(Radio Iowa) – A group of senators is working on a bill aimed at unscrupulous recruiters who supply workers for taxpayer-funded construction projects in Iowa. Felicia Hilton of the Carpenters Union says they’ve documented cases of labor brokers who pay substandard wages to workers — or don’t pay them at all. “Right now, they’re hidden,” Hilton says. “We’re not talking about the workers. We’re talking about the broker, the coyote, the people trafficking or bringing people into the state of Iowa to perform work this way and to leave them unpaid.”

Peter Hird, a lobbyist for the Iowa Federation of Labor, says people who aren’t involved in the construction industry probably don’t understand how prevalent the problem is on private and public projects. “These people can hide in the shadows and exploit workers,” Hird says. Brian Ewing, an assistant director of organizing for the Carpenters Union, is based in Altoona. He says when workers brought in by so-called coyotes are paid in cash rather than by check, proper payroll taxes aren’t being paid.

“We see it every day. We have affidavits. We tons of proof of guys not getting paid,” he says. “We help people file mechanics liens. They are totally taken advantage of and the reason they’re taken advantage of is because they can.” The bill would require that the names and contact information of labor brokers involved in publicly-funded projects be filed with a state agency.

Three senators have voted to make the bill eligible for committee consideration, but the group is planning to make changes to it. Associations representing the state’s construction industry oppose the bill. A lobbyist for the Master Builders of Iowa says the subcontractors hired by general contractors to work on public projects are licensed by the state, but GENERAL contractors may not know all the people the SUB-contractors hire to finish a job.

(Des Moines, IA) The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), in partnership with Walgreens and CVS, Wednesday, have announced the availability of COVID-19 vaccine for approximately 32,000 Iowans age 65 and older. Unused vaccines which were originally allocated to the Long-Term Care Pharmacy Partnership Program have been redistributed to a limited number of Walgreens and CVS stores in select Iowa counties, and reserved for Iowans age 65 and older. This is a one-time, additional allocation of vaccine.

Iowans age 65 and older can register online for a vaccine appointment at a participating Walgreens or CVS location near them. Appointments are limited to the number of vaccines available at each location. If you are not able to secure one of these vaccine appointments, be assured that more vaccines are coming to the state on a weekly basis.

Walgreens: Beginning today (February 3rd), Iowans age 65 and older can sign up to schedule an appointment at a Walgreens store location in one of the counties listed below. Register online here. View the registration guide here.

• Black Hawk
• Cerro Gordo
• Des Moines
• Dubuque
• Johnson
• Linn
• Polk
• Pottawattamie
• Scott
• Woodbury

CVS

Beginning February 4, at 8:00 a.m., Iowans age 65 and older can sign up to schedule an appointment at a CVS store location in one of the counties listed below. Register online here. View the registration guide here.

• Black Hawk
• Dallas
• Linn
• Polk

Iowans are encouraged to remain patient as more vaccine arrives in the weeks and months ahead. It is also critical to continue practicing the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus:

• Wear a mask or face covering
• Practice social distancing with those outside your household
• Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
• Stay home if you feel sick
• Get tested if you are exposed to, or have symptoms of COVID-19

(Corrects date of arrest) Officials with the Atlantic Police Department, Wednesday, said 50-year old Binte Binios, of Atlantic, was arrested Tuesday, on charges that include OWI, Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, and Driving While License Denied or Revoked. Binios was booked into the Cass County Jail, and held.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, said a man from Kansas City, Missouri was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say 38-year old Johnathan Selby was taken into custody on a Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. His cash bond at the Montgomery County Jail, was set at $1,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton University has unveiled a plan to build a $75 million medical school facility, much of the funding for which will come from C.L. and Rachel Werner of Omaha. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Creighton’s president, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, announced the plan during his annual convocation Tuesday, saying the planned health sciences facility will serve as the new front door for the Creighton School of Medicine.

The building will be named the C.L. Werner Center for Health Sciences Education. Werner is the founder of Werner Enterprises, an Omaha-based trucking company. The building will house programs for medicine, nursing, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other disciplines.