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"Choice of doctor" bill clears committee

February 11, 2009 By

Union leaders and business groups are sparring at the statehouse over two bills long sought by organized labor. One bill would give employees who’re injured on the job the right to choose their own doctor.

Jan Lau, secretary/treasurer of the Iowa Federation of Labor, says it’s a matter of fairness. "You can’t help but think that the doctor that’s being paid by company and being referred by the company is going have more loyalty to that company than they do to you when you’re a complete stranger to them," Lau says. "On the other hand if you can go to your family doctor you know that they have your best interests at heart more so than the company’s."

Myron Lynn, compensation manager for Pella Corporation, says the doctors companies choose are familiar with the kinds of injuries workers suffer and can save time in diagnosing injuries a family doctor rarely sees. "It’s access to quality medical care, getting the person quickly to the right doctor whose specialty is treating the kind of injury that the individual has, working with the physician to get the person back to work as quickly as medically advisable to do so," Lynn says, "and back to full wages."

Lynn says most employees are satisfied with the company doctor. Of the 22,000 Iowans injured on the job last year, less than two percent requested alternate care. The "choice of doctor" bill cleared the Senate Labor Committee earlier today on a party-line vote.

Another labor bill advancing through the statehouse would require contractors working on government-financed construction projects to pay employees the "prevailing wage" in the area. Linda Hinton of the Iowa Association of Counties says the move would increase labor costs for local governments by as much as 20 percent — just as cities and counties struggle to repair storm damaged infrastructure. "Counties and all public entities will see a road construction season busier than, perhaps, anytime in the past," Hinton says. "Counties are already struggling to pay for this massive rebuilding infrastructure expense and burdening them for a requirement that will increase costs by millions of dollars may cause significant delay in needed repairs and improvements." The Iowa Association of School Boards predicts similar delays in school construction projects if the bill passes.

The House Labor Committee is scheduled to debate the bill Thursday.

Filed Under: Business, Education, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , , ,

After days of melting, snow to make a return

February 11, 2009 By

Iowans are about to be reminded that Spring is still several weeks away. A winter storm is taking shape and National Weather Service Meteorologist Brad Small says it could dump up to a foot of snow on parts of Iowa on Friday.

“It looks like the peak amounts will vary from six inches to as high as 12 inches,” Small said. “It’ll be a fairly widespread snow as well, so it’ll cover a good portion of the state.” The heaviest snow is expected over the southern two-thirds of Iowa.

“It’ll be a fairly wet snow. Temperatures won’t be too far below freezing. We’re not talking a blizzard or anything, but the winds should be strong enough to blow (the snow) around somewhat and reduce visibilities, especially during the most intense snowfall,” Small said.

The last major snow event in the state occurred on January 25th – more than two weeks ago. Most of the snow cover has disappeared in the last few days as temperatures have been in the 50s and 60s. The conditions will take a dramatic turn on Friday.

“This snow will be the biggest of the season, we haven’t seen these amounts in quite a long time,” Small said. The snow is expected to begin falling Friday afternoon and continue through the night. 

Filed Under: Weather

Board of Education approves final piece of Iowa Core Curriculum

February 11, 2009 By

Judy Jeffrey (file photo) The State Board of Education today approved the final portion of the curriculum guidelines the state will require all schools to use for students from kindergarten through high school.

 Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey calls it an historic step to complete the Iowa Core Curriculum.

The board today approved social studies, kindergarten through eighth grade and the final piece of the 21st Century skills for kindergarten through eighth grade. Jeffrey says there are now concepts and skills for financial literacy, health literacy, civic literacy, employability and technology literacy, plus all of the academic areas. Jeffrey says the core plan gives guidelines for each district in developing their curriculum.

Jeffrey says the essential concepts and skills must be in place in all districts in their written and taught curriculum, but there is still flexibility for the written curriculum. She says it gives the schools goals to attain with a great deal of local flexibility. The goal behind the Iowa Core Curriculum is to raise student achievement and improve teaching.

