody rolls an ankle or something…it’s just a precaution,” Davies said. The liability waiver is standard policy for any event involving the university.

Those who preregister will receive a t-shirt. Women are also encouraged to participate in the walk, though Davies says only men are asked to wear heels. An educational program will immediately follow the walk. Organizers are hoping to raise $1,500 to $2,000 for the Rape Victim Advocacy Program.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education, Human Interest

Regents choose new I.S.U. president, offer 3-year contract

September 27, 2011 By

New I.S.U. president, Steven Leath.

The board that governs the state-supported universities has chosen a vice president at the University of North Carolina to be the 15th president of Iowa State University.

 Steven Leath was one of two finalists along with University of Kentucky provost Kumble Subbaswamy.

Regents president Craig Lang, of West Des Moines, outlined the details of the proposed contract this afternoon after announcing Leath’s hiring. Leath will be paid an annual salary of $440,000 and he’ll start February 1st of 2012.

[Read more...]

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

Cooler weather has bugs seeking warmth in your home

September 27, 2011 By

It’s autumn and Iowans are starting to discover some uninvited guests in their homes, the types with six or eight legs. Spiders, ants and all sorts of other creepy-crawlers are looking for a warm place to spend the winter. Steve Tonn, an extension educator, says a little work on your house could fend off the insect invasion.

“Seal any cracks or crevices around the foundation, doors, windows will help to prevent pests from entering our home,” Tonn says. Some bugs can fit through an eighth-inch crack, so he says circling your home with a two-foot border of pest repellent may do the trick.

“There are some pesticides that you can spray around the outside of your home to make a barrier,” Tonn says. “They’ll work to some degree.” If mice are the problem, laying traps isn’t enough.

“Eliminating any types of food sources for them, keeping the lids on trash cans and eliminating any entry sources for them is the first step,” he says.

Tonn says inspecting your foundation for cracks, spaces under doors and basement window wells can also help. As with bugs, he says mice can squeeze through incredibly small spaces.

They may come around pipes, around the foundation so using some type of sealant, a foam around any of those types of entry places,” he says. Lady beetles, crickets, clover mites and box elder bugs are the most common unwanted pests during fall.

Filed Under: Human Interest, Weather

Group issues energy conservation challenge

September 27, 2011 By

An organization that highlights African-American arts and culture in Iowa is launching a statewide initiative to conserve energy. Betty Andrews, executive director of I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa (IMMAWII), discussed the details of the “Empower Energy Conservation Challenge” at a gathering today in Des Moines.

“The project’s goal is to educate and mobilize Iowans, with particular emphasis on the African-American community, about simple changes and easy steps that will reduce energy consumption, improve energy efficiency and save money,” Andrews said. The effort is backed by MidAmerican Energy and funded through a state grant.

Andrews invites all Iowans to participate, but especially African-Americans. She says a recent study found a “disconnect” that’s preventing African-Americans from learning about ways to improve energy efficiency in their homes. The energy conservation challenge is designed to address that situation in Iowa. IMMAWII president Kevin Officer says the challenge will begin on October 1.

Participants will start by filling out an online survey about their energy consumption habits. They’ll then follow steps to reduce their energy consumption – such as installing fluorescent light bulbs, sealing air leaks in their homes and using a programmable thermostat.

“We hope, by this time next year when they take a follow up survey, we’ll be able to see people took the challenge and saved money,” Officer said. Part of the initiative will involve a large “Green House” exhibit at the I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa’s annual celebration day, scheduled for January 28, 2012 at the Polk County Convention Complex. The festival is expected to draw 20,000 people.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Human Interest

Next ISU president: Steven Leath

September 27, 2011 By

The board that governs the state-supported universities has chosen  Steven Leath as the next president of Iowa State University. Leath is currently a vice president at the University of North Carolina.

The Board of Regents today conducted final interviews with Leath and Kumble Subbaswamy, the provost at the University of Kentucky, who was the other finalist for the job. Current I.S.U. president Gregory Geoffrey plans to retire June 30, 2012.

Both Leath and Subbaswamy spoke at public forums on the Ames campus last week.

Leath will be paid an annual salary of $440,000 along with deferred compensation of $75,000 each year, and the Regents have offered him a three-year contract. He will be the 15th president of Iowa State University.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With:

Statehouse intrigue: some GOP senators to meet Thursday

September 27, 2011 By

It appears a Republican state senator from northeastern Iowa may try to force a leadership election this week, but it’s unclear what will happen on Thursday.

