Tammy R. Lawson

May 15, 2008

By Tammy R. Lawson

MC Sun Staff Writer

Likened to a baseball game, five candidates stepped up to the plate last week, and one was able to hit it out of the park.

The Marshalltown Community School District Board of Education unanimously voted Monday to appoint Dr. Marvin L. Wade as new superintendent effective July 1st, replacing Dr. Harrison Cass who will step down the end of June.

Wade, a former Iowa resident, has been a superintendent for eight years in Keenesburg, Colorado, with a total of 13 years in the Weld Re-3J Community School District. As well, he served as principal for the Clay County School District in Kansas from 1992-1995 and as a special education advisor from 1990-1992. Wade earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Colorado State University in 1979, an Educational Specialist Degree in School Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado in 1983, and his Doctorate in Educational Administration from Kansas State University in 1995.

Board President Adrienne Macmillan said even though all five candidates were extremely qualified, communicative skill was one of the differentials between Dr. Wade and the others.

“We felt he was a very effective communicator, and not just with a singular group, but with multiple groups,” she said. “One of the criteria for the Board of Education was to find [someone] that could lead the District through a strategic planning process, and when it came to that part of our interviewing, Dr. Wade, by far, pretty much hit a home run as to how he was going to approach that, along with the experiences he had to support it.”

“I am very happy about it,” Wade stated by telephone from his home in Colorado, thrilled to be the chosen one out of 18 applicants. “I’m sure that the other candidates were good and I wish them the best of luck in whatever they’re doing, but at the same time, I really wanted this position, and I want to be a part of the Marshalltown Community School District. My wife Kathy and I are looking forward to being part of the Marshalltown community.”

Wade added he was very impressed that the Board has very high expectations, and “not only are they going to expect a lot from me, but from the community and themselves to step up so we can accomplish some great things for the betterment of the students. I’m really excited about it.”

The process to find the new super was done in collaborated fashion over three months which included hiring the search firm McPherson & Jacobson to collect applications and put them through vigorous interviews in order to narrow the field to five finalists. In the home stretch, several focus groups (represented by community members, parents, teaching staff, students, businesses, central office staff, and building administrators) interviewed the five candidates in five days before the Board rendered its final choice Saturday afternoon.

But some in the community questioned why the District engaged a search firm to assist in finding a new superintendent instead of initiating the selection locally.

“As Board members, we all do other things; we have full time jobs out there that we attend to, we raise kids, and so forth,” remarked Macmillan. “The expertise and professionalism that McPherson & Jacobson brought into this process was phenomenal. They really made themselves an extension of our educational community and worked with us in a very detailed level to help work through our selection criteria. It really made our job very easy in the fact that we got 18 total candidates at this time of the year and with the vast majority having solid superintendent experience, it is a credit to their firm.”

In all, the Board was pleased how the community and focus groups rallied around choosing the new leader, exhibiting a team effort, as well as spirit. Macmillan concluded, “It truly demonstrates that whole adage about how it takes a village to raise a child, and this was it.”

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

Members of The Iowa Utilities Board voted 2-1 in favor of Alliant Energy’s plan to build a 630-megawatt coal plant in Marshalltown.

May 8, 2008

By Tammy R. Lawson

MC Sun Staff Writer

For three hours, you could have heard a pin drop anywhere in the room.

Fate lay in the hands of the Iowa Utilities Board, which after much deliberation on everything from greenhouse gasses to economic growth, was sealed in a 2-1 favored victory for Interstate Power and Light Company (a subsidiary of Alliant Energy) to proceed with construction of its 630-megawatt coal/biomass plant in Marshalltown.

But unlike corn stalks the facility would burn, the April 30th decision wasn’t as cut and dried.

Board Chairman John Norris attached stipulations to the approved permit:

*Five percent of the plant’s electric generation must be derived from biomass within two years and 10 percent stemming from biomass within five years;

*Alliant must generate 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2013 (the projected start of service) and another 25 percent from renewable sources by 2028;

*If regulations are passed by Congress for the capture of carbon dioxide emissions, Alliant would be totally responsible for those emission costs without executing rate increases.

“I do think it would be a wise decision to wait a couple of years and see what strides have been made in carbon capturing,” Norris said. “But in looking at the big picture, I don’t know if all that much will change during that time.”

Board member Darrell Hanson, who voted against granting the certificate, had reservations. “I think the company may have aimed unrealistically high in assuming the cost alternatives for carbon constraints. We could approve this, but what happens if we’re wrong? You have to look at the risks and the consequences. It’s a matter of, which risk are we willing to take?”

