(Radio Iowa) – A group of cancer patients, survivors and advocates is urging the Iowa legislature to cap the amount of interest than can be charged on medical debt. John Buntsma of Orange City says he talked last weekend with a man who had cancer — and had to declare bankruptcy because of his medical debts. “Sadly what happens when people get into bankruptcy, you know they just sort of shrink,” Buntsma says. “…He says that people sort of scorned him for having gone bankrupt and, you know, it was not his choice to get cancer.”

A recent American Cancer Society survey found nearly half of cancer patients and survivors have had medical debt. Over 60 percent of personal bankruptcies are due to unpaid medical bills. Marshalltown Mayor Joel Greer is among those asking the legislature to pass a bill placing a two percent limit on the interest that can be charged on medical bills. “Right now if you’re absolutely desperate, you can find these medical cards at medical facitlities,” he says. “If you sign up for those, you can wind up with 30+ percent interest.”

Greer says the group’s other request is about Medicaid — asking that cancer patients be exempt from work requirements that may be ordered for Iowans enrolled in Medicaid. “And then if they have to fill out their onerous pile of paperwork every 30 days to say they still have cancer, that’s probably not going to happen and so those people will fall off Medicaid and they’re die sooner,” Greer says. “And their cancer will cost them and society more.”

Yesterday (Tuesday) was the American Cancer Society’s annual Cancer Action Day at the Iowa Capitol, an event Greer started attending in 1986. “We’ve had all sort of incidence of cancer in our family and friends. Two of my senior partners died of cancer within a year and a half of each other,” Greer says. “I just went to just went to a really good person’s funeral. He died of cancer. Nothing caused by him. He was one of those non-smokers, non-drinkers. Just a nice guy and so it’s that sort of thing that has me coming back every year that I can.”

According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, about 21-thousand Iowans were diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Iowa is the only state where cancer rates are growing.

(Radio Iowa) – Nearly two dozen Republicans in the Iowa House are co-sponsoring a bill that would ban chemical emissions for the purpose of changing the weather.  A subcommittee hearing on the bill was packed with supporters who claimed the government and corporations are changing the weather. Robert Nazario of Hardin County urged lawmakers to take action.

“Geoengineering is real. Cloud seeding and chemtrails are real and have had a devastating effect on everyone,” he said. “This practice over our skies and nation must end.” Democratic Representative Ken Croken was the only person in the room to speak against the proposal. Croken says he hasn’t seen evidence these things are happening and he’s not sure how the state would enforce a ban when the source of the alleged emissions isn’t clear.

The two Republicans on the subcommittee agreed to advance the bill to the House Environmental Protection Committee.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A newly formed Aquatics Committee in Atlantic held their second meeting, today (Tuesday, Feb. 10). The  Committee is comprised to a YMCA Board member, the YMCA executive director, YMCA aquatics designee, Atlantic Park and Recreation Department Coordinator, a representative from Park and Recreation Advisory, a city council representative, and two other community leaders with a passion for aquatics.

Members of committee include: Dan Haynes, Ali Pieken, Jodie Hogue, Chelsie Rush, Jeff Christensen, Emily Kennedy, Chelsie Huddleson and Alliison Knox-Westmeyer.

Picture order- Left to right, going around the table clockwise
Chelsie Rush, Chelsie Huddleson, Allison Knox-Westmeyer, Jodie Hogue, Jeff Christensen, Ali Pieken, Emily Kennedy and Dan Haynes. (photo courtesy Ali Pieken).

The General purpose of the Committee is to provide a structure for a formal vision and direction in matters pertaining to aquatics for the community of Atlantic, including:

• A review Atlantic aquatic facilities
• Providing a detailed list of upgrades, repairs, maintenance items to be reviewed by the YMCA and Parks and Recreation Advisory commission.
• Research and present potential options and upgrades on aquatics issues.
• Provide updates to the YMCA board and Parks and Recreation Commission as needed.

The Atlantic Aquatics committee held their first meeting on January 15th. The committee completed an on site pool walk through February 6th to evaluate needed improvements for the 2025 season. Aquatics Committee spokesperson Ali Pieken said “Some of the many things discussed at (Tuesday’s) meeting included: signage for Splash Pad restrooms; a new door for concession stand; process through the state for adding additional features to the pool; membership sales; pool hours of operation, marketing and more.”

Pieken said “The committee is dedicated to provide a structure for a formal vision, direction and progression in matters pertaining to aquatics for the community of Atlantic.”

