Rising to Greatness An Imperative for Improving Iowa’s Schools, 2011

In the early 1990s, the Cold War ended, Back to the Future III was in theaters, and Iowa led the nation in reading and mathematics. Times have changed. A decade into the 21st century, Iowa has conceded its place at the top. During the past 20 years, achievement trends illustrate Iowa’s slide from a national leader in PK-12 education to a national average―sometimes below average―performer as other states (and nations) have accelerated past the state. Iowa students’ futures are at risk. Collectively, Iowa students are not hitting the mark in mathematics and reading competency. Sure, Iowa has its share of super-achievers. But the mass of Iowa students—not just underprivileged or minority students, but many of the majority white, relatively affluent students as well—are falling short of what is needed to attain quality jobs, growing incomes, and secure livelihoods in today’s globally competitive world. The world has moved beyond the industrial age and information age and is now in the innovation age. Students must be armed not only with knowledge, but also with skills and insights needed to critically analyze and innovate. The pressing problems and grand opportunities the world faces require that many more people contribute as innovators and problem solvers, not order takers and implementers. Innovators will prosper. Order takers will stagnate. The days of an abundance of low-skill jobs have come to an end.

Iowa Commuting Patterns, 2000

A century ago, the majority of workers were employed near their homes—on farms or in cities and towns. As industrialization increased and suburbs surrounded central cities, commuting meant going from homes in suburbs to jobs in cities. Today, there is a growing trend of workers commuting between suburbs. On any given day, 61,775 workers commute to jobs in Iowa counties other than the one in which they live. The most important reason for increased commuting has been employment growth. Rising incomes and the growth of suburbs have also been factors. In the past, the increased employment of women added to the number of commuters. Commuting patterns are a key consideration in transportation planning. In more urban states than Iowa, there is concern that the use of mass transit continues to decline. In Iowa, where so much of our commuting is between counties, private vehicles are often the only practical means of getting to and from work. On any given day, 1,155,008 single-occupancy vehicles are driven to and from jobs somewhere in Iowa. At the same time, an additional158,699 workers share rides by participating in carpools.

A Case Study of China’s Commercial Pork Value Chain, August 2005

In China, with the cost of improved technology rising, surplus labor shrinking, and demand for food quality and safety increasing, it will be just a matter of time before the country’s hog production sector will be commercialized like that of developed countries. However, even if China’s cost of production converges to international levels, as shown in this case study, China may continue to retain some competitive advantage because of the labor-intensive nature of the marketing services involved in hog processing and meat distribution. The supply of variety meats offers the most promising market opportunity for foreign suppliers in China. The market may open further if the tariff rate for variety meats is reduced from 20% and harmonized with the pork muscle meat rate of 12%, and if the value-added tax of 13% is applied equally to both imported and domestic products. The fast-growing Western-style family restaurant and higher-end dining sector is another market opportunity for high-quality imported pork.

Quarterly Report of the Building Project for the Motor Vehicle Division

Pursuant to Section 1 of House File 466 of the 81st General Assembly, the Iowa Department of Transportation is required to make quarterly reports to the Legislative Council regarding the progress of the building project for the Motor Vehicle Division. During the quarter ending June 30, 2007, the project was delayed by two weeks. The Motor Vehicle Division moved into the new Ankeny facility on June 22 and was operational Monday, June 25. The driver's license stations reopened as scheduled Tuesday, June 26, at the Ankeny facility as well as the Oliver Plaza renewal location.

Discovering Historic Iowa Transportation Milestones, February 1999

In studying and forming an understanding of Iowa’s transportation history, we must surely develop a reverence for the lifestyles which preceded ours. Achieving a greater understanding of our past, we are better prepared to plan our future as we say farewell to the 20th century and move forward into the 21st. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes: “I believe the greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving... and the further backward you can look, the farther forward you can see.” To help Iowans gain a better understanding of our state’s rich transportation past, the Iowa Department of Transportation has produced a collection of materials including this booklet, the 1999-2000 Iowa Transportation Map, a video entitled A History of Iowa’s Rivers, Roads, Rails and Runways, and a traveling photo exhibit. In addition, Iowa is fortunate to have many local organizations, and the state-owned museum and historic sites, working to preserve the history of our state. Listed in the back section of this booklet are the addresses and descriptions of many sites that offer visitors an opportunity to see a wide range of transportation- related artifacts. The information and photographs are organized in time sequence. However, you will note that many of the transportation eras overlap. The booklet begins with Iowa’s pre-settlement era and concludes with the historic highway and transit program that was signed into law by President Clinton in 1998. As you can imagine, condensing this much Iowa history into a booklet-sized resource was a monumental challenge. Making selections and abbreviating the information resulted in some difficult editorial choices. However, we hope this publication will inspire readers to learn more about our rich, rewarding past and to visit and experience some of Iowa’s historic sites.

