25
Jun
2002
• A poll of 300 registered voters conducted for DavenportOne has found that slightly more than 60 percent of Davenport residents would support renovation of John O'Donnell Stadium. That support waned somewhat, though, when poll respondents were asked whether they would support a property-tax increase to pay for any renovations; slightly less than 50 percent said they would support a tax increase to pay for an upgrade. (No tax increase has been proposed at this point to pay for renovations.) Polling also indicates that the largest number of respondents felt the space should be renovated for additional uses such as concerts and shows, little-league baseball, football, and other community events. You can see the results for yourself at DavenportOne's Web site at (http://www.DavenportOne.com).
• An initial "snapshot" of 81 Scott County streams had some troubling results concerning the health of local waterways. The results, released last week, showed some low pH readings, which indicate that "streams in Scott County are impacted by runoff from both urban and agricultural areas," according to organizers of a May 21 sampling. High levels of fecal bacteria in some streams also suggest "that a pathway exists for a relatively fresh source of human or animal waste to enter the stream." On the positive side, all sampled streams showed dissolved-oxygen levels high enough to support fish and aquatic insects. The May sampling was done at a time of "substantial runoff inputs from spring storms," and a second stream-testing session is planned for this fall to create a more complete picture. For more information on and results from the May 21 sampling, visit (http://www.partners-pscw.com).
• Mississippi Valley Neighborhood Housing Services (MVNHS), a community mortgage lender, has received a $500,000 investment from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution Fund to increase home-ownership opportunities. MVNHS plans to use the funds to establish and expand home-ownership programs into all of the cities and rural communities within its service area. MVNHS's revolving loan fund provides first and second mortgages to low- and moderate-income individuals and families that have completed homebuyer education and meet minimum loan-product requirements. MVNHS can then leverage these funds by sales to the secondary mortgage market, enabling the organization to use invested dollars up to four times per year.
• "What Tree Is That?" is a pocket guide for identifying trees that is available from the National Arbor Day Foundation. The 72-page guide will help you identify 135 different trees found in the eastern and central U.S. Dozens of drawings illustrate trees' leaves, needles, acorns, berries, seed pods, cones, and other identifying features. To receive your own copy, send your name and address and $3 to What Tree is That?; The National Arbor Day Foundation; Nebraska City, NE 68410.
• Seventeen Iowa counties have been declared Presidential Disaster Areas, making residents eligible for federal emergency assistance because of flooding. Counties included in the disaster declaration for individual assistance are Allamakee, Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Muscatine, Scott, and Winneshiek. The assistance can include loans and grants to help families recover from the disaster. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance. Federal assistance will also be made available to local governments in Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, Jones, and Linn counties to repair or replace damaged public facilities such as streets, roads, sewers, etc. Individuals in any of the designated counties can file for assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency hotline number: (800)621-3362.
• Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit has announced a schedule adjustment for the Quad Cities/Macomb CityLINK route. The new schedule allows passengers to transfer directly to the Greyhound/National Trailways system at the Quad City International Airport. You can see the schedule at (http://www.qcmetrolink.com) or call MetroLINK at (309)764-4257, extension 3.
• A recent Supreme Court ruling holds that the Fourth Amendment does not require police officers to advise bus passengers of their right to not cooperate and to refuse consent to searches. In the case United States v. Drayton, police officers engaged in random searches of bus passengers by boarding the vehicle and asking individuals whether they would consent to a search. The officers did not tell passengers that they had the right to refuse to cooperate. The Court held that a reasonable passenger would not find the police officers' presence confrontational or coercive. At oral argument, the Department of Justice claimed that the bus searches in question, most commonly performed for drug interdiction, are necessary to stem terrorism. Justices Souter, Stevens, and Ginsburg dissented from the majority opinion, arguing that the searches are not justified for ground transportation and that a reasonable passenger would not feel free to decline the officers' request to search. You can see the decision for yourself at (http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/01pdf/01-631.pdf).