(Des Moines, Iowa) [submitted by Montgomery County resident Jan Norris ] – On Monday, a bipartisan cohort of more than 30 landowners and farmers from across Iowa met with Senator Charles Grassley to express their frustration with Summit Carbon Solution’s proposed carbon pipeline. The hazardous liquid pipeline would traverse over 1,000 miles of Iowa farmland and require the use of eminent domain for nearly 1,000 properties. Landowners and farmers claim the project is only viable due to the government subsidies available to the carbon capture industry and urged Senator Grassley to abolish a key subsidy known as the 45Q tax credit.

As the longest serving U.S. Senator currently in Congress, constituents impacted by the carbon capture industry believe Senator Grassley can influence a change in policy to end incentives that encourage the construction of unnecessary carbon pipelines. Senator Grassley, as a member of both the Senate Budget and Senate Finance Committees, has the ability to protect the land and livelihoods of Iowa farmers by recommending 45Q be cut during the budget reconciliation process currently taking place.

During the short meeting, Bremer County farmer, Ted Junker, told Senator Grassley, “Republicans, Democrats, Independents, we’ve all come together to fight this carbon capture scam. Nearly 80% of Iowans are opposed to using eminent domain for carbon pipelines. This isn’t a red or blue issue. It’s a common sense issue. Destroying our cropland is not how we support agriculture. Giving our tax dollars to shareholders in foreign countries is not how we support agriculture. Allowing a company to monopolize the ethanol industry is not how we support agriculture. Stand by farmers and cut 45Q during the budget reconciliation process.”

Senator Grassley did not provide a firm position on the request. Impacted constituents hope to follow up with the senator when they are in Washington D.C. next month.

[Council Bluffs] The Pottawattamie County Disaster Case Advocacy Center located at 205 S Main Street in Council Bluffs will be closed to in-person visits due to the impending winter weather anticipated for Wednesday, February 12th. Your assigned disaster case advocate will still be available by phone or email to assist you. In-person visits will resume next Wednesday, February 19th.

Additional Ways to Reach a Disaster Case Advocate

• Call 515-675-1884, Monday – Sunday, 7 AM – 7 PM
• Email DisasterCaseAdvocacy@iowa.gov

Not Enrolled in the Iowa Disaster Case Advocacy Program?

If you were impacted by the disasters in the spring and summer of 2024, you may apply online for this free advocacy assistance at homelandsecurity.iowa.gov/assistance, or at this link DCA Online Form.

Advocates can support you with:

• Navigating FEMA, Insurance, SBA, and other processes
• Applying for programs and assistance
• Identifying and accessing new resources
• Developing a home repair or rebuild plan
• Creating a unique recovery plan with steps to reach your recovery goals
• And more, based on your disaster-related needs

FEMA Helpline 1-800-621-3362 SBA Helpline 1-800-659-2955

(Radio Iowa)- A plan to provide a two percent increase in the state’s per pupil spending on Iowa’s K-through-12 public and private schools has cleared the Senate with the support of 29 Republicans. It amounts to nearly eight-thousand dollars per pupil in public schools and the same amount for parents who’ve signed up for an Educational Savings Account to cover private school expenses for their child. Senator Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, is a retired superintendent.

“We’re making a promise to taxpayers that we’re going to be able to keep — not just today, but into the future,” Evans says. “This bill continues our focus on funding students over systems. It continues to demostrate our commitment to education, dedicating funding to help students in the educational setting that is best for them.” Senate Democrats proposed a five percent increase. Senator Sarah Trone-Garriott, a Democrat from Waukee, says two percent per pupil growth in state support isn’t enough for school districts with slow or no enrollment growth.

“159 school districts will have to cut teachers or raise property taxes,” Trone-Garriott said. “That’s their choice.” Senator Adrian Dickey, a Republican from Packwood, says he thinks it’s time to make a few other things in Iowa a spending priority, like support for volunteer fire fighters. “I will support this bill, but it makes me sick how every year we don’t sit back and look at some of the other funding avenues we need to take a look at,” Dickey said. “It’s more than just education in this state.”

Senator Cindy Winckler, a Democrat from Davenport, says school funding isn’t just about the education sector. “A well educated workforce attracts businesses, it strengthens our economy and ensures that Iowa remains competitive,” Winckler said. Three Republican senators who represent rural school districts joined 15 Senate Democrats in opposing the bill. Republicans in the House have proposed a higher state spending level for K-through-12 students, including a one time 22-point-six million dollar infusion to help schools deal with inflationary costs.

