Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One of the main problems, is that 62% of Iowa's high school graduates go to school after graduating (one of the highest in the country), 34% achieve a bachelors degree, and currently 24% of the state's population has a degree. Unfortunately only 12.2% of Iowa's jobs requires a 4-year degree. Hence regardless of if someone moved into the state for school or was born here, most are almost "required" to leave upon graudation.
One of the main problems, is that 62% of Iowa's high school graduates go to school after graduating (one of the highest in the country), 34% achieve a bachelors degree, and currently 24% of the state's population has a degree. Unfortunately only 12.2% of Iowa's jobs requires a 4-year degree. Hence regardless of if someone moved into the state for school or was born here, most are almost "required" to leave upon graudation.
It's not what I consider a problem. It is called basic economics. Educated individuals go where specialized and technicial positions are located- regardless of state. The brain drain is not unique to Iowa, but many rural areas of the Plains and Midwest. This has been happening for over 100 years in some areas so it is nothing new. Some college graduates are drawn to the medium sized cities of Des Moines, Omaha, Rochester, Madison, etc that have a stronger diversified job market as well as a younger population demographic overall.
I do agree that spot labor shortages have occurred and continue to occur in rural counties in the Midwest and Plains. So many younger people have left these areas, and it is often hard to find others that are willing to move to a more isolated area. Even 75% of Iowans live in a metropolitan or micropolitan county now.
There seems to be some truth to the orignal question at the beginning of this thread. I have been in a number of discussions over the past year with others who all have the same question. But you will never see any investigative reporting on this topic from our liberal "rag" newspaper, The Des Moines Register. I was really surprised they even published Hansen's article on the subject. It would be more like the Register's editorial department to write a full page article proposing higher taxes on the citizens of Iowa so that we could build more public housing for these people fleeing or being driven out of bigger cities like Milwaukee and Chicago. I live in Des Moines, but I know the City of Ames, Iowa (35 miles north of Des Moines) is facing the same dilemma with low income families moving into the town because these people have discovered that Ames had a surplus of available and cheaper HUD housing. They are putting a tremendous amount of pressure on the city's limited social services, and causing a lot of discruption in the school system. The crime rate has increased there also, with a lovers quarrel ending in a shooting and murder of two people just a few months ago. Ames is a small college town, so these kinds of horrendous crimes are unheard of. I have a close friend who works at the Ames City Library, and she tells me that the migrant homeless population is steadily also increasing. They loiter in and around the library (especially in the Winter), which is becoming a big public relations nightmare for them because the citizens of Ames are staying away and causing the library to lose money in fees.
Just looking at the paper, there were two armed robberies and a shooting on Saturday. Seems to be robberies everywhere, 2 reports of shootings in the past week or two, a woman stabbed in June, gangs of kids roaming around fighting...
Growing up there in the 80's none of that would even have been thinkable.
I wasn't sure where to post this and this seemed like a good enough thread.
I don't live in Iowa but I visit several times a year. I saw an article online about a riot in Des Moines and came here looking for some updates or feedback to this story, but surprisingly, I found none. (My apologies if I missed it and this has already been posted).
Quote:
August 24, 2010
Police say it's 'very possible' attacks near fairgrounds had racial overtones
Des Moines police are trying to determine what led to a series of attacks outside the Iowa State Fairgrounds over the weekend that included the assault of two police officers.
At least three people were arrested Friday through early Monday morning. Other arrests may occur as officers investigate the incidents, officials said.
There are indications that some of the fights - which appear to involve mostly teenagers and young adults - were racially motivated, police said.
"We don't know if this was juveniles fighting or a group of kids singling out white citizens leaving the fairgrounds," Sgt. Lori Lavorato said. "It's all under investigation, but it's very possible it has racial overtones."
Officials announced last week that they were stepping up security outside the fairgrounds after a series of attacks Aug. 14 that included a pair of stabbings. Investigators are still investigating those assaults and victims intend to pursue charges.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/assets/mp3/D2162950823.MP3">AUDIO: Des Moines Police Sgt. Richard Schuett describes a situation near the Iowa State Fairgrounds Sunday night in which he and other officers were attacked.
Sgt. David Murillo stated in a report on Friday night, "On-duty officers at the fairgrounds advise there was a group of 30 to 40 individuals roaming the fairgrounds openly calling it 'beat whitey night.' "
Jammie Carroll, 36, of Polk City, was seriously injured in the 3000 block of East Grand Avenue Friday night after a group of people beat him up, causing severe injuries to his eyes, cheekbones and nose, Murillo wrote. Carroll is white, and many of the suspects are black, police said.
State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, who has worked to fight gang-related violence, said he doesn't have enough information to decide if the fights were racially motivated. He said police comments that race was involved could miss other factors, such as nonracial taunting.
"Unfortunately, like any other city, you have certain parts of town that individuals congregate in," Abdul-Samad said. "You have those that go into that area with no problem, and those who cannot."
He added, "We of course need to work on race relations. If anyone says we don't, they are playing games with themselves."
State Fair spokeswoman Lori Chappell said she had few details about the incidents. Police had increased security near the western edge of the fairgrounds specifically, she said.
The fair, which drew more than 960,000 visitors over 11 days, ended when the gates closed at 1 a.m. Monday.
About 10:30 p.m. Sunday, two police officers were attacked as they waded into a combative crowd outside the fairgrounds' main gates at East 30th Street and Grand Avenue.
