Monday, April 6, 2009

Florida family donates land in SE Iowa

A family from Florida is being honored today for donating land in southeast Iowa. Clemencia and Martin Nolan will be among those recognized during the "Gift to Iowa's Future" ceremony in Des Moines. The Nolans donated a portion of their Iowa property's value through a bargain sale. The 160 acres of wetland are near a tributary of the English River and are enrolled in the USDA Wetland Reserve Program. The property will be funded and managed by the conservation boards of Washington, Keokuk and Iowa Counties.

Severe Weather Week

When severe weather descends, it takes a carefully coordinated effort to keep the area safe. It involves a multitude of government and private entities, one of which is the Washington Police Department. Sergeant Sean Ellingson says their job is to keep the city running smoothly during a severe weather situation. Ellingson says they maintain radio contact with the city's maintenance department, and serve as first responders to areas where utility conduits may have been damaged. Ellingson says other city departments do their jobs very well, which allows them to continue to focus on law enforcement during severe weather. This is part of our ongoing Severe Weather Awareness Week. Check back here every day for more weather related coverage.

Corridor Career Fair

As the unemployment rate continues to climb, here's a bit of welcome news. The Corridor Career Fair will be April 25 at Kirkwood Community College's main campus in Cedar Rapids. Brenda Dodge with Iowa Workforce Development says more than 60 employers are expected to participate. Dodge says job seekers will be able to meet with employers from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. She says there will also be resume critiquing available and an internet cafe for online applications. The career fair will also feature a variety of workshops. Visit www.coridorcareers.com for more information.

Washington County B.O.S.

Washington County Supervisors will get an update on agricultural valuation assessments at this week's meeting. They'll also be checking off on applications for Washington County Riverboat Foundation Grants. They are also slated to approve a resolution for a fireworks permit and application fee. The meeting is this Tuesday morning at 9:30 in the lower level of the Washington County Courthouse.

Gambling addictions

With the casino so close to many cities in the area there may be people who are having trouble with gambling addiction. Sharon Hazelhoff with the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort says they make sure that they have plenty of material handy for anyone who might think they have a problem. If anyone has a Gambling addiction or knows someone who might have gambling addiction the number to call is 1-800-BETS-OFF

How fit is the Wii?

Video games don't really conjure thoughts of a healthy lifestyle. However a local health professional is using the Nintendo Wii as a rehabilitation tool. Andy Bishop is a physical therapist at Washington County Hospital and Clinics. He says the Wii Fit is a great tool for helping patients with balance and hand eye coordination. He says it's very beneficial for people recovering from a stroke, because it can help them realize that they may put more weight on one side of their body than the other. Bishop also says many people have decided to continue to use the Wii at home after their physical therapy, because they feel it helps them maintain mobility as they get older.

Spring Break

Its that time of year again when students are screaming for a break. The Mid Prairie School District will give the students just that. This Friday is the first day of spring Break. The district will not be using any of spring break to make up for snow days. Spring break will go through Monday, April 13th and classes will resume on Tuesday, April 14th.

Movie Day

When the Mid Prairie school district does not have any classes during the week the Kalona Library likes to hold a movie day to provide safe and fun activities. On Thursday, April 9th, the Kalona Public Library will be showing Kung Fu Panda from 1:30pm to 3:10pm. For additional information, please contact Youth Services Librarian at 319-656-3501.