“I think these conditions are reasonable,” said Board member Krista Tanner. “I also think as far as renewable energy goes, this application satisfies that.”

Norris added that the stipulations would reduce the burden of higher rates. “Consumers do have a lot of financial risk here, and this will add generation for the company’s customer base to support reliability, while providing continued incentive for wind/renewable energy-not only at this plant, but throughout the entire fleet in Iowa.”

IPL President Tom Aller said it was understandable for the regulatory body to add what ever conditions they wanted to the decision. “They represent our customers and the people of our state, so that’s what their job is. We take no issue whatsoever with the board wanting to condition the first part of this case.”

Mayor Gene Beach, also in attendance, was satisfied. “I believe that this is just the first step on many good announcements to come as a result of IPL selecting Marshalltown as its site for the most efficient plant in the Midwest.”

The following day, Beach received a phone call from Newton Mayor Chaz Allen, who’s city is constructing a 1.5 megawatt wind turbine facility, congratulating Marshalltown on its accomplishment.

“We discussed how the proposed plant will benefit all of us with jobs during construction, as well as the generation fees that will be coming in once generation starts,” Beach said. “We also discussed how the new TPI blade plant in Newton will fit nicely with Alliant’s wind generation plans…this means a great deal for the city, the area, and the state.”

But while the celebrating commenced for some, disappointment ensued for others, bringing the old saying “it ain’t over ’til it’s over” into play.

Speculation is high that Plains Justice attorneys Carrie La Seur and Jana Linderman, who represented five environmental organizations opposing the plant during January’s IUB hearing, may appeal the decision and block the necessary air quality permit from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources which is due by September, and contingent upon the final written decision expected in a few weeks.

“We believe that we prevailed on most factual issues and are very disappointed that the IUB didn’t rule in our favor,” La Seur said. “We are pleased with the Board’s recognition of its obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, we remain concerned with the negative environmental impacts of this plant, and it is far from clear that this ruling will do anything to meaningfully reduce [those] emissions all the members identified as a problem.”

Linderman added, “While we had asked that the Board deny the certificate, their approval is subject to a number of major conditions, and we will have to review the final written order carefully before making a firm decision how to respond.”

Denison native Jim Hansen, head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, also testified in January and was equally disappointed with the vote. “The decision makes no sense for the people of Iowa and the creatures of the planet. It especially short changes our children and grandchildren for the short term benefit of a small number of special interests who benefit by the burning of a cheap, dirty fuel.”

He continued, “Coal serves the interest of only a handful of oligarchs, but our officials are letting these special interests ride roughshod over the public, our planet, and creation. This is a case of cutting the baby in half-a dastardly deed. Somebody had better object real soon.”

Until the DNR decision is handed down on air quality, plant supporters like local Alliant representative Kenn Vinson are basking in the after-vote, for now. “An extremely big hurdle has been cleared.”

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

May 8, 2008

By Tammy R. Lawson

I’ve always been a fan of tacky analogies.

Pretend that you are alone on a bass boat in the middle of the ocean. Ten yards from you are 195 people treading water, and your goal is to swim out to each one and bring them back before they succumb to the ocean’s wrath.

You are an exceptional swimmer. Many of them are not, but you’ll bypass the strong for now and save the weak that are struggling to keep afloat.

Over 40 people are now ’sardined’ onto your vessel. Fatigued and weary, you want to rescue the remaining, but know you can’t save them all. You try to get back into your own boat, but there are so many aboard, there is no room. It starts to sink as you hang onto the side, gasping for breath.

What do you do?

Now, it is no secret that we Americans are spoiled. After all, in the 232 years we’ve been a legitimate union, we’ve come a long way in comparison to some countries that have been established for multiple centuries-where locals and goats drink from the same pail.

Some countries actually think the US is nothing but wasteful because we don’t eat the entire contents of an animal from snout to tail. (Ok, I’ll give’m that one.)

We are a caring nation far beyond our tax paying control, and isn’t it time to step back and realize that it’s starting to take a toll?

We have ‘cared’ ourselves right into a recession, and I’m not afraid to say it.

Last Thursday, President Bush proposed a bill containing $770 million in US food donations and other measures in order to combat global hunger, proclaiming that the United States would “take a lead in fighting the hunger now gripping a greater swath of the developing world”.

What IS it with our levels of government and their impeccable timing? Before I forget, thanks for that 600 dollar drop-in-a-bucket. I’ll stockpile some rice and a barrel of oil.

Global food prices have jumped an average of 43 percent. Doesn’t that include the US? Go ask grandma and grandpa whether they can afford to buy a gallon of milk this week.

