The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 14

a uiu rn1 if i 1 1 agister RANDY EVANS, Mrlrlot editor. SlS-24-05 1 rias.iCPcsMoincod Ell tUjU TTTTTi til 1 i Ttl mm 'Up and coming9 ranking ankles of I deans D4TELIIIE IOWA By JOHN CARLSON IOWA CTTY. IA. Administrators at many American rollpcei and universities orobably were uncorking the champagne and toasting their success Wednesday at Deing usiea a mum the elite in an annual ranking of America's top graduate schools. list was the University of Alabama at Birmingham followed by the University of California at San Diego, the of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Texas at Dallas.

Up-and-comers were included, the magazine says, because of "recent innovations and improvements." The magazine rated Yale, the University of Chicago, Stanford, Columbia and Harvard as the top five law schools, in that order. Others on the list of the 25 best Included Vanderbilt, Emory University, Washington and Lee University and Notre Dame. "Up and comers" among law COLLEGES miss the whole process as a ridiculous exercise geared to do nothing but sell magazines. The two of I colleges find themselves this year in a kind of academic limbo, rating a mention in the magazine but not Included among the elite. The magazine's survey ranks Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Duke universities as having the top three medical schools, in that order.

Twelve others, including Stanford University, the University of Michigan, Columbia University and Baylor University make up the list of the 15 best Iowa's medical college, which was founded 1S1 vears aeo. ranked third among those consid cockamamle thing seriously anyway." John Eckstein, dean of the of I's medical college, was more reserved but equally miffed. "It is a popularity contest," Eckstein said. "We don't take these things seriously." Still, in some quarters of academia, the rankings are sought after as the best kind of national publicity. Each year, the news magazine surveys deans, college presidents and captains of Industry to come up with a ranking of America's best colleges and universities.

Those who make the list often see It as the kind of publicity that leads the best students to apply, the faculty to feel good about itself and wealthy alumni to send donations. At the University oi Iowa, wnere tne colleges of medicine and law are listed In this week's Issue of U.S. News and World Report as "up and coming" programs, the college deans were In dignant "WVve been here 125 vears and they say we're up and coming," Uof I law college dean Please turn to Page 6M William Hints said. "It is insulting, we cieany should be listed among the top 25 schools. This thing is bizarre.

People don't take this kind of ered "up and coming in medicine." First on that Those who don't make the list routinely dis ill allowing Twister's destruction HAV AUMEKTTM Rwltlff Arbitrator to htar school districts' dispute TM hurt lera Src NEWTON, IA. An arbitrator from the Area 11 Education Agency will decide the fate of a sharing agreement between the Prairie City and Monroe school districts. Jasper County District Judge Michael Streit said Wednesday. The Monroe Khool board sought an Injunction to stop the Prairie City board's decision to sever the pact, claiming the action was a breach of contract, because the agreement was to run through the 1980-91 school year. Streit gave each board 14 days to select a member to meet with the arbitrator and settle the dispute by the end of April.

Ed Skinner, a lawyer for the Prairie City district, said he believes both schools will abide by the arbitrator's ruling. Judge: Jet crash victims can ask punitive damages D.f.1. stadium repairs OlCd if t-'c 1 "Cvii "iS Measure would allow city to bypass voter approval By THOMAS A. FOGARTY Staff WrtMr The Iowa Senate gave final legislative approval Wednesday to a bill rr- A SIOUX CITY, IA. (AP) A federal Judge in Chicago Wednesday cleared the way for victims oi last year United Airlines crash to seek punitiv permitting Des Moines ouiciais to proceed with a $7.5 million plan to refurbish Sec Taylor Stadium without seeking voter approval.

rtama UPS from the airline and the companies that made the plane and Lawmakers voted -a to approve the hill and to send it to Gov. Terry its engines. its nistript Judee Suzanne Conlon Branstad, who is expected to sign it rejected the companies' contention A plan to expand and upgrade tne jn-voar-nld stadium hit an obstacle that punitive damages are pruniuneu i iL. IT earlier this year when city officials by the due process Clause oi uhj u.o rnnctitntinn. There never has been a punitive damage award against an airline in belatedly discovered mat state iaw requires voter approval before local governments may issue bonds backed by lodging-tax revenue, uwners the triple-A Iowa Cubs baseball team have said stadium improvements are the United States, according to iaw-yen for those suing.

