By Michael Swanger

Though it is a reporter’s job to explain information in a clear, concise way so that the reader can easily understand the subject, sometimes you can’t beat unadulterated facts compiled in easy-to-digest lists. “Just give me the facts,” newspaper readers often say. Well, here they are.

This marks the fourth year that Cityview has published its “Records and Rankings” issue. Like some of the weekly fixtures Cityview publishes, this week’s cover story is dedicated to interesting information ranging from state employee salaries, to political contributions, to statistics about crime, death, education, travel, babies and the lottery. It is a short, easy read, but one that is brimming with information that tells many stories.

Top 20 Paid State of Iowa Employees for 2008

Kirk Ferentz (photo), University of Iowa football coach, $2.87 million
Donna Katen-Bahensky, University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics adjunct professor, $1.11 million
Todd Lickliter, University of Iowa men’s basketball coach, $1.03 million
Eugene Chizik, Iowa State University football coach, $1 million
Mark Iannettoni, University of Iowa professor, $771,415
Greg McDermott, Iowa State University men’s basketball coach, $750,000
Bruce Gantz, University of Iowa professor, $604,093
James Davis, University of Iowa clinical associate professor, $581,873
Matthew Howard, University of Iowa professor, $572,194
John Buatti, University of Iowa professor, $543,927
Ronald Weigel, University of Iowa professor, $520,459
Kirk Fridrich, University of Iowa professor, $517,399
Joel Shilyansky, University of Iowa associate professor, $503,320
Patrick Hitchon, University of Iowa professor, $496,652
Vincent Traynelis, University of Iowa professor, $495,738
Arnold Menezes, University of Iowa professor, $493,351
Paul Rothman, University of Iowa dean, $490,170
Alan Reed, University of Iowa professor, $485,959
Michael Todd, University of Iowa professor, $477,870
Bill Fennelly, Iowa State University women’s basketball coach, $475,000
(Source: State of Iowa)

Top 20 Political Campaign Donors for 2008

James Cownie (photo), Des Moines, $167,965
Bruce Rastetter, Hubbard, $126,000
Michael Medved, West Des Moines, $57,601
Gerald Kirke, West Des Moines, $53,100
James Myers, West Des Moines, $45,131
Kyle Krause, Waukee, $40,200
Frank Brownell, Montezuma, $36,950
William Knapp, West Des Moines, $35,530
Gary Sandquist, Johnston, $34,250
Steven Ackerson, Clive, $33,275
Donald Lamberti, Ankeny, $31,540
John Forsyth, West Des Moines, $30,800
Richard Allbee, Hampton, $27,225
Gerald Kirke, West Des Moines, $23,000
Denny Elwell, Ankeny, $22,250
Curt Hames, Marion, $21,400
Allan Jones, Cleveland, $20,800
James Ayers, Parsons, $20,000
Joann Waddell, Davenport, $20,000
Barry Griswell, West Des Moines, $19,600
(Source: Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board)

Top 30 Paid Department of Cultural Affairs Employees (Polk County)

Cyndi Pederson (photo), director of department of cultural affairs, $94,701
Mary Olney, public service executive, $90,857
Gordon Hendrickson, public service executive, $85,279
Jerome Thompson, public service executive, $82,608
Lowell Soike, executive officer 3, $72,708
Jeffrey Dawson, architect supervisor, $67,653
Mary Jones, public service executive, $67,352
Michael Smith, historical program specialist, $65,716
Walter Ladd, info tech specialist 3, $66,034
William Johnson, historical program specialist, $64,363
Kathryn Gourley, historical program specialist, $63,548
Berry Bennett, historical program specialist, $63,545
Beth Brannen, historical program specialist, $62,871
Sharon Avery, historical program specialist, $62,797
Jack Porter, historical program specialist, $62,658
Jerry Brown, historical program specialist, $62,579
Ralph Christian, historical program specialist, $62,579
Jodene Evans, historical program specialist, $62,579
John Lufkin, historical program specialist, $62,579
Becki Plunkett, historical program specialist, $62,579
Peter Sixby, historical program specialist, $62,579
Bruce Williams, arts programmer 3, $62,579
Rachelle Saltzman, arts programmer 3, $62,245
Thomas Hardie, museum technician, $59,587
Daniel Higginbottom, historical program specialist, $57,597
Barbara Mitchell, public service director, $56,712
Paula Mohr, historical program specialist, $56,333
Sarah Macht, museum technician, $55,044
Maureen Korte, info specialist 2, $54,164
Jeffrey Morgan, info specialist 2, $53,988
(Source: The Iowa Legislative Services Agency)

