The Gazette from Cedar Rapids, Iowa • 11

I 4 The Cedar Rapids Gazette: Wed May 14,1 986 1 1 A Selling airport landing rights hurts Iowa: Congressmen -wij New IDOT chairman in, praises road program for attracting jobs WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressmen Tom Tauke and Jim Lightfoot, both Iowa Republicans, are opposing a recent Federal Aviation Administration decision that they say could choke off air service to Iowa communities. i Lightfoot and Tauke introduced legislation Tuesday that would repeal an FAA ruling that allows airlines to freely buy and sell landing rights at Chicago OHare and three other major airports. The legislation also sets guidelines for how the landing rights, or slots, should be distributed among airlines, The FAA ruling took effect April 1, but the possibility of intervention by Congress has dissuaded airlines from capitalizing on their newfound ownership of the plots, the Iowa congressmen said. Prior to April 1, slots at the four airports were managed by committees of airline executives which met regularly to evaluate slot allocation and order redistribution when needed.

By conferring ownership of slots to airlines, they charge, the FAA has provided an "unwarranted windfall from the federal government while erecting "an insurmountable barrier for small carriers wishing to enter the marketplace, Lightfoot charged. "If we let the new plan take effect, the slots will become lucrative financial assets for airlines now dominating the industry, and they would wheel and deal with them only to their benefit, Tauke said. "This would effectively squeeze out smaller airlines, which now are the sole providers of air service to many Iowa communities. 1 FOR EXAMPLE, Tauke cited plans by Iowa Airways to establish a commuter route between Dubuque and Chicago. "The slot plan is prohibiting this carrier from serving this market by pricing slots way beyond their reach.

Because of effects like this, the plan is contrary to both the theory and practice of airline deregulation. "The new plan also sets a precedent where other major airports could begin this landing rights brokering, Lightfoot said, "This could have serious impact on airports like Fort Dodge, which currently has five flights to the busy Minneapolis airport. The legislation directs the FAA to resume the scheduling committee structure for allocation of slots, but offers flexibility for the FAA to establish guidelines for making slot decisions, Lightfoot said. The bill seeks to ensure that the "public interest is considered in the allocation process, Lightfoot said. For example, the bill specifies the need to maintain "adequate air service to small- and medium-sized communities and ensures the opportunity for new airlines to enter the market, he said.

Lightfoot serves on the House aviation subcommittee, which will first consider the legislation. Tauke had officially protested the plan shortly after it; was proposed in December 1985. By Dave Rasdal Gazette Eastern Iowa reporter AMES Austin Turner of Corning became only the second chairman ever of the Iowa Department of Transportation Commission on Tuesday. Turner, 56, succeeds Robert Rig-ler of New Hampton, who had been chairman since the IDOT was formed in 1975. Rigler this year was not reappointed to the commission by Gov.

Terry Branstad. "Now that I have the gavel in my hand, I want to thank you for the honor," Turner told the other six commissioners. "Its going to be a pleasure to serve you and the people of Iowa. Turner expressed regret at losing Rigler from the commission because of his expertise and leadership. He said he hopes Branstad can find another position in state government for Rigler because his knowledge is needed by the state.

"Bob left us some good advice, Turner said as he listed some of the things Rigler had said before he left 'Do the worst first Take the low bids, 'Spend money like its youi own and 'If you're unsure, vote exciting years ahead, he said. "Im looking forward to that." Turner also welcomed new Commissioner Bob Meier, 65, of Ottumwa, Meier, who replaces Rigler, is a former chairman of the Iowa Devel-' opment Commission and is retired manager of Deere Co. Ottumwa works. He has degrees in agricultural and mechanical engineering, 1 TURNER OWNS and manages two department stores in Coming and Bedford and operates several stock farming operations. He is president of the Adams (County) Community Industrial Development Corporation and the Corning Development Corporation.

He also is vice chairman of the board of directors of Midwest Stores of Minneapolis, Minn. A Republican, he has served on the Coming City Council and was chairman of Southwestern Community College at Creston. He is past president of the Corning Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. Turner graduated from the University of Iowa School of Business Administration. Measles outbreak states worst since 76 NEWS NOTES idot commission Iowa Newspaper Association DES MOINES An outbreak of red measles at West Monona school at Onawa is the worst in Iowa since 1976, according to a state health official.

Nearly 100 students, almost all of them in junior and senior high school, have been ill. "We have confirmed at least six positive cases of red measles, the hard 10-day measles, said David Fries, of the departments disease prevention and health prevention division. Fries said its difficult to know how many of the other cases are actually measles because there are many diseases that exhibit the same type of symptoms. Approximately 100 students have been ill in the last three to four weeks and have missed school. Most, he said have been age 12 and up.

"The state of Iowa has been basically free of reported cases of measles since 1976, our mandatory immunization program began in 1977, Fries said. Liquor stores wont expand electronic sales Gazette Des Moines Bureau DES MOINES A plan to let customers use electronic machines to pay for their purchases at state liquor stores has been halted because of the expected closing of the stores next year. George Price, deputy director of the Iowa Beer and Liquor Control Department, said department officials have stopped planning to take bids for statewide installation of the machines. About 15 financial institutions that had expressed an interest in bidding on the project were to be notified in letters mailed Tuesday that the plan was being called off, Price said. The plan could be reconsidered next winter, he said, if the Legislature should decide to back off from its decision to end the states retail liquor monopoly March 1 and turn the business over to private stores.

