DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The president of Iowa’s largest state employees’ union says some health providers are not being properly paid under Iowa’s privately managed Medicaid program, and state officials say they’re unable to provide data on any reported issues.

Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, told reporters Friday his office has received multiple phone calls over several weeks from health providers who help Medicaid patients with services in their homes. He says providers claim they have not been paid or payments are delayed, though he was unable to estimate the scope of the problem.

Iowa’s Department of Human Services switched its Medicaid program to three private companies in April. Spokeswoman Amy Lorentzen McCoy says she’s received anecdotal information from the companies about payment issues, but more specific data is not collected.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials in northwestern Iowa say a Sheldon man has been sentenced to two years in prison for inappropriately touching a 16-year-old boy in 2014. Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle says 34-year-old Cody Christian Foster was sentenced Thursday after being convicted of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

Foster also received a special sentence that commits him to the custody of the state prison system for 10 years following his release, as though he were on parole. Foster will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

A man from Mills County was arrested Wednesday in Cass County, on an Iowa Department of Corrections warrant, for Parole Violation. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says 35-year old Joshua Edward Mastin, of Hastings, was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held without bond.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cass County woman was arrested Thursday night on an OWI/1st offense charge. The arrest of 39-year old Julie Ann Luetje, of Atlantic, was the result of a traffic stop on Highway 71 near Highway 44, at around 11:30-p.m. Luetje was brought to the Audubon County Jail, and later released after appearing before a Magistrate.

Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education met Thursday evening during a special session to discuss the Preschool Building in Massena, as it relates to Capital Projects.

The current building is a used portable building that began occupancy in 2008.  It has some issues that have caused concern. Last month, Snyder and Associates’ Engineer Tim Teig said he feels the structure has exceeded its useful life. To refurbish the building (replace roofing, siding, trim, and flooring, and necessary work on the south embankment) was estimated to cost over $50,000. During the last meeting, the board directed the administration to decide a temporary solution to meet the specs and plan what needs done.

School Board Secretary Linda Edwards told KJAN News the Board made a temporary plan for the upcoming school year, to house the four-year old Preschool students in what is currently the music room (vocal/instrumental room) at the school in Massena. She says the change will require a “musical chairs” of sorts, with regard to shuffling classroom space around to accommodate the preschool. The Board will look at a more permanent solution and discuss the options for 2017-18, during their meeting July 18^th.

If the Board should decide on constructing a new building for a future four-year old preschool, it’s estimated it would take about a year to complete. In other business, the CAM School Board also accepting the resignations of a bus driver and paraprofessional.

They also offered a contract to Tara Knapp, who will serve as a shared Art teacher with the Griswold School District, and a contract for the Head Basketball Coaches position and Assistant High School Football Coach, to Nick Hodges.

Iowans now have easier access to a drug that can reverse a heroin or opioid overdose and prevent it from being fatal. Earlier this year, state lawmakers approved a bill that allowed family members or friends to possess and administer naloxone, but under that bill they couldn’t buy it. Kevin Gabbert at the Iowa Department of Public Health says that was a big gap in the legislation.

Gabbert says, “Where it fell short, it didn’t identify how those persons in a position to assist could access naloxone.” Before adjourning, lawmakers