This year's heat wave is part of a broader trend of rising temperatures in Iowa, according to a new report released last week by the Iowa Public Interest Research Group (Iowa PIRG). The average temperature in Des Moines is up 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 2000 compared with the previous three decades (1971 through 2000). In the continental United States , the first seven months of 2006 were the warmest January-to-July period of any year on record, according to the National Climatic Data Center. In Iowa , the average temperature was the third warmest January-through-July on record. To examine how these recent temperature patterns compare with temperatures over the past 30 years, Iowa PIRG's researchers analyzed temperature data from 255 major weather stations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., for the years 2000 through 2005 and the first six months of 2006. Research was collected from four Iowa cities: Des Moines, Waterloo, Dubuque, and Sioux City. In August, Iowa PIRG released a report showing how the U.S. could cut global-warming pollution by nearly 20 percent by 2020 by making homes, cars, and businesses more efficient; switching to renewable-energy sources; and giving Americans more alternatives to driving, paired with strong, mandatory limits on global-warming emissions. For more information, visit (http://www.iowapirg.org).
The "Taste of Generosity" annual fundraising gala benefiting the North Central States Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society will be held at the Davenport Country Club on Friday, September 29, at 6:30 p.m. The event features live jazz, a silent auction, and foods and wines from around the globe. Later the focus turns to a live auction of rare and fine wines and other unique items. Proceeds from the fundraiser will provide programs and services for people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as contribute to local and national medical research. MS is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that causes muscular weakness, visual disturbances, and loss of coordination and speech. It frequently progresses to disability and has no cure. Nearly 4,000 Iowans have been diagnosed with MS. The keynote speaker is First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Hartzler of Springfield, Illinois. Hartzler was the lead federal prosecutor in the Oklahoma City bombing trial and will discuss his personal experience with MS. Tickets are $60 per person. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 344-4867 extension 2 or by visiting (http://www.nationalmssociety.org/nth) and clicking on the "events" link.
The Iowa Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy will receive $101,171 from the U.S. Department of Justice's Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grant Program. These funds will be used to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science and medical-examiner services and to eliminate backlogs in the analysis of forensic evidence.
Glass Heritage in downtown Davenport has been commissioned to build a 72-square-foot stained-glass window for Christ the King Chapel on the campus of St. Ambrose University. This window was designed by the St. Ambrose Art Department and mimics the late Father Edward Catich's style of stained glass and calligraphic painting. The window will be built from imported mouth-blown antique-style glass and will be painted by Erika Roberts and her team of glass painters. Portions of this window should be available for the December 10 dedication of the chapel, with the remainder installed by early next year.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has announced that he is accepting applications for nominations to the United States military academies for the class entering in the summer of 2007. Harkin will accept applications until September 29. Each year, Harkin nominates up to 10 Iowans for every opening he has at the academies. Final admission selections are made by the individual academies. Students can specialize in a variety of fields at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. Most of the state's high-school guidance counselors have information about the application procedures prospective candidates must follow. Senator Harkin uses a competitive method to screen applicants, including the evaluation of ACT or SAT scores, high-school grade-point average, leadership abilities, and physical aptitude. Harkin has also appointed an academy-selection committee that conducts personal interviews with academy finalists. Questions regarding the academy program may be directed to Tom Larkin in Harkin's Cedar Rapids office, at (319) 365-4504.
The Iowa Department of Public Health will receive more than $4.8 million from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). The funding - which was included in the Fiscal Year 2006 Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education appropriations bill - will be used to help state and local hospitals respond to potential acts of bio-terrorism and other public-health threats. Specifically, Iowa hospitals will use the funds to meet possible high-volume cases of disease exposure.
