The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 11

The Des Moines Register ST Thursday, December 21, 2000 Page 3B AROUND IOWA Ottumwa eyes state money for center Dateline Iowa From Register staff and news services Branstad is recovering on schedule 4 SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER New center: An artist's rendering shows the proposed Bridge View Center, which would include a 750-seat theater for the performing artsand 44,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space. Five cities apply for Vision Iowa aid 0TTUMWA, from Page 1B meeting space. It would be built in the downtown area near the Des Moines River. Backers say the center would help tourism, enhance the area's quality of life and spark other development, including a hotel. "Ottumwa cant afford not to do this," said Michael Moreland, president of Bridge View Center a nonprofit organization created to champion the project.

Young people have left the community, and young families have declined to accept jobs in the area because of a perceived lack of cultural and recreational offerings, backers say. The center, supporters maintain, would help change that. Bridge View Center would be built on the site of the Coliseum, the city's current public events center, originally built as a military armory in the 1930s. "It's run down," said Ottumwa homemaker Jan Stewart. The Coliseum would be torn down.

The local share of the project also would total $10.5 million, split about 50-50 between local private donations and money from the city. "I think we're pretty optimistic about our ability to put that package together," said Moreland, an attorney and former state legislator. Backers have been lining up larger contributions from corporations, foundations and individuals, Moreland said. A more general drive is planned. Mayor Dale Uehling said the city is exploring ways to pay for its share of the proposed project.

Possibilities include income from a tax increment financing district, an extension of a 1-cent local option sales tax, or a combination of the two. Some people are concerned that the center will operate with an annual loss that will have to be covered by taxpayers, and others wonder whether entertainment will be too high-priced for many residents, Uehling said. Backers are trying to find private money to help cover any operating deficit, Uehling said. The center's entertainment mix is expected to feature a variety of ticket prices. Ottumwa homemaker Sara Buller thinks the project sounds like a good idea.

"Anything that would bring people to Ottumwa and give people in Ottumwa and the surrounding area more to do" would be a plus, Buller said. Reporter William Ryberg can be reached at (515) 284-8104 or rybergbnews.dm reg.com About Vision Iowa WHAT IT IS: The $180 million Vision Iowa program was created by the Legislature earlier this year to help communities develop attractions that will improve the quality of life in Iowa. Wednesday was the first day applications for money under the program could be received. Board chairman Michael Gartner has said there are more potential projects than money available. The Des Moines Register is reviewing some of the larger projects expected to apply for state money.

INFORMATION: Vision Iowa's Web page includes the rules for grant applications, a list of public hearing times and locations, and biographies of the members of the Vision Iowa board that will select from the proposals. Go to www.visioniowa.org ON THE WEB: To read previous articles about the Vision Iowa program, go to DesMoinesRegister.com Connolly said Others applying Wednesday sought money from the Community Attraction and Tourism Development Program, a branch of Vision Iowa that helps smaller projects. They were: Boone: The Iowa High School Athletic Association, $2.7 million over three years for the $8.3 million Iowa Hall of Pride. Pella: $931,000 for the $2.3 million Interpretive Center and Phase II of the Windmill Project. Sioux Center $3.3 million for the $9.8 million All Seasons Center.

Iowa Former Gov. Terry Branstad was recovering on schedule Wednesday at Iowa Methodist Medical Center from a heart attack he suffered Monday morning, a family spokesman said Branstad was sitting up, watching television and visit ing with friends, said Branstad Eric Woolson, Bran- stad's former press secretary. The former governor still was listed in fair condition, he said "I'm told he's doing well," Woolson said He added that Branstad probably will be moved to a private room today. Doctors on Monday performed a procedure using a tiny balloon and wire mesh device to open Brans-tad's clogged artery. Woolson said he still expected Branstad to leave the hospital by Friday.