Three GOP opponents of the bill were Senators Dawn Driscoll of Williamsburg, Tom Shipley of Nodaway and Charlie McClintock of Alburnett. Senators Julian Garrett, a Republian from Indianola; Jeff Reichmann, a Republican from Montrose; and Democrat Zach Wahls of Coralville were absent.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he looks forward to Elon Musk’s review of the military’s budget. “I think that he is looking at it from the standpoint of a business person,” Grassley says, “and any conflict of interest he isn’t going to get away with.” President Trump has said he expects Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency effort to find hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse in the military. Musk’s Space X was awarded about five billion dollars in Defense Department contracts last year, much of it to launch satellites for military intelligence and communications.

Grassley says a recent case involving Amazon’s disputed and rejected bid for a military contract sends an important message about conflicts of interest. “I expect if we can do it for Amazon, we can do it with anything Elon Musk might be trying to pull,” Grassley says, “but I think he wouldn’t be dumb enough to do that in the first place.” The Department of Defense is the largest agency in the federal budget and has an annual budget of 800 billion dollars.

Grassley has been a critic of Pentagon spending since he joined the Senate in the early 1980s, raising concerns then about the price the military had paid for common items, like a 400 dollar hammer and a 600 dollar toilet seat. In 2018, Grassley called attention to the 10-thousand dollars the Pentagon paid for toilet set lids.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is asking legislators for a more than one-point-six MILLION dollar budget boost so she can hire seven more attorneys. Over 300-thousand dollars would fund one prosecutor to investigate financial crimes.  “We’ve found a lot of localities have some questions about the types of cases of that would involve financial crimes and other types of cases of that nature,” Bird says, “and it would really help to have a dedicated prosecutor for financial crimes and other types of consumer scams should the perpetrator be able to be located.” Bird is asking for another 825-thousand dollars to add four more full-time staff attorneys in her office.

“Over time the civil division in our office has been dwindling, losing attormeys at a time when the case level has either increased or stayed constant,” Bird says. “These are the attorneys who defend the state when the state is sued and so it’s very important that we have enough attorneys so they don’t have to be settled if they’re not a case with merit.” Bird says it’s far more expensive to pay private attorneys to handle these types of cases, many of them from people trying to get a criminal conviction overturned. And half a million would go to hiring two attorneys and a paralegal to primarily deal with high profile lawsuits seeking to overturn state laws.

“That part of our office has been kept very, very busy with a number of lawsuits and other cases against state laws,” Bird says. If the legislature approves this part of Bird’s budget request, Bird would have these three staffers help with consumer protection cases her office handles.

(Radio Iowa) – Scott County Attorney Kelly Cunningham says she found nothing to hold anyone criminally responsible in the 2023 partial collapse of a Davenport apartment building. Cunningham made the decision after reviewing the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation report on the collapse, which killed three people and caused one woman to lose her leg.  “When you look at the issue of whether or not criminal charges are to be filed, very simply, you have to have the commission of a crime. This, very simply, was the structural failure of a building,” she says. Cunningham says building owner, Andrew Wold had been actively trying to get the building fixed, and flooding played a role in the building’s collapse, and Wold did not commit any crimes.

“That’s what is required to prove involuntary manslaughter. So you have to have the commission of a crime that results in the unintentional death of an individual, or, you have to, you know, have engaged in some sort of reckless conduct that results in the death of an individual.”

Cunningham says a jury in the lawsuits against Wold will have to decide whether the collapse was caused by negligence since negligence is a civil concept, not a criminal one.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on arrests that took place over the past week (Feb. 5th-10th).  Monday night, 18-year-old Jasmine Ameliana Cadena, of Glenwood, was arrested for Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $2,000. Friday afternoon, 49-year-old Valeryann Marjorie Davis, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County on an Out-of-State warrant. Bond was set at $1,000. And, 42-year-old Jamie Fern Achenbaugh, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Friday afternoon for Driving Under Suspension and Theft in the 2nd Degree (an amount greater than $1,500 but less than $10,000). Bond was set at $5,300.

Last Thursday, 30-year-old Tyren Jamal Morris, of Sioux City, was arrested in Mills County for Public Intoxication (Bond $300). And, on Feb. 5th, 40-year-old Bree Ann Crotty, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County for Failure to appear on a citation. Bond was set at $5,000.