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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
March 14, 2006 | |
Gambling debate heats up over TouchPlay
by Brian Cook |
Debate was set to begin Monday in the Iowa Senate on the controversial TouchPlay machines that have popped up all over the state, but state senators Tom Hancock and Brian Schoenjohn were both unsure last week as to how they would vote.
“I’ve taken email, phone calls, faxes, you name it, about the TouchPlay, and I’d say about 70 percent were encouraging me to vote to take TouchPlay out,” Sen. Hancock, a Democrat from Epworth related. “I’m leaning towards the wishes of the voters, but you never know how it might play out.”
Hancock said he doubts they vote on a measure to remove the machines already in place, because of possible litigation from the retailers who have made a substantial investment to buy the machines.
There are 6,000 of the slot machine-type machines throughout the state in 2,000 businesses with another 4,500 on order to be placed throughout the state.
State Sen. Schoenjohn, a Democrat from Arlington, said he expected a lot of amendments to any bill eliminating TouchPlay machines, because of the investment by those who furnish the machines to businesses.
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BRIAN COOK / Press
TouchPlay machines like this one may be eliminated or their access restricted pending action this week by the Iowa legislature. |
“I’m ready to hear all sides,” Schoenjohn said, adding that he planned to poll those attending the Democratic County Conventions in Elkader and West Union. “I’m going to listen to the people in my district.”
Schoenjohn said on one hand it is a source of revenue for many businesses, but that opponents say people under the legal gambling age of 21 are playing the machines because they are not being regulated.
Diane Simon, who has had a TouchPlay machine in the Hawk Stop in Manchester for two months, said she doesn’t think the gambling machines should be in libraries or convenience stores where underage people can play them.
“But they have to be 18 just to be in here,” Simon said of her establishment which is one of 11 locations in Manchester to have the machines, “It helps as hard as the bar business is.”
Simon said the play on the machine varies from week to week and that it has helped pay the bills when the place is slow. It doesn’t cost her anything to have the machine at the Hawk Stop, they just have to make sure they have money on hand. The most anyone has won at the Hawk Stop in those two months is $750. Simon said they have to pay out up to $600, and over that amount they have to go to Cedar Rapids or another Lottery office.
Hartridge Golf Course has had a TouchPlay machine since last spring, according to Bill Gearhart, and they added a second in January. He said the machines get a lot of use, which he feels is okay for a place like the clubhouse, but that he wouldn’t want to see them where kids could play.
Gearhart said the State Lottery officials check on the machines to see where they are in proximity to the bar to be sure that they are monitored. Gearhart he hasn’t gotten negative comments about the machines being there.
“People who play them, like them. People who don’t, aren’t going to anyway,” Gearhart explained.
Gov. Tom Vilsack received recommendations from a TouchPlay task force calling for the devices to be removed from locations such as self-service laundries, tanning salons and fast food restaurants and that businesses, which do have the games erect barriers to restrict access by minors. It also calls for adding 10 state agents to monitor compliance, requiring players to confirm they are 21 and verifying a person’s age before redeeming winning tickets.
The Lottery topped $223.5 million level by the week ending Feb. 22, which topped the record, level of $211 million established in the last fiscal year. This year’s level was established with the help of $78 million in TouchPlay proceeds.
Area locations for TouchPlay machines
Manchester (11)
Caseys #1136 - N. Franklin St.
Caseys #2185 - W. Main St.
Hawk Stop - S. Franklin St.
American Legion Post #45 - N. Franklin St.
Pronto - E. Main St.
Beavers Lounge – E. Main St.
E-Z Pickins – Hwy 13
Eagles 3538 – N. Franklin St.
Hartridge Golf Course - 195th St.
Lightning Lanes – E. Main St.
Strokers Saloon – E. Main St.
Independence (12)
2 Brothers – 1st S.
Bill’s Pizza & Steakhouse – 1St St.
Go America – 3rd Ave. SE
Lucky 10 Lanes – 1st St. E
Music Station – 1St St. W
Rush Park Tavern – 15th St. SW
Caseys # 2169 - 1st St.
Caseys # 2239 – 5th Ave. SE
Caseys #83 – 3rd Ave. SE
Kwik Star # 717 - 5th Ave. NE
Rosco’s Petro Stop – 1st St. E
Hopkinton (4)
4 Corners Restaurant & Lounge – Locust St.
Hooleys of Hopkinton – 1st St.SE
Showroom Lounge – 1st St. SE
Triple C One-Stop – 3rd St. NW
Dyersville (5)
Kwik Stop #80 – 18th Ave. SW
Quik N Handi #2 – 9th St. SE
The Palace Saloon – 1st Ave. E
Caseys # 2585 – 9th St.NE
Royal Lanes & Supper Club – 13th Ave. SE
Delaware (1)
Kwik Stop #64 – E. Jefferson St.
