From the category archives:

Children & Families

Lawmakers ponder new limit on teen cell phone use

by O. Kay Henderson on March 17, 2010

in Children & Families, Crime & Courts, Current Events, Legislature, Politics & Government, Technology

A panel of Iowa legislators working to find a compromise on a bill that would ban texting while driving is veering toward drafting a wide-reaching ban that would forbid most teen drivers from talking on a cell phone, too. 

A so-called “conference committee”of House and Senate members has tentatively agreed to ban adult drivers from sending or reading texts behind the wheel, while making it illegal for most drivers under the age of 18 to use a cell phone or other hand-held device. 

Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Waterloo, says the final bill will likely include exemptions for emergency responders and truck drivers who often receive written instructions from devices mounted on their dashboard. 

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Tagged as: Democratic Party, Republican Party, Transportation

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House debates gun rights, domestic abuse

by O. Kay Henderson 03/10/10 5:46 PM

A state legislator whose family runs a gun shop wants the state to give victims of domestic abuse a sales tax credit for buying a gun to defend themselves, but House members have rejected that plan.  
Representative Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, is a former Marine.  He is a trained gunsmith, too, and Windschitl [...]

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ISU study says violent video games lead to agressive behavior

by Pat Curtis 03/5/10 9:11 AM

An Iowa State University psychology professor has completed a massive study which he says proves exposure to violent video games produces more aggressive behavior in kids. Craig Anderson says the study involved analyzing 130 research reports from around the world. The reports measured levels of aggression among elementary school children on the first day of [...]

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DHS says child abuse cases increased in 2009

by Dar Danielson 03/4/10 3:29 AM

Iowa Department of Human Services director, Charles Krogmeier says a report on child abuse in the state shows a step backwards. Krogmeier says the number of cases reported and confirmed cases had been trending down the last couple of years, but both reports and confirmed cases of child abuse went up 11% in the numbers [...]

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Mandatory jail time for some first-time domestic abusers

by O. Kay Henderson 02/18/10 12:30 PM

The Iowa Legislature is moving to crack down on domestic abuse involving unmarried couples.
The Senate voted unanimously this week to classify assault that occurs in an intimate relationship as domestic abuse. Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames says a conviction would then require the batterer to spend 48 hours in jail and force them to go to a [...]

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Vilsack part of childhood obesity initiative

by O. Kay Henderson 02/9/10 1:01 PM

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack was at the White House today for the launch of a “Let’s Move” initiative that aims to break the cycle of childhood obesity.
First Lady Michelle Obama has set reducing childhood obesity and promoting healthy eating as two of her priorities.
“She passionately spoke from first-hand experience as the mother of two [...]

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Forum to focus on PE and health

by Pat Curtis 02/5/10 3:46 PM

Researchers say an estimated 155 million school-age children and adolescents around the world are either obese or overweight. An event at the University of Northern Iowa this spring will attempt to address the problem.
Christopher Edginton s director of the U.N.I. School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services. He’s says the Global Forum for Physical [...]

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