Teacher Reese earns national honor THE REGISTER'S IOWA NEWS SERVICE Allison, la. Allison-Bristow teacher Susan Reese is now a National Board Certified Teacher. Reese earned certification through a performance-based assessment in which teachers document their subject matter knowledge, provide evidence that they know how to effectively teach their subjects to students, and demonstrate their ability to manage and measure student learning. Reese is one of only 77 Iowa teachers that achieved the milestone this year, and is one of 234 Iowa teachers that hold the certification. National Board certification is a voluntary process that takes nearly a year to complete.

Reese is a middle-school language arts teacher at Allison-Bristow Community Schools and a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. Cares fllomcs fic gistcr of Life tubvTihe, rail Cares Man shot during raid by drug task force A 32-year-old man was fatally shot Tuesday night after officers of the Cedar Rapids Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force entered his southwest-side residence with an arrest warrant. SpecialAgentRickBensonofthe Division of Criminal Investigation said Joseph Jay Anderson was armed with a handgun and hiding in the residence. A number of shots were fired, and Benson said it is too early to determine whether Anderson's death was self-inflicted or the result of his being shot by an officer. The warrant for Anderson's arrest was for a failure to appear in court.

Pollution plant welder hurt in methane blast A Wednesday morning explosion at the Waterloo pollution control plant injured an employee who was welding inside the plant, officials said. Fire battalion Chief Larry Olson said there was a buildup of methane gas in the room where the employee was working. The worker unknowingly ignited the explosion with the flames from his welding equipment, Olson said. The explosion blew the door off the room and threw the employee, whom officials declined to identify, 15 eet. He was taken to Convenant Medical Center in Waterloo with minor injuries, Olson said.

HBO! Third lawsuit settled in acetylene explosion A third lawsuit filed in an explosion and fire near Argyle in southeast Iowa has been settled out of court. Monte Boyd died last January when an acetylene tank he was using on a farm owned by his mother exploded. Doug McPherson, 20, was one of four men injured in the blast. He sued Boyd's estate. His attorney said a settlement was reached last month with the help of a mediator.

McPherson's lawsuit was dismissed last week in North Lee County District Court. 1 Southern Cal voters defeat bond issue Southern Cal school district voters overwhelmingly rejected a $5.8 million bond issue that would have financed additions to and reconstruction of three buildings. The bond issue, which needed a 60 percent majority to pass, failed, 218 to 671, Tuesday night, said Superintendent Bill Brandt. "I dont know if that means they dont want to do anything," he said. That wasnt what we were hearing from patrons." Brandt said district officials will re-examine the vote before deciding how to proceed.

Fire fatal to three was accidental, officials say Officials have determined that a Monday morning fire in Evansdale was accidental, caused by a child playing with a lighter. Bambi Morrison, 21; her brother Chad Morrison, 23; and Bambi Morrison's son Devon Morrison, 2, died from smoke inhalation, according to preliminary reports. Bambi and Chad Morrison were children of the home's owners. There have been eight fire-related deaths in Iowa during the past 10 days. mm 1 Vilsack's card features lowan's watercolor Gov.

Tom Vilsack, wife Christie Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson have drawn on an Iowan to help create their holiday card. ToniGrote of Breda was chosen to paint the watercolor of the Iowa State Capitol featured on the front of the card. "In Iowa we are blessed with many wonderful artists, and we wanted to highlight these cultural gifts in our holiday greeting to our fellow Iowans, said Christie Vilsack.

The governor and lieutenant governor will send holiday greetings to more than 17,000 people. The Vilsack-Ptederson campaign is paying for the cards. Inwood nursing home fined; woman's sores, weight cited were set back until early January because many area cities have not yet decided how much money to contribute. Local contributions must make up 50 percent of a project's cost. Angela Connolly, chairwoman of the Polk County supervisors, said the county hasn't felt any pressure to change its grant application into a loan application, despite word from Vision Iowa leaders that projects applying for loans will score better.

