(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a committee in the Iowa House are advancing parts of the governor’s education agenda, but her proposal to provide state scholarships for 10-thousand students attending private schools is not included. The bill would require high school seniors TAKE a civics test, but PASSING it isn’t required for graduation. Parents would be able to go online to see what classroom materials teachers plan to use. Republican Representative Garrett Gobble of Ankeny, who is a teacher, says there’s already software available for that.

“Our intent here is not to give arbitrary work to teachers,” Gobble says. “We want this to make it meaningful and show parents how to engage, but we can’t engage for the parents.” Other proposals floating around the legislature would have required teachers to post lesson plans for the entire year before school starts. Melissa Peterson of the Iowa State Education Association says teachers welcome transparency, but they also have a job to do.

Encouraging parental engagement and involvement is absolutely a good thing but we do want to ensure we are not being unnecessarily burdensome to our practitioners,” Peterson says, “distracting them from the important work of working with their students on a daily basis.” The bill, which has been approved by the House Appropriations Committee, does not call for establishing felony charges for teachers if parents allege classroom materials or books in the library are obscene.

(Radio Iowa) – A jury has approved a more than 97 million dollar verdict for an Iowa City couple after their child was born severely brain damaged. Geoffery Fieger, the attorney for Andrew and Kathleen Kromphardt, told K-C-R-G T-V the baby received brain damage after he says the doctor neglected to take care of the mom during birth.

The lawsuit says there were ample signs a cesarean section was necessary at the time of the birth in 2018, but Doctor Jill Goodman continued with the vaginal birth and used forceps and tried to pull the baby out of the womb and fractured his skull. Fieger says when she couldn’t get the baby out with forceps, she used a vacuum extractor — which he says you’re never supposed to do after failed forceps. The is believed to be the largest award in state history for medical malpractice cases.

The largest portion of the award will go for future medical costs for the child. The verdict will be split evenly between the doctor’s office and Mercy Iowa City, and includes 42 million dollars for future medical or care expenses.

The jury award also included 11-point-six million dollars for loss of future earnings, and 20 million dollars each for pain and suffering and loss of function of the mind and or body. Mercy Iowa City released a statement saying: “Mercy Iowa City is disappointed in the verdict. While we respect the legal process, we disagree with the jury’s conclusion and will consider all available options. Our primary focus remains on providing high-quality care to our patients and families.”

Obstetric and Gynecologic Associates of Iowa City and Coralville legal team also released a statement saying:
“While we have great respect for the legal process, we are disappointed in the jury’s finding. We are reviewing our legal options moving forward.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports one additional filing for the General Election. Officials say Kevin A Stender has filed nomination papers to run as the  Edna Township Trustee. The deadline to file is 5-p.m., Friday (March 25th).

ATLANTIC, IOWA – Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF), a nonprofit fund administered by Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO), has received a $100,000 grant from the Iowa West Foundation, to be used for housing rehabilitation in the southwest Iowa region, which covers Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, and Shelby counties.

Brenda Mainwaring, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, said “A safe and stable housing situation is a basic necessity for everyone regardless of income. This grant will allow SWIHTF to extend that opportunity to more southwest Iowans, and act as an additional resource Iowa West is supporting as we continue to address the housing issues in our region.”

Past projects have included replacement windows and doors, roof repairs, upgraded insulation, foundation repair, and health hazard abatement. The funds from the Iowa West Foundation will help SWIHTF complete at least ten more of these projects in the coming year.

Alexsis Fleener, SWIPCO Community Development Director, says “Rehabilitation is a great way for low- to moderate-income homeowners to not only improve the health, safety, and energy efficiency of their dwellings, but to build value in their existing homes. Improving the safety and energy efficiency of homes in a neighborhood can help lift the value of all homes in the community over time, and the Iowa West Foundation’s grant will help us do more of that.”

The Iowa West Foundation is committed to helping communities achieve their dreams. Letters of Inquiry (the first step in the grant application process) are accepted year-round with deadlines of Jan. 1, May. 1 and Sept. 1 prior to each of the three grants cycles. For more information on the application process, a virtual grants workshop will be held on April 22nd. Details and registration can be found at: www.iowawestfoundation.org.