Sgt. Richard Schuett and reserve Officer Lynn Hubbs both complained of head, neck and back pain after being punched from behind while trying to make arrests.
"There were pockets of people fighting," Schuett said. "People were leaving the fair and they were walking into the middle of them. We were trying to move people along but some of them wouldn't move."
A police report says Schuett "was on the ground fighting with his suspect, and several other females began to attack him." Another officer grabbed one of the attackers and tried to make an arrest, but she spun away.
Officers sprayed chemical deterrent and deployed a stun gun while trying to gain control. Two teenage girls were taken into custody for questioning following that incident.
Also Sunday night and early Monday:
- Beth Longen, 25, of Des Moines was at the gas pumps at the QuikTrip store, East 30th Street and University Avenue, taking video of the crowd when she was assaulted about 11:20 p.m., police said. A 17-year-old girl allegedly slapped Longen and threatened her in front of police officers. The teen was one of several taken to police headquarters and later released to parents.
- Earl Tice, 17, of Des Moines was attacked near East 30th Street and Grand Avenue about 9:45 p.m. Sunday. He told officers he was jumped while leaving the fair. Tice was having X-rays taken at a hospital when police took a report from his mother. Officials said he had been kicked and punched.
- Officers arrested Daveion Trell Smith, 18, of Des Moines on a charge of disorderly conduct. Police said they observed him with a large group of people, yelling and gesturing and trying to start a fight with another group of people. He was warned and told to leave the area, police said.
- Kiera Agee, 18, of Des Moines was charged with disorderly conduct. Police said they told her several times to leave the area. She allegedly responded by swearing at police. She was arrested and was taken to jail.
- Ashley Robinson, 18, of Des Moines was charged with interference with official acts. Police said they were doing paperwork in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant near the fairgrounds when Robinson walked up demanding answers to questions. Police were holding several suspects there at the time. She was ordered to leave the area. When she refused, she was taken into custody.
Laurie Christensen, a resident of Walker Street near the fairgrounds, said she's never seen such hostility around the fairgrounds.
Groups "have been openly taunting the police - in the street right to their faces," she said. "We found some of them that ran from the police hiding in our backyard."
Register staff writer Perry Beeman contributed to this article.
Words Twice, I believe there is a thread concerning this issue in the Politics & Other Controversies subforum with quite a few posts, but it is a local issue. As far as I know, none of the attackers were transplants from Chicago.
I'm not sure if you've seen any of the follow-up articles, but now the Police Chief Judy Bradshaw is saying that there's "no evidence" that the attacks were racially motivated. Lt. Gonzalez* is also claiming that the attacks were not racially motivated. Sgt. Murillo is sticking by his initial report which states that they were. No one I've talked to or read concerning the issue (which is a lot of people) buys that this wasn't racially motivated. Pretty much everyone is on the same page that the police chief is saying that in order to downplay the incident and not fan the flames of racial discontent and it seems like it's having the opposite effect - everyone seems to feel that it's a great injustice that these crimes were allowed to happen after the first reports and that the DMPD's brass is hesitant to call the crime what it really was - a hate crime.
Then there's the issue of one of the officers on the scene, Sgt. Tillie somethingorother, trying to get one of the attackers off the hook and then later bonding him out of jail when she couldn't get him out of an arrest. Apparently he was one of her son's friends. Someone posted this officer's record from IowaCourts.com and to me it appears waaay too spotty for someone who is supposed to be upholding the law.
A few leaders in the black community are downplaying the racial motives as well. Rep. Wayne Ford, a man who last year complained that the Fair was "too white" and there needed to be more minority musical acts**, has been quick to dismiss the possibility of it being racially motivated. Ako Abdul Samad, someone who I used to believe was an ok guy, made some sort of comment about how there are places that "some people" shouldn't go (re: whitey is asking for it) and then refused to entertain the idea that it could've been racially motivated.
* Lt. Gonzalez is really sensitive about racial issues. A few years ago some (white) friends of mine got jumped by a dozen black homeless dudes while bringing a case of beer home from QT. It turned into quite the melee and Gonzalez showed up on the scene. One of my friends dropped the n-bomb. He went from completely apathetic towards the situation to threatening to arrest us all (I had just arrived) for being drunk in public - while the attackers were 100 feet away drinking my friend's beer. You can attack and rob someone but if the victim uses dehumanizing language, oh the horror!
** Last year or the year before Rep. Wayne Ford made some sort of statement about how the Fair was too white. Only 10% of the musical acts were minorities (in a state that's over 90% white at an event that's probably 95% white). This year they did have Tone Loc and Darius Rucker though, haha.
When I read threads like this one it makes me proud to be a "redneck, bible thumping, backwoods, southern Iowa hick".
Ya'll keep your Des Moines "high society/lib tolerance , hope & change" garbage up there now ok.
I am just sure that ol vilsacks dragging a bunch of the big easy's finest up here after katrina and handing them all a life at our expense helped out the situation also.
The political ideology of buying votes even if the nationality is questionable and they cannot read the ballot just as long as they push the jackass button is great if you live at terrace hill or work in the building with the gold dome.
However it sucks bigtime when YOU actually work for a living and are handed the bill for such complete stupidity.
I am just sure that ol vilsacks dragging a bunch of the big easy's finest up here after katrina .
That didn't really happen. Vilsack TRIED to get something like 10,000-40,000 "refugees" from Katrina here but nowhere near that actually ended up coming, at least in Des Moines.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
"Beat Whitey Night"?
