(Radio Iowa) – A coalition that includes patient advocacy groups and the Iowa Pharmacy Association is launching what they’re calling an accountability project focused on Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Pharmacy Benefit Managers are companies that manage prescription drug benefit plans for insurance companies and Medicare Part D as well as large companies. Some large businesses say they’re concerned P-B-Ms promote higher priced medications when lower cost alternatives are available.

Drug companies accuse P-B-Ms of pocketing the discounts they provide on some medications. Brett Barker is a pharmacist in Nevada. “It’s really increased the list price of the drugs,” Barker says, “and that’s a problem for uninsured patients, for high deductible plan patients because they’re not seeing the benefits of those rebates that are then captured.” And pharmacists like Barker say the reimbursement rates P-B-Ms establish are driving pharmacies out of business, particularly in rural Iowa.

“Pharmacies and pharmacists have been really sounding the alarm about the PBM business model now for decades,” Barker says. “The Iowa Pharmacy Association first took legislation to the legislature in the mid-2000s and so what’s encouraging now is there’s a broad stakeholder group across the industry and with employers, with unions, private sector companies and pharmaceutical companies that all are on the same page, that something needs to be done to reform the system.”

The three P-B-M corporations handle 80 percent of the prescription claims in America and Barker says they use the pharmacy networks they control to drive independent pharmacies out of business. “If something’s not done, there will be more and more communities in Iowa that are going to lose access to pharmacy services because of basically the monopoly take-it-or-leave-it business practices of these PBMs,” Barker says. “They’ve found ways to siphon money out of the entire supply chain and what started as prescription claim processors, those big three are now Fortune 15 companies. They’re three of the 15 largest companies in the United States.”

The goal of the P-B-M Accountability Project is to educate Iowans about the industry and to urge state and federal lawmakers to require more transparency about the actual costs of medications and ban unfair pricing schemes. Pharmacy Benefit Managers say they help improve patient outcomes and control prescription drug costs, which lowers insurance premiums.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a bicycle Saturday evening in Atlantic, resulted in injuries to a 47-year-old woman from Atlantic. The accident happened at around 5:36-p.m. on 5th Street, between Cedar and Birch. The woman, whose name was not officially released, suffered head and arm lacerations. She was transported to Cass Health in Atlantic for treatment, and is expected to recover.

Additional details are currently not available.

(Wiota, Iowa) – A single-vehicle rollover accident Saturday afternoon on eastbound Interstate 80 in Cass County, resulted in injuries. According to Cass County Deputy Kyle Quist, the crash happened at around 1:30-p.m., near the Wiota Exit (Exit 63). One person suffered injuries when their vehicle rolled into a ditch. The unidentified, injured male driver of the vehicle was transported by ambulance to Cass Health in Atlantic.

The crash was under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Wiota and Anita Fire Departments, and Cass EMS assisted at the accident scene.

(Floyd, Iowa) – A collision between and SUV and a car Sunday afternoon in northern Iowa, resulted in the deaths of two people from Minnesota, and injuries to two others. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2016 Jeep Cherokee driven by 37-year-old Jenna Stangland, of Minneapolis, was traveling east on Highway 13 near Floyd, at the same time a 2017 Toyota Prius driven by 74-year-old Steven York, of Waconia, MN, was traveling westbound.

The Jeep crossed the centerline and corrected to return to the eastbound lane, while the Toyota took evasive action to avoid a crash, but the vehicles collided head-on. The accident happened at around 3:50-p.m.

Steven York and a passenger in one of the vehicles, 16-year-old Keira Duffy, of Golden Valley, MN, died at the scene.

Jenna Stangland, and 74-year-old Mary York, were injured in the crash and transported by ambulance and helicopter, respectively, to MercyOne North  Northern Iowa Medical Center, in Mason City.

(Spillville, Iowa) – Two people  died and three others were hurt, during a collision late Saturday night in northeastern Iowa’s Winnesheik County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash occurred at around 11:10-p.m. at the intersection of County Highway B16 and 265th Avenue, in Spillville.

