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Good Bad Ugly

8/28/2013

The good

Leaders from Des Moines Public Schools, Drake University and Des Moines Area Community College are working together to form a new partnership to recruit, educate and hire more minority teachers. The goal of this “3D Coalition” is to guide aspiring minority teachers through the postsecondary education needed to teach. In 2012-13, minority students at DMPS made up 53.4 percent of enrollment, while only 10 percent of administrators and 4.5 percent of certified teachers were minorities. The program is being designed to support future educators as they pursue the postsecondary education pathway needed to become a teacher.

Google recently named West Des Moines the 2013 “eCity of Iowa.” The eCity Awards recognize the strongest online business community in each state — the “digital capitals of America,” which are home to businesses that embrace the Web to find new customers, connect with existing clients and fuel their local economies. Google worked with an independent research firm IPSOS to analyze the online strength of local small businesses in cities across the nation, and West Des Moines is among the ranks of America’s leading cities in the digital economy. “Connectivity means our businesses can have global relevance anywhere in the world,” said Gene Meyer, Greater Des Moines Partnership president. “Our ability to serve customers is no longer determined by how big we are or how big our budgets are, only that we have a great idea that meets our customer’s need — no matter where that customer lives.”

 

The bad

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A Former John Deere and Co. executive is facing a serious lawsuit after allegedly leaking trade secrets to competitor AGCO, a John Deere competitor, according to a report by the Cedar Valley Business Monthly. The lawsuit filed by the U.S. District Court of Rock Island said Eric Hansotia was hired by AGCO, after a 24-year career with John Deere, for a position that “significantly overlapped” his former responsibilities as a John Deere employee. In his last four days at John Deere, Hansotia allegedly connected portable electronic storage devices to his office computer that allowed access to secret company information. The lawsuit was filed on July 16.

Schools just started classes, and already some have had early dismissals. High temperatures have caused schools across the state to let out early. State law restricts schools from starting before Sept. 1, but more than 90 percent of districts receive a waiver to start early. Here’s an idea: How about following the law and starting schools Sept. 1 so the August heat can be avoided and kids can go to school? Ingenious, we know.

 

The ugly

Des Moines police have more homicide cases then they know what to do with, as its 10th murder investigation was launched with a 911 call about an assault near Wells Fargo Arena around 1 a.m. on Aug. 25. Forty-year-old father of five and grandfather of one, Richard Daughenbaugh, of Des Moines, was found severely beaten and left in a parking lot east of the Second Avenue/Center Street intersection. He later died at the hospital, leaving behind an army of loved ones. While detectives are making progress in this investigation, no information on a suspect was released as of press time. On behalf of the victim and the crowd that gathered for a candlelight vigil last weekend to remember him, we hope law enforcement gets their man (or woman).

Kinky or crazy? A Sioux City couple was arrested last week after being accused of robbing and torturing a man at their apartment, KCCI reported. Police say 33-year-old Melissa Lowe and 32-year-old Brandon Keleher were charged with two felonies, willful injury and robbery. Officers were sent to the apartment after a neighbor complained about a disturbance there. Officers said the alleged suspects stabbed and burned their victim with a hot kitchen utensil. The victim said he’d met the couple on Friday night. He was taken to a hospital for treatment and was released. Lowe and Keleher were in Woodbury County custody as of press time. CV

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