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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
May 9, 2006 | |
Gift from Gerry Wiltse brings auditorium closer to reality |
A gift of $100,000 from Gerry Wiltse will bring fundraising efforts for the new West Delaware auditorium closer to the $1 million goal.
Gerry’s late wife, Joyce, had made contributions to the original fundraising campaign in the years before 1990. The Wiltses attended performances at Hancher Auditorium in Iowa City for many years, and had always hoped that Manchester would someday have a center for the performing arts.
Both Gerry and Joyce were very active in community affairs.
Both held positions on city commissions, and both had been members of the school board. They were always interested in ways to improve and enhance the school and its facilities.
Gerry has been a highly respected member of the community, and has provided leadership in many areas with the best interests of Manchester at heart. |
Gerry Wiltse |
He has been a member of the public library board, various church boards, and was also involved in Boy Scouts.
Gerry commented, “An auditorium has been a long-time goal for many Manchester citizens. It meant a lot to Joyce, and it means a lot to me to be able to contribute to the exceptional music and fine arts traditions in our community.”
He feels that the location for the new auditorium is ideal, and is looking forward to watching construction progress during the summer. Gerry indicated that it will be nice not to have to sit on the hard chairs in the present gymnasium. When asked if he thought that an auditorium would ever become a reality, he said he was beginning to wonder. His generous gift helps ensure that it will.
So far, $831,000 has been raised toward a $1 million goal. Seats are still available for $500 each, and several naming opportunities remain available. The committee will be contacting school alumni during the summer. Many have already expressed interest in making donations as a class or in honor or in memory of someone. Please check the website www.wdfinearts.org, for news and updates in fundraising efforts. |
Polluted water not a big problem in county
by Latisha Sand |
A recent survey conducted by the Des Moines Register found that Iowa is one of the worst states in the nation for polluted waterways. In response to that the Iowa Legislator is proposing $18 million to help cleanup the green, cloudy and sometimes smelly water.
But, compared to some Iowa waters, Delaware County is up to par.
“There is one area on the Maquoketa River – from Plum Creek (near Hopkinton) south to Jones County that is on the impaired list,” said Michelle Kilgore, an Environmentalist with the area’s Environmental Services Division of the DNR.
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Michelle Kilgore / Joe Sanfilippo |
And it’s on that list because it doesn’t quite meet the state’s level for aquatic life.
That part of the river is also on the TMDL list (the total maximum daily loads) meaning specialists watch how much and what the river can take in.
The Maquoketa River, which is 130 miles long and has a watershed that encompasses 1,879 square miles, was also on the primary concern DNR Unified Watershed Assessment list for nutrient and sediment pollution in 1998.
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Maquoketa River watershed |
The only other waterway in Delaware County that is a concern for the DNR is Backbone Beach and Backbone Lake.
According to Kilgore, state beaches are monitored weekly from May 15 until Oct. 24. And Backbone Beach has been tested regularly since 2000.
When tested on April 18, the beach was above the state level of bacteria of 225 colonies per milliliter, however, when tested on April 24 it was below the state level.
“It was so high because it was tested after a significant rainfall,” said Kilgore, who mentioned that significant means anything over an inch of rain. This and higher water temperatures affect the testing results.
Backbone Lake is one of seven on a list for higher concentration of bacteria and its watershed also tests pretty high.
“It’s a pretty large agricultural area that drains into a really small area,” said Kilgore.
So the next step is to do routine monitoring, come up with ideas on how to fix the pollution and then it’s up to the county to apply for grants.
“A big stopping point is the money,” said Kilgore.
And, according to the Des Moines Register, Governor Tom Vilsack is hoping that the $18 million, which was included in a budget deal reached Thursday, April 27, will help. If everything is approved, $9 million will go towards lake dredging and soil-conservation work, $5 million will go toward local watershed projects across Iowa and $4 million will help small sewage plants upgrade to meet the new pollution limits.
Iowa is one of the last states to put into motion a plan to clean up the water and, because of that, more than 200 Iowa waterways are on a federal list for being seriously polluted. For example, the Raccoon River, located near Des Moines, has on average 14 times the federal limit for human contact for bacteria and, according to the Register, “has concentrations several times higher than those recorded in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit.”
Joe Sanfilippo, the Environmental Program Supervisor for the Environmental Services Division of the DNR, which is located in Manchester, is concerned about the area’s waterways but he believes the area is making improvements by upgrading sewers, growing grass barriers and decreasing the storm water discharge from five acres to one acre for construction sites.
“Can it get better?” asked Sanfilippo. “Yes. Could it of approved faster? I don’t know.”
