(Radio Iowa) –Iowans who get sick from asbestos exposure may soon have to provide more detailed information in order to sue for damages. The House and Senate have sent a bill to the governor with new rules for asbestos-related lawsuits. Republican Representative Brian Lohse of Bondurant says some attorneys name too many defendants in lawsuits. “This is done for a plethora of reasons, most legitimate, some not,” Lohse says. “The over-naming of defendants can lead to the litigation moving more slowly and ineffectively.”

If the bill becomes law, Iowans would have to identify each current and past work site as well as the frequency of their exposure to asbestos. Representative Karin Derry of Johnston is among the Democrats who opposed the bill. She told colleagues it was because of personal experience — her dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. “We were told by the doctor this was the kind of lung cancer caused by asbestos,” Derry said. “My dad did not know how or when or where he had been exposed to asbestos and at age 62, he died.”

Representative Brian Meyer, a Democrat from Des Moines, says 80 percent of mesothelioma cases are veterans. He unsuccessfully tried to exclude Iowa veterans from the bill’s new requirements.  “Mesothelioma is a deadly disease and it’s only caused by one thing: asbestos,” Meyer says, “And it lays latent for 20-50 years within your body.”

Lohse says the bill will lead to the proper identification of the companies responsible for the asbestos exposure. “The climate today, in these cases especially, lead to a problem with over-naming,” Lohse says, “a problem that drives up the cost of defense, drives up the cost of insurance.”  Lohse, Meyer and Derry are all attorneys and they were the only members of the House to speak during debate of the bill.

Senate debate was limited, but it drew criticism from Senator Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo who is a veteran and a retired John Deere employee. “I guess I come from a shop of working class people and I know when something stinks and this does, so I’m not going to legalese any of you about,” Dotzler says. “You know it stinks and I know it stinks.”

Senator Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says the bill is necessary because there are too many asbestos-related lawsuits that name too many defendants. “Just in a shotgun approach to try and say: ‘How many of these individuals might settle with my attorney?'” Nunn said.

This bill adds onto a 2017 law that set new deadlines for providing details in asbestos-related lawsuits. More than 27-hundred Iowans have died of asbestos-related cancer between 1999 and 2017.

Members of the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, received an update on Trojan Athletic Facilities Projects, from FRK Architect Principal Tom Wollan, and Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm.

Superintendent Steve Barber made note first of all, about the roof that was installed on the Trojan Bowl Concession Stand, meaning it’s now enclosed and crews are getting close to pouring a slab on grade later this week or early next week. Tom Wollan added that the General Contractor, Rochon, “Is ahead of schedule in some areas, a little bit behind in other areas, but that’s mostly due to the weather,” which is understandable, he said.

“The big push,” according to Wollan, “Is to get the utilities done at the Trojan Bowl, and get that final grading happening.” Wollan also noted there is an issue with water pooling on the south end of the Bowl, which they are addressing. Snyder’s Dave Sturm said the problem is apparently due to a spring. “There’s a pretty significant ground seep that’s coming up, that’s keep [the area] soaking wet.” Sturm they’ll likely correct the issue by use of additional tile-runs to the existing drain system underneath the turf field.

The other big push, Wollan said, is to get the fields graded for the baseball and softball complex, and then get the grass down as soon as possible. In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved the previously mentioned resignations of Girl’s Varsity Asst. Track Coach Abby Becker and Washington Paraeducator Kami Bruck, with the addition of Kimberlee Denning, Special Education Teacher at the Link Center. They also approved several contract recommendations (as previously mentioned on KJAN), with the addition of Crystal Sunderman as Para Educator/Bus Monitor (1 hour per day).

And, following a Public Hearing, the Board approved the 2020-21 School Year Calendar, the replacement of a poorly draining Shuler Roof, the High School HVAC replacement project (which came in under cost estimates), plus an additional HVAC unit. They also set their 6-p.m. April 8th Board meeting, as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the 2020-21 Certified Budget.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber and School District Registered Nurse Laura Freund, earlier this week, sent out a notice to parents/guardians of students in the district, and staff, with regard to preparations for the COVID-19 (or, Corona virus).  At Wednesday evening’s school board meeting, Mr. Barber essentially reiterated the same information, and  reassured the Board “We’re not in a panic mode right now. We’re paying attention to all the updated news each time. Hopefully, we prepared for the worst but hope for the best-type situation. The next couple or three weeks we’ll kind of know if anything comes from that arena as well.”

In the letter sent Monday, Barber said that he and Freund attended a webinar last ween, where officials made recommendations for school districts.  The message was simple, and has not changed: Wash your hands, wipe down surfaces, don’t share cups, and remain home if you are not feeling well.  Barber said “These are the same procedures we have in place and will continue to do. Our maintenance crew uses foggers to disinfect our buildings. We will be using these two times in all buildings over the next two weeks; then after spring break reevaluate.”

During the webinar, individuals from the Iowa Department of Public Health were there to answer questions.  Mr. Barber and Freund encourage anyone interested in factual information and recommendations to go to the site.  In addition, the cdc.gov site is one that provides national information.

Barber and Freund have been in contact with Mr. O’Donnell with regard to the Florida trip to Disney World in two weeks.  At this time, they say, the trip will take place at planned, unless things change. We have some time to look at the Spanish trip in Costa Rica in July and will continue to monitor the situation.

In the letter also, Barber and Freund said “In Cass County, we are blessed with some committed individuals in Public Health and Emergency Management.  We are and will continue to be frequently conversing with them and make decisions based on a team approach.  Our goal is to continue to inform staff and parents and ensure everyone is in the know if recommendations change.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says a 14th person who had recently taken a cruise in Egypt has tested positive for COVID-19. The news came late Wednesday afternoon on the same day that an Iowa City hospital CEO says a COVID-19 patient who took the same cruise was admitted and is in critical condition there.

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics CEO Suresh Gunasekaran said all proper procedures and precautions were followed during the admission process so staff members were properly protected.

Both patients are among a group of 21 who went on a recent Egyptian cruise sponsored by Hills Bank in Hills, Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s three public universities announced Wednesday they would shift to only online classes beginning March 23 in an effort to keep students and faculty safe from the new coronavirus. The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa said they would only offer online classes after students return from next week’s spring break.

The online courses would continue for at least two weeks, with officials reassessing the situation during the week of March 30. Some private colleges are making similar moves. The president of Grinnell College has told students they must leave the campus by March 23. Classes will be offered online for the rest of the semester.

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System officials announced that effective immediately visitors are now limited to all CCHS facilities. This measure is being enacted to protect the health of patients, staff, volunteers, and visitors and to proactively limit the spread of COVID-19. These visitor limitations are the same precautions that are taken during peak influenza times, which is still active in Iowa.

Effective immediately:

• Visitors are now limited to 1 or 2 essential support persons per inpatient. Essential support persons must be 18 years of age or older and in good health.
• Volunteer services are temporarily suspended until further notice. This includes volunteers at the Information Desk, Gift Shop, and other locations throughout CCHS. These measures are being taken to protect the health of our volunteers.
• Non-essential meetings for the public, including Healthy U, are postponed until further notice.

The public is encouraged to continue practicing good hand hygiene; frequent handwashing with soap and water is the best first line of defense against the spread of viruses.

CCHS officials do not encourage the use of masks by healthy individuals. Masks should be used by individuals with respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, sneezing when they are within any CCHS facility for care. Individuals who are sick should also cover all coughs and sneezes in their elbow or tissues, and they should stay home until they are well.