The gym at the Lawrence Community Center was full, and area residents fanned themselves with literature as they waited for Presidential Candidate and Illinois Senator Barack Obama to speak.

When he took the floor, he began his address by introducing all of the local politicians that had come out to see him.
Obama ended with Iowa House Representative Ray Zirkelbach, bringing the crowd to their feet when he commended Ray for his patriotism, sincerity and courage.

“Many legislators have views on war, but few have actually served,” Obama stated.

Obama said he has garnered support from Democrats, Independents and even Republicans.

“I know that because they whisper it to me. Senator Obama, I want you to know that I support you,’’ he mimicked in a soft voice.

The war was the topic Obama center his speech around and began by telling the crowd of about 300 people that people are fed up with George W. Bush. He cited several areas of discontent for the American people: poor healthcare, poor education and a disastrous war that has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives.

Obama pointed out that the war in Iraq had nothing to do with September 11. The US was already in Afghanistan fighting a war and seeking out Al Qaeda, which is the reason he voted against the war in Iraq.

“The legislator failed to ask the tough questions,” he said. “Too many took the president on his word. I thought the priority needed to be ending the war in Afghanistan.”

Nearly five years after the war began, Obama said the US is no safer than it was before the invasion of Iraq. He explained that terrorism had increased. Millions of people have been displaced or fled the country.

“We need to bring it to a close, and we need to do it now,” exclaimed Obama, who said he is proposing that we begin bringing soldiers home now, not in January of 2009 when the next resident takes office.

“We cannot and should not bear the responsibility for solving the grievances of Iraq’s civil war,” he added, citing that the solutions should be handled politically, not through military force.

He told the group that he proposes bring home troops immediately.

“I would like to bring home one or two brigades a month,” he said and pointed out that this would bring most of the men and women home by the end of next year.

He said the US should have a diplomacy plan, work with the UN to detect war crimes in Iraq, end genocide and stand by friends, interpreters and aids to troops.

Obama implored Americans to come together against the war in Iraq.

“What’s wrong with the country is not the American people, the American people are the answer,” he included.

Obama then took questions form the audience

The first question asked about what should be done in Afghanistan. Obama gave a list of things that need to happen or should’ve happened. He said the US failed to eliminate the poppy trade, infrastructure should have been restored. allies need to be restrengthened in Afghanistan, the Taliban must be contained, our weapon system should be improved and all troops should have everything they need to fight the war.

“One of my jobs will be to make sure we are one of the best-equipped militaries in the world,” he included.

Obama said the US should make sure it is prepared for war before embarking on one, and that the US should plan to help returning soldiers.

As for securing the country’s borders, Obama supports both a physical barrier for illegal immigrants and a virtual border. He said we should be able to track who’s coming into the country as well as those who stay, but don’t extend their Visas.

In addition, he stated that port inspection should be increased and said that only a fraction of containers are inspected when they enter the country.

In a later question about how to handle legal immigration so as not to discriminate against those who are trying to legally obtain citizenship, he said we first need to clear the backlog of those waiting to become citizens. Obama added that increasing fees for those legally applying for citizenship was not the answer.

Global warming was the next topic to receive attention.

“Global warming is real. This administration is not a big believer in science. I am a believer in science,” he said.

Obama said the warming of the planet should be a big concern and said a one-degree increase in temperature can have ramifications for crop production.

His answer is to increase fuel efficiency on cars, produce cleaner fuels, use a cap and trade system for carbon emissions and instill big fines for those who don’t abide by air quality standards.

“We can all take steps to reduce the amount of energy we use. It’s not just something the government can do, but something you can do,” he explained.

In a one-on-one interview after the rally, Obama answered several other questions.

The first question asked how quality education could be provided to schools in both urban and rural areas, which have both seen a decrease in students.

“In both rural and urban areas we are losing teachers as Baby Boomers retire. The federal government should step in to help with better pay for teachers,” he said.

He also feels it important to invest n early childhood education, but says the education problem is not only a school problem. Obama feels that the economy of small towns and urban areas are also a factor in decreased enrollment.

He suggests that schools should be equipped with broadband, programs with colleges and universities and that infrastructure must be restored to communities as well as restoring economy to depressed areas.

Obama said infrastructure should be a priority and that a list of immediate needs should be addressed, beginning with roads and bridges. He added that this would require an investment on the part of the federal government.

Personal debt is a topic that is at the forefront of today’s news, particularly predatory lending and sub-standard lending.

Obama said people aren’t overextended because they want to be, but because they have lacked substantial pay increases.

He added that people should be protected from unscrupulous loans and teaser loans that they may not be able to pay back.

He stated that he is working on a stock fraud act, which would crack down predatory lending practices.

For more information on Obama and his views, visit www.barackobama.com.

“One housing grant is coming to an end and another is accepting pre-applications to determine a need in Anamosa,” said Lisa Marie Garlich, Community Development Planner, East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG).

The Housing Rehabilitation Grant is offered through HUD and gives communities a chance to apply for funds to improve many parts of a home, including plumbing, roof, windows, wiring and covering lead paint.

According to Garlich, Anamosa has received several grants, which help to refurbish a targeted area within a city.

“It’s solely based on need and interest,” said Garlich. She included that the pre-application process will allow her to map the area in need of improvement and determine if there is still an interest in the program.

Garlich said residents can still apply for the existing grant, but the grant will be closing out at the end of the year. The income requirements for the current grant are less than that of the new grant that will begin in early summer 2008. (See charts)

Garlich said there are a few additional requirements for obtaining a grant. First, a housing inspector is sent to the home to determine what needs to be done. She included that previous grants have been targeted to lower income families, but the new grant raises the household income requirements to make the grants accessible to more people.

“We also want to know the age of the house to make sure the home is lead safe,” Garlich said and added that a home could have lead paint if it was built before 1978.

The grants can be up to $24,999 for each home.

“The reason is, if you go beyond that ($24,999) you have to do lead abatement (removal of all lead),” she explained.

Garlich said pre-applications for the proposed grant should be in her office by October 15.
“The more pre-apps we get, the better,” she stated.

Anamosa City Administrator Pat Callahan said the grants are good for the city for several reasons.
“First, it helps people who couldn’t afford the repairs. The second thing is many times it will have a snowball affect, and others will begin improving their properties. Third, it helps maintain the tax value of a property, making it easier to provide city services. It’s important to keep that tax base going,” he outlined.

Callahan said it is hard to measure the immediate impact of the grants.

If you are interested in applying for the current grant or filling out a pre-application for the new grant, stop by Anamosa City Hall or contact Garlich at ECICOG by calling 319-365-9941, ext. 33 or via email at lisamarie.garlich@ecicog.org.