2009 Business Integrity Award Winners, Better Business Bureau of Des Moines

• BCC Advisers
• Schaal Heating & Cooling
• West Bank
• Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Goodwill Industries
(Source: Better Business Bureau serving Greater Iowa, http://www.desmoines.bbb.org)

2007 Iowa Crimes Against Persons

• Murder: 59
• Sexual assault: 87
• Aggravated assault: 6,544
• Simple assault: 21,416
• Kidnapping: 227
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Safety)

2007 Iowa Crimes Against Property

• Robbery: 45 crimes per 100,000 population
• Burglary: 16,550
• Larceny: 56,626
• Motor vehicle theft: 4,998
• Fraud: 173 per 100,000 population
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Safety)

2007 Iowa Crimes Against Society

• Drug offenses: 377 per 100,000 population
• Weapons laws: 32 per 100,000 population
• Domestic abuse: 7,060
• Serious crimes: 3,010 per 100,000 population
• Violent crimes: 311 per 100,000 population
• Property crimes: 2,699 per 100,000 population
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Safety)

Iowa Sex Offender Registry as of May 1, 2009

• Total registered offenders in Iowa: 4,990
• Total registered offenders in Polk County: 417
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Safety)

Iowa State Patrol Fiscal Year 2008 Statistics

• Troopers had contact with more than 1,100 motorists each day
• 82,750 traffic citations were issued for speed violations
• 1,879 intoxicated drivers were arrested
• 21,920 seatbelt citations were issued
• 24,994 motorists were provided with road assistance
• $2.1 million worth of marijuana seized
• $444,000 worth of meth seized
• $6.2 million worth of cocaine seized
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Safety)

General Iowa Facts

• Population estimate 2008: 3,002,555
• Persons under 18 years old in 2007: 23.8 percent
• Persons 65 and over in 2007: 14.7 percent
• Female persons in 2007: 50.7 percent
• White persons in 2007: 94.4 percent
• Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin in 2007: 4 percent
• High school graduates of persons over 25 in 2000: 86.1 percent
• College graduates of persons over 25 in 2000: 21.2 percent
• Persons with a disability in 2000: 446,665
• Home ownership rate in 2000: 72.3 percent
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2000: $82,500
• Households in 2000: 1,149,276
• Median household income in 2007: $47,324
• Per capita money income in 1999: $19,674
• Persons below poverty in 2007: 11 percent
• Retail sales in 2002 ($1,000): 31,195,012
• Building permits in 2007: 11,171
• Federal spending in 2007 ($1,000): 21,649,106
• Land area in 2000 (square miles): 55,869
• Persons per square mile in 2000: 52.4
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

Causes of Death in Iowa in 2002-06

• Unintentional injuries were the leading cause of death for Iowans ages 1-34 years old.
• Motor vehicle traffic deaths were the leading cause of injury death for Iowans ages 1-34 and 55-64. Suicide was the leading cause of injury death among Iowans ages 35-54.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of injury death after motor vehicle traffic and falls in Iowa.
• The rate of suicide in Iowa (11.1/100,000) is higher than the national average (10.9/100,000).
• Half of all suicides involve firearms.
• Firearms (52 percent), cut/pierce (15 percent) and suffocation (7 percent) are the leading causes of homicide death in Iowa.
• Homicide rates in Iowa (1.9/100,000) are lower than the national average (5.9/100,000).
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Health, http://www.idph.state.ia.us)

• On average from 2002 to 2006, Iowans whose deaths were related to injuries lost 22 years of potential life.
• For every female who dies due to injuries in Iowa, two males will die due to injuries, regardless of age group.
• Blacks in Iowa are three times more likely to be hospitalized for injury than whites.
(Source: Iowa Department of Public Health, http://www.idph.state.ia.us)

Most Popular Baby Names of 2008

Girls
Ava
Isabella/Izabella
Madeline/Madelyn/Madeleine/Madelynn
Emma
Abigail
Olivia
Lily/Lilly
Sophia/Sofia
Chloe
Ella

Boys
Aiden/Aidan/Aden/Adan
Ethan
Noah
Kaden/Caden/Cayden/Kayden
Caleb/Kaleb
Braden/Brayden/Braeden/Braydon/Braedan
Jacob/Jakob
Landon
Liam
Lucas/Lukas
(Source: http://www.BabyNames.com)