The decision to halt bidding on the project will not affect the use of the electronic machines in Cedar Turner praised the RISE (Revitalize Iowas Sound Economy) program for both the good it does in building roads for economic benefits and for the positive attitude the acronym creates. He also said hes very proud of the Staff which does an excellent job. "I look forward to productive and substation and power line south of the highway, to avoid drainage ditches on the south side and so culverts will have to be extended on only one side of the highway. Construction will take two years during which the road will be closed, although a portion of it from River Junction to Johnson County Road W-66 will be opened with a gravel surface prior to paving to allovV people to commute to Iowa City. Grading and draining work is to begin in 1987, and paving is to be done in 1988.

Iowa County roads AMES Highways in Marengo, Victor and South Amana will be closed sometime this summer while the Iowa Interstate Railroad repairs crossings. Highway 212 in Marengo will be closed for five days sometime this summer and a detour will be routed east along Miller Street to Eastern Avenue, then south to Highway 6 and west on Highway 6 back to Highway 212. About 1,100 vehicles per day will use the one-mile detour. Highway 419 iri Victor also will be closed for five days during the construction season and a detour will be routed east on, Second Street to Washington Street, then north to First Street and west back to Highway 149. About 500 vehicles per day will use the detour, which will be two-tenths of a mile.

Highway 220 near South Amana will be closed for five days either later this month or in September and a detour will follow Highway 6 east to Homestead and north on Highway 151 to Amana. About 2,500 vehicles per day will be affected by the work Record brownie AMES Iowa Department of Transportation employees are trying to make "brownie points with the public this week by making what is billed "The Worlds Largest Brownie. The 8-foot-by-8-foot brownie was to have been assembled after work last night on two pieces of aluminum-covered plywood. It is advertised as being able to serve all of the people in the Story County communities of Cambridge, Collins, Gilbert and Maxwell a total of 2,304 people. "Its a celebration of National Transportation Week, said Gil Haake, planning administrator for the IDOT and organizer of the big baking project.

"The purpose is to get the notice of the general public and the (IDOT) employees. Haake said there are world records for cookie, pie and cake, but no brownie, so he hopes this can set a Guiness Book of World Records mark. Employees baked portions of the brownie at home in 57 pans prior to the assembly. The recipe called for 1,740 eggs, 17 cups of water, 766 pounds of brownie mix and 58 pounds of chocolate frosting. And for those who are dietconscious, the whole thing has 298,080 calories.

Employees will eat the brownie today. Pavement testing AMES Iowa has been askpd by the Federal Highway Administration test equipment used to measure the condition of pavement. The federal government is picking up the tab. The Iowa Department of Transportation will use a $35,000 federal grant to evaluate new products that measure cracks and repairs in roadways, the waviness and wear on pavement and also look at cross sections of roadways that change as tires gradually wear grooves in the surface. Ian MacGillivray, director of planning and research for the IDOT, said cracks and patches have been examined manually in the field.

The new equipment will allow photographs to be taken so the road surfaces cap be analyzed in the office. Cheaper snow removal AMES Last winter may have seemed long and hard, but it wasnt so bad for the Iowa Department of Transportation. The state agency spent $800,000 less than budgeted for snow remov-ai. Berhie Ortgies, maintenance director, said the' IDOT spent $17 million for snow removal and used 86,200 tons of salt and 185,200 tons of sand. Although it was under budget, it was still $3 million more than was spent the previous year.

Average snowfall in Iowa last year was 38 inches, Ortgies said, He said he budgets for about 40 inches of snowfall, although he said actual snow removal is only about half the cost. Taking care of icy roads and other winter maintenance eats up the rest of the budget. The highest snowfall recorded was at Cresco in northeast Iowa, where 66 inches fell throughout the season. Only 19 inches fell in Coming in southwest Iowa. Dubuque RISE grant AMES A grant for $146,250 in RISE (Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy) funds for Dubuque County was approved Tuesday by the Iowa Department of Transportation Commissiop.

The grant will accompany a $5,250 loan in RISE money so Dubuque County can build a road extension to a 250-acre industrial park near Peosta. Dubuque County is contributing land and engineering costs to the project which is estimated at $184,000. The project is to help Captive Plastics a manufacturer of injection-molded containers, locate at the industrial site. The firm would spend more than $6 million and employ 65 people. Highway 22 work AMES Reconstruction of Highway 22 from Highway 218 east of Riverside to Highway 405 north of Lone Tree was approved Tuesday by the Iowa Department of Transportation Commission.

The 54 -mile road will be widened to 24 feet at a cost of $3 6 million. It will be built about 20 feet north of the present highway to avoid a The spokesman for the state health department said the Onawa outbreak is the only incidence of measles in the state presently. However, Fries noted there has been a significant increase nationwide in the number of cases of measles reported, 2,000 cases compared with 1,000 a year ago. Fries said the health department has made measles and rubella vaccine available to physicians and a public clinic in the western Iowa community. Rapids and Marion liquor stores.

Customers in those stores have been able to use their bank cards at electronic machines in the stores to pay for their purchases since last fall when the department began a 90-day experiment with Merchants National Bank of Cedar Rapids and NCR Corp. to test the customers acceptance of the point of sale equipment After the experiment ended, the state entered into a contract with MNB to continue the service. alterations at cost 362-0324 May 15th 8:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. May 1 6th 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. May 1 7th 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

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