The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 10

Page 2B Sunday, January 5, 2003 Des Moines Sunday Register ST AROUND IOWA The candidates of I search in homestretch Regents likely will offer presidency to one of six finalists today Dateline Iowa From Register staff and news services New proposal links housing, criminal codes By MADELAINE JEROUSEK REGISTER STAFF WRITER An award-winning author and sitting university president, a provost with more than two decades of higher education leadership, a scholar in American Indian literature with university leadership experience, a longtime Pennsylvania State University administrator, a University of Iowa fund-raiser, and a mathematician. The Iowa Board of Regents must choose from these six candidates for the University of Iowa presidency, a search that likely will conclude with a job offer today. The regents met behind closed doors Saturday afternoon at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Des Moines to interview David Skor-ton, the of I vice president for Iowa ties. Gretchen Bataille, University of North Carolina senior vice president for academic affairs, is a former Iowa State University English professor and one-time chairman of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Along with Bataille, the other candidates interviewing today are: Edward Ray, Ohio State University executive vice president and provost.

Rodney Erickson, Pennsylvania State University executive vice president and provost. Richard Herman, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Reporter Madelaine Jerousek can be reached at (515) 284-8394 or mjerousekdmreg.coin Former of I president Willard "Sandy" Boyd has served as interim president. The nine regents will choose a leader who can guide the university through one of the harshest fiscal times in more than 50 years. Two consecutive years of state budget cuts have left the state's largest public university struggling to maintain programs and top faculty, while striving to be one of the top 10 public research institutions in the country.

During the five-month search for a new president, the 24-member presidential search committee composed of faculty, alumni, staff and students narrowed its list of more than 100 candidates to six. Other than Skorton and Williams, one other candidate has research and external relations, and Gregory Williams, president of City College of New York and a former of I law professor and administrator. After interviewing with the regents for nearly two hours Saturday, Skorton said the interviews were "very interesting," before hurrying from the building with his wife. The remaining four finalists will interview with the regents today. Board of Regents spokeswoman Barbara Boose said the regents hoped to offer the job to one of the six by early evening today.

Regents declined to comment on the interview process. The regents will name a successor to Mary Sue Coleman, who left in August to take over as president of the University of Michigan. ADVERTISEMENT snowy, serene scene TV -Y. -'iJ A Till rv. if I Jf -sail Winter has shown that it hasn't lost its snowy touch, dusting a fresh coat of snow on Thursday morning.

Water plants, experts advise Death AMILTON'6 fwdi mD iin Afnii Ti Hamilton's Lyon COS Lyon St. 243-5221 Barbara J. Grett 11 AM Monday at Hamilton's Julia E. VVatkins 1 PM Monday at Hamilton's Eugenia Key-Griffith 1 PM Tuesday at Hamilton's Hamilton's Near Highland Memory Gardens 121 NWCOthAvr. 289-2442 Lowell "Smokey" Nystrom 1 0 AM Monday at Highland Charles Warren Delk 12 PM Monday at Highland Theodore "Ted" Kuschel 2 PM Monday at Highland Michael J.

Hughes 2 PM Tuesday at Highland George C. Finkenauer 10 AM Wednesday at All Saints Catholic Church SHIRLEY BRANDT, 81 January 11, 1 PM Trinity Lutheran Church WelislerCity McLaren's nu i JJ'eGHy 19th4Ashworth.WDM 225-7225 Charlotte Cathell 10:00 AM Tuesday at McLaren's Visitation 6-8 PM Monday at McLaren's Fres Pickssp Tax IT if. rr Notices ILES FUNERAL HOMES ocally Owned Operated Dunn's 2121 Grand Ave. 244-2121 Mary S. Grant 2 PM Monday at Plymouth Congregational Church Westover 6337 Hickman Rd.

276-4567 Floyd Faber 10 AM Monday at St. Augustin's Catholic Church Family Greeting 4 30-6 30 PM Sunday at Westover Vigil 5 PM Sunday at Westover Sherman Allen 1 PM Monday at Westover FamilyGreeting one half hour prior to service Lucille P. Johnson 2 PM Monday at Chapel HillGardensCemetery William E. Cosgrove 2:30 PM Monday at Westover FamilyGreeting 6-8 PM Sunday at Westover Suzanne Bockelman 11 AM Tuesday at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church FamilyGreeting 5-8 PM Monday at Westover and at the church one hour prior to service Charles Edward Dye 10:30 AM Tuesday at Chapel HillGardensCemetery Blenda Marie Satrom-Roe 3 PM Tuesday at Westover FamilyGreeting one half hour prior to service Jesse James Lindsey Sundberg-Kirkpatrick 202 S.

Market St. Madrid 795-3283 Billy Wilson 1:30 PM Monday at St. Paul's United Church of Christ FamilyGreeting 6-8 PM Sunday at Sundberg-Kirk Patrick Masonic Service7 PM Sunday at Sundberg-Kirkpatrick Dcicticn 'Fair aivtit nW pv IRS Restrictions apply Erickson rrl Skorton A irf ROBERT NANDELLTHE REGISTER this farm field near Menlo with evergreen plant stress is browning needles, but it may just be more of a security blanket for homeowners to water newly planted evergreens. State climatologist Harry Hill-aker said December was the driest on record in Iowa. Precipitation during the month totaled 0.22 inch, compared with the previous record of 0.24 inch in 1876.