The fuel used in getting items onto your table has sent trucking companies into a tail spin. Can you imagine paying a thousand dollars per fill-up? Last week, it easily cost me $20 just driving to Des Moines and back to Marshall County. If Kwik Trip accepted Euros, I would’ve been a lot better off.

To add insult to third world injury, the Afghan military would receive $3.7 billion for counterinsurgency efforts, and the Iraqi military would get $2 billion for the same thing. The President also requested $1.7 billion for Iraq/Afghanistan infrastructure and social programs designed to “win the support of local populations”.

(That region wants us dead, but Colin Powell was right: You break it, you buy it.)

Did you see what our boys came home to at Fort Bragg last week after spending 15 long, difficult months risking their lives in Iraq? Sewage covered bathroom floors and broken toilet seats that in any neighborhood would’ve been condemned.

Oh, the analogy: By most accounts, there are 195 countries on this planet, and if we keep trying to save all, America The Boat O’ Full will go down right along with them.

I’m not implying we shouldn’t help our fellow man around the globe. I’m saying we need to cater a little more to our own or we won’t financially be able to help even ourselves.

Therefore, be ready when the guy at the drive-thru asks, “Do you want any dipping sauce with that?” and get the ranch dressing. I hear it can make even a cow snout value meal taste good.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

May 1, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

It’s been a long, hard couple of weeks for Iowans.

Speculation echoed around the world that home grown corn has been a culprit in pushing the nation’s food prices off the charts, precisely because ethanol is made from its kernel.

Fuel prices are at an all time, scary high. At least we can take solace in knowing Governor Culver will wait a year to bless us with a gasoline tax.

Iowans are paying a one-cent sales tax for educational infrastructure, which excluded an amendment preventing usage for anything except our future youth.

Lest we forget the upped vehicle registration fees presented during the same time period. if you want to buy a new pickup next year, it’s going to cost you.

Did anyone else smirk with malcontent over the temporarily debunked bottle bill? “Here, pay ten cents for bottle deposit, and when you return it, we’ll give you back…eight.” It wasn’t the bill per se. ‘Twas the way it was portrayed.

Last week, people had to be ‘green’ and turn the water off while brushing their teeth. This week, they jumped back into their Hummers and drove to work. Thank goodness everything there is back to normal.

The week before that, Iowa residents were told they will only be allowed to smoke in casinos, making some feel as if they were singled out for the greater good.

Oh, and that reminiscent dollar-per-pack cigarette tax? The governor definitely had Iowa’s back in his sights:

We’ve all heard of the obscure family who wins the lottery and instead of taking deferred payments over 20 years, they’ll accept the lump sum which is a fraction of the jackpot, squander it all away, and the next time you see them, they’re eating pork n’ beans out of the can on Jerry Springer.

Iowa sued tobacco companies during the mid 1990’s, won, and received nearly $2 BILLION which was to be paid to Iowa over a 25 year period and used for things such as anti-smoking campaigns or tobacco related illnesses, but in 2002, the state took it upon itself to sell the rights of those payments for a measly $500 million immediate cash lump sum. Do the math on that one. It was reported last week that it’s gone, folks. As one senator said, legislature will be looking at “a $30 million problem during the next session”.

Regardless of what political party you belong to, regardless of whether you smoke or not, as a tax paying citizen of this state, that should completely and unequivocally anger you.

Adding a pinnacle to these tempestuous weeks - at our expense, state lawmakers closed up shop last weekend by passing the Standings bill, or as the House Majority Leader called it, the Christmas Tree-Type bill. (Wrong choice of words there, Santa.)

This bill contains proposals that couldn’t pick up enough steam to be considered during the session. Within some stockings was a gift certificate: The governor’s salary would rise $12,000 to $142,580, but in all fairness, he’s not had a pay hike in three years. The lieutenant governor’s was rumored at a mere 24% increase.

On one hand, some tax payers would say pay increases such as that are appalling, especially when they can’t remember the last time they personally received one. On the other, in order to keep Iowa productive and attract qualified workers, Iowa must offer such competitive wages to attain a working level of economy. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would not repute that.

But I have just one question for Iowa’s state government: Could your timing and accountability have been any better?

And if that lump of something in my stocking is coal, please hand it to me, for I do not have money to burn. Although, if I set it ablaze, I’ll be killing the Earth. Man, I hate Christmas.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

April 24, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

Ahhhh, warm weather is finally upon us.

So long have we yearned for the sight of a daffodil and the smell of a freshly filled pothole. Dogs are walking their owners while children run home after school and jump on their bikes, returning only when the urge for a Hot Pocket sets in.

