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Branstad makes promises to older Iowans

September 3, 2010 By

Republican candidate Terry Branstad visited a retirement community in Des Moines this afternoon, promising to take steps to help older Iowans lead “productive, vital and dignified lives” if he’s re-elected Iowa’s governor.

“Today I’m outlining three proposals that are not earth-shaking, but I think they are important to the seniors in the state of Iowa,” Branstad told a packed meeting room at the Wesley Acres retirement community in Des Moines.

Branstad promised to “celebrate” the contributions older Iowans have made to the state. Secondly, Branstad said he’d pursue policies that help the elderly stay in their homes as long as possible, and he also pledged to promote programs the provide information to seniors so they can make “informed decisions” about services that may be available in their home communities. 

Branstad drew laughs, applause and a few “ahhs” at the beginning of his remarks as he gave the crowd a report on his children and grandchildren.  Wesley Acres is next door to Des Moines University, where Branstad served as president until last October.

Terry Branstad talks to a resident of a Des Moines retirement home.

“It’s great to be back in the old neighborhood,” Branstad said, laughing. “I was at Des Moines University for six years and three months as the president and, of course, I lived down the street for 16 years and I hope to get back there, too.”  That’s a reference to Terrace Hill — the governor’s mansion — which is just a few blocks away from Wesley Acres. 

Listen to all of what Branstad had to say today: Branstad 6:56 MP3

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Supreme Court issues ruling again on Highway 63 flood case

September 3, 2010 By

The Iowa Supreme Court has issued an update of a ruling it issued in May involving a lawsuit over the reconstruction of Highway 63 in northeast Iowa. The case involved a four lane Highway 63 bypass around the city of Denver that was built in 1994 and included a bridge over a creek on the west side of the city.

Thirty-five homes and 34 businesses were damage by flooding in 1999 and a federal study later found the construction of the bypass caused the floodwaters to be higher because the bridge only bypassed the creek and not the rest of the area where water flowed into the creek. The D.O.T. modified the bridge in 2004 to go around the entire creek floodway.

Several homeowners sued the state over the 1999 flooding damage. The Supreme Court ruled in May that the flooded residents could not sue for claims for damages due to a permanent devaluation of their property as it said the state addressed that issue by rebuilding the bridge to prevent future flooding. (May Radio Iowa Story)

But the court said they could sue over damages from the 1999 event. The state raised questions about the district court’s jurisdiction in the case and the Supreme Court reissued its ruling saying the district court does have jurisdiction and can rule on the damages from the 1999 event.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Self ticket check part of new Lottery computer system

September 3, 2010 By

The Iowa Lottery Board has approved a proposal from a Georgia company to supply new computer equipment to the Iowa Lottery at a projected cost of just over 50-million dollars over 10 years. Lottery C.E.O., Terry Rich, says the new system will be a big upgrade over the current system.

Rich says it will be a much faster computer than the decade old computers now in use, and he says the new computers will allow all vendors to sell all types of tickets, where in the past some outlets could only sell scratch tickets. Another new feature will allow you to check your ticket without waiting in line for a clerk. He says the self checker will be at a different station than where the tickets are sold and you can use it to scan your tickets and find out if you are a winner.

Rich says the updgrade in technology could open up more uses for the system. Rich says they believe the new computer system could allow them to help other agencies by taking payments, or possibly issuing hunting and fishing licenses or other things. He says the Iowa Lottery has 2,500 locations across the state and using its system could save the state some dollars on infrastructure. Rich says the new system will be in place by next summer.

Rich says the next step is to finalize the contract and they will then begin programming the new terminals and start sending them out in the spring. He says the new system would be up and fully operational by July 3rd of 2011. The Lottery Board approved the proposal to award the contract for the system to Scientific Games International. Rich says the new system is expected to save the lottery around one million dollars a year in reduced costs.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With: ,

State gets federal waiver, impacting health care coverage for 40,000

September 3, 2010 By

Federal officials have approved extending the state’s “IowaCare” program which covers about 40,000 Iowans who would not otherwise be eligible for government-paid Medicaid.

The program was set to expire this year and Governor Chet Culver announced today that federal officials have given the state a waiver which allows the program to continue to another three years.

“We had to really fight for it. I was on the phone with Secretary Sebelius and certainly want to thank her and the administration for their flexibility,” Culver says.  “…It’s really a cause for celebration and there was no guarantee whatsoever that this waiver would be granted.” 

According to the governor, this extension will allow Iowans who might have fallen through the cracks to get basic coverage for health care services until the new federal health care reform plan goes into effect in 2014.

