By Rob Tucker

​In my last post I mentioned how difficult it is every year to select one winner out of four East High finalists to be the recipient of an $8000 college scholarship. 

Mark Lyons and Kelly Sargent and I have been interviewing at East on behalf of the Rotary Club of Des Moines for at least nine years. As rewarding as it is to be the means of helping a deserving student afford to attend college, it hasn’t gotten any easier to disappoint three out of four we interview.

As an antidote, earlier this year Kelly proposed to the RCDM board that the scholarship budget be increased enough to allow us to give $100 Target gift cards to three runners-up at each of the six Des Moines schools we support. Of course it doesn’t compare to receiving an $8000 scholarship, but it acknowledges at least in a small way the deservedness of the finalists, and as a practical matter, it’s something they can use to purchase items they'l need to begin life as college students. 

The board approved the addition, but since the annual budget had already been set, the new policy won’t go into effect until next year. We didn’t want to wait, so Mark, Kelly, new East High team member Jim Vickery and I pitched in to buy our three runners-up their $100 gift cards.

Here’s the thank you letter we received from Jada Powell, one of our East High runners-up.

Dear Rotary Club,

I appreciate the opportunity you’ve provided for me throughout this scholarship process. I completely understand how hard selecting the applicants could have been, and feel blessed for making it as far as I did. You win some and lose some!

Thank you for my Target gift card; it is more than appreciated and has already helped me get a jumpstart on supplies for my apartment. Since we met, I have signed my letter of intent to DMACC, and I’ve been eagerly preparing to graduate. Thank you.

By Rob Tucker

It's hard to believe the school year is almost over, and it's already time to award the Rotary Club of Des Moines college scholarships. Every year my club presents an $8000 scholarship to one student chosen from each of the Des Moines high schools: East, Hoover, Lincoln, North, Roosevelt and Scavo. I always serve on the East High team.

This year my usual East interview partners, Kelly Sargent and Mark Lyons, were joined by long-time Rotarian Jim Vickery. We were in agreement that choosing the recipient was at once rewarding and difficult because all four finalists were so deserving. 

Our job, however, is to select one recipient. Our 2019 East High scholarship winner is Jasmine Johnson. 

Jasmine is one of seven children. Her father was a drug addict who physically abused his wife and children, forcing Jasmine's mother to do the best she could as a single, working mom.

Despite the adversity, Jasmine’s mother taught all of her children how to read before they were three years old. Jasmine told us that by the time she was four, she understood that education would be her salvation. Throughout her career as a student, she held on to her belief that she could be successful in life if she worked hard . . . and she has.

In addition to working 24 to 30 hours a week at HyVee and contributing more than 200 volunteer hours to service projects, Jasmine managed to maintain a 3.4 grade point average and make the East High honor roll this past semester. She was also the recipient of the Most Creative award, a Poetry Club award, and she was chosen for the National Youth Leadership Council.

Jasmine has been accepted at Iowa State University where she plans to study to become a social worker. She told us that she wants to be able to help young people who find themselves facing the sort of challenges early in life that she has had to overcome.

By Erin Tucker

March is Women’s History Month. To celebrate it, I'm sharing 20 memorable, motivating quotes by women, for women.  

A woman is like a teabag – only in hot water do you realize how strong she is. — Eleanor Roosevelt, diplomat, activist and 32nd First Lady of the United States

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. — Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize-winning, novelist, short story writer and poet

A man told me that for a woman, I was very opinionated. I said, ‘For a man, you’re very ignorant.’ — Anne Hathaway, award-winning actress and singer
 
Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception. – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States 

Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination. — Mae Carol Jemison, engineer, physician and NASA astronaut

Knowing what must be done does away with fear. — Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery bus boycott 

I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. — Helen Keller, author, political activist, lecturer and the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree

Whenever one person stands up and says, ‘Wait a minute, this is wrong,’ it helps other people do the same. — Gloria Steinem, journalist, author and social activist

Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand. ― Oprah Winfrey, media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer and philanthropist

It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent. — Madeleine Albright, American politician and first female United States Secretary of State  

Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed. —  Michelle Obama, 44th First Lady of the United States

When women and girls are empowered to participate fully in society, everyone benefits. — Melinda Gates, philanthropist, former general manager at Microsoft and co-founder of the world's largest private charitable organization

Be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. — Judy Garland, actress, singer, dancer and international star

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. — Amelia Earhart, American aviation pioneer, author and first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean

When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. — Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for educating women and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate

Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles. — Tina Fey, actress, comedian, writer, producer and playwright.

Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputations can never effect a reform. — Susan B. Anthony, American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement

Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue your dreams. — Hillary Clinton, 42nd First Lady of the United States, Secretary of State and presidential candidate

I am not afraid of storms for I am leaning how to sail my ship. — Louisa May Alcott, American novelist and poet

Jump forward, mean well, commit, and just see what happens. — Angelina Joie, award-winning acres, filmmaker and humanitarian

I’m not sure how many attorneys even here in Iowa know that the oldest and largest association of predominantly African-American lawyers, judges, educators and law students was founded in Des Moines. 

In 1925, in response to being rejected for membership by the American Bar Association, twelve black attorneys — eleven men and one woman with a mutual interest in and dedication to justice and civil rights for all people — formed the National Bar Association. The NBA now has 84 chapters throughout the United States and affiliations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Africa, Morocco and the Caribbean.

Founders of the National Bar Association

• George S. Adams          
• Jesse N. Baker
• S. Joe Brown
• Charles H. Calloway
• Wendell E. Green
• William H. Haynes
• Charles P. Howard, Sr.
• L. Amasa Knox
• James B. Morris
• Gertrude E. Rush
• C. Francis Stradford
• George H. Woodson

In recognition of the pioneering role the twelve founders played in the quest for racial equality, the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation commissioned artist Kerry James Marshall to create a monument in their honor. In an interview with Artnet News, Mr. Marshall said that he was originally asked to design the memorial in 2006, but due to difficulty obtaining funding and site approval, the project was repeatedly put on hold . . . long enough that he assumed it was dead. However, both the NBA and the Foundation continued to fight for the project, and the 30-foot, 25-ton sculpture was finally completed and dedicated in July of 2018, 12 years after it had proposed — coincidentally, one year for each of the founders. A Monumental Journey can be viewed at Hansen Triangle Park, Grand and Second Avenues along the Principal Riverwalk in Des Moines.

​Yikes, it’s cold here in Iowa! CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen said it's the coldest weather the Midwest has experienced in a generation, and . . . wait for it . . . in his words, "the worst is yet to come." 

The extreme cold sweeping down from Canada is expected to drop temperatures to a record 20 to 40 below — colder than some places in Antarctica; Priestley Glacier is expecting a comparatively balmy high of 6 degrees and low of seven 7 degrees below zero!

If you're stranded in your car in snowy conditions, having the right supplies can mean the difference between life and death. Here's a list items you need to be prepared:

Gloves
Heavy wool socks
Commercial handwarmers 
Blankets (for wrapping up in and for insulating your car windows)
Snow boots
Shovel (to dig your car out if you can and, if you can't, to clear your exhaust pipe so you can run the car's engine)
Kitty litter (to use as traction for your tires)

Rescue teams also recommend keeping your car's gas tank at least half full in winter so that in case you're stranded, you'll have enough gas to turn the car's engine on and off to keep warm.

It's also important to call 911 right away so you don't risk having your phone die before you're able to let someone know where you are. Emergency services can ping your phone to find your exact location in case you need to be rescued. 

Stay warm, stay safe. We're here if you need us.

Although surprisingly, July 4th ranks as the day with the highest number of traffic deaths, New Year’s Eve from 6 PM to 6 AM the next morning holds its own as a potentially lethal time to be driving. The average number of traffic accident deaths climbs from 117 per day to 142 on New Year’s. 

It’s also the day with both the most pedestrian deaths, and 71% more accidents where alcohol or drugs are a contributing factor.

Rule of thumb: if you feel even the slightest need to evaluate whether you're okay to drive, or if anyone else asks you whether you are — you aren't.

Even if you're completely unimpaired, there are guaranteed to be other drivers on the road with you who drank too much, used drugs or are texting their friends. 

You get the drift. It's a 12-hour time period to be extra cautious.

We're always here for you, but we'd much rather that you stay safe and start 2019 happy and healthy.

By Erin Tucker

​Sunday, November 11 was Veteran's Day. Now a federal holiday, it originated in 1919 as Armistice Day on the one-year anniversary commemorating the agreement that was signed at 11:00 AM on November 11, 1918 ending World War I.  

Also known in the years following as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, by any name, unfortunately it did not end all war. 

Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance on November 11, and in 1938 it became a national holiday. If the 11th falls on a Sunday, as it did this year, the following Monday is designated as the federal holiday; if it falls on a Saturday, then either the previous Friday or the following Monday is the observed holiday. The name was changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all men and women who have served in the United State armed forces. November 11 of this year was particularly significant, marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I which began July 28, 1914 and ended November 11 1918.

At Tucker Law we have a special place in our hearts for veterans. Makes sense, since I live with one! My partner in life and Avery's daddy, Greg, served six years active duty in the Navy. He spent most of it on a small frigate with a proud history called the USS Samuel B. Roberts. He was deployed three times to the Mediterranean Sea to assist with anti-terrorism efforts and participated in the decommissioning of the Roberts in 2015. Greg left active duty as a First Class Petty Officer and is currently in the Reserves, stationed in Des Moines.