But even if the state is trailing behind the rest of the nation, he believes that everyone can help prevent future water pollution.
“Make sure your septic systems are working and not discharging into a draining ditch,” said Sanfilippo. “Watch the storm water discharge and city residents can help by not dumping extra things into their sewer system. They can also help by cleaning out the debris and leaves out of the storm sewer.”
He thinks that even though Iowa’s worst water pollution problems are silt runoff, fertilizer and manure, area farmers are doing a good job of preventing those pollutants from reaching the waterways.
“It’s true that states that have less developed rural areas, you don’t have that much silt runoff but we are doing a lot to prevent it from happening here,” said Sanfilippo.
And Kilgore agrees.
“There are definitely a lot of farmers out there that are responsible and that number is increasing,” said Kilgore. |
Gingrich talks about health care in Manchester
by Brian Cook |
The largest cities in America have set up a system where they have the highest costs charged to Medicare, and that is very discriminatory toward rural America, according to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.
The potential presidential candidate made those assertions while visiting Regional Medical Center in Manchester, where he discussed rural health care issues with members of the staff, while touring some of the hospital’s new addition. Gingrich, campaigning for friend and former colleague, Jim Nussle of Manchester, said Iowa is the least expensive place in the country but has very good quality healthcare.
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BRIAN COOK/Press
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich talks about the importance of rural hospitals in a new operating room at Regional Medial Center in Manchester on Wednesday as RMC Chief Executive Officer Lon Butikofer and others listen. |
Iowa ranked last out of 50 states in Medicare reimbursement in 2003 according to the last report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that compared the numbers state by state.
“What if Medicare gets so ridiculous that it actually makes sense for us to pay travel expenses?”
Gingrich asked aloud, describing a scenario where it could cost less for patients to be sent to Iowa than to receive the care at home.
Gingrich raised Iowa and its leadership group for its commitment to quality and common sense. He said Iowa is unusual in that it is a rural state with a tremendous amount of small business and manufacturing.
Gingrich, who indicated a possible presidential campaign, may bring him back to Iowa, said the goal should be to have health insurance for everyone in the country based on a health savings system. |
Parents who host lose the most
by Brian Cook |
With graduation season upon us, Delaware County Drug Abuse Coalition (DDAC) wants to remind parents that parties for underage children should not include alcohol with a campaign called “Parents who host lose the most.”
The campaign specifically focuses on parents who have alcohol available and the consequences, Dean Nelson a prevention specialist with Helping Services of Northeast Iowa explained. He said the penalty could be pretty severe, especially if someone under 21 hurts themselves or drives a car and hurts someone else.
“I don’t think most parents are aware,” Nelson said of people who think it is no big deal to provide alcohol at a graduation party.
Lynn Boffeli, a certified prevention specialist said part of the campaign is informing parents of the risks of having alcohol, but they also hope it allows a parent to have a more deep and meaningful conversation about alcohol.
“It’s more than don’t drink and drive,” Boffeli said pointing out the connection between alcohol and violence, plus issues like date rape, unwanted sex, alcohol poisoning and serious accidents.
Nelson said in this part of the state there is an acceptability of underage drinking as being “no big deal”. Nelson said the problem might be even worse in communities along the Mississippi River or Dubuque.
“It’s almost a right of passage,” Boffeli added.
She said research had not been done 20-30 years ago that shows the risk alcohol plays in a person’s psyche and brian. Boffeli said a person’s brain is not fully developed until age 24, which is why the drinking age was put at 21, rather than 18 or 19 that it was 20 years ago.
“Kids are drinking to get drunk,” Boffeli lamented as another problem.
“I don’t know if it has changed that much,” Nelson said of binge drinking, “I do know that this area is 10 percentage points higher in terms of binge drinking.”
He defined binge drinking as five or more drinks in a period of time.
“With the high permission given to underage people to drink here, the binge drinking would follow along that. It would cover the whole age range of people who choose to consume alcohol,” Nelson went on to say. “Our goal would be to change the attitude of the community to be less tolerant towards underage drinking and access of alcohol to underage people.”
Boffeli said they have to pull together as a community to change the attitude. The program includes law enforcement, public officials who issue liquor licenses, school leaders and the liquor-license holders themselves.
“You’re not alone if you are not going to buckle under to providing alcohol,” Nelson commented.
“If it’s a youth oriented celebration or event – what message does that give youth or people who are underage. We tell parents think carefully about what you are modeling about alcohol and its role.”
For more information contact the substance Abuse Services Center at 927-5112 or to learn about DDAC call 563-582-5317.
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