jazz legend Beiderbecke's home bought for film is DAVENPORT, IA. Italian film director Pupi Avatl has purcnaseo the home of Blx Beiderbecke and plans to use it In a film about tne uav enport jazz musician, me iowa partment of Economic Develop man film office announced. the tornado approached, wnen ne emergea, dm uoum una pctu The formal announcement Is to be made at 11 a.m. today by Davenport Mayor Thorn Hart and Davenport nis-fnrian Marlvs Svendsen at the Beider becke home, a Queen Anne-style hum arnund 1895. Worthington lives spared by warning Uuujv Beiderbecke, who was born March 10, 1903, lived In the house from the time of his birth until September necessary it they are to Keep tne ieam in Des Moines past this season.

Officials of the city and the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation sought passage of a bill to repeal the referendum requirement after Branstad said in January that he could support such a change in local government finance laws. Branstad said a vote to approve bonds backed by the lodging tax is unnecessary because voters already had approved the tax itself. It also poses no risk of increasing property taxes, he said. Polk County voters approved the lodging tax, which is levied on hotel-and motel-room charges, in 1978. The bill passed by the Legislature allows citizens to force a referendum on a bond issue backed by lodging tax revenues by obtaining a number of signatures equal to 3 percent of the registered voters In a locality.

For Des Moines, a petition with about 2,900 signatures would be needed to force a vote. Sen. George Kinley, D-Des Moines, the floor manager of the bill, said he doesn't like the provision allowing citizens to force a vote, but he said the bill as a whole is an improvement over existing law. "Philosophically, I've always thought that's what city councils are there for: to represent the people and make these decisions," he said. 1921.

He wrote and recorded uaven port Blues" there. Care center sold; avoids revocation of license Mnwrmi-nMiiii- nrrrnrmri rrr i IfW HWV'W AMES, IA. An Ames nursing imm that state officials threatened with license revocation in January has been sold and will remain open. The North Grand Care Center, ((I know it was the Lord's hand that kept that piece of glass from hitting Lois Homewood who watched a store's window explode In the storm ahnut 75 elderlv and disa bled residents, was cited for repeat-hiu triniatine state and federal regu lations, including failing to treat residents with "respect ano aignny. The firm has been sold and a new liponsp was issued to the new owners said Mary Jean Timp, spokeswoman "if 4w for the Iowa Department oi inspec onH Annpals.

A hearing had been set for Friday Health board urges measles immunizations 3 I on problems at the nome, oui me By JACK HOVELSON Of TIM RmMWi WttwlM Suraau WORTHINGTON, IA. The tornado that took a slice off the north edge of Worthington Tuesday evening spared all of its living citizens, but showed little respect for the dead. Hardly a scratch was to be found among the 400 or so residents of the Dubuque County town, despite the destruction of homes, business buildings and vehicles. The town cemetery, however, was desecrated by the storm. Tombstones were toppled, limestone slabs that marked the graves of people dead for many decades were snapped in half and some markers were ripped out of their foundations.

Two life-size white religious statues that had occupied a prominent place in the cemetery were smashed into dozens of pieces, the heads shoved face-down into mud. Stone crosses, some chipped and chopped, were strewn about. Towering pine trees that had shaded the gravesites were denuded. Grassy areas of the cemetery were scarred and wounded by shards of debris that were speared into the ground by the wind that painted the macabre scene. One large family grave marker was wrapped Wednesday morning in twisted sheets of corrugated metal that had enclosed a grain bin at a nearby farm.