The Patrol says a 2004 Toyota Highlander SUV driven by 42-year-old Christopher Mirich, of Waukon, was traveling north on 265th Avenue, when the vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with a 2012 Chevy Malibu, driven by 49-year-old Neil Heins, of Monona.

Mirich and a passenger in one of the vehicles, 64-year-old Laura Lubka, of Postville, died at the scene. Neils Heins, and two other passengers in the vehicles were injured.  The others included 36-year-old Scott Uhlenhake, of Luana and 28-year-old Taylor Gerleman, of Calmar.

None of the crash victims were wearing a seat belt. The injured victims of the crash were transported by ambulance to the hospital.The crash remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, 1st Responders, Decorah Police and Fire Dept., Calmar Fire & Rescue, Ossian Ambulance, a Howard County Sheriff’s Deputy, a DNR officer, Provtin Rescue, & Gunderson Air Care.

GREENFIELD, Iowa – The water level of Meadow Lake near Greenfield in Adair County is being lowered 3 feet . The Iowa DNR says the process to help improve the size of bluegills in the lake, began this past week. The water will be released slowly over the next two weeks to avoid any downstream impacts. A water level draw-down is a common fisheries management technique used to improve the size of panfish.  Meadow Lake has an abundance of 7-inch bluegills that lack the quality anglers are looking for.

“Crowding the fish into a smaller area makes them more susceptible to predation by largemouth bass and reduces the number of small bluegills,” said Bryan Hayes, fisheries management biologist. The reduced number will improve growth in the coming year. “Draw-downs in 2016 and 2019 had this effect,” Hayes noted.

The draw-down is expected to have minimal effect on public access to Meadow Lake. The boat ramp will be usable and the lake will remain open during the draw-down. Meadow Lake will be allowed to refill starting in September.

Meadow Lake is a 34-acre lake in the middle of the 317 acre Meadow Lake Fish and Wildlife Area located in the north central part of Adair County.  It has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 7.3 feet.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds, Saturday (Today), issued a disaster proclamation for Ringgold County in response to severe weather that occurred on June 29. The governor’s proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program and the Disaster Case Advocacy Program.   

The proclamation opens up certain state resources for disaster recovery, as well as relief grants of up to $5,000 for households earning up to 200% of the poverty level. More information on applying for disaster relief grants can be found on the state’s website. Victims of the storms have 45 days to apply.

(Hampton, Iowa) – A collision  early this (Saturday) morning in northern Iowa’s Franklin County, claimed the life of a man from Colorado. The Iowa State Patrol says 34-year-old Adam L. Booker, of Arvada, CO, died when the 2017 Subaru WRX he was driving, ran a stop sign at the intersection of 190th Street and Highway 65, north of Hampton. The vehicle broadsided a southbound 2015 Jeep Cherokee, driven by 26-year-old Spencer J. Brinkman, of Latimer (IA). The crash happened a little before 1-a.m., as the Subaru was traveling eastbound and the SUV was southbound.

Following the collision, the Subaru entered a farm field to the southeast and started on fire. The Jeep came to rest in the east ditch. Adam Booker died at the scene. Brinkman was injured and transported by Mercy One/Mason City to the Franklin General Hospital. The crash remains under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton Fire Department, and Franklin General Ambulance.

(Manning & Audubon, Iowa) – A marketing firm based in Manning is hosting an agri-tourism event next month (August), in Audubon and Manning. Shelly Greving owner of Emerge Marketing Solutions, says the “Evolution of the Heartland” experience August 3rd and 4th, is designed to showcase the heart of America’s rural communities and the evolution of innovative Ag advancements. She explains the reason for showcasing what agriculture has to offer.

Greving said the event was created to bring people back to the Midwest and show them Ag entrepreneurship in action.

Tour options for the first day of the event include, but are not limited to: Mainstreet Entrepreneurs; Innovation & Technology; Niche Farming; Spirits of the Heartland; Templeton Distillery, Beef & Swine Immersion; the Manning Hausbarn Heritage park tour, and more. Participants have the option to stay overnight for a second day of immersive tours.

