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American Gothic Center to Host Grant Wood Tour

Officials with the American Gothic Center in Eldon have announced they will host a one day trip via the Ottumwa Transit Authority to see Grant Wood Country.  Stops will include a tour of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Grant Wood’s Studio at 5 Turner Alley, the Anamosa Grant Wood Gallery, Antioch Country School, Anamosa Riverside Cemetery, St. Joseph’s Church, Stone City Quarry, and supper at the General Store and Pub in Stone City. 

The day long trip will be held Saturday April 24^th departing from the American Gothic House Center in Eldon at 9:00 a.m. and returning at 9:30 p.m.  The cost is 45-dollars per person.  For more information contact Jessica Strom by calling the center at 652-3352.   

City of Ottumwa Prepares for High Water

The City of Ottumwa is making preparations for a potential high water event on the Des Moines River.  Ottumwa is protected by a levee system designed to withstand river stages up to 25 feet.  City officials are in a state of high vigilance and maintaining daily contact with the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers. 

Ottumwa’s Director of Public Works Larry Seals says “as is always the case during higher river stages our public works and safety crews are prepared to protect the city from the potential of flooding.  The greatest threat to the community is inland flooding, which occurs when heavy rain overwhelms the drainage capacity behind the levee.  All of our storm pump stations have been tested this week and are ready to go”. 

Officials say the City has refurbished two of the main storm water pump stations since the flooding in 2008.  The Mary Street Pump Station has been completely updated with a new building, pumps and engines.  The Walnut Street Pump Station has a new engine.  Along the levee in Ottumwa crews have cycled all the flood gates and services all the flap gates to ensure they are in good working order.  The city has an adequate inventory of sandbags on hand if needed.

Seals say “we take this threat seriously and are taking steps to ensure our people and equipment is ready if higher water comes.  City operations are not seriously affected until the river reaches 15 feet but a lot of things are happening precautionary steps and planning that the public may not see or notice to make sure we are ready”.   

First Responders Prepare to Deal with Muddy Roads

Emergency responders from Wapello County met Wednesday evening to discuss the condition of gravel roads in the County and plan for emergency response in muddy conditions. 

Wapello County Engineer Brian Moore noted that most county roads are in fair condition for this time of year, but warned that with heavy rain, road conditions could quickly grow worse.  Local fire and rescue personnel discussed contingency plans for emergency medical response into areas where gravel roads have severely deteriorated.  Fire and rescue personnel from the various communities and the Wapello County Sheriff’s Department will be assisting ORMICS crews with 4 and 6 wheel drive vehicles as needed. 

Residents should be aware that if the condition of gravel roads deteriorates, response times may be slower for fire and medical emergency calls in rural areas.  There may be situations of responders having to wait for a 4 wheel drive vehicle to arrive before they can proceed down a road.  Wapello County residents in areas likely to be isolated by poor road conditions should plan to check on their neighbors.   

Preparations Under way for 2nd Annual BBQ Showdown

The Ottumwa Area Convention and Visitor Bureau is gearing up for the 2^nd Annual O’Town BBQ Showdown set for June 11^th and 12^th at Bridge View Center. 

Events will begin Friday evening with family night with a packed schedule of events including kids jumpers & inflatibles, games and give aways, BBQ taste testing, live music featuring Richie Lee & the Fabulous 50’s, delicious festival food and other great entertainment.

The competition on Saturday June 12^th will feature up to 48 teams tying for $10,000 in prizes and will be overseen by the nationally acclaimed Kansas City Barbecue Society.  The O’Town BBQ Showdown is sanctioned by the KCBS and is a State Championship BBQ.  Last year’s competition brought in 37 teams from 5 states and this year’s competition is filling up fast. 

If you are interested in competing in the 2010 cook-off officials encourage teams to sign up as soon as possible due to limited availability of cooking sites.  Teams will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis.  For more information call Bridge View Center at 641-684-7000.   

Southeast Iowa Orchestra announces next Artist in Residence

The Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra is proud to present oboist Dane Philipsen as its 2010 Artist in residence.  Philipsen will perform for more than 18 schools, community and service groups throughout southeast Iowa from March 9^th through the 21^st.  SEISO has sponsored residencies by outstanding performing artists since 1982 climaxing in solo concert performances with the Orchestra in the three major sponsoring communities of Ottumwa, Burlington, and Mt. Pleasant.

The performances will be Saturday March 20^th at 7:30 p.m. at the Burlington Memorial Auditorium; Sunday March 21^st at 3:00 p.m. at IHCC St. John’s Auditorium in Ottumwa and again at 7:30 p.m. in the IWC Chapel Auditorium in Mt. Pleasant.

The Southeast Iowa Symphony Artist-in-Residence Program has been nationally recognized by the League of American Orchestras and receives support from the Iowa Arts Council, Wapello County Foundation, and the Ottumwa Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

Dane is the son of Michael and Marva Philipsen of Ottumwa. 

State Official Explains Closing the State Patrol Office in Ottumwa

The Iowa Department of Public Safety has announced plans to shut down two Iowa State Patrol District Posts including the one in Ottumwa.  Spokesperson Courtney Green says the district headquarters in Ottumwa will close in mid April. 

She says “it will save roughly 25-thousand dollars in facility costs and an additional 100-thousand dollars a year by not filling vacant positions”.  She says “the good thing is it will not affect the number of troopers patrolling Iowa’s highways”.  Also to be closed is the district office in Cherokee. 

Greene says troopers who currently report to the office in Ottumwa will continue to patrol their assigned counties but their home office will move to Osceola or Mt. Pleasant

State Senator Keith Kreiman Supports Legislation on Guns

The Iowa Senate has sent the governor a bill that would take guns away from those convicted of domestic abuse and forbid those who’re the subject of a “no contact” order from owning or selling guns and ammunitions.  Senator Keith Kreiman a Democrat from Bloomfield says the bill is intended to reduce fear.

Kreiman says “as a supporter of the Second Amendment, I understand that there is a fear that this bill will affect Second Amendment right”.  He says “the short and direct answer is that this bill affects no person who has not been found by a judge or jury to have committed domestic abuse or assault”.  The lawyer says domestic abuse is extremely dangerous not only to families, but to law enforcement and sometimes to innocent bystanders. 

The senate approved the bill on a vote of 36 to 12 while the Iowa House approved the bill on a vote of 73 to 25.