Senator Bill Dix, a Republican from Shell Rock, has sent an email to the other 23 Republicans in the Iowa Senate, making it clear he wants the job of Senate Republican leader. The email indicates Dix wants Senate Republicans to meet to talk about the upcoming special election in the Marion area to fill an open senate seat.

Senator William Anderson, a Republican from Pierson, says he’ll be there Thursday.

“It is important that we have the discussion about the upcoming election prior to the election,” Anderson says.

The special election for that open senate seat in the Marion area is set for Tuesday, November 8th. Last week, Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley set November 10th as the next official meeting time for Senate Republicans. Anderson says the Republican senators need to meet now, to help plot campaign strategy for the special election and set fundraising goals.

“I have a family, a small business. I have a full-time job. If we’re going to go over and help in that special election, I need to be able to plan and I need to know what expectations are,” Anderson says. “…I think the number one reason for this caucus is so we can address this special election. I do think it show a certain amount of vision to have that prior to the election rather than two days after.”

Statehouse politicians use the word “caucus” to describe their private partisan meetings. Radio Iowa has telephoned more than a dozen Republican senators and of the four who spoke on the record, two do not plan to attend Thursday’s meeting. Senator David Johnson, a Republican from Ocheydan, has an appointment he can’t miss.

“I’m having (lower back) surgery Thursday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota,” Johnson said. “I’m not available.”

Senator Jerry Behn, a Republican from Boone, will be in the field, harvesting soybeans on Thursday.   

“Anybody can have a meeting whenever they want,” Behn says. “But the official caucus is November 10th.”  

Senator Johnson says he’s fine with the November 10 date.

“I think that’s the most appropriate time,” Johnson said.

Senator Mark Chelgren, a Republican from Ottumwa, plans to attend Thursday’s meeting and he doesn’t yet know who he would support as the Senate’s Republican leader. 

“I believe that whoever articulates the best message and has the best management team is what I would like to see us pursue,” Chelgren said. “When I invest in companies, I invest based on the management team and the business plan and, up to this point, I have not seen any plan from anybody.”

Senator Sandy Greiner, a Republican from Keota, says she’ll be there Thursday, because the current state senators need to get “fully engaged” in the special election.

“I have to say I was stunned that our leader called our Caucus (meeting) for after that election which, in other words, prevents us from getting our colleagues toether to divie up our responsibilities,” Greiner says.

Greiner has drawn up a list fundraising goals that she hopes her Senate Republican colleagues will embrace during Thursday’s meeting. 

“I will be very disappointed if I don’t have colleagues there to distribute them to,” Greiner says. “We need to get this done…All of the senators have run senate campaigns and that’s why their involvement is crucial.”

Republican Governor Terry Branstad appointed a Democrat who held that state senate seat in Marion to the Iowa Utilities Board, setting the stage for a crucial special election as a Republican win in the district would knot the Senate up at 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans.

Paul McKinley, the current Senate Republican leader, is not available for interviews about his future in leadership. McKinley’s in Italy, vacationing with his wife to celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary.  Dix has not responded to a phone message seeking comment. Dix would need to have the support of at least 13 Republican senators to wrest the job of Senate Minority Leader away from McKinley and several sources indicate Thursday’s gathering would not be considered an “official” Senate GOP meeting so a leadership election could not be held.

(This story was updated at 4:36 p.m., adding Senator Chelgren’s comments, and updated again at 5:29 p.m., adding Senator Greiner’s comments.)

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Small stretch of flooded highway will be costly to repair

September 27, 2011 By

A relatively small piece of Interstate 680 will cost a large amount of money to repair after the summer-long Missouri River flooding. For more than three months, flood water ran over three-point-one miles of pavement from the Mormon Bridge to I-29 north of Council Bluffs.

The Iowa D.O.T.’s bidding process to re-do the road resulted in five bids with the lowest coming in at $19,239,000. Two construction companies will tackle the job in a joint venture. They will be using the original design to re-create the stretch that is now a pile of rubble.

They will have to work fast as the D.O.T. wants at least part of that interstate open by the end of the year.

By Karla James

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters Tagged With: ,
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