Which reminds me…

One day last fall, I was driving on a north-side street in Marshalltown when a little girl on a shoddy bicycle darted from in front of a parked car and headed straight for me as if she was engaging in Huffy-to-GT3000 combat. The rascal couldn’t have been more than six years old.

I was a mere 10 feet from her when I braked to a dead stop. A bit stunned with the window down, I passed by and said, “Sweetheart, you’ve gotta be careful riding out here in the street like that.” She glanced at me like I was nuts, and pedaled toward a driveway where she began to yell, “Hi, Mommy!”

There she was-good ol’ mom, sitting on the front porch step eating a sandwich. I could’ve just crushed the child like a grape and she exuded no reaction whatsoever. It must have been some pretty good bologna.

Three days later, I was zooming down an unlit part of Nevada Street at night when I came upon something that reminded me of goats taking their sweet time crossing a farm road. A small boy was leisurely riding in the middle of my lane, and I calmly waited for him to move to the right. He was wearing dark clothes, there were no reflectors on his two-wheeler, and he had no helmet on.

I crept by him in disbelief, and when I didn’t think it could get any worse, 15 yards ahead in the darkness was the silhouette of a father on a 10-speed of his own. The odd part? He was wearing a helmet! Following suit, Dad veered right, looked back, and said, “Are ya doin’ ok, son?” After witnessing disregard on more than one level, it was evident that his helmet was made of tin foil and not protecting much.

Whether you are a novice cyclist or are about to turn a young one loose onto the streets, the time has come to start being responsible.

Of course, I admire those with the ability to multitask the iPhone while behind the wheel. There is no way I could do that while trying to slather on a fresh coat of lipstick in my rearview mirror.

But with all sarcasm aside, there are more bicycles on the road than ever before, and it’s imperative that parents need to stop teaching their children that it’s acceptable to be a goat.

Vehicles speed by as their handlers talk on cell phones, run stop signs, or argue with children kicking the back of their seat. Cars now have GPS systems, DVD players, and in some, what used to be known as a ‘glove box’ has been converted into a refrigerator-great for storing that bologna.

Do you honestly believe that ever single person driving these fast moving contraptions is focused solely on the road? I happened to be. The next person may not.

Licensed individuals must take written and driven tests to assure they have knowledge of road safety and laws, but with all due respect, when you don’t teach your child the common sense involved with riding a bicycle, we drivers have to be even more cautious due to your lack of responsible parenting; once that child enters a roadway, he/she can turn into a serious road hazard.

Children must be made more aware-adults included. We all have to watch out for ‘the other guy’, pedestrians, and anything else that happens to veer into our MPH path-even the occasional goat.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

April 17, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

If you smoke, Iowa wants to save your life.

Last year, an additional $1.00-per-pack sales tax was attached to every cigarette purchase, generating countless millions in Iowa revenue.

State government now wants everyone to quit smoking for their {insert cough here} health, virtually placing businesses on its new version of the Smoke-Offender Registry.

It’s commendable that Iowa is accepting that mandatory donation and giving every penny back by investing in programs that help kick the habit. They are doing that, right?

Actually, the process is a bit twisted. “Yes, I’m going to buy this pack of cigarettes, pay tax to you, and in turn, you are going to provide me with tools that help me stop this smoke and mirror game. Then tomorrow, I’m going to do it all over again.”

By the way, if a visit to a state casino is on your horizon, it’ll be ok if you die while you ‘max bet’, and if you’re employed there, take pride in knowing that you will be doing your sacrificial duty in the name of the almighty Iowa dollar.

What determines who’s life is more important than another? It will depend on where you light up.

The controversial bill wouldn’t have had such a hypocritical stench if local government would’ve been given the power to wield, and it shall be intriguing to see how many privately owned establishments loop-hole “Bob’s Smoke Shop” at the end of the bar.

If Iowa wants to save the bad, horrible smokers, go straight to the “I’d rather fight than switch” tobacco companies and say, “That’s it. Unless you stop putting carcinogens and every other chemical in your cigarettes, we’re banning you from selling products in our state.” End of story.

Where is the FDA? We’ve not even heard anything from a surgeon general in quite some time. Does this seem odd to you? Probably not if you enjoy drinking cloned cow milk.

It almost looks as if tobacco companies have a hold on more than just the smoker, doesn’t it?

The issue isn’t about smoking-versus-non and is clearly seen-just Windex the residue off first.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

April 10, 2008

By Tammy R. Lawson

MC Sun Staff Writer

Ladies and Gentlemen: Starchure engines!

With Marshalltown Speedway marking 44 years of Midwest racing, last Friday’s annual Frostbuster Event almost didn’t happen due to a wintery rain and snow blow-out that threatened to cancel the entire thing.