Iowa Travel Statistics

• Busiest spot on Iowa roadways: Interstate 235 in Des Moines near 42nd Street. In 2006 the average daily traffic count was 113,100 vehicles per day.
• Estimated miles traveled in 2006: 31.73 billion
• Licensed drivers: 2.1 million in 2004
• Largest group of licensed drivers in 2005: Ages 40-49 (404,522)
• Total number of vehicles registered in Iowa (2007): 4,082,878 (trucks and truck-tractors accounted for 927,357 of those vehicles)
• Motorists purchased approximately 55 million gallons of gas and 1.077 billion gallons of gasohol in Iowa in 2004.
• Federal tax on gasoline in 2007: 18.4 cents per gallon
• Federal tax on diesel in 2007: 24.4 cents per gallon
• State Excise Taxes in 2009: Gasoline 20.7 cents, E-85 19 cents, Diesel 22.5 cents
• An estimated 19,000 volunteers help keep 52 percent of the state’s roadways litter-free.
• Iowans fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2006: 439
• There was one crash every 10 minutes in 2006. One in 25 drivers were involved.
(Source: Iowa Department of Transportation, http://www.dot.state.ia.us)

Iowa and National Lottery Statistics

• Iowa Fiscal Year 2008 Lottery Sales (millions): $249
• Iowa Fiscal Year 2008 Lottery Profits (millions): $57
• Since the Iowa Lottery started in 1985, players have won more than $2.2 billion in prizes while the lottery has raised more than $1.1 billion for state programs.
• During Fiscal Year 2005, U.S. Lottery sales totaled $53.2 billion.
• Lottery tickets are sold at more than 240,000 locations throughout North America.
• Retailers that sell lottery tickets receive a commission of 5 to 8 percent.
• According to the Gallup Poll on Gambling in America, people with incomes of $45,000 to $75,000 were the most likely to play the lottery (65 percent), while those with incomes under $25,000 were the least likely to play (53 percent).
• In 1996, 1,136 people won $1 million or more playing North America lotteries. That same year, 91 people were killed by lightning.
(Sources: The North America Association of State and Provincial Lotteries and American Gaming Association)

Iowa’s Education 2007-2008

Total students: 514,747
Polk County public school students: 67,577
Polk County private school students: 5,336
Public school districts: 364
Nonpublic school districts: 184
Districts without a public high school: 29
Average full-time teacher salary including extra duty for extra pay: $46,626
Percent of public school teachers with advanced degree: 27.9
Average age of public school teachers: 42.7
Percent of female public school teachers: 80.9
Average total salary for public school principals: $80,673
Average total salary for public school superintendents: $106,161
Average pupil/teacher ratio for public schools: 13.7:1
Graduation rate: 90.5 percent
Average ACT score: 22.4
Number of successive years with a decline in enrollment: 10
Estimated 2008-2009 Iowa elementary and secondary school district budget: $4.4 billion
(Source: Iowa Department of Education, http://www.iowa.gov/educate)

Iowa’s 10 most purchased spirits, by cases, as of April 2009

Black Velvet
Captain Morgan Original
Hawkeye Vodka
Five O’Clock
Jack Daniels Black Label
Barton
Bacardi Dry
Jagermeister
Seagram Crown Royal
Seagram 7
(Source: Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division)

Estimated Cost of an OWI

Total cost: $5,738 (based on averages below)
Vehicle towing/storage: $57
Driver license reinstatement fee: $20
New driver’s license: $23
Driver’s license civil penalty: $200
Car insurance premium increase: $900
Interlock or “blow & go” device: $393
OWI penalty fee: $1,250
OWI classes: $115
OWI substance abuse evaluation: $50
Probation administration fee: $300
Attorney fees: $2,000
Missed wages (5 work days): $430
(Source: Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division)

Iowa Prison Industries

Offenders Supervised in the Community
(includes offenders in virtual tracking)
Probation: 23,411
Parole: 3,440
Pretrial release with supervision: 1,412
Residential facilities: 1,587
Other: 18
Total: 29,868
Offenders in Prison: 8,756

Offenders Served (FY 2008)
Community: 59,015
Prisons: 14,223

Prison Population Forecast
July 2009: 8,361
July 2010: 8,296
July 2011: 8,350
July 2012: 8,335
July 2013: 8,445
(Source: Iowa Department of Corrections, http://www.doc.state.ia.us)

Top 10 Grossing Films in 2008 (USA)

“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Ball”
“Hancock”
“WALL E”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“Twilight”
“Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”
“Quantum of Solace”
“Horton Hears a Who!”
(Source: Internet Movie Data Base)

Top 10 Selling Albums of 2008

Lil Wayne “Tha Carter III”
Coldplay “Viva La Vida”
Taylor Swift “Fearless”
Kid Rock “Rock ‘N Roll Jesus”
AC/DC “Black Ice”
Taylor Swift “Taylor Swift”
Metallica “Death Magnetic”
T.I. “Paper Trail”
Jack Johnson “Sleep Through the Static”
Beyonce “I Am… Sasha Fierce”
(Source: Billboard.com)

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