Tucker Law has assisted no small number of veterans over the years. If you need help, don't hesitate to call us. We're here. 

If you work for someone other than yourself, you probably are at least somewhat familiar with worker’s compensation. It’s a program designed to provide benefits to employees who are injured on the job, suffer a hearing loss or develop an occupational disease as the result of their on-the-job duties.

​Although workers comp might seem like a modern idea, the basic concept goes as far back as 2050 BC. Ancient Sumerian law included a list of the monetary value of specific body parts if lost or injured. Ancient Greek, Roman and Chinese laws had similar indexes.

Fast forward to the mid-1700’s and the Industrial Revolution. After emerging in Britain, the revolution spread to other parts of the world, and with it came factories and factory jobs — work which was often extremely dangerous and carried out in the harshest conditions. The resulting injury rate was enormous. 

In theory workers could seek compensation through the court system, but the existing laws were such that injured parties rarely received any renumeration. Workers were for all intents and purposes on their own. Industries even went so far as to make employees sign contracts — workers named them “death contracts” ​— as a condition of employment which forfeited their right to sue for damages if they were hurt.

The 19th century ushered in a more enlightened era. In an effort to quiet social unrest, in 1871 Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck implemented a system of social insurance known as the Employers’ Liability Law that provided some degree of protection for workers in industries. Thirteen years later he championed Workers’ Accident Insurance, which was the forerunner of today’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance.

Unfortunately, the idea of taking care of injured workers was slower to catch on in America. It took Upton Sinclair’s shocking 1906 novel The Jungle, which details the horrors workers experienced in Chicago slaughterhouses, to stir public outrage. In response Congress passed the Employers’ Liability Acts of 1906 and 1908, which made contributory negligence doctrines less restrictive. Wisconsin passed the first comprehensive workers’ compensation law in 1911, while Mississippi was the last state to follow suit in 1948. 

Iowa passed its law in 1913 requiring employers to have the means to compensate employees, with limited exceptions, for any work-related injuries. To provide this coverage, the majority of Iowa employers purchase workers' compensation insurance from a private insurance company.

Insurance companies are required to follow the law. Like any company, however, they’re in business to make a profit and provide a return on investment to their owners and stockholders, so it’s in their vested interest to minimize payouts as much as they can.

Here are the most frequent reasons clients turn to us for help getting compensated for workers’ comp claims:

• The insurance company is refusing to pay benefits or is significantly delaying benefits
• The injured worker is under the mistaken belief that he or she is prohibited from getting necessary medical care
• The injured worker is offered nothing or an unreasonable amount for his or her claim

If you have been injured on the job and feel that you’re not being treated fairly, we’re here to help.

A year ago next month, I wrote a post that contained a list of the ten most dangerous accident sites in Iowa, and alerted readers that three of them are in Ankeny — which happens to be the town I live in, and moreover, those three all intersect with Ankeny Boulevard.

It’s a dangerous street! 

As material proof, on August 25 there was a horrific accident on that very road right in front of my friend Kelly and her husband Paul’s home.

The crash was literally earth-shaking; their house shook. Paul ran out the front door to discover such widespread destruction that it looked as if either a tornado had come through or a bomb had detonated.

A pickup truck, which according to witnesses was traveling at an extremely high rate of speed, hit a wooden utility pole with enough force that it sheared off the bottom of the pole, leaving the top dangling above attached to the wires. 

The truck carried so much momentum that after removing the lower half of the first utility pole, it continued across McDonald’s parking lot, hitting a parked car on the way, transporting itself and the parked car across the lawn dividing McDonald’s from Taco John’s where the truck crashed into and took down a second utility pole, ran up a guy wire and was suspended in midair. Can you imagine the force it took to do that?

The entire road was yellow-taped and closed from the time it happened at about 8:30 PM until early morning, chockablock with police, EMTs, fire trucks, ambulances, utility vehicles, and more than a hundred on-lookers.

The two people in the truck were killed instantly. Amazing, luckily, the two in the parked car didn’t suffer life-threatening injuries, but as I’m always reminding you, you aren’t really capable of evaluating your own condition in the aftermath of an accident. (Follow this link to a list of precautions.) 

The pickup had been racing with a motorcycle according to the witnesses, and had been going at least 70 in this 35-mile-an-hour zone. 

We all assumed it only teenagers would be so out of control as to literally race down a busy street at 70 miles and hour, but no, they were two adult men, age 41 and 50.

Be careful out there! Wear your seatbelts, obey speed limits, keep clear of crazy drivers and use this accident check list if something happens.