But instead, mud flew from tires, stands were sardine-packed, and history was made for the hometown dirt track.

A record 160 race teams came from four states to compete in 30 separate International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) races, which was a surprise to Susan Avery. “We have people here from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri,” she said in between selling tickets to the dozens of people who waited in line. “I think the turnout is excellent for the first night of the year.”

And yes, according to staffer Kathy Link, “We have female drivers who race here, too…we have one here tonight.”

Incidentally, outside sponsors donated to the purse, and before all was said and done, the Modified Class would take home the largest payoff in speedway history-$2008 for the heat race.

Denny Grabenbauer kept with tradition, announcing that winner as Brian Mullen, who made his first appearance at the speedway, and by the sound of it, he was glad he made the trek from Wisconsin to participate. “The track was great! I’ve never won so much money in one race in my life!”

For the Stock Car division, Dustin Smith greeted the checkered flag first, while Luke Wanninger would be the Sport Mod Class winner.

Devin Smith joined his brother Dustin in victory lane by winning the Hobby Stock event, and Randy Bryan was also the front runner in the Dwarf Car feature, scoring his first win at the speedway in over two years.

In addition to several races lined up throughout the new season, the speedway is hosting several family events, including Faster Pastor Night on June 13th and the Cardboard Classic on August 15th.

After last Friday’s success, promoter Toby Kruse is gearing up with anticipation of tomorrow night’s Season Opener. “We [will] continue to grow this event into one of the premier events in the country.”

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

April 10, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

Something has been perplexing me for quite some time.

Women are spending several billion dollars per year on everything from bad makeup to unneeded hair care products. Hard to believe, I know. Men possibly spend 20 bucks.

Now, it’s no secret that advertising is geared toward catching the eyes in the back of a woman’s head, which is obvious because they are the ones that do the majority of the buying - and the female species will pay whatever the cost in order to look as fabulous as the department store clerk says.

This is, of course, after you’ve been given a makeover you reluctantly agreed to, complete with overpriced products by an inexperienced “makeup specialist” wearing a white lab coat. Yes, I have seen your silent screams of “GET ME OUT OF THIS MALL!!” as I stroll by and see those scary, dark magenta splotches being brushed onto your cheekbones as if they’re looking in a mirror.

But here’s what I don’t understand. With all of the cash a woman throws away on products and items jammed into many a bathroom drawer of the abyss, why can’t we set aside a little of that money and buy a year’s supply of our very own razors?

Men are fairly lenient - even when we use their razor on our legs, and won’t use ‘our’ things.  Although, maybe they do and we just haven’t caught them in the act. If hard pressed in the shower, they’ll use that sea foam shampoo with 523 botanical herbs, but there is absolutely no way they will reach for your dull, pink razor in the soap dish unless a desperate situation ensues with no possibility of witnesses or chance of the incident ending up on YouTube.

As history hath proven, men aren’t as gullible when it comes to giving in to the advertising masses. When’s the last time you saw the male species buy a hairbrush? The possibility of this happening is if the man can identify with the product, know it’s for him, and him only.

There’s precisely one acceptable solution for this to occur. Write “Just For Men” on it.

I think this could be taken a step farther than five-minute hair color or manly-sounding body sprays, though.

(By the way, why does it take men only five minutes to cover their gray, and for women, it can take up to 30?)

I’d like to see Hefty make Just For Men Garbage Bags. Or, how about Dawn’s Just For Men Dish Washing Liquid? Here’s a good one: Oreck’s Just For Men Vacuum Cleaner.

But to be fair, I think some men would welcome a Just For Women Credit Card. As the female attempts to make a purchase, the card immediately activates, surging 10,000 volts of raw electricity throughout the body, rendering her utterly useless and virtually saving thousands in credit card interest alone.

Then, gentlemen, you could afford to spend more than 20 bucks.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

April 3, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

In case you were in a deep sleep and missed it, Eliot Spitzer recently resigned his ‘Big Apple’ governing position due to indulgent evidence for high priced hanky-panky and being stupid. There is absolutely no other way to put it.

Last fall, red flags waved with glee as Spitzer made suspicious dealings through two financial institutions. Due diligence hadn’t been achieved on certain bank documents, along with unsuccessfully having his name removed from a specific transaction to the Emperor’s Club, one of at least two high-end (if you will) escort services of which he was a chartered member. Unsure if money laundering or drugs were involved, the FBI sprang into wire-tapping action, and bingo. Game over.

Keep in mind that as attorney general, Spitzer prosecuted several people for precisely the same thing, yet he left a hypocritical paper trail only Hansel and Gretel would’ve been proud of. Very odd, indeed.