Delhi (2)
Shane’s Place – Franklin St.
The Pizza Place – 208th Ave.
Earlville (1)
1st Stop Handy Shop – Northern Ave.
Edgewood (2)
Grafitti’s – N. Washington
Karl’s Grocery – W. Madison
Strawberry Point (3)
Bill’s Quik Shop – Commercial St.
Rod and Cal’s Pub and Grub – W. Mission St.
Strawberry Foods and Deli – W. Mission St.
Winthrop (3)
Peg & Ed’s Happy Auer – W. Madison St.
Speede Shop – 220th St.
McElroy’s Food Market – Madison St.
Worthington (1)
Last Straw – 1st Ave. W
Coggon (3)
Go America – Hwy 13
Hometown Restaurant & Bar – E. Main St.
Main Street Market – 3rd St. S
Troy Mills (1)
The Dam Bar & Grill – Troy Mills Rd. |
Chamber of Commerce to host Ag Luncheon
by Brian Cook |
David Kruse, known for the CommStock Report radio show heard across the Midwest and daily on Manchester station KMCH will be the featured speaker at the 25th Annual Ag Luncheon hosted by the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce this Wednesday, March 15, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds Pavilion.
Kruse is president of Commstock Investments and AgriVantage, his commodity brokerage, crop insurance and risk management firm in Northwest Iowa.
He is also president of Brazil Iowa Farms, LLC, a group of nearly 320 U.S. and Canadian farmers who pooled their money to raise $25 million to invest in the purchase and operation of farmland in Western Bahia, Brazil. Kruse has made several trips to Western Bahia, giving him a great deal of personal experience observing the competitive role that Brazil will play in the global market place in both grain and livestock. |
David Kruse,
President of CommStock
Investments |
Kruse has been actively engaged in farming since 1973. He lives on and manages an 800-acre corn/soybean farm in Northwest Iowa. In the past 20 years he has produced The Commstock Report, an opinionated ag commentary and market analysis which is available daily on 10 radio stations covering Iowa, southern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, western Illinois and Wisconsin, eastern Nebraska and Kansas.
The program begins at 10 a.m. with Kruse leading a breakout session discussing the ethanol industry and farmer value-added investment. He said he will look at state legislation for renewable fuel standards and evaluate different ethanol investments and how to structure investment in that industry.
Kruse will also be the speaker during the luncheon, which starts at 11:30 a.m. He said that discussion will focus on the USDA and how it regulates livestock as far as mandatory price supports, country of origin labels and its mishandling of the beef trade with Japan.
There will also be presentations for the Chamber’s Annual Friend of Ag Award and the Delaware County Conservation Awards. The Chamber will also have its drawing for the trip to Hawaii raffle.
For more information or tickets call the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce at 927-4141.
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Supervisors abate taxes on mobile home
By Julie Sunne |
After taking a week to review the facts, the Delaware County Supervisors voted to abate the taxes on a mobile home in Oneida Township at their March 6 Board meeting.
The supervisors were concerned that the home, owned by Patrick E. and Bernice M. Schanbeck and located on the Leon Baskerville property, had not been completely dismantled, a condition they set as necessary for abatement. However, upon further checking, it was found to have totally burned down. Taxes for the last three years in the amount of $256 will be abated.
Right of way contracts for two landowners were approved for the Jones-Delaware County Line Project that will begin this summer. The contracts were for a permanent easement with Gary and Janet Freese involving 2.14 acres for a total amount of $8,921.68 and for .58 acres with Loren J. and Lois Freese in the amount of $2,432.24.
According to Mark Nahra, Delaware County engineer, the landowners are looking forward to the contracts as this project has been delayed several times. The project will occur in partnership with Jones County and be in several stages. Each county will pay for their own right of ways.
Bid letting for the bridge replacement will take place after July 1, followed by clearing and grubbing of rocks, trees, fences, etc. An electrical distribution line will also have to be moved. The final phase will be the grading, slated to begin in the spring 2007. Paving is not a part of this project.
Bids were opened for the sale of the county crane and related equipment. Four bids were received, ranging in amounts from $2001 to $3650. Peterson Contractors, Inc. of Reinbeck was awarded the bid at $3650 for the whole package.
Nahra estimated that the crane had only been used three times in the last six years and was pleased with the amount of the winning bid.
The board also approved fund transfers from rural services to secondary roads in the amount $28,293.08 and from general basic to secondary roads for $2,929.98.
In addition, a deposit of Conservation Reserve Program money from Twin Bridges Wildlife Area in the amount of $89 was approved, and the county clerk’s monthly report of $1,430.60 deposited in the county general basic fund accepted. |
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