U.S. Representative Jim Leach (R-IA) is the sponsor of bill HR 3886, the International Counter-Money Laundering and Foreign Anti-Corruption Act of 2000. Despite the title, one provision gives U.S. Treasury officials the specific power to impose "Know Your Customer-style regulations on U.S. banks." The original "Know Your Customer" bill - which would have required banks and other financial institutions to monitor every American's bank account, was withdrawn by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in March 1999 after Americans flooded the FDIC with more than 300,000 letters and e-mail messages. The best way to find out more about this bill and its status is by looking at the section of Leach's Web site (http://www.house.gov/leach/) dedicated to legislation he's sponsored. The text of the complete bill can be found there, and it's scary how wide open it appears to be, even to someone not familiar with the legalese.

SALT is the acronym for Seniors and Law Enforcement Together, a community partnership between local law-enforcement agencies and organizations dealing with elder abuse. Joe Hutter was recently appointed local coordinator of the program, which is under the auspices of Triad - a nationwide program made up of AARP, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Sheriff's Association. The Scott County Sheriff's Department and the Bettendorf and Davenport police departments, with the Americorps National Service program at United Neighbors, sponsor the local group. The goal is to reduce criminal victimization of the elderly. Any elderly citizen having questions or concerns is welcome to call Hutter at (319)326-8217. Hutter will also be available for speaking engagements or training sessions for the elderly.

Coin collectors closely watched last month's auction of a dollar coin mistakenly stamped with the George Washington image from a quarter. The coin, thought to be the first double-denomination error in the U.S. Mint's history, was sold for $42,000. In other mint news, a former employee of the government agency stole and sold coins that had been stamped incorrectly, making about $80,000 from collectors. David D'Angelo, a coin-press operator at the Philadelphia mint, didn't purposefully make any of the defective coins he stole and sold.

Heilig-Meyers Co. recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which will eventually leave some Quad City employees without jobs. The Richmond-based home-furnishings retailer will keep open its store at 1900 52nd Ave. in Moline, but the store at 2660 E. 53rd St. will join more than 300 stores that are being closed. The closings will leave the chain with 596 stores and about 12,900 employees in 29 states. No closing dates have been set, and the company doesn't know if customers with outstanding accounts or unfilled orders will be affected by the bankruptcy filling.

Inspired by the great patriot Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense and The Rights of Man, TomPaine.com is a journal of opinion seeking to enrich the national debate on controversial public issues by featuring ideas, opinions, and analyses often overlooked by the mainstream media. Paine was a man of humble origins and modest education, but he became a writer of extraordinary skill and passion. He used his talent to advance the cause of liberty and democracy against distant and unaccountable rulers. See for yourself at (http://www.tompaine.com).

No numbers are yet in, but the recent Scott County portion of the statewide Iowa voter-registration drive yielded disappointing results. The problem was that the Secretary of State's office in Des Moines couldn't find enough volunteers to man the more than 40 registration sites in Scott County. In fact, only libraries seemed to have the materials and volunteers to help people register. And even then they weren't very busy. There's no excuse not to be a registered voter and a participant in our local, state, and federal elections. Voter-registration cards can be found at libraries, post offices, courthouses, state and local government offices, and even on the Web by following the links at (http://www.sos.state.ia.us/).

The 3rd Annual Quad Cities Greyhound Adoption (QCGA) Reunion and Fundraiser will be held at the Rock Island Conservation Club on September 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public is invited to attend and meet dog owners and adoptable Greyhounds, and to attend seminars on nutrition, health, and grooming. There will be raffles and silent auctions, and vendors will be on-hand with many doggie wares and goods. Food and beverages will be sold to help retired racing greyhounds move to homes. QCGA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit all-volunteer, no-kill greyhound shelter funded solely by public donations and grants. It currently houses 44 adoptable greyhounds and offers boarding for greyhounds that have been adopted. QCGA has assisted in the placement of more than 500 greyhounds and accepts retired racing greyhounds from Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Florida tracks. For more information call QCGA at (309)793-4512.

Quad City Radio Group has agreed to sell eight Quad City radio stations for $85 million to Clear Channel Communications, Inc., a San Antonio, Texas, company and one of the nation's largest media corporations. The stations included in the sale are WLLR-FM, KCQQ-FM (Q106.5), KUUL-FM, KMXG-FM (Mix 96), WHTS-FM (All Hit 98.9), WOC-AM, and WKBF-AM. The sale will need to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission.

The Reform Party's presidential candidate in Iowa will be Pat Buchanan. Secretary of State Chet Culver, as dictated by an administrative rule passed on July 19, drew Buchanan's name from a fishbowl. The Reform Party Convention had split into two factions, with one side selecting Buchanan as its presidential candidate and the other selecting John Hagelin. At stake is $12.6 million in federal money set aside for the national Reform Party candidate. Hagelin's name will still appear on Iowa's ballot as "nominated by petition."

Support the River Cities' Reader

Get 12 Reader issues mailed monthly for $48/year.

Old School Subscription for Your Support

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Old School Subscribe now.



Help Keep the Reader Alive and Free Since '93!

 

"We're the River Cities' Reader, and we've kept the Quad Cities' only independently owned newspaper alive and free since 1993.

So please help the Reader keep going with your one-time, monthly, or annual support. With your financial support the Reader can continue providing uncensored, non-scripted, and independent journalism alongside the Quad Cities' area's most comprehensive cultural coverage." - Todd McGreevy, Publisher