The press then touted Miss Dupre, the first woman at the center of his demise, as “the girl that brought the Governor down”.

Correction: She was not the one responsible. He took himself down, his family unwillingly accompanied him, and if you happened to view those press conferences, the wife did not look pleased to tag along.

Being human means screwing up and hopefully learning from it; I’ve been a slow learner a time or two myself. But after the seventh or eighth judgment lapse costing well over 80 grand, is a person genuinely remorseful? In a scramble, that red light can suddenly become clear to see.

The most embarrassing thing I remember about a kid in high school was how he’d wear these white slacks (made of flimsy polyester) that were so bright, NASA could see him from space. Once a week, no student could avoid his colored briefs, and in 1980, this was considered high school scandal at its finest.

Guess what Spitzer’s three teenage girls are going to be remembered for by their fellow classmates? Daddy’s selfish stance of entitlement, his ‘above the law’ mentality, the lack of moral intent as a father/husband, and having what’s supposed to be the best time of their young lives fractured in front of the entire world. That, my friends, is an unfair way to reap what they didn’t even sow.

My mother once said, “Being a parent is 90% guilt.” She’s right. No matter how well you did the job, you’ll always feel as if you could’ve done something more.

What you do as a parent may not only come back to haunt you, it just might take a consequential jab at your offspring. We will always embarrass our kids in some way whether we realize it or not, and teenagers will let us know if this happens-with vengeance.

Hopefully, it’ll be due to something as simple as white polyester pants. Then again, that’s pretty bad.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

March 27, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson

For the past few years, I’ve considered myself extremely lucky.

I’ve yet to live near a strange entity in the area, but I know it’s here somewhere.

It lurks in driveways and behind shrubs with anticipation. It hides in waiting beyond the darkness of its own soap-opera confinement…for you.

This phenomenon can be meddlesome and intrusive; it can be sly and surreptitious. It may be a conniving combination, especially when it watches your every move. Strangely enough, it ends up knowing more about you than your own mother does, and whether you want one or not, it’s yours.

Congratulations. You’re blessed with your very own nosy neighbor.

Now, here are three common types:
1) The Inquisitive Watchdog: This see/hear/speak-all creature is the tamest of the trio. Just like the pup that awaits your arrival home, so does the Inquisitive Watchdog. It cannot wait to greet you, ask how you are, and then begin its ritual. “Hi! Where you are from? You wouldn’t believe who visited my other neighbor while her husband was at work…where did your mother go to school? A big dog came near your lawn and did his business around 2 o’clock.” This means the Watchdog keeps an eye on the comings and goings of your humble abode, which can be a good thing if someone decides to burglarize you, but that doesn’t happen often. The Watchdog is basically a harmless, gossip-lovin’ nuisance that’s best kept at arm’s length, so smile, exchange light chit-chat, and avoid personal conversations, or they won’t be personal very long.

2) The Silhouette: This type is usually quite cordial, but fears the thought of being known as a snoop; therefore, it retreats within its own walls to become a silhouette in the shadows, peering through windows with the lights off during the daylight hour to see what goes on over at your place. (That doesn’t work, by the way. And no, it doesn’t work at night with the lights off, either.) The Silhouette attempts to be silent in its ritual, but usually ends up knocking the glass of the window. Realizing you just discovered it, the Silhouette will quickly shut the curtain and cringe with embarrassment. Just go outside, point toward the window, and laugh hysterically when friends are over, and you’ll be avoided for a while.

3) The Preysavior: This concoction of the first two is the most calculating one of all. The Preysavior is more familiar with your property than its own, and wants you to know it. “Someone knocked on your door today and acted as if they were up to no good, so I came over and chased them away!” This nosy extremist saves the day and wants your trust. All the while, deciphering your every word as it scopes out whatever you own, and has its reasons. If contact is made with the Preysavior, just smile and walk on by. Anything else will be considered a personal invitation to delve into your life, and that’s one RSVP you’ll wish you didn’t answer.

These may vary from the one(s) you’ve encountered, but we’ve all dealt with it; I also know there will again be a time when I acquire one of my own. Until then, I’ll be satisfied with the big, sweet dog that comes near my yard to do his innocent business.

And just so ya know, I stay out of his, and he stays out of mine.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

March 13, 2008
By Tammy R. Lawson
MC Sun Staff Writer

On January 23rd, PRC, L.L.C. announced that its Fort Lauderdale, Florida based company had filed for Chapter 11 restructuring in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, stating that business operations would continue as usual with no layoff plans to speak of-being reiterated on February 4th.