The tornado emerged from the cemetery on the town's west edge to destroy nine homes, heavily damage at least that many more, cause major damage to three businesses and disable the Worthlng- hearing has Deen canceieu. Marathon vote canceled; notice wasn't published ss Min athdn. IA. (AP) A vacan cy on the five-member Marathon City Council will remain open longer than ton town hall and fire station. But the storm didn't arrive unannounced, and that's what saved lives.

People went to their basements after hearing radio and television reports that a tornado was moving toward Worthington from the southwest. Ron Steger was one of them. But his choice of where to crouch in his basement was nearly a fatal decision. The tornado dropped his car into the hole. Steger was lying on the floor directly beneath the auto.

The car's front end, however, was held up when the wheels caught on the basement wall, allowing room for Steger underneath it. "Just a couple more feet and I wouldn't be here today. It would've come right down on me," said Steger, 26, who came out of expected after a special election canceled on a tecnnicamy. owtinn had been set for Tues 1. day, but city officials in the northwest Wa town of 400 said it was called off because the election notice re ft quired by law never was puwisneo in a local newspaper.

The notice may kaa kun inst in the mail. The Buena Vista County auditor niH th ritv must start the process from scratch, and candidates may i-. WORTHINGTON Mary Boyle, 72, looks for belongings Wednesday morning after a tornado Tuesday night destroyed her home in Worthington. By TOM CARNEY Rtglttar Staff Writ An increase In the number of measles cases prompted the Iowa Board of Health Wednesday to recommend that many Iowans receive a second Immunization for the disease. The recommendation, which also is being made by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S.

Public Health Service, will not mean that a second shot is mandatory to attend Iowa schools. State health officials say they are considering seeking legislation to make the recommendation law. Now, only one measles vaccination is required. State epidemiologist Dr. Laverne Wintermeyer said measles among un-vaccinated preschool children and college-age people has reached epidemic proportions in the nation.

In Iowa, 21 cases have been reported this year, mostly among children who have religious exemptions from vaccinations. That compares with 13 cases in all of 1989. The new recommendation calls for a first dose of measles vaccine for children after they are 15 months old and another when they are 4 to 6 years old, or before entering school. For older students who have never been vaccinated for measles, two MEASLES Please turn to Page 6M have to refile nominating petitions C.R. Gazette appoints Bowden managing editor CEDAR RAPIDS, IA.

(AP) D.M. man back in jail after cashing in on police error Mark Bowden has been named man ooins wiitnr nf The Cedar Rapids Ga zette, Editor and Publisher Joe Hlad-ky has announced. Rnwrfon S7. a eraduate of Drake University, Joined The Gazette in March 1979 as an assistant siave editor and served as state editor and metro-Iowa editor before being pro Wagner the $1,200, said Capt. Clifford Layton.

He said the mixup apparently occurred because both men's last names start with both are about the same age and both had been arrested on public intoxication charges Friday night. When he was arrested on the theft charge Tuesday Waters told Police Officer Chris Huffman he'd already spent much of the money, buying a used car and paying bills. Waters was being held Wednesday In the Polk County Jail on the latest charge, a class felony. By TOM ALEX A man who accepted $1,200 that didn't belong to him when he was released from the Des Moines city jail Saturday has told police that he thought he won the money gambling. Roger Allen Waters, JO, of 4450 S.E.

17th said he'd been drinking the night he was arrested and when police handed him a wad of cash the next morning, he figured he'd been lucky. Police charged him with second-degree theft because they said he should have mentioned the error. To make matters worse, by the tim police moted to assistant managing editor- caught up with Waters he'd spent much of the money. Police said Waters wasn't entitled to the cash because it belonged to another prisoner. In a mixup, police gave Waters the possessions that belonged to Dale Wagner of Floris.

Waters should have given the money back, police said. And because he didn't, he was arrested at 7301 Fleur Drive Tuesday after someone called police and tipped them off to his whereabouts. Des Moines police, meanwhile, repaid Dale news In December 1988. hp toined The Gazette after work ing as news editor for the North Please turn to Page 6JV1 Platte (Neb.) Telegrapn. tie aiso managing editor of the Valley City N.D.) Times-Recoro..