State of Iowa HIV and AIDS Surveillance Report, December 2004

After taking a dip in 2003, HIV diagnoses were back up in 2004. There were 103 persons diagnosed in 2004, very close to our ten-year average of 100 cases per year. In 2003, there were 91 diagnoses. The increase in 2004 was limited to one demographic group: white, U.S.-born males. Most of these were men who have sex with men, but there were also small increases among injection-drug-using men and those without a known risk. Their median age was 41, slightly older than the overall median age of 38 years. Eighty percent were residents of the 10 most populous counties in Iowa, particularly the counties of Polk, Pottawattamie, Johnson, Linn, Scott, Story, and Woodbury.

State of Iowa HIV and AIDS Surveillance Report, March 2005

This quarter, we had 33 diagnoses of HIV infection (regardless of AIDS status), which is a little above our usual pace. Fifteen (45%) received concurrent diagnoses of AIDS. There were 8 persons who converted from HIV to AIDS, for a total of 23 AIDS diagnoses, also a little higher than expected. Of note is an increase in the percentage of HIV and AIDS cases diagnosed among Black, non-Hispanic persons during the 1st quarter of 2005. We also saw a bit of an increase in HIV diagnoses among foreign-born persons. It is too early to identify this as a trend; we’ll keep an eye on these numbers through the rest of the year.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 1, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. February 1, 2012 THIS WEEK: A Different Oath for Senator Vale BACKGROUND: Senator Jacob G. Vale was born July 7, 1821, in York County, Pennsylvania. In 1847, he married Anne Rex, and they moved to Iowa in 1850. Vale farmed in Lee County, and in 1853, he ran on an independent ticket for the legislature but was defeated. He moved to Van Buren County in 1856. In 1861, he was solicited by both parties to become a candidate for the state Senate. He was elected and served as the only independent senator in the 13th General Assembly. Vale also served in the 14th General Assembly in 1872. In 1873, Vale was the Anti-Monopoly candidate for governor of Iowa. Vale died February 17, 1875. His son, B.R. Vale, served in the Iowa Senate from 1888-1896

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, February 8, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. February 8, 2012 THIS WEEK: The Resolution Granting a Festival for the Citizens of Des Moines BACKGROUND: The following comes from a journal entry in the Pioneer Lawmakers’ Association of Iowa, Volumes 1-14, 1896-1913. The journal entry is from the Third Annual Meeting of the Pioneer Lawmakers— Reunion of 1892. The president, Charles Aldrich, called the meeting to order February 10, 1892, in the assembly rooms of the Young Men’s Christian Association. Governor Cyrus Carpenter gave the address. Cyrus Carpenter was born November 24, 1829, and died May 29, 1898. He served in the Seventh General Assembly in 1858. This was the first general assembly to meet in Des Moines in the newly constructed Brick Capitol. Carpenter was Iowa’s eighth governor since becoming a state in 1846. He was inaugurated in 1872 at the age of 42. Carpenter also served in the Iowa Senate during the 20th General Assembly in 1884

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, March 21, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. March 21, 2012 THIS WEEK: Quick Work at Carlisle(From the Indianola Tribune, December 20, 1877) BACKGROUND: Lewis Todhunter was born in Fayette County, Ohio, April 6, 1817. He was admitted to the bar in Highland County, Ohio, in 1848. Todhunter came to Iowa in 1850, settling along the Des Moines River in Polk County, where he was engaged in farming and selling goods. In 1854, he moved to Indianola and began the practice of law, continuing in that profession for more than a quarter of a century. He served as prosecuting attorney, county auditor, treasurer, and mayor of the city. He was a member of the third constitutional convention, which met at Iowa City in 1857, representing Warren, Madison, Adair, and Cass counties in that body and had the honor of assisting in making the first laws of the state. Todhunter served in the army during the Civil War from 1863-1865 as assistant quartermaster with rank of Captain. He is perhaps widest known, however, as a temperance leader and earnest worker. He joined in the Washingtonian movement in 1840 and was active in temperance reformation for the rest of his life.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, April 11, 2012

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. April 11, 2012 THIS WEEK: Iowa State Capitol Mosaics BACKGROUND: Frederick Dielman Born in Germany in 1847, Frederick Dielman was an illustrator and figure painter. Dielman designed the six mosaic panels in the Iowa State Capitol along the east wall on the third floor. The mosaics were actually made in Venice, Italy, and shipped to the Capitol. The mosaics in the Capitol represent the three branches of government, education, defense, and charities.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, March 13, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: Judge Reuben Noble Praises the Iowa State Building at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition BACKGROUND: REUBEN NOBLE REUBEN NOBLE was born on the 14th of April, 1821, in Ada County, Mississippi, where his father was a farmer. When he was eighteen years of age, Noble began to study law and was admitted to the bar at twenty-one. In 1843, he came to Iowa, making his home at Garnavillo, in Clayton County. In 1854, Noble was elected to the legislature as a free soil Whig and upon the organization of the House was chosen Speaker, serving in the regular session of 1854 and extraordinary session of 1855. At the first Republican State Convention of 1856, he was placed at the head of the ticket for presidential elector. Four years later, he was a delegate to the National Convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for president. Up to the time of the attempt of the Republicans to remove President Johnson by impeachment, Noble had been a prominent leader of that party. But approving of the policies of the President, he left the Republicans and from that time became a Democrat. In 1866, Noble was nominated by the Democrats for Representative in Congress but was defeated by William B. Allison. In 1886, he was one of the organizers of the Pioneer Lawmakers’ Association and was its first president, never missing a session during the remainder of his life. Noble was the leader of the bar of northeastern Iowa beginning in 1850. As a compliment to his high standing and eminent qualifications as a jurist, the citizens of the Tenth Judicial District elected him to tthe office of district judge in the fall of 1874. (History of Iowa from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/Volume 4)

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, March 27, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained. THIS WEEK: History of Iowa from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century BACKGROUND: BENJAMIN F. GUE BENJAMIN F. GUE was born in Greene County, New York, on December 25, 1828. His education was acquired in the public schools, with two terms in academies of Canandaigua and West Bloomfield. He taught school in the winter of 1851 and early in March 1852, came to Iowa, and bought a claim on Rock Creek in Scott County. He was an abolitionist and took a deep interest in the antislavery movements of that period.

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, April 24, 2013

Pieces of Iowa’s Past, published by the Iowa State Capitol Tour Guides weekly during the legislative session, features historical facts about Iowa, the Capitol, and the early workings of state government. All historical publications are reproduced here with the actual spelling, punctuation, and grammar retained THIS WEEK: Iowa State Capitol and the Library of Congress Feature Artist’s Work BACKGROUND: Elmer Ellsworth Garnsey was primarily a muralist who painted on the East Coast from a studio in New York City. He was born in Holmdel, New Jersey, and took art training at the Art Students League and Cooper Union. Affiliations included the National Society of Mural Painters and the American Federation of the Arts. His work is in the Library of Congress, Boston Public Library, Memorial Hall at Yale University, City Art Museum of St. Louis, U.S. Custom House in New York City, and the State Capitol in Iowa.

Older Workers in Iowa, May 2006

A large wave of workers born during the Baby Boom of 1946 to 1964 will be leaving the workforce over the next few decades. A larger share than in past generations may “retire” to collect the pensions they earned over their work life and then continue working part-time or more flexible working arrangements.