16
Nov
2004
• Genesis Medical Center has announced that it will renovate the third and fourth hospital floors on its East Rusholme Street campus in Davenport beginning in January 2005. The focus of the 18-month project is improved patient care resulting primarily from enlarged and enhanced nursing stations, updated patient-care technology, and private patient rooms that are more conducive to rest and comfort. Construction will be completed in five phases to provide uninterrupted service to the community and will follow a project plan that has been two years in the making. In addition to the new, expanded nursing stations, increased technology, and renovated patient rooms with private showers, the nearly $7-million project will also include new ventilation and air-conditioning systems, increased support and storage space, a dedicated in-patient dialysis area, and new, more welcoming waiting areas for families.
• A $1-million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation will help fund initiatives designed to increase enrollment and graduation rates in math, science, and engineering programs at St. Ambrose University and community colleges within the Eastern Iowa Community College District. The National Science Foundation facilitates cooperative agreements between two- and four-year programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and disciplines that have a strong technological foundation. The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Talent Expansion Program specifically targets underrepresented populations, such as minorities and women, through scholarships, mentoring, a summer science camp, and other activities. The program's purpose is to encourage more local students to enroll in and complete two- and four-year degrees to meet the region's need for people with more technological training. Locally, companies have a critical need for engineers and technicians. A survey of 83 companies conducted by Eastern Iowa Community College District (with the cooperation of area economic-development groups) found that by 2006, more than 6,000 new and replacement employees will be needed in advanced manufacturing, information technology, and life sciences, the majority of which will require advanced training beyond a high-school diploma.
• Taxpayers for Common Sense reports that on September 14, the House of Representatives got a $4,000 pay raise, increasing members' salaries to roughly $162,000 for next year. When Representative Jim Matheson (D-UT) proposed freezing the increase, the House voted 235 to 170 to not even bring his proposal to a formal vote. Congress has received a raise every year since 1989. For more information, visit (http://www.taxpayer.net).
• The U.S. Senate has re-convened in a lame-duck session with the sole purpose of passing an omnibus appropriations bill - work left incomplete before the elections. Included in the current version of the appropriations bill is funding for grants to implement universal mental-health screening for almost 60 million children, pregnant women, and adults through schools and pre-schools. The bill would fund initiatives of the "New Freedom Commission on Mental Health," including a program designed to subject every school-age child in this country to psychological testing and recommendations for treatment, including drugs. The House has already voted to appropriate $20 million for the initiative, and the Senate wants to bump it up to $44 million. Critics point to strong connections between the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and the pharmaceutical industry, contending that the plan will be a financial boon to drug companies while compromising the mental health of the nation's children.
• The first indoor-outdoor year-round market in Iowa has opened in Davenport, featuring antiques, collectibles, homemade crafts, and fresh food from more than 60 local entrepreneurs. With 18,000 square feet of space, the facility also holds antique auctions twice a month. Locally owned by David and Joan Claussen, the West Kimberly Market is modeled on the Pike Street Market in Seattle, Washington, which showed the couple how various markets could be woven together under one roof. The West Kimberly Market is located at 4004 West Kimberly Road. It's open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call (563)391-1616.
• The McKesson Building's 10,000-square-foot green-roof project in downtown Rock Island is proceeding according to plan. With the help of River Action funding, plus a $316,000 EPA grant, the Development Association of Rock Island will begin designing a rooftop garden atop this historic building - at First Avenue and 19th Street - this month. Construction is targeted for next spring.
• The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws reports that compounds in marijuana might aid in the treatment of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as assist in the treatment of pain and obesity, according to clinical research compiled by the Society for Neuroscience. The society cited a number of recently conducted animal studies in which: cannabinoids were shown to slow disease progression and extend survival in a mouse model of ALS; a synthetic marijuana-like compound protected brain cells from degenerating in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease; the administration of endogenous cannabinoids in combination with ibuprofen doubled pain relief in rats; and the administration of a cannabinoid-blocking agent significantly reduced food intake in animals. The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists devoted to the study of the brain and nervous system. See (http://web.sfn.org/content/AboutSfN1/NewsReleasesam2004_cannabinoids.html) for more information.
• A $1-million, five-year grant from the National Science Foundation will help fund initiatives designed to increase enrollment and graduation rates in math, science, and engineering programs at St. Ambrose University and community colleges within the Eastern Iowa Community College District. The National Science Foundation facilitates cooperative agreements between two- and four-year programs in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and disciplines that have a strong technological foundation. The Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Talent Expansion Program specifically targets underrepresented populations, such as minorities and women, through scholarships, mentoring, a summer science camp, and other activities. The program's purpose is to encourage more local students to enroll in and complete two- and four-year degrees to meet the region's need for people with more technological training. Locally, companies have a critical need for engineers and technicians. A survey of 83 companies conducted by Eastern Iowa Community College District (with the cooperation of area economic-development groups) found that by 2006, more than 6,000 new and replacement employees will be needed in advanced manufacturing, information technology, and life sciences, the majority of which will require advanced training beyond a high-school diploma.
• Taxpayers for Common Sense reports that on September 14, the House of Representatives got a $4,000 pay raise, increasing members' salaries to roughly $162,000 for next year. When Representative Jim Matheson (D-UT) proposed freezing the increase, the House voted 235 to 170 to not even bring his proposal to a formal vote. Congress has received a raise every year since 1989. For more information, visit (http://www.taxpayer.net).
• The U.S. Senate has re-convened in a lame-duck session with the sole purpose of passing an omnibus appropriations bill - work left incomplete before the elections. Included in the current version of the appropriations bill is funding for grants to implement universal mental-health screening for almost 60 million children, pregnant women, and adults through schools and pre-schools. The bill would fund initiatives of the "New Freedom Commission on Mental Health," including a program designed to subject every school-age child in this country to psychological testing and recommendations for treatment, including drugs. The House has already voted to appropriate $20 million for the initiative, and the Senate wants to bump it up to $44 million. Critics point to strong connections between the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and the pharmaceutical industry, contending that the plan will be a financial boon to drug companies while compromising the mental health of the nation's children.
• The first indoor-outdoor year-round market in Iowa has opened in Davenport, featuring antiques, collectibles, homemade crafts, and fresh food from more than 60 local entrepreneurs. With 18,000 square feet of space, the facility also holds antique auctions twice a month. Locally owned by David and Joan Claussen, the West Kimberly Market is modeled on the Pike Street Market in Seattle, Washington, which showed the couple how various markets could be woven together under one roof. The West Kimberly Market is located at 4004 West Kimberly Road. It's open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call (563)391-1616.
• The McKesson Building's 10,000-square-foot green-roof project in downtown Rock Island is proceeding according to plan. With the help of River Action funding, plus a $316,000 EPA grant, the Development Association of Rock Island will begin designing a rooftop garden atop this historic building - at First Avenue and 19th Street - this month. Construction is targeted for next spring.
• The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws reports that compounds in marijuana might aid in the treatment of a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as well as assist in the treatment of pain and obesity, according to clinical research compiled by the Society for Neuroscience. The society cited a number of recently conducted animal studies in which: cannabinoids were shown to slow disease progression and extend survival in a mouse model of ALS; a synthetic marijuana-like compound protected brain cells from degenerating in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease; the administration of endogenous cannabinoids in combination with ibuprofen doubled pain relief in rats; and the administration of a cannabinoid-blocking agent significantly reduced food intake in animals. The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists devoted to the study of the brain and nervous system. See (http://web.sfn.org/content/AboutSfN1/NewsReleasesam2004_cannabinoids.html) for more information.
