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Ask the Times: Funny people honored with humor prize

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Q. Carol Burnett received the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2013. Who were the other recipients?

— William, Rock Island

A. 2013 – Carol Burnett; 2012 – Ellen DeGeneres; 2011 – Will Ferrell; 2010 – Tina Fey; 2009 – Bill Cosby; 2008 – George Carlin; 2007 – Billy Crystal; 2006 – Neil Simon; 2005 – Steve Martin; 2004 – Lorne Michaels; 2003 – Lily Tomlin; 2002 – Bob Newhart; 2001 – Whoopi Goldberg; 2000 – Carl Reiner; 1999 – Jonathan Winters; 1998 – Richard Pryor. Source: kennedy-center.org.

Q. What happens to houses that have been abandoned? The owners left the house next door over a year and a half ago. There is no for sale sign, and the house is in really bad shape. Also who do I contact if the tree branches from that yard are way over my house and in the power lines? Does the value of my house go down because of this?

— Reader, Davenport

A. Here is what the city of Davenport says regarding vacant or abandoned houses:

Vacant/Abandoned Structures

“Vacant/abandoned structures are the most striking indication of neighborhood decline. These properties threaten neighborhood stability and undermine the investments made by other property owners. Vacant/abandoned buildings are a significant public safety issue. Aside from being unsightly, they attract criminal activity and are a threat to public safety wherever they exist. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that more that 6,000 firefighters are injured each year while fighting fires involving vacant/abandoned properties. Statistics show that more fire fighters are injured while operating at fires involving vacant/abandoned buildings than in any other property classification.

“The owners of these types of structures are first ordered to repair or demolish the structure at their expense, reference Chapter 8.17 of Davenport Municipal Code. In cases where the owner fails to repair or demolish the structure, or when the owner can not be located, the City may find cause for the building to be demolished. Properties with that distinction are prioritized based on certain criteria.

“Prior to demolition, a title search is ordered and; asbestos testing, asbestos abatement, historic review, other environmental impact studies are made, and finally the project goes through the bid process. The cost of demolition becomes the responsibility of the owner with liens placed against the property to recover costs.

“In the cases when the City determines that an immediate danger to public health or safety exists because of a vacant/abandoned structure, immediate measures will be taken to ensure that the structure be demolished or repaired to a state in which it will no longer create immediate danger.

“If you have questions or would like to report a hazardous property, please contact the Community Services Division at 563-326-7746.”

Source: cityofdavenportiowa.com/egov/apps/services/index.egov?view=detail;id=597

If you have tree limbs in power lines, contact MidAmerican Energy at 1-888-427-5632.

Follow up:

Kay Runge, former Davenport Public Library director, called and suggested that anyone with a need for directory assistance and without access to a computer also can contact their local public library for information free of charge.

Article source: http://qctimes.com/news/local/ask-the-times/ask-the-times-funny-people-honored-with-humor-prize/article_ba559d86-58c7-5670-ad13-8010412cf1c4.html


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