Iowa Ranks In Nation’s Top 10 For Volunteerism
Iowa is again ranked in the top ten states for volunteerism in a report from the government agency that oversees AmeriCorps and Senior Corps. Wendy Spencer, C-E-O of the Corporation for National and Community Service, says more than 765-thousand Iowans donated their time last year, far more than the national average.
The Volunteering in America report ranks Iowa number-10 among the 50 states and Spencer says Iowa’s consistently been in the top-10, placing 10th last year. Volunteerism brings a huge benefit to Iowa’s communities.
That’s an economic value just shy of $2-billion, billion with a ‘b’, it’s really phenomenal.” The programs for which Iowans volunteer are as diverse as Iowans themselves, but Spencer says there are some top beneficiaries.
The report also ranks cities and metro areas for their volunteerism. Among mid-sized cities nationwide, Iowa had two communities in the top ten: Iowa City at #4 and Cedar Rapids at #7.
TRIBAL MEMBERS MARCH TO REMEMBER THEIR LOST CHILDREN
NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTS FROM THE SIOUXLAND AREA CONDUCTED THEIR ANNUAL MARCH TO REMEMBER THEIR LOST CHILDREN FRIDAY.
THE MARCH BRINGS ATTENTION TO CHILDREN REMOVED FROM NATIVE AMERICAN HOMES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
ROLAND WARNER IS A TRIBAL LIAISON WITH DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WHO HELPED ESTABLISH THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT:
WARNER SAYS WHEN CHILDREN ARE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOME BECAUSE OF A SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR OTHER PROBLEM, IT CAN SOMETIMES BE DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE IN A TIMELY FASHION:
AROUND 100 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE MARCH THAT BEGAN AT 7:30AM WITH A PIPE CEREMONY AT THE WAR EAGLE MONUMENT AND CONCLUDED WITH A TRADITIONAL MEMORIAL DINNER AT THE FOUR DIRECTIONS CENTER ON WATER STREET.
No Wage Increase Proposed For Iowa’s Largest Public Union
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa has proposed no wage increases and removed health insurance provisions in a contract with the state’s largest public employees union.
The contract released Wednesday by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61 adds language that would give the state more control in determining health benefits.
Danny Homan, Iowa Council 61 president, says the state is “shortchanging” public employees in anticipation of legislation next year that could change Iowa’s collective bargaining laws. Republicans will control both the House and Senate in January.
Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Gov. Terry Branstad, says the Republican governor wants to provide health care that’s more “financially sustainable.”
Iowa Council 61 represents 40,000 public employees including correctional officers, firefighters and mental health workers.
Remain’s Found In Iowa Lake May be Human
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are trying to determine whether remains found in a Des Moines lake are human.
A kayaker spotted the remains as he left the water Thursday at Gray’s Lake.
Sgt. Paul Parizek (puh-REE’-zihk) says the kayaker thought what he saw might be a human mandible – a lower jawbone. Parizek says the bone appears to be human but must be checked by forensic experts for confirmation.
A dive team was called to the scene to extend a search for any more remains.
Raccoon Numbers On The Rise In Iowa
Good weather conditions have led to healthy populations of animals trapped in Iowa for their fur. D-N-R furbearer biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says one animal in particular has flourished.
He says trappers should be aware that there has been some distemper in raccoons. There are some signs the animals may be infected.
Information from the D-N-R shows the raccoon harvest has varied greatly depending on the price paid for their pelts. The harvest hit an all-time high of 390-thousand-877 in the 1986-87 season, but that declined rapidly in the next three years to 103-thousand-468 as fur prices dropped. The harvest went back up in the 2010-2011 season to nearly 237-thousand as pelt prices increased, but dropped off to 89-thousand last year as the fur prices dropped again. The average raccoon pelt price last year was four dollars, 53 cents ($4.53), which was about half of the year before.
