06
Apr
2004
• The Quad Cities metropolitan area is listed as number six and Cedar Rapids number seven in a recently released national binge-drinking study. Binge drinking is defined as imbibing five or more alcoholic drinks over a few hours. The survey included the 120 largest U.S. metropolitan areas and was released in the April issue of American Journal of Public Health. The study said nationally, the overall rate of people who binge-drink is 14.5 percent. The study did not look at Iowa City, which has been identified as having a binge-drinking problem in similar studies. San Antonio, Texas, topped the survey, followed by Grand Forks, North Dakota; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Austin, Texas; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Davenport; Cedar Rapids; Duluth, Minnesota; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Springfield, Massachusetts. In the top three metropolitan areas - San Antonio, Grand Forks, and Milwaukee - an estimated one third of adult men are binge drinkers. The survey, which relied on data provided by states to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and focused on those 18 and older, had bad news for the Midwest as a whole. Six of the top 10 metropolitan areas are in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The study, which used 1997 and 1999 data, did not address the reasons for heaving drinking in particular geographic areas. You can see the abstract of the survey at (http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/4/663).
• Iowa is receiving almost $30 million from the Office of Domestic Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The funding, which is for equipment and training to help first responders prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, was announced in November 2003. The state will receive the money very soon, and then disburse at least 80 percent of the funds to local communities within 60 days. Since March 1, DHS will have allocated or awarded more than $6 billion in grant funding for first responders from the Fiscal Year 2003, the Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental, and the Fiscal Year 2004 budgets.
• Friendly House is now accepting applications for the 2004 Ivory/Optimist and Micka scholarships. The Ivory/Optimist Scholarship is awarded to high-school seniors graduating from the Davenport Community School District who wish to continue their education at any licensed or accredited trade/vocational school, college, or university. The deadline for the Ivory/Optimist Scholarships is April 15. The Micka Scholarship is awarded to nontraditional students 21 or older who have resided in Davenport for the past three years. The individual must be attending or planning to attend any licensed or accredited trade/vocational school, college, or university. The deadline for the Micka Scholarship is May 1. Applications are available at Friendly House, 1221 Myrtle Street in Davenport, or at (http://www.friendlyhouseiowa.org). For more information, call Friendly House at (563)323-1821.
• The Putnam Museum is looking for nominations for its 2004 Annual Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes an individual, organization, or business that can serve as a model of protecting and caring for the environment in the Quad Cities region. The museum will announce the selected recipient as part of a week of activities leading up to Earth Day. After selection, the recipient will be featured in a special display for the coming year in the Black Earth/Big River exhibit hall. Nominations may be mailed to the Putnam Museum at 1717 W. 12th Street, Davenport, IA 52804; faxed to (563)324-6638, or e-mailed to (museum@putnam.org). The deadline for nominations is April 9.
• Illinois House Bill 4851 bans employers of volunteer firefighters from terminating their jobs because they are absent or late because of their firefighter duties. The law is limited to municipalities with a population of 3,500 or fewer and does not include volunteers that work for any other department. House Bill 4851 passed the House 98 to 16 and now awaits action in the Senate. Proponents of the bill include the Illinois Firefighters Association and the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.
• Habitat for Humanity - Quad Cities is conducting searches for two families to be enrolled in its home-ownership program this year. The first is a special search for a build to begin in fall 2004 in which the family must be willing to live in East Moline. Each adult in the family (18 years and older) must be able to work 125 sweat-equity (volunteer) hours before the start of the home this fall. Applications must be mailed to the Habitat office and postmarked on or before May 1. Call the Habitat office at (563)359-9066 to receive an informational packet that explains the qualifications and how to apply. More information about Habitat can be found on the Web at (http://www.habitatqc.org).
