A coalition of pharmaceutical companies which opposes Medicare coverage forprescription drugs has given Congressman Jim Nussle nearly nine-thousanddollars. The drug-makers call their coalition “Citizens for BetterMedicare.” The group has been running ads featuring a woman who declaresshe doesn’t want “big government” in her medicine cabinet. According tofederal disclosure reports, Nussle got eight-thousand-900 dollars frompharmaceutical companies in the first half of this year. Only nine othermembers of Congress received bigger checks from drug makers. Nussle saysthat nine-thousand dollar investment in his campaign may not pay dividendsfor drug makers as he believes people who don’t receive a prescription drugbenefit can be fit into the plan.The American Association of Retired Persons is pushing for prescription drugcoverage under Medicare, and the group recently hosted a meeting in Dubuquewith Nussle on the subject. A-A-R-P’s Iowa Director, Bruce Koepple (kep’-ull) says Nussle is in apowerful, decision-making position as a member of both the House Budgetand House Ways-and-Means “tax-writing” Committee.Koepple says A-A-R-P won’t be making a campaign contribution to Nussle toinfluence his vote, but will instead have A-A-R-P members in northeast Iowacontact Nussle personally on the issue.
Police bust Council Bluffs meth lab across from school
Council Bluffs police shut down a meth lab operating in a house directlyacross the street from a Council Bluffs elementary school. Officers went tothe home yesterday afternoon after neighbors reported a domestic disturbanceand the distinct smell of ammonia. Officer Beau Wake says once inside,police were concerned for three small children.Wake says the home had no electricity and the kids slept in a basementbedroom — right beside the meth-making materials.The kids, who range in age from two to seven, were taken away from theirmother, who lived in the home with her boyfriend, and they’re now in thecustody of their biological father. The woman was not taken into policecustody, but her boyfriend, 31-year-old Terry Fogle was. Sergeant BobBrietzski says police were very concerned about the childrens’ welfare.
Mayor of Coulter killed in murder/suicide
Authorities believe it was a murder/suicide last night at a home in thenorth central Iowa town of Coulter. Officials believe Becky Paulsen, the town’s mayor, was shot to death by herestranged husband, Delbert Paulsen, who then turned the gun on himself. Both Paulsens were 43-years-old.
Drake gets down to conference play
The Drake Bulldogs open a bid for a second straight Pioneer League titlewhen they open the league race at Valparaiso this weekend. The Bulldogsclosed out the pre-conference portion of their schedule 3-1 and coach RobAsh says his team is ready for conference play.The Bulldogs have been racked by injuries, including a season-ending kneeinjury to quarterback Solon Bell. Ash says that was the only down side tothe first month of the season.Despite the injuries, Ash says the Bulldogs are confident they can makeanother run at the title.
ISU researchers win computer grant
Two computer experts at Iowa State University have won a large federalgrant to develop lesson plans for technology teachers nationwide. The325-thousand dollars from the National Science Foundation will be used todevelop what’re called curriculum modules.Professor Doug Jacobson, of I-S-U’s Electrical & Computer EngineeringCollege, says the modules could apply to computer courses for high schoolfreshmen to very advanced university-level classes. Jacobson specializes incomputer security and hopes to incorporate some of that into the modules.Jacobson says he’s thrilled to be working on the three-year project which hassuch wide-reaching potential.The modules will include lesson plans, supporting materials and ways forteachers to assess the effectiveness of the lessons.
Pork producers laud price reporting feature of Ag Bill
Pork producers are hailing a section in the emergency farm aid package whichcalls for public disclosure of all hog sales, not just those done atauction. Presently, the prices meatpackers pay for hogs raised under aprivate contract are NOT publicly disclosed. National Pork ProducersCouncil Vice President Barb Determan of Early, Iowa, has been in Washington,D.C., lobbying for the mandatory price disclosure.Determan says under the legislation, packers will be required to disclose –once in the morning and once in the afternoon — the prices they’re paying.The U-S House Ag Committee had been considering mandatory price disclosure,but Determan says action in that committee was taking too long.The mandatory price reporting proposal is included in the nearlynine-Billion dollar farm aid package which is expected to win Congressionalapproval sometime this week.
Judge throws out prisoners case against Fort Madison prison
A federal appeals court has thrown out a case which has constrainedoperations of Iowa’s maximum security prison since 1981. The case at one time established a limit on the number of prisoners whocould be housed at the Fort Madison prison. The case was filed by inmateswho complained of a lack of cleanliness, over-crowding and safety problemsat “The Fort.” Layne Lindebak is the attorney who’s worked on this case forthe state since 1981.Lindebak says prison officials will no longer be required to check with ajudge before making changes at the maximum security prison.Lindebak expects this to be the end of the road for the case, as even ifinmates decide to appeal, the U-S Supreme Court has refused to hear similarcases from other states.