Iowa Commission on the Status of African Americans Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2008

This publication of our 2008 Annual Report. This past year was beset with challenges and disappointments, but we were still able to forge ahead and register some significant accomplishments along the way. Our vision to organize our collective genius in a systematic way is beginning to take shape, and these efforts are reflected in this report. From various developments, like the making of a documentary and film of the Alexander Clark, Sr. story, to the partnership between the division and principal leadership in the faith community around the OCBI’s “Ten Point Plan”, one can envision the proverbial Black “phoenix” rising, renewed from the ashes of banal ideologies and practices. We will seize this opportunity, in conjunction with all of Iowa, to work together around the entire state, to produce a plan that reflects our collective interests, passions, and needs as we help create the Governor and Lt Governor’s vision of “One Iowa with One Unlimited Future.”

Executive Order Number Twenty-Three, April 9, 2010

Establishes specific steps to be taken by the executive branch to work in concert with the legislation in the effort to contain rising insurance costs as much as possible for all Iowans.

The Iowa State Capitol Grounds 1913 Extension and Reconstruction Project, October 2012

The Capitol grounds have been evolving through planned and unplanned actions for more than 150 years. The 1857 Constitutio established Des Moines as the capital. The commissioners appointed to choose a site decided on land donated by Wilson Alexander Scott and Harrison Lyon. Located on the east side of the Des Moines River, on a gently rising hill, the site for the Iowa State Capitol began with fewer than 10 acres. The Old Brick Capitol was built in the center of that 10-acre plot, and the area to the north was used as a public park until work began on the present day Capitol. In 1884, the two-year process of moving from the Old Brick Capitol to the new Capitol began. The state commissioned John Weidenman to design the first formal decoration of the grounds. Weidenman’s plans for the west approach to the Capitol included planting statues, and walkways. The State held some additional land but not necessarily land adjacent to the Capitol. In 1909, legislation was passed, and in 1913, the Thirty-Fifth General Assembly enacted controversial legislation to acquire additional land. A commission was formed to locate a purposed monument honoring the long-serving U.S. Senator William B. Allison. E.L. Masqueray was hired as the architect expert focusing on the selection of a proper site for the proposed Allison Memorial. Masqueray’s plan detailed the placement of buildings and potential monuments. Growth of the Capitol Complex, as known today, began.

Field Demonstration of Foamed Asphalt Muscatine County, HR-257, 1988

The foamed asphalt concept has been around since the 1950's. Rising oil prices have created a renewed interest in this process. The purpose of this project was to construct an asphalt base using the foamed asphalt process and to evaluate its performance. A 4.2 mile length of Muscatine County road A-91 was selected for the research project. Asphalt contents of 4.5% and 5.5%, moisture contents of 70% and 90% of optimum, and fog, single chip, and double chip seal coats were used in various combinations to lay 9 test sections of 4-inch foamed asphalt base. After five years of service and evaluation, several conclusions can be made concerning the performance of the foamed asphalt bases: (1) the foamed asphalt process can work as shown by the excellent performance of Sections 2 and 3; (2) foamed asphalt base requires a well compacted subgrade and a road profile suitable for good drainage of water--test section failures were mostly due to a poor subgrade and subsurface moisture; and (3) when the base is placed in two or more lifts, extreme care must be exercised to insure adequate bonding is achieved between lifts. Any future research with foamed asphalt should include various asphalt depths in order to determine a thickness/strength relationship for foamed asphalt.

Burden of Diabetes in Iowa 1991-2009, Final Report, May 2010

The Iowa Diabetes Prevention and Control Program provides educational opportunities for health care providers via the Iowa Communications Network interactive fiber optic system. The program also certifies diabetes outpatient education programs in Iowa based on minimum criteria for quality programs. In Iowa during the past 20 years, the prevalence rate of diagnosed diabetes increased dramatically among adults: Between 1991 and 2009 the crude diabetes prevalence rate rose by 84%, from 3.8% to 7.0%. Between these years, the age‐adjusted adult diagnosed diabetes prevalence rate increased by 64%, rising from 3.7% to 6.4%. During the 18 years 1991‐93 through 2006‐08, the number of Iowa adults with diagnosed diabetes more than doubled, increasing from 78,000 to 162,000. While the Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), upon which the numbers cited above are based, provides reliable state‐level self‐reported data on adults with diagnosed diabetes, it is unable to provide estimates of undiagnosed diabetes. National estimates put the prevalence of undiagnosed adult diabetes at about 5%, raising the estimated adult diabetes prevalence rate in Iowa to 12% (280,000 adults) (Cowie,2009). Another 5% of all Iowa adults are estimated to have diagnosed pre‐diabetes, while 25% of all Iowa adults, based on national estimates from the 2005‐06 National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES), likely have undiagnosed pre‐diabetes. (Cowie, 2009)