• The Iowa Senate has moved forward on a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would give Iowans the final say on whether major tax and fee increases become law. The proposal calls for Iowans to vote on any state tax or fee increase that raises revenue in excess of 1 percent of the state's general fund - approximately $43 million. Under the proposal, taxpayers would be given the final say on state action that creates unfunded mandates or reduces funds transferred to local governments, such as cuts to property-tax credits. Also, if action by the state would require or allow local governments to increase taxes, Iowans would have the right to vote on the tax increase. An emergency provision is included in the amendment that says a state tax increase could become law for one specific year without voter approval if the governor declares an emergency and requests a specific tax increase for a specific expenditure, or if the tax increase is approved by a two-thirds majority in the legislature and signed by the governor. The proposed amendment is scheduled to be considered by the House soon. For a constitutional amendment to be adopted, it must be approved by both the Senate and House this year, then approved by the next General Assembly in either 2005 or 2006, followed by approval by a majority of Iowa voters.
• Iowa is receiving almost $30 million from the Office of Domestic Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The funding, which is for equipment and training to help first responders prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism, was announced in November 2003. The state will receive the money very soon, and then disburse at least 80 percent of the funds to local communities within 60 days. Since March 1, DHS will have allocated or awarded more than $6 billion in grant funding for first responders from the Fiscal Year 2003, the Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental, and the Fiscal Year 2004 budgets.
• Friendly House is now accepting applications for the 2004 Ivory/Optimist and Micka scholarships. The Ivory/Optimist Scholarship is awarded to high-school seniors graduating from the Davenport Community School District who wish to continue their education at any licensed or accredited trade/vocational school, college, or university. The deadline for the Ivory/Optimist Scholarships is April 15. The Micka Scholarship is awarded to nontraditional students 21 or older who have resided in Davenport for the past three years. The individual must be attending or planning to attend any licensed or accredited trade/vocational school, college, or university. The deadline for the Micka Scholarship is May 1. Applications are available at Friendly House, 1221 Myrtle Street in Davenport, or at (http://www.friendlyhouseiowa.org). For more information, call Friendly House at (563)323-1821.
• The Putnam Museum is looking for nominations for its 2004 Annual Environmental Stewardship Award, which recognizes an individual, organization, or business that can serve as a model of protecting and caring for the environment in the Quad Cities region. The museum will announce the selected recipient as part of a week of activities leading up to Earth Day. After selection, the recipient will be featured in a special display for the coming year in the Black Earth/Big River exhibit hall. Nominations may be mailed to the Putnam Museum at 1717 W. 12th Street, Davenport, IA 52804; faxed to (563)324-6638, or e-mailed to (museum@putnam.org). The deadline for nominations is April 9.
• Illinois House Bill 4851 bans employers of volunteer firefighters from terminating their jobs because they are absent or late because of their firefighter duties. The law is limited to municipalities with a population of 3,500 or fewer and does not include volunteers that work for any other department. House Bill 4851 passed the House 98 to 16 and now awaits action in the Senate. Proponents of the bill include the Illinois Firefighters Association and the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.
• Habitat for Humanity - Quad Cities is conducting searches for two families to be enrolled in its home-ownership program this year. The first is a special search for a build to begin in fall 2004 in which the family must be willing to live in East Moline. Each adult in the family (18 years and older) must be able to work 125 sweat-equity (volunteer) hours before the start of the home this fall. Applications must be mailed to the Habitat office and postmarked on or before May 1. Call the Habitat office at (563)359-9066 to receive an informational packet that explains the qualifications and how to apply. More information about Habitat can be found on the Web at (http://www.habitatqc.org).
• The Iowa Senate has moved forward on a proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would give Iowans the final say on whether major tax and fee increases become law. The proposal calls for Iowans to vote on any state tax or fee increase that raises revenue in excess of 1 percent of the state's general fund - approximately $43 million. Under the proposal, taxpayers would be given the final say on state action that creates unfunded mandates or reduces funds transferred to local governments, such as cuts to property-tax credits. Also, if action by the state would require or allow local governments to increase taxes, Iowans would have the right to vote on the tax increase. An emergency provision is included in the amendment that says a state tax increase could become law for one specific year without voter approval if the governor declares an emergency and requests a specific tax increase for a specific expenditure, or if the tax increase is approved by a two-thirds majority in the legislature and signed by the governor. The proposed amendment is scheduled to be considered by the House soon. For a constitutional amendment to be adopted, it must be approved by both the Senate and House this year, then approved by the next General Assembly in either 2005 or 2006, followed by approval by a majority of Iowa voters.