Those who are currently enrolled in the “IowaCare” program must go to either Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines or to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City or their trips to the doctor and treatment won’t be covered.  Under the waiver that has been granted, “IowaCare” patients will be able to go to a longer list of “federally-qualified” health clinics, starting October 1.

Culver says that addresses concerns about access. ”And now we will have between 10 and 15 additional local health care providers or facilities — hospitals, clinics — across the state,” Culver says.

The state faced a $100 million shortfall if the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services hadn’t issued the waiver.

Filed Under: Health & Medicine, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Pseudoephedrine tracking system now up and running

September 3, 2010 By

Iowans purchasing drugs containing pseudoephedrine may find themselves waiting at the pharmacy counter a little longer. A new electronic tracking system is designed to limit sales of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Dave Henning, pharmacy manager at a HyVee store in Iowa City, says the new system requires customers give pharmacists a photo identification card. The pharmacist then enters in the name, address, date of birth and list of products that are being purchased.

“It gives you real time information on people purchasing pseudophed,” Henning said. “It gives you a green check for ‘good to sell’ or (a red flag for) ‘not good to sell.’” The idea is to prevent meth-makers from pharmacy hopping to purchase large amounts of the drug.

“In the big picture, it’s a good thing, but it does add time to purchasing,” Henning said. Detective Shane Chandler, a member of the Johnson County Drug Task Force, says law enforcement officers can now access electronic reports of who purchased drugs at what location and when.

“I think what it will do is stop them from violating the law,” Chandler said. “By no means do I think it will stop them from purchasing pseudophed.” The legal limit of pseudoephedrine is 3,600 milligrams in a 24 hour period or 7,500 milligrams in a 30 day period.

 Henning says checking out at pharmacies will also get faster as new barcode scanners will soon be installed to automatically enter information from a photo identification card to the database.

By Jami Brinton, KCRG-TV, Cedar Rapids

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Health & Medicine Tagged With:

Statewide effort targets drunk drivers

September 3, 2010 By

Law officers statewide are taking part in a focused effort through Labor Day to find and arrest drunk drivers. Randy Hunefeld, spokesman for the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, says the theme of the enforcement action is “Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest.”

Hunefeld says, “We’re trying to make sure people understand if they’ve had too much to drink, there’s plenty of alternatives and not to take the risk of getting behind the wheel.” Last year, 372 people died in crashes on Iowa’s roads. Nearly a quarter of the deadly wrecks, 92 of them, were alcohol-related. Studies say the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers are between the ages of 21 and 24.

Hunefeld says the crackdown on drunk drivers will be a far-reaching effort in Iowa over the holiday weekend. “There’s about 250 city, county and state law enforcement agencies around the state that will be participating in this special enforcement event,” he says. These events are known as Special Traffic Enforcement Programs or STEPs. Hunefeld says there are usually five each year around the major holidays.

“Ultimately, we would like to have no traffic violations found during that time but unfortunately, people are always in a hurry or they’ve been out drinking too much and that’s why we’re out there,” he says. “We want everybody to know we’re out there so they will behave themselves and follow those rules.”

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Employer rate for unemployment going up in January

September 3, 2010 By

The state agency that oversees unemployment benefits says the rates charged to employers to cover the unemployment trust fund will go up in January. Iowa Workforce Development spokesperson, Kerry Koonce, says they review the trust fund each year to make sure it has enough money coming in.

Koonce says they determined the fund needed more money in it to remain solvent and they are moving from tax table four to tax table three, which is an increase in taxes. Koonce says Iowa has traditionally had some of the lowest rates in the country, but unemployment claims have gone up and individuals are remaining on unemployment longer due to the recession.

Koonce says the Iowa rates for employer unemployment contributions range from zero to 9%. She says there are about 40% of the employers at the zero rate, and some of those will see the rate go up, while others won’t see it change. Koonce says the rates are based the type of industry your business is in and the number of layoffs or firings that you’ve had to pay benefits on over the last five years. Koonce says if your business has been able to make it through the recession without layoffs and firings, then won’t see any change.

“Different states use different theories, but the theory that was set forth back in the late 80s here in Iowa when it was worked out as a compromise between all sides, was that the employers that are managing their system, they’re not laying off employees, those kinds of things, should not be penalized against those who’re constantly having overriding layoffs, people coming on and going off, those kinds of things,” Koonce says.

Iowa’s seen federal money come in to extend unemployment benefits, but Koonce says that does not impact the state fund. Koonce says the three federal extensions do not have anything to do with the state trust fund, the only thing that impacts the fund are the “original benefits” which are a maximum of 26 weeks. The trust fund currently has a balance of $507-million — however 2010 is still expected to pay out the second largest amount of benefits in history.

Koonce says changing the amount employers pay in is expected to raise an additional $88-million for the trust fund.

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With:
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