"In order for us to proceed with the events center in its total package, we need the $75 million," Name. Address CityStateZip. Amount Enclosed QffilBi 1 Among the first-day requests were bids from Council Bluffs and Dubuque. By LYNN 0KAM0T0 REGISTER STAFF WRITER Two large community attractions and three smaller ones were waiting at the starting gate Wednesday on the first day of applications for the state's $180 million Vision Iowa program First in line was Council Bluffs' $150 million Mid-America Recreation Convention Complex, which applied for a $32.6 million grant and $4 million loan. Bob Mundt, president of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, last week questioned Vision Iowa's becoming a loan program, but on Wednesday became the first to apply for a loan.

"We just felt that if we could somehow set a precedent where we could pay some of that back to the state so they could make that money last longer, that would give us a little stronger application," Mundt said. Also applying Wednesday was Dubuque's $139 million riverfront project, America's River. Vision Iowa coordinator Susan Judkins said project organizers flew the request for a $58 million grant into Des Moines using a private plane owned by a local bank. Polk County's $193 million Iowa Events Center had planned to apply Wednesday for a maximum $75 million grant, but those plans required. The home's administrator, Priscilla Dingier, said resident care is the home's top priority and the staff there already was dealing with the woman's skin-care issues before inspectors imposed the fine.

Iowan sentenced on drug charge THE REGISTER'S IOWA NEWS SERVICE Sioux City, la. A Sioux City woman has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine. Tonya M. Ayon, 28, pleaded guilty of helping distribute methamphetamine between the fall of 1997 and Dec 1 1999. fourth, fifth would be a real burden because you're never going to be Daddy.

And Daddy is still running the show. Rekha Basu, known around the house as "The Little Woman. Last year a friend of mine, a guy IVe known since I was 2 and he was 3, was toasting me at my 50th birthday parry and he was talking about growing up in a Bronx housing project. And then he said "At one point God must have looked at this guy Borsellino and decided to do something nice for him So he sent him an angel. An angel named Rekha." An angel? You wouldn't know it from reading the Letters to the Editor.

Rot toMlliM cm rttckri (515) 214 1102 kortflli Many Iowans face the holidays without these most basic necessities. But you can help. With your help, The Des Moines Register's Iowa Cares at Christmas campaign has been providing for Iowans in need for 13 years. Funds raised through Iowa Cares will be distributed through Iowa's 18 Community Action Agencies, a network of local agencies committed to assisting poverty-stricken families in their struggle to become self-sufficient. You can give with confidence, knowing that not one cent of your donation goes to administration.

Fellowship Village nursing home in Inwood has been fined $2,500 for failure to provide adequate nursing services to residents. The fine stems from an incident with a female resident who developed serious pressure sores after being admitted to the home in August. State inspectors allege the staff failed to prevent the sores from developing, then failed to provide adequate treatment. The woman lost 10 pounds, 8 percent of her total body weight, in the two months following her admission, according to the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Inspectors determined that a dietitian's recommendations for the woman's care had not been followed and that she was not offered between-meal snacks as Parting look at Vilsack, Knapp, Daniels, other power brokers 00 of your contribution goes directly to help needy Iowa families and individuals and Is tax-deductible.

Please mail your contribution today to: Iowa Cares at Christmas P.O. Box 93413 Des Moines, IA 50393-3413 Yes, I want to help. Elje tics To Iowa B0RSELLIN0, from Page 1B Grassley, but a guy I worked with at Channel 5 said Grassley is the only politician he'd trust with his wallet. That's something to recommend nun. Kevin Cooney, he's the one next to Jeanette at 6 and 10; Solid, dependable.

John Bachman, TV anchor with great hair. Hell of a nice guy, but John's one of those folks who ought to eet out more, do more reporting, be more a part of the community. John Kuan, more money than God, but not as rich as Knapp: I le's never returned one of my calls. That's all I need to know about him. John Kuan III, not quite as rich as his father.

Very guarded I would imagine that in a town like this, being John Ruan the third. Contribution processed by:.