Borlaug Elementary aims to be bigger, better, and greener: DI Reader, July 17

Borlaug elementary: bigger, better, greener

Several hundred students who will attend Borlaug Elementary in the fall — 320 to be exact — will find a school that is both larger and greener. 

Principal Celeste Shoppa said the school would set itself apart from the other elementary schools in the district with new technology in every classroom.

“The difference is we’re opening with every instructional room having a smart board, camera, and projector,” she said.

Paul Schultz, the School District’s director of the Physical Plant, said because the new building was built in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, it will be a more environmentally focused structure.

“It’s a highly efficient building,” he said.

Schultz said the new building has two stories and 67,000 square feet, and it cost the district a little less than $11 million. 

Read more here.

Local law enforcement see rise in bike thefts

The Iowa City police have received 22 reports of bike thefts in the first two weeks of July, and surrounding law-enforcement agencies are seeing similar trends.

Iowa City police Sgt. Denise Brotherton said there is not necessarily a spike in thefts, but she released the number to give the community an idea of how frequent bike theft is in Iowa City.

“We’ve always had a lot of [thefts], it’s always an issue, and it’s always been an issue,” she said. “It just shows what an issue it is.”

Figures for the total number of reported bikes stolen in 2012 so far were not available on Monday.

Brotherton said there are more thefts in the summer months simply because there are more people riding their bikes during the warmer weather.  There are also more people walking around who are more likely to commit theft, she said.

Yet the number of bikes reported stolen doesn’t decrease once the weather gets cooler.

Read more here.

Officials: white substance found at Stanley Hall was harmless

Tests performed Monday by the State Hygienic Laboratory in Coralville revealed no harmful substance in a white, powdery material sent to Stanley Hall via U.S. mail.

UI police, Johnson County Ambulance, and the Iowa City Fire Department were called to Stanley after a UI student and Upward Bound counselor called law-enforcement officials about the foreign white, powdery substance. The substance was received via mail that was opened by a counselor.

Read more here.

UI scientists engaging public with social media

University of Iowa science officials are using social media now more than ever to engage the public and colleagues with new research developments.

Dan McMillan, the director of communications and external relations at the UI College of Public Health, said the school is now active across many social-media platforms, including Facebook.

“It’s a cool way to build a community of people that encompass a very broad range of interests, from current students and alumni to practicing professionals and parents of students,” he wrote in an email. “There’s a directness and an authenticity that comes through in these communications, and it really helps paint a picture of the exciting educational and career opportunities that exist in public health.”

The college searched for a name for the café in the new College of Public Health Building using social media, and it hosts student blogs for students to share their study-abroad and practicum experiences.

Read more here.

Local experts hope to spark sustainability discussions

“How can we meet our needs today without harming our ability to meet our needs tomorrow?”

It was a colossal question scrawled in small handwriting in front of a circle of 16 community members attending a sustainability forum held Monday by the Kettering Foundation in conjunction with Craig Just, a University of Iowa assistant professor of engineering and the director of the Sustainable Citizen Program.

The forum and resulting guide is funded by a grant Just received from the U.S. Department of Education for his initiative to improve campus education on sustainable lifestyles, especially for first-year students.

“Campus discussions are our primary audience,” he said. “Especially for first-year students, who are maybe naïve to the world, or not, to address how you structure a dialogue.” 

That’s where the Kettering Foundation comes in — facilitating constructive conversation instead of argument. 

Read more here.

Game Time League: Hawkeye transfer, Thomas shines on defense

Defense proved to be the most important aspect of Monday night’s Game Time League game.

Coralville Hy-Vee overcame a strong defensive first half from Pelling/Culvers to win, 77-67.

Head coach Mike Stoermer’s Hy-Vee team was able to get off to an 11-0 run to start the game. The rest of the first half however, was spent battling it out on the other end of the court.

“[We came] out aggressive on defense,” recent Iowa transfer Kathryn Thomas said. “We needed to stay committed on defense and finding the extra pass on offense.”

Read more here.

CR engineer, UI alumnus, regularly braves the Ironman

Pheidippides ran 26.2 miles to announce an Athenian victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. After reaching Athens and delivering his message of victory, he collapsed and died.

A marathon is not to be taken lightly.

The last time Barry Breffle started running a marathon, he was nearing the end of his day. He had already swum 2.4 miles and biked 112. He was two-thirds of the way to becoming an Ironman. Again.

Energy exudes from his lean, 6-1 athletic frame — Breffle certainly looks the part. The Ironman lifestyle has become routine to him, broken up by “laid-back” years when he focuses on triathlons and half-Ironman events.

“[Running an Ironman] takes a little bit of extra focus,” the Cedar Rapids resident said. “When I’m going to run an Ironman, I have less flexibility and compromise with training.”

Breffle has raced in six Ironmen in the past 12 years. That’s not a lot of compromising.

Read more here.

Editorial: ZipCar attractive alternative for students

Beginning in September, the city of Iowa City and the University of Iowa will introduce 10 ZipCars into the community. The City Council’s unanimous decision to approve a three-year contract with ZipCar Inc. on July 10 provides an overwhelming number of benefits for members of the Iowa City community. 

A ZipCar is a fuel-efficient vehicle provided to universities and businesses for their students and employees to share.

Unlike most conventional car-rental agencies, ZipCar allows members to pay an hourly fee to use any one of its cars. Prices are around $8 per hour depending on the model of the car and whether it’s a weekday or weekend, plus a $25 yearly subscription fee. 

However, the hourly rate pays for more than just car use. It also includes the price of gas, insurance coverage, and up to 180 miles of driving distance per day. The cars get roadside assistance, and if the savings aren’t enough, the environmental friendliness adds a great amount of appeal as well.

Read more here.