18
Feb
2003
• At a Buffalo City Council meeting in January, city leaders voted to seek funding for the Buffalo Mississippi River Trail. The trail would become an integral part of two nationwide trail systems: the headwaters-to-the-gulf Mississippi River Trail and the coast-to-coast American Discovery Trail. Buffalo is one of the few locations in the country where these two systems would share a trail. The path, approximately 6.5 miles long, would follow the river side of Iowa Highway 22, looping into the city to a planned riverside park. The path would link upriver with Davenport at Utah Avenue and downriver with Muscatine County at the county line. River Action initiated the alignment study for the trail by writing a grant for $20,000 from the Riverboat Development Authority.
• Did you know that as a member of a jury, you have the right and duty not only to judge the accused, but to judge the law? The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) is a not-for-profit educational association whose mission is to inform all Americans about their rights, powers, and responsibilities when serving as trial jurors. FIJA also seeks to restore the political function of the jury as the final check and balance on the American system of government. It's supported by tax-deductible contributions and foundation grants. See for yourself at its Web site at (http://www.FIJA.org).
• In an effort to reduce the number of unwanted kittens born this spring, the Quad City Animal Welfare Center will be offering a male-cat neuter package for $18 (which includes a rabies vaccination and a neuter) and a female-cat spay package for $28 (which includes a rabies vaccination and spay). These surgeries are half-price during this event and will be performed February 24 through 28. For an appointment, call (309)787-6830. The shelter is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. (until 6 p.m. Wednesday) and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. You can learn more at (http://www.qcawc.org).
• Part of the federal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations bill includes funding for a couple of Quad City projects, including $360,000 for the Scott County Housing Council. The funds will be used for the construction and rehabilitation of moderate-income family-owned housing as well as support for the homeless. The bill also has $200,000 for flood-control project in Davenport. This money will be used to re-evaluate previous flood-control plans. If those are found to be appropriate, flood-protection construction can begin. If not, other alternatives can be studied. Twenty-five percent of the funding must be provided locally.
• Governor Tom Vilsack's budget plan for the 2004 fiscal year starting July 1 includes $2.5 million in additional fine revenue, to be generated by increasing the fines for speeding violations by $15 to $40 apiece. Under the proposal, the fine for motorists going six to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit would increase from $20 to $35. On interstates and other highways with a 65-mile-per-hour speed limit, the fine for exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 20 miles per hour would jump from $60 to $100. Violators also pay surcharges and court costs that make tickets more costly than the fine itself. Two years ago, Vilsack signed a bill into law that raised fines for dozens of traffic offenses, ranging from jaywalking to tailgating. However, the legislature decided against higher fines for speeding and parking violations. Legislators are cool to the idea unless speed limits are raised, and Vilsack has said he isn't looking for a deal right now.
• The Iowa House Education Committee amended and approved a bill relating to service learning and character development in schools. Many school districts have taken the initiative to incorporate character development into the curriculum and have included aspects of civic responsibility through service-learning projects. House File 180 was brought to the legislature to encourage those school districts without character-development programs or service learning to consider their incorporation into the school curriculum. The bill does not mandate making these changes.
• The Black Hawk College Foundation is seeking nominations for the new Quad Cities Area Leaders Under 40 awards, which will be presented to up-and-coming leaders for their professional accomplishments, community involvement, and civic service. Candidates may live in Iowa or Illinois and must be 39 years old or younger as of April 24. Candidates must have demonstrated leadership ability in their profession, achieved notable career success, or made a significant volunteer commitment from fields including but not limited to business, education, government, religion, health care, civic service, social service, and public safety. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Friday, March 14, and will be reviewed by a judging committee. For more information, contact Sally Worden, director of development, at (309)796-5052. The awards ceremony will be Thursday, April 24.