Jeffrey says there are new forms being developed for the Iowa tests that will be used to measure the accountability of the schools, and they are also asking for a writing test to measure the essential concepts and skills. She says there will be a much more standard expectation of what students are expected to learn in the primary, intermediate and high school grades.

Jeffrey says this is another step in preparing Iowa students to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. "Well, I think we are way ahead of the nation in the identification of those 21st Century skills, and we really believe this standard, of what I would say is excellence for our students, will really put us as a frontrunner in the nation and a frontrunner in the world if all of our students actually attain these concepts and skills before they graduate from high school," Jeffrey says.

Schools in Iowa are now receiving training on the Iowa Core Curriculum, which must be fully implemented in high schools by the 2012-2013 school year and in kindergarten through eighth (K-8) grade by the 2014-2015 school year. 

Filed Under: Education

Home expert gives tips on how to sell in slow economy

February 11, 2009 By

Shane Tallant While the real estate market it still slumping, Iowans who want to sell their houses can make the place look more desirable with a small investment of time and money.

Shane Tallant, host of the HGTV show “Designed to Sell,” says you won’t have to spend a dime to simply declutter the place, and that’s a big start.

“Start at the front door,” Tallant says. “Go through the house. Get the tennis shoes off the floor. Get those stacks of magazines out of the living room. Clean up the sink in the bathroom. Depersonalize the place. You’ll be surprised how much stuff you’ve become complacent with. It hasn’t cost you any money. You’ve organized your stuff and now you can show your home in its best light.”

Speaking of light, Tallant says a new light fixture may cost $100, but it’s a great investment. He says: “When people turn on lights, they look up at them. So, they’re going to turn the light on, they’re going to see that the room is well lit and then they’re going to look up and say, ‘That’s kind of a new, modern, better than a contractor-grade light fixture.’ It makes a difference, it really does.”

Another simple change you can make for a very low cost is switching out door knobs. Tallant says it puts people at ease in your home when the things they touch are new. Handles, door knobs, light switch covers, anything you can buy in bulk can become a potential selling point that won’t cost a bundle. If you can’t afford to repaint the whole house or even one room, Tallant suggests just buying one small can of paint to repaint the front door.

He says, “That’s the first thing people are going to see and actually touch when they enter your home and if that feels like it’s been freshly painted and taken care of, they’re going to subconsciously feel like, ‘These people have taken care of their home. We’re excited to see what’s on the inside.’” If you have a pet, eliminate the odor and replace it by baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Tallant will be in Iowa this weekend, offering tips on getting your house to sell at the Home and Garden Show in Des Moines . The show runs Thursday through Sunday.  


AUDIO: Matt Kelley interview with Shane Tallant. 4:37 MP3

Filed Under: Human Interest

Iowans considered for job of FEMA director

February 11, 2009 By

The former chief of emergency management for the State of Iowa is reportedly among the finalists for the job of FEMA director.

Ellen Gordon served as the state’s emergency management director for Governors Branstad and Vilsack. After the September 11th attacks, then-Governor Vilsack named her Homeland Security advisor, too.

Gordon is the past president of the National Emergency Management Association and well regarded in her field. She’s currently associate director of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security in Monterey, California. Gordon still lives in Iowa, and commutes to California and other consulting jobs around the country.

President Obama has not made public his choice for the job of Federal Emergency Management Agency director, but Obama aides have told news outlets Gordon is being considered, along with the man who currently heads Florida’s emergency management agency.

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Class 4A: Kelsie Reeves, Des Moines Lincoln

February 11, 2009 By

The senior guard averaged 29 points, four assists and four steals in two wins. Reeves scored 31 points, on nine-of-15 sooting, added four assists and four steals in a victory over Ames. She connected on just over 59 percent of her shots for the week.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Uncategorized

Class 3A: Ashley Kovarik, Crestwood (Cresco)

February 11, 2009 By

The junior guard averaged more than 16 points, nine rebounds and nearly six steals in a pair of wins. Kovarik scored 18 points, hauled down eight rebounds and totaled seven steals in a victory over Oelwein.

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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