WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is giving up the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, paving the way for Sen. Lindsey Graham to take over. Grassley says he plans to become chairman of the Senate Finance Committee next year. To do that, he’ll have to give up the gavel of the Judiciary Committee, which he has held since 2015.

Graham is next in line to become Judiciary chairman. If he takes the post, the South Carolina Republican would oversee the process of judicial confirmations, a top priority for Republicans and for President Donald Trump. Graham has become a close Trump ally and was a vocal supporter of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Grassley says he’ll seek to provide more tax relief as Finance Committee chairman.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled falls at work caused by medical conditions can’t automatically be ruled out for workers compensation claims. Thirty-eight-year-old Jason Bluml was injured when he had a seizure and fell onto the tile floor while working as the shift manager of the Long John Silver’s in Council Bluffs in 2012. Court records showed Bluml had not been taking anti-seizure medications and had issues with alcohol abuse. A Workforce Compensation Commissioner ruled the fall was idiopathic — or caused by a medical condition — and Bluml was not due compensation for the injuries.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruling says it has been two decades since the issue has been addressed. It reversed the commissioner — saying there is no blanket rule for such workplace falls, so long as the employees proves that a condition their employment increased the risk of injury. Justice Thomas Waterman disagreed with the majority opinion. He says it is undisputed that Bluml’s seizure was unrelated to his working conditions and was fortuitous that he has a seizure at work rather than outside on a hard sidewalk.

Waterman says the commissioner may still find the floor did not contribute to the injuries — but says it could result in a costly payout that would eviscerate that section of the law and make the employer a general health insurer.

World War 1 was supposed to be the war to end all wars. An Armistice was signed November 11, 1918. A presentation to mark the centennial will be given on Sunday, November 18 at 2 pm at the American Legion Memorial Building. Dr. John Mark Nielsen, Executive Director Emeritus of the Museum of Danish America will give the presentation. He will provide a brief overview of WWI and describe his grandfather’s participation in the American Expeditionary Force. He will also suggest how the war to end all wars impacts our world today.

More than 114,200 Iowans served in WWI. Nearly 1000 were from Cass County and many more from neighboring communities. Seven women from Atlantic are known to have served in WWI. The first woman to die of combat injuries was from Davenport, Iowa. She was serving in a canteen. One of the first soldiers killed was from Iowa, Merle Hay. The program is provided by Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise, ARISE. The Military Museum, Military Library and Atlantic History Center will be open for viewing. Refreshments will include beverages and donuts. There is no fee but donations are welcome.

Additional programs are scheduled for January through May, 2019. Request a tour or use of meeting space by calling 712-243-5445. See additional information on the web site or Facebook. Just search for arise atlantic iowa.

Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle said today (Friday), that food donations from the Cass County Democratic Party’s Food Drive have been delivered to the Anita Food Pantry and Cumberland’s Care & Share Food Pantry. Pam Miller and Mary Kay Greenwalt accepted the donations on behalf of their organizations. Toelle says “I want to thank the community for once again supporting the Food Drive. You always come through for the needy in Cass County.”

Pam Miller from the Anita Food Pantry

Mary Kay Greenwalt from Cumberland

FAIRBANK, Iowa (AP) — Developers of three northeast Iowa wind turbine towers have lost another round in their battle to keep them up or rebuild them. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that a three-judge Iowa Supreme Court panel rejected the developers’ appeal Wednesday. The justices let stand a July 11 decision by their colleague, Justice David Wiggins, to affirm a district court’s decision.

The 450-foot-tall (137 meters) towers were erected in 2015 just east of Fairbank. They drew opposition from housing developers and neighboring homeowners who believed the towers would be detrimental to the city. Fairbank City Council members filed a lawsuit that said Fayette County issued construction permits without following zoning ordinances.

The developers have been taking down the turbines under a court-ordered deadline of Dec. 9 .