• America's terror threat level has been raised to "orange," or "high," for just the second time since the Homeland Security Advisory System was established nearly a year ago, and the American Red Cross is urging the public to take steps to prepare for the unexpected. Corresponding with the government's color-coded system, the Red Cross has tailored specific emergency-readiness information for families, individuals, schools, neighborhoods, and businesses relating to each of the five threat levels. These Red Cross recommendations for the Homeland Security Advisory System are available for the public at (http://www.redcross.org) or at the Red Cross office at 1100 River Drive in Moline.
• Did you know that as a member of a jury, you have the right and duty not only to judge the accused, but to judge the law? The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) is a not-for-profit educational association whose mission is to inform all Americans about their rights, powers, and responsibilities when serving as trial jurors. FIJA also seeks to restore the political function of the jury as the final check and balance on the American system of government. It's supported by tax-deductible contributions and foundation grants. See for yourself at its Web site at (http://www.FIJA.org).
• In an effort to reduce the number of unwanted kittens born this spring, the Quad City Animal Welfare Center will be offering a male-cat neuter package for $18 (which includes a rabies vaccination and a neuter) and a female-cat spay package for $28 (which includes a rabies vaccination and spay). These surgeries are half-price during this event and will be performed February 24 through 28. For an appointment, call (309)787-6830. The shelter is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. (until 6 p.m. Wednesday) and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. You can learn more at (http://www.qcawc.org).
• Part of the federal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations bill includes funding for a couple of Quad City projects, including $360,000 for the Scott County Housing Council. The funds will be used for the construction and rehabilitation of moderate-income family-owned housing as well as support for the homeless. The bill also has $200,000 for flood-control project in Davenport. This money will be used to re-evaluate previous flood-control plans. If those are found to be appropriate, flood-protection construction can begin. If not, other alternatives can be studied. Twenty-five percent of the funding must be provided locally.
• Governor Tom Vilsack's budget plan for the 2004 fiscal year starting July 1 includes $2.5 million in additional fine revenue, to be generated by increasing the fines for speeding violations by $15 to $40 apiece. Under the proposal, the fine for motorists going six to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit would increase from $20 to $35. On interstates and other highways with a 65-mile-per-hour speed limit, the fine for exceeding the speed limit by 16 to 20 miles per hour would jump from $60 to $100. Violators also pay surcharges and court costs that make tickets more costly than the fine itself. Two years ago, Vilsack signed a bill into law that raised fines for dozens of traffic offenses, ranging from jaywalking to tailgating. However, the legislature decided against higher fines for speeding and parking violations. Legislators are cool to the idea unless speed limits are raised, and Vilsack has said he isn't looking for a deal right now.
• The Iowa House Education Committee amended and approved a bill relating to service learning and character development in schools. Many school districts have taken the initiative to incorporate character development into the curriculum and have included aspects of civic responsibility through service-learning projects. House File 180 was brought to the legislature to encourage those school districts without character-development programs or service learning to consider their incorporation into the school curriculum. The bill does not mandate making these changes.
• The Black Hawk College Foundation is seeking nominations for the new Quad Cities Area Leaders Under 40 awards, which will be presented to up-and-coming leaders for their professional accomplishments, community involvement, and civic service. Candidates may live in Iowa or Illinois and must be 39 years old or younger as of April 24. Candidates must have demonstrated leadership ability in their profession, achieved notable career success, or made a significant volunteer commitment from fields including but not limited to business, education, government, religion, health care, civic service, social service, and public safety. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Friday, March 14, and will be reviewed by a judging committee. For more information, contact Sally Worden, director of development, at (309)796-5052. The awards ceremony will be Thursday, April 24.
• America's terror threat level has been raised to "orange," or "high," for just the second time since the Homeland Security Advisory System was established nearly a year ago, and the American Red Cross is urging the public to take steps to prepare for the unexpected. Corresponding with the government's color-coded system, the Red Cross has tailored specific emergency-readiness information for families, individuals, schools, neighborhoods, and businesses relating to each of the five threat levels. These Red Cross recommendations for the Homeland Security Advisory System are available for the public at (http://www.redcross.org) or at the Red Cross office at 1100 River Drive in Moline.