Participants will get a taste of rural Iowa at a Farm-to-table lunch.

A community tailgate supper will feature food stations with pork, beef, and more. All meals are included in the price of registration. Participants will also be able to browse local produce and goods at the Iowa Vendor Showcase.

She says she hopes the tours open everyone’s eyes, to see what is happening in rural Iowa.

The cost for the entire event is $150, but some parts of the event are free. The deadline to register for the tour(s) is July 15th or until all the spots have been filled. Register online at https://www.evolutionoftheheartland.com.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council has a full slate on their agenda for Wednesday’s upcoming regular meeting at City Hall. The session begins at 5:30-p.m. During the meeting, the Council will act on swearing-in Officer Forrest Fromm, who officially joined the Department this month (July, 2023). Fromm is a Veteran of the Iowa National Guard and Ankeny Police Department. He’s originally from the eastern Iowa town of Bellevue, and attended the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2022.

The Council will then acknowledge and act on accepting the resignation of Parks and Recreation Director Wyatt Adderton, retroactive to June 26, 2023. Adderton took over the Parks Director position in February, 2023. He submitted his resignation in May, citing a hostile work environment and issues of harassment. After much consideration and discussions with the Mayor and others, he had agreed to try and work things out, but will now be moving on.

The City Council will hear a presentation Wednesday from Library Director Michell Andersen, with regard to her efforts to obtain grants and other funding opportunities to enhance the services and public accessibility to the Library. In other business, the Council will review, discuss and act on an Order to accept a website contract. They will also hold a Public Hearing on an Ordinance to repeal an Ordinance and grant Interstate Power and Light Company a non-exclusive, 25-year franchise to erect, construct, reconstruct, maintain and operate a plant and systems for the distribution of natural gas in the City of Atlantic, and “sell, distribute, and supply natural gas [to the city and it’s occupants],” and requiring the company to pay a franchise fee to the City.

The hearing will be followed by action on the first reading of the aforementioned amended ordinance. The proposal would help to fund pay increases for the Police Department to make the City more competitive in the retention and hiring of new Officers. A five-percent natural gas franchise fee would result in an increase of $4-dollar per month on the average gas bill, if it is approved. It would also eliminate the current local sales tax already charged to Alliant Energy customers.

The Council is expected to waive the second reading of the Amended Ordinance and proceed with passage of the third reading, a Resolution approving and adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) “for the use of expenditure of revenues from a natural gas service franchise fee.”  There will also be a Public Hearing on, and passage of the first through third readings of an Ordinance “Adopting the proposed amendments to the City Of Atlantic Zoning Code, 2018.”

City Administrator John Lund says the Council and “…appointed officials,” are “concerned that low-value properties are being acquired and converted for rental apartments, with no consideration for the safety of the tenants or the well-being of the surrounding neighborhood.” Lund said “Recently, downtown was specifically cited as an area where these conversions could take place, due to the value of the buildings. This is the C-3 District and our ordinance currently does not make a distinction on which story residential and commercial businesses are allowed.” He highlighted three specific sections of the ordinance where regulations are in question:

• Under Permitted Uses: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.
• For properties abutting Chestnut Street, north of 7th Street, Second Story and above: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.
• And under Conditional Uses:  For properties abutting Chestnut Street, north of 7th Street, Second Story and above: Dwellings – Single-family, two-family, and multi-family.

Lund says the change (If approved) “Will preserve the nature of our historic downtown as a vibrant commercial service and retail hub.” First story uses will be limited to commercial uses, unless a conditional use permit is allowed. Second story residential units would continue to be maintained as a permitted use. The Council will also hold the third and final readings of Ordinances discontinuing the Cable Television and Community Promotion Commissions.

The last order of business is a closed session permitted under the Code of Iowa, to discuss and/or act on a personnel matter, and that individual has requested a closed session.