The Good
It’s nice when employees who may be overlooked are rewarded for their hard work. The Iowa School Worker’s Association recently named Lori Rogerson, a Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) social worker, as the Iowa Social Worker of the Year. Rogerson has worked for the DMPS for nine years and serves as a social worker at both North High School and Carver Community School. She also is the point person for the district’s teen suicide prevention efforts and grief response team leader. Rogerson was nominated by one of her peers and will be honored at an ISSWA statewide conference in West Des Moines on Jan. 15, 2010.
Last week Des Moines Public Schools and United Way of Central Iowa participated in the “Reach Out to Dropouts” campaign, an event where officials persuaded dropouts to re-enroll in the district. Approximately 220 volunteers visited 308 student homes, resulting in 23 students re-enrolling and 58 students considering it. The event was modeled after one started in 2004 by the Houston Independent School District in Teaxs. Des Moines Public Schools reported that 710 students dropped out in 2007-08.
The Bad
September was a deadly month in the Des Moines area as three fatal hit-and-runs took place. The most recent happened Sept. 27 when 13-year-old Devin Fry was killed when a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Angela Arellano struck the teenager in the 1600 block of East University Avenue. Arellano also struck Marcus Ira-Jenkins, 15, on the shoulder and hit 17-year-old Rabiatu Timothy. Ira-Jenkins was not injured, but Timothy was taken to Mercy Medical Center where her condition was upgraded from critical to fair on Sunday afternoon. Police have charged Arellano, 36, who was also allegedly intoxicated at the time, with vehicular homicide and serious injury by vehicle. She turned herself in Sept. 28 and is being held on $80,000 bond at the Polk County Jail.
Talk about brawn over brains. Travis Everett and Matthew Tobin, both of Mason City, were arrested after officials found stolen body building supplements at their house. Last week, Mason City police responded to a burglary report at the Ironhouse Gym, 1805 South Carolina Ave. A number of body building supplements, worth $1,800, were reportedly stolen. Both men were charged with third-degree burglary. Further charges are pending as police continue the investigation. These guys were likely getting ready to train some girlie men and needed new product to help “pump… them up!”
The Ugly
When a sex offender completes his or her time, a lot of questions are raised upon the release. A few offenders leave prison rehabilitated, but the majority repeat. Last week, Jack Hays, a registered sex offender, was arrested at his home after he allegedly physically and sexually assaulted an acquaintance. Police state that Hays broke into the woman’s home, which was located in the 5000 block of Urbandale Avenue, between midnight and 3 a.m. Hays assaulted the woman for three hours and then left the scene after the woman begged him to leave because her husband would be home soon. Police found Hays at his home and charged him with burglary and second-degree sexual abuse, after he admitted to the crime. Hays was released from prison in 2007 after he served a sentence for sexually abusing a minor. Will we ever learn?
Talk about a three dog night. Denise Withee, 46, of Maple, was sentenced to four years of probation and was barred from owning a pet for five years after she dumped 23 dead or dying dogs in a south-central Nebraska cornfield last year. Withee says she dumped the dogs after she believed they had died on a trip to North Platte. She was convicted of felony animal abandonment or neglect. CV
