Moving to Des Moines area from Wichita (Newton: buy, schools)

[katychicago]

Here is the reason I would never suggest anyone move to Iowa. This happened a few months ago:

Originally Posted by katychicago

No, actually I'm self employed and have been for several years - Bad experience? yes, and I'll tell you what it was. I'm almost 60 years old and have been a good member of my community; contribute to its economy, volunteer my services at various churches, art projects, etc. I've been here 7 years and since it's a small town, I know most of the police, all the city council, county supes, I work occasionally for the local newspaper, etc., etc., OK. In Sept a 28 year old man, who is a registered sex offender on Meagen's Law for the state of Iowa, broke into my home at 3 a.m. I heard him come in; called the police; told them someone was coming up the stairs and could I please stay on the line with the 911 operator until police arrived. She said no and hung up! By this time, the man was in my room, where my granddaughter was sleeping. He charged at me, grabbing my arms, trying to pull me out of the way to get to my granddaughter. I recognized his face; didn't know who he was, he was loaded, reeked of pot/crank and booze so in spite of my age, I was able to keep him at bay until the police arrived, came in and upstairs; walking in on the scene. They stood at the door and told him to back off - he didn't. The officer shouted at him a second time and he finally backed up. I was shaking, my granddaughter was crying and screaming - I told the police I wanted to press charges immediately - and the copy, whom I know very well, told me, "We aren't going there."

To make a very long and complicated story short, I was told the next day he was an informant and therefore has immunity in the state of Iowa. I was furious and I pushed the issue; trying to get the City Council to hear my complaint (they do run the police department so they are the ones to go to first.) They refused to not only let me post the item on an agenda, but also refused to allow me the standard two minutes at the end of a meeting to voice anything (in every other state this is a law; however, In Iowa, that was rescinded last year when the legislature decided to change the rules because too many citizens used that two minutes of time to "complain."

I went to the newspaper, which I sometimes freelance for an was told they would not NOT run the story. I went to my legislators and was told by Kurt Swaim that when it comes to immunity laws, there is nothing he can do. "I just make up the laws, I don't enforce them," he said.

I made up small posters with the mans poster from Meagen's Law and my story and went door to door, store to store telling everyone I could what had happened. I found out the man lives less than the required distance from not one, but two elementary schools. He offended when he was 21 with a girl (not in his family) under the age of 13. His agreement was to work as an informant for the police by making meth, selling it, then turning in the people who bought it. The agreement was if he stayed out of "trouble" for five years, his name would be taken off Meagen's Law. Guess what. In October his five years would be up - the cops said he'd helped them with too many drug busts and therefore I was basically out of luck.

His name was removed from the record - although I still have a copy of the original poster with his picture This is an outrage - It has divided many of the people in our town. Many of my "friends," have chosen to hang with the side of the "authorities" because they don't want to make a rift. Sorry, but people like that are NOT Friends and with only one exception, these movers and shakers of the city did not want to get involved.

The one exception was our sheriff, who was as outraged as I was - he attempted to get to the bottom of the case and get the man arrested, but called a few days after he began his assistance to tell me he'd been told if he didn't back off, he would not be re elected. THIS IS RIDICULOUS>

This is not an isolated case - sex offenders are used for this purpose all the time. I've gone to the Des Moines Register, the television news stations throughout southern Iowa and Missouri and no one will touch it. Now, please tell me you can't see why I have a legitimate concern about this state. Wouldn't you want to know if soemone like this lived in your community and why the cops wouldn't stop him - what if you had a daughter? What if he lives next door? Actually, there's every possibility it is your town; for your sake, I hope it's not. thanks for your time; katy

This is so long, I'm not going to spell check - sorry.

[El Rhino]

I would've shot him.

Can we see the poster you made?

Why did you post your message and then copy it and then post it again with "here's why I wouldn't move to Iowa"? You already said it. Anyone looking at this thread already saw it. A duplicate post on accident I can understand, but this is a new one. Please stop from copying your own posts and re-posting them, this isn't the first time you've done this.

[SharpHawkeye]

I hate to get in on this, since we're veering off-topic. But I will say that while you have a legitimate cause for anger with several people/places, Kurt Swaim really is a good man and not part of the problem. If there was something he could have done to help (and there really didn't seem to be in this case) he would have done it.

[ChicagoRefugee]

Do NOT buy a house right now. Rent one for a year or two instead. By then prices will be lower, and you'll know exactly where you want to live. Listen to the voice of experience and learn from my mistakes . . . .

[ChicagoRefugee]

Got to disagree, Clint, about DM city schools. Sure some are terrible, but others - like Hanawalt - have kids transferring in from the suburbs to attend. It very much depends on the neighborhood. If you have a TAG (talented and gifted) kid, I don't think you can do better anywhere than DM public school's Academy for the upper grades.

Oh, and welcome home Moz!

[MozMoving]

ChicagoRefugee,

Where is it in Des Moines that you finally settled? I am seeing lots of townhomes and brownstones, but housing seems pretty expensive for Iowa. I am a bit suprised by the costs.

[katychicago]

Hi the reason for the additional postings was just plain ignorance - I was trying to send it to someone in a private message and messed up. Yes, I y have shot him too if I'd had a gun, however, I have the feeling the local police would have shot me or put me in prison, seeing as how they didn't even give him a slap on the hand. Sure, I'll send you a copy of the poster do you want me to send it in a private message? If so, I'm not sure how to do that>>>katy

[katychicago]

Sorry, got to disagree with you on that one. He had been asked to represent me by the Ottumwa Women's Crisis Center, (he's an attorney who still takes on civil cases even tho he's a Rep. However during a meeting with the police department, the Chief of Police made it a point to call him in my presence and tell him NOT to become involved in the case. And, if what you say is true, why wouldn't he have made some effort to draft a statue or law (since the convention is coming up for the state anyway) to address the problem of sex offenders being given immunity for ANY reason. Isn't that why we voted him in???? I'm hoping to let as many people as I can, who live here in central Iowa, know what his position on this was. I think everyone who may vote on this should have this information before they go to the polls. Don't you???? However, if you really feel I'm wrong on Swaim, why don't you call him and without bringing up either of the two specific cases in his district, ask him how he feels about immunity for sex offenders - I'd love to know if his response to a potential voter would be different than that to a victim of such an assault. Katy

[El Rhino]

Originally Posted by katychicago

Hi the reason for the additional postings was just plain ignorance - I was trying to send it to someone in a private message and messed up. Yes, I y have shot him too if I'd had a gun, however, I have the feeling the local police would have shot me or put me in prison, seeing as how they didn't even give him a slap on the hand. Sure, I'll send you a copy of the poster do you want me to send it in a private message? If so, I'm not sure how to do that>>>katy

You can send it to me via private message if you'd like. Just click on my name <---over there and it will give you an option to send a direct message and then post the pic in the message. If you need any help beyond that, feel free to ask. If I don't know, I know someone who does.

[Twitch26]

Newton is pretty close. It is a small scale city, so like a half town half city.