Four weeks later, the 26 year old company said it plans to eliminate approximately 850 jobs by closing three of five Iowa call centers and scaling back in others-Marshalltown’s location being one of the terminated sites by May-which will result in a loss of 275 jobs statewide.

What could have possibly happened in such a short amount of time to change their strategies?

Keep this in mind: Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is the act of hiring a third-party company to handle business activities for corporations, and that’s what PRC Call Centers specialize in. The word ‘outsourcing’ has become a modern day term for large companies that move operations offshore in hopes of low overhead and high reward, sadly becoming the US norm.

According to bankruptcy dockets, PRC, formerly known in Marshall County as Access Direct, entered reported assets of $354 million and $261 million in liabilities along with three other affiliates. This company provides outsourced business solutions-or for a better known term, telemarketing services-which include sales, marketing, and customer service calls for clients such as British Airways, DirecTV, Wells Fargo, AARP, and Sprint.

By early 2005, strategic investor John G. Hall was brought aboard as CEO, and Richard Outram was placed as CFO in order to assist with internal reorganizing which to a point, paid off. Later that year, PRC posted a $22.6 million profit, an increase from $17.1 million the year before. But by the spring of 2007, online finance discussion groups touted “If you (PRC) are going to outsource to cut costs, please don’t blatantly lie about it…the American people are not stupid.”, suggesting that PRC may have gotten in over its BPO head, or wasn’t being forthright about overall intent.

By April 19th, the rumor mill was in full swing that PRC, in a closed door meeting, was planning to outsource its information technology (IT) operations to a small company in Pune, India, due to the unavailability of IT professionals in South Florida. By August 22nd, that insinuation paralleled true.

“A slower-than-expected ramp-up in call center activity for a major new client caused most of the company’s disappointing operating performance,” stated Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Andy Liu. According to Liu, PRC had incurred most of the infrastructure and training costs associated with the contract, but wasn’t able to staff enough call center operators to generate the revenue sufficient to offset the costs. (On the bright side, they have hopes of 90-100% recovery in the event of a payment default.)

In turn, poor execution of this new contract contributed to the resignations of CEO Hall and CFO Outram shortly after.

According to Alicia Miyares, Vice President of Marketing/Communications, policy prohibits disclosing the name of the client contract at this time, but whatever the excuse was for being India bound, replacing executive officers, and virtually cutting their overall workforce in half, reasons and severance packages must’ve been doozies.

Or, could the Do Not Call Registry have been a factor that helped in the demise of Marshalltown’s call center?

The list, which will be five years old in June, covers 150 million phone numbers, and according to online figures compiled by the job placement company Manpower Inc., call center jobs are expected to decline 3-5% through 2011, which is generous by some in the industry.

Incidentally, with the onslaught of people having their own outsourced-to-India customer service horror story, various companies got wise due to a loss of business, thus bringing their contact centers back to the US.

Furthermore, the Federal Trade Commission recently reported a high rate of compliance with the Do Not Call provisions, stating violators face civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. The FTC has levied $8.8 million in civil penalties since 2003, which includes the largest single fine-$5.3 million-paid by DirecTV.

Oh, and remember: DirecTV was one of PRC’s clients.

In a press release, new CEO Jerry McElhatton said, “We will remain focused on delivering top quality customer management solutions for our clients and on supporting the PRC employees who provide these services to their customers every day.”

Good luck with that and coming up with a new company name, but what happens to the Iowans, not counting the others, who are now destined for the unemployment line? Call centers in Marshalltown, Cedar Falls, and Des Moines have been sacrificed, while the ones in Ames and Cedar Rapids were spared. For now.

“I think the biggest thing that we can say is that we’re so sorry that we’ll be shutting down operations,” Miyares said. A telemarketing script was expected, but instead, her demeanor was enough to refrain from ‘killing the messenger’. “It’s terrible news to deliver, and unfortunately this is my job.”

“We gave all of our folks a 60 day notice, and really, our biggest focus right now is communicating with the employees that have resigned, and working with other area employers to see if we can help find these folks their next jobs.”

Miyares continued, “We’re going to be investing in classes, and our people will be taught how to build a good resume, and we’ll give them tips for good interviewing skills. Our folks can sign up to take those classes at the actual center.”

Employees have been given the option of transferring to one of the call centers that will remain in operation, and during a recent visit to the local PRC building, no one was overjoyed to comment without fear of being overheard or being caught. The manager was not keen on being mentioned in this article whatsoever.

But one woman spoke. ‘D’ said, “Nobody knows where they’re going to go yet or what they’re going to do. We’ve been told we can transfer to other centers within the company, but really, no one’s going to do that. Who is really going to do that? Who is going to uproot themselves to another eight-dollar-an-hour center in Cedar Rapids or Ames, and how do we know they won’t close, too?”