• Entries are needed for this year's LeClaire Tug Fest Parade. The parade will be held Friday, August 9, starting at 6:30 p.m. The slogan is "United We Stand, Together We Pull," with a red, white, and blue theme. The categories are floats, tug team, motorized antique tractor, political, other antique vehicle, and walking groups. For pre-entry information, call Eileen at (563)289-4814 or Wendy at (563)289-5442 or (563)289-5560. You can also e-mail (ibloomer@aol.com) and put "parade" in the subject line.
• An initial "snapshot" of 81 Scott County streams had some troubling results concerning the health of local waterways. The results, released last week, showed some low pH readings, which indicate that "streams in Scott County are impacted by runoff from both urban and agricultural areas," according to organizers of a May 21 sampling. High levels of fecal bacteria in some streams also suggest "that a pathway exists for a relatively fresh source of human or animal waste to enter the stream." On the positive side, all sampled streams showed dissolved-oxygen levels high enough to support fish and aquatic insects. The May sampling was done at a time of "substantial runoff inputs from spring storms," and a second stream-testing session is planned for this fall to create a more complete picture. For more information on and results from the May 21 sampling, visit (http://www.partners-pscw.com).
• Mississippi Valley Neighborhood Housing Services (MVNHS), a community mortgage lender, has received a $500,000 investment from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Community Development Financial Institution Fund to increase home-ownership opportunities. MVNHS plans to use the funds to establish and expand home-ownership programs into all of the cities and rural communities within its service area. MVNHS's revolving loan fund provides first and second mortgages to low- and moderate-income individuals and families that have completed homebuyer education and meet minimum loan-product requirements. MVNHS can then leverage these funds by sales to the secondary mortgage market, enabling the organization to use invested dollars up to four times per year.
• "What Tree Is That?" is a pocket guide for identifying trees that is available from the National Arbor Day Foundation. The 72-page guide will help you identify 135 different trees found in the eastern and central U.S. Dozens of drawings illustrate trees' leaves, needles, acorns, berries, seed pods, cones, and other identifying features. To receive your own copy, send your name and address and $3 to What Tree is That?; The National Arbor Day Foundation; Nebraska City, NE 68410.
• Seventeen Iowa counties have been declared Presidential Disaster Areas, making residents eligible for federal emergency assistance because of flooding. Counties included in the disaster declaration for individual assistance are Allamakee, Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Muscatine, Scott, and Winneshiek. The assistance can include loans and grants to help families recover from the disaster. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance. Federal assistance will also be made available to local governments in Clayton, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, Jones, and Linn counties to repair or replace damaged public facilities such as streets, roads, sewers, etc. Individuals in any of the designated counties can file for assistance by calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency hotline number: (800)621-3362.
• Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit has announced a schedule adjustment for the Quad Cities/Macomb CityLINK route. The new schedule allows passengers to transfer directly to the Greyhound/National Trailways system at the Quad City International Airport. You can see the schedule at (http://www.qcmetrolink.com) or call MetroLINK at (309)764-4257, extension 3.
• A recent Supreme Court ruling holds that the Fourth Amendment does not require police officers to advise bus passengers of their right to not cooperate and to refuse consent to searches. In the case United States v. Drayton, police officers engaged in random searches of bus passengers by boarding the vehicle and asking individuals whether they would consent to a search. The officers did not tell passengers that they had the right to refuse to cooperate. The Court held that a reasonable passenger would not find the police officers' presence confrontational or coercive. At oral argument, the Department of Justice claimed that the bus searches in question, most commonly performed for drug interdiction, are necessary to stem terrorism. Justices Souter, Stevens, and Ginsburg dissented from the majority opinion, arguing that the searches are not justified for ground transportation and that a reasonable passenger would not feel free to decline the officers' request to search. You can see the decision for yourself at (http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/01pdf/01-631.pdf).
• Entries are needed for this year's LeClaire Tug Fest Parade. The parade will be held Friday, August 9, starting at 6:30 p.m. The slogan is "United We Stand, Together We Pull," with a red, white, and blue theme. The categories are floats, tug team, motorized antique tractor, political, other antique vehicle, and walking groups. For pre-entry information, call Eileen at (563)289-4814 or Wendy at (563)289-5442 or (563)289-5560. You can also e-mail (ibloomer@aol.com) and put "parade" in the subject line.
