Around Des Moines

Newspapers and broadcasters across Iowa that are members of the Associated Press network voted on the top 10 news stories in the state for 2007. Those stories were: #1 - Maytag’s closing, #2 - the caucuses, #3 - the ethanol boom , #4 - the CIETC scandal, #5 - the new governor, Chet Culver, #6 - Iowans who died in Iraq or in Afghanistan , #7 - a district court’s ruling on gay marriage, #8 - Sally Mason’s appointment as University of Iowa president , #9 - the sentencing of Shawn Bentler for patricide and fratricide, and #10 - the high price of gasoline.

Another year-end tradition is identifying news stories that were missed. Here are some of the items on which I would liked to have seen more coverage.

School board and municipal elections: Many people who make a point of voting forgot that there was a preliminary election for city council in Des Moines because there was so little news coverage of the candidates. For school boards, the general public had little knowledge on which to base votes or even if there was a need to vote. The rental housing market: The housing market’s stumbling brought a few people out of the woodwork to talk about how we’ve neglected rental housing in the United States, but little has been said about how to correct it. In the immediate near future, there are warnings in parts of the country that people forced out of their owned homes will be pushing up the price for rental housing. In Des Moines, numerous new lofts and condos are now renting due to lack of buyers.

Light-rail transit plans: The DART Commission has heard reports on five areas for potential placement of light rail transit. At the December 18th meeting, the commission heard the fifth and final presentation. This was for the area south of County Line Road. An economic development staff member from the City of Des Moines talked about annexation, a 50-year build out, upper-priced homes for executives who want to live near the businesses they would site there, and some major tourist attraction ala the Newton Speedway.

Regular meetings of school boards, city councils, county councils, and various appointed boards and commissions: Many people do not participate in shaping governments’ decisions because they don’t know anything is happening.

Anybody not named Hillary, Barack, or John, or Mitt, Mike, Rudy, or John: I know a Des Moines resident who supports Bill Richardson but has decided to caucus for John Edwards because she thinks the media has limited Richardson’s voice so much that very few people know who he is.

Cedar Rapids’ The Gazette identified the top 10 news stories for Eastern Iowa. Zach Johnson’s golfing victory and local government finances are on the list. For a change of pace, read how drivers’ tests information from the United Kingdom ended up in Iowa. The comments on that article from the UK The Register are more interesting than the main story which is full of tedious acronyms.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa. She encourages you to send news releases about your organization and activities to events@AroundDesMoines.com.