The normal amount of precipitation in Iowa in December is 1.27 inches. Western Iowa has received less moisture than the eastern part of the state, Hillaker said. The phenomenon known as El Nino which causes warming of the Pacific Ocean and leads to altered weather patterns across the northern hemisphere is causing the dry conditions in the Midwest, Hillaker said. "El Nino has kept the major snowstorms to our south and brought warmer temperatures here," he said. Hillaker said the El Nino pattern will likely keep substantial precipitation out of the state until March.

us directly," Daniels said, "The appropriate level would be with the members of Congress who have a direct say on the issue. We have two senior senators and representatives whose voices will be heard on this matter." Religious leaders are urging their supporters to pack Monday's City Council meeting. The Rev. Susan Schneider of St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines and state Sen.

Jack Holveck, D-Des Moines, will present the resolution to the council. "Conversation about the war is severely lacking," Schneider said. "We hope the resolution will raise the public consciousness to the potential suffering. People should be aware that if the United States goes to war with Iraq, the consequences will also be felt in Des Moines, where no bombs will fall. The money would be better spent on health care and community services, not blowing up Iraq." Religion Editor Shirley Ragsdale can be reached at (515) 284-8208 or sragsdaledmreg.com Bataille Herman Ray Williams Landlords in Iowa City could be forced to evict tenants charged with crimes on or near their property or face losing their rental permits, according to a proposed amendment to the city's housing code.

Doug Boothroy, director of the city's Department of Housing and Inspection Services, said the proposed amendment, for the first time, ties the city's housing code to the state's criminal code. Under the proposal, landlords are subject to sanctions if they do not evict a tenant who has been charged on one or more occasions in one year, while on the landlord's property or within 1,000 feet of the property. Such crimes would include murder, assault, sexual abuse, robbery, drug possession and hate crimes. Tenants cited on three or more occasions in a year with violating city code also must be evicted if a landlord wants to avoid sanctions, according to the proposed amendment. Boothroy will present the proposal at Monday's City Council work session.

The proposal also has been sent to landlords for review. Man pleads guilty of having child porn A man has pleaded guilty to federal charges of child pornography possession. Lonnie Vernon Davis 39, of West Union is in the custody of the US. Marshals Service. He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he's sentenced.

A date for sentencing has not been scheduled. Davis was indicted Jan. 23, 2002, on charges that he knowingly possessed computer printouts of minor girls engaged in explicit sexual activity. Ex-telemarketer admits to credit card fraud A former Cedar Rapids telemarketer pleaded guilty Friday of credit card fraud. Janis Marie Kreitinger, 49, was indicted last year for fraudulent use of a Visa credit card.

During a hearing Friday, Kreitinger admitted to using her telemarketing position to get information from callers, including addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, that she used to get credit cards in the victims' names. Authorities said she used the Visa credit card to get more than $1,000 in cash and merchandise. She also admitted to stealing mail to get the credit cards, according to U.S. Attorney Charles Larson Sr. Kreitinger faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

A sentencing date was not set. Man says he tried to sell trade secrets A Coggon man pleaded guilty Friday of theft of trade secrets for taking trade information from the transportation company that employed him. Terry Gunderson, 52, admitted to attempting to sell the information, which included engineering and bidding information, to a competitor of his employer, according to U.S. Attorney Charles Larson Sr. Gunderson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

A sentencing date has not been set. 'Matter of economies' closes legendary bar The legendary Fieldhouse Restaurant Bar, a staple in Iowa City and Hawkeye sports lore for 28 years, closed its doors for good Saturday night. The bar, at 111 E. College is shutting down "as a matter of economics," owner Lou Converse said. "There's a lot more bars in downtown Iowa City than can be supported," he said.

Converse also owns the College Street Billiards House across the street. The lack of snow means Iowa's evergreens could be suffering through winter. ASSOCIATED PRESS A record dry December has caused some plant experts to become concerned about drought conditions that could damage evergreen trees and shrubs. "If there's concern about the condition of trees, bushes or plants in yards, then watering is an appropriate step to take," said Carrol Olsen, a horticulturist for Iowa State University Extension in Pottawattamie County in western Iowa. The lack of significant precipitation during December could cause stress in evergreen trees and shrubs that have been planted in the last two to three years, said James Romer, horticulture specialist with ISU.

"You may want to look at possibly trying to apply some water, but it might be difficult," Romer said. With temperatures expected to climb back into the 40s and 50s this week, the ground could warm enough to allow water to penetrate to plants' roots, he said. Evergreens give off moisture continuously through their needles, Olsen said, meaning that the water content in the tree or bush must be replenished. In a normal winter that would happen through melting snow. "Of course, we haven't received enough precipitation through snow so far this winter," Olsen said.

"So it may be necessary, in some cases, to supply the water by other means." Iowa's soil is not completely absent of moisture. One recent measurement at a research farm between Oakland and Atlantic indicated there was about five inches of moisture in the top five feet of the ground. Olsen said that ordinarily the amount of moisture at that level would be around six inches. Romer said one sign of An anti-war resolution has been passed in 29 U.S. cities, according to the Institute for Policy Studies, which is working with grass-roots groups such as the one in Des Moines.

The proposed resolution says war with Iraq would cost the country more than $100 billion. Des Moines Mayor Preston Daniels said war with Iraq is a complex issue and not one that should be taken up by the City Council. "Frankly, the council has its hands full with issues confronting ml Churches to ask D.M. for anti-war support We Do HH Paperwork bunko cr UcV The Iowa Council of trie United Blind has helped the blind become productive in the workplace since 1987. Vehicles, Real Estate, Lots, Boats, RV's, and more! 000-000-SD25 MERLE HAY MALL in By SHIRLEY RAGSDALE REGISTER RELIGION EDITOR Metro-area church leaders Monday will ask the Des Moines City Council to join the anti-war movement although they are likely to be brushed aside.

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