Miyares said, “The Marshall Town Center location has been there for a long time. Whether it’s hiring them, training them well, or with unfortunate situations like this, we want to make sure they know they’ve been great employees, and we want to really do our best to help them transition to their next job.”

So where does blame lie? Outsourcing? Do Not Call list? Bad management…or maybe, smart?

‘D’ summed it up nicely with one sentence. “Management tried to keep it as quiet as possible around us but we saw this coming.”

Well, of course. That’s the nature of the bureaucratic beast.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

Restaurant Manager Calvin Scales (left) with Toby Kruse (middle) as he accepts an $1800 sponsorship check from General Manager David Bourdeau on behalf of the Junction Bar & Grille.

Question: What do you get when you put a sports bar and a dirt track together, all in the same room?

Answer: The new Junction Bar & Grille/IMCA Hobby Stock Program.

Kruse Motor Sports, in association with the Marshalltown Speedway, teamed up with the Junction Bar & Grille January 15th at the Best Western-Regency Inn, announcing the newly formed sponsorship between the two in hopes that this is just the beginning of things to come for the IMCA Hobby Stock Class.

Dave Bourdeau, general manager of the Junction Bar & Grille, presented promoter Toby Kruse with a check totaling $1800 for further enhancements of the dirt track program, thus securing the Junction its lead position as their title sponsor.

“What a great addition this is going to make for the new program,” said Kruse. “We have drivers come to our track from as many as ten different states, so we strive to make the Marshalltown Speedway one of the finest in the country, and we’re well on our way with the racing each driver produces every Friday night.”

Kruse, who took over as promoter at the start of the 2006 season, hopes to expand the speedway’s fan base of whom attend the races and spend time in the community, while Bourdeau is equally geared up over the venture and banking for the same.

“This kind of agreement is a first for us,” Bourdeau said. “Since we recently converted our lounge into a casual sports-themed dining restaurant, we thought this was a great way to get involved in the community.”

Bourdeau also hopes to eventually have outdoor summer concerts next door to the Regency Inn, and Kruse thinks this will be a positive thing for those who attend the races. “We cater to those who want to go to the races, have fun, and this will be a great way to do it.”

The Junction Bar & Grille will be open after the races on Friday nights to accommodate race fans and competitors alike when the season gets off to a roaring start in April.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008

March 6, 2008

Tammy R. Lawson

MC Sun Staff Writer

You can’t help but notice the crisp, new banner adorning the entry that reads “Welcome, Friends” in eight different languages.

The recently established New Iowan Center, in conjunction with Marshalltown’s Iowa Workforce Development Office, provides a countless number of free services to those who have recently moved to Iowa, are seeking employment, or just want to learn a second way to communicate.

The IWD Initiative first opened offices around the state of Iowa in 2000 with goals of educating individuals and various community employers on issues relating to immigration, workforce development, small business programs, and economic development assistance. Overall, the organization has served people from over 100 countries including Brazil, China, Argentina, Ecuador, and France.

“We have people coming in and looking for anything from housing to employment searching, and we’ve even had people come in who [reside] here,” explained Coordinator Stephanie Snow on the services offered to all, including local residents. “Our doors are open to anyone, but our focus is mainly on people who are new to Iowa.”

With the populating incline of Marshall County’s cultural divisions, the overwhelming need for the facility was obvious from the IWD’s point of view. Since opening, the center currently assists 50 people on a monthly basis with free services that include résumé writing, diversity training (which helps new residents adapt to culture shock or it can be used by employers who are looking for a more fluent employee communication), citizenship training, relocation, and with the filing deadline being right around the “eee-i, eee-I OWE” corner, income tax/ITIN information and referral will surely be popular-like it or not.

From the wealth of New Iowan Center assistance, the English and Spanish classes provide area newbie’s two specialized ways of learning a second language. The One On One Program gives a personal, face-to-face conversational learning experience, while the Rosetta Stone® Language Learning Program focuses on individualized, in-house computer instruction that uses speech recognition technology and real-time simulations, thus allowing one to progress effectively at their own pace.

If you would like more information on the services offered, contact the New Iowan Center on 3405 South Center Street in Marshalltown at (641)844-6993 and Coordinator Stephanie Snow or Associate Juana Alcantar will answer any questions.

“Oh my gosh, you get the chance to meet people from all over the world,” Snow commented about some of the clients who have walked passed the welcoming banner. “It makes my job really fun to do.”

Now there’s something you just don’t hear every day.

Marshall County Sun© Copyright 2008