News

Montrose, IA – One Southeast Iowa community is a step closer to being considered one of the state's "great places." Montrose was one of about 150 communities to invite the state to partner with it through the Iowa Great Places Initiative. The town has now moved on to the next step in the process. 3 members of the Great Places Citizen Advisory Board recently toured Montrose, to see if it will be considered one of the 3 "Great Places" pilot projects. Dave Bernstein of Souix City says there are no set requirements that the board looks for in each community.

Macomb, IL – McDonough County's system of computerized maps will have building locations added to them over the coming year. Geographic Information System Center Manager Chad Sperry says law enforcement dispatchers will probably be the first to use the expanded capability. They'll be able to type in an address ... and have an aerial photo come up on their screen that will show just where a building is located. He says that will let them guide police or fire units. He says having the buildings plotted on the map will also help insure that all structures are on the property tax rolls.

Macomb, IL – A glass-maker from Champaign-Urbana won honors for "Best In Show" at Macomb's annual Gazebo Art Festival. Barrie Bredemeier's work is functional and decorative. Bredemeier says he enjoys working in three dimensions and did ceramics for many years. But he found glass addicting. He calls it a wonderful, fluid medium to work with. Bredemeier says it was humbling to be chosen "Best In Show" from among so many creative people. This was the second year he's participated in the Gazebo Art Festival. Picture perfect weather drew sizable crowds to Chandler Park for the event.

Macomb, IL – This year's Al Sears Jazz Festival in Macomb was dedicated to the memory of Dale Hopper. The former director of Western Illinois University's jazz program died Friday night at the age of 64. Hopper worked at Western for more than two decades. Under his direction, the Jazz Studio Orchestra gained an international following. Hopper also directed the marching band and wrote several books about band techniques. In addition, Hopper co-hosted "Big Band Jazz" on Tri States Public Radio for the past couple years.

Carthage, IL – Eight beds from Carthage Memorial Hospital are headed to a Shreveport hospital to help with victims of Hurricane Katrina. Administrator Ada Bair says the hospital recently installed new beds. It was seeking a use for the old ones when it received a call from the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, which coordinates medical donations. Bair says the beds are likely to be used in some of the temporary treatment facilities being set up in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Fort Madison, IA – The workweek for some Lee County employees will be returning to normal. During this week's meeting, the County Board of Supervisors officially overturned its decision to reduce the workweek for the county's union workers. The move is part of an agreement between the county and the unions representing its workers to settle several prohibitive practice complaints that had been filed. Employees who worked the reduced hours for almost two months will also be compensated.

West Burlington, IA – Southeastern Community College has received more than two dozen applications for the vacant position of president. Board of Trustees Secretary Sherry Zeller says a committee consisting of several Iowa community college presidents will review the 26 applications. The panel will narrow the field to 8. Zeller says SCC's search committee will then review the applicants. It will recommend up to five of the remaining candidates to the Board of Trustees for individual interviews. SCC hopes to have a new president in place by the beginning of the calender year.

Jacksonville, IL – A survivor of the Rwanda genocide is urging U.S. action to stop the killings in Sudan. Paul Rusesabagina told a crowd at Illinois College how he relied on his business accumen to bribe militiamen and called in favors when he was hiding more than 1,000 people in his luxury hotel. Rusesbagina managed the hotel where he hid refugees from the mass killins going on. He urged the audience to write to the President urging action to stop the killings in Sudan. He says he does not want to see a movie called "Hotel Darfur."

September 15, 2005 – Joanne Murray and Cindy Cavett of the McDonough County YMCA join Rich Egger to talk about the Heart Smart for Women program.

Rushville, IL – There is a new proposal for the Rushville prison, which remains empty two years after being built. Hundreds of people attended a meeting Thursday night to listen to the state's plan, which calls for the facility to house a civil commitment program. The program is for sexually violent people who've served their prison sentence but are deemed too dangerous to be released. The facility could employ around 250 people. Most would be guards. Supporters say it's important to open the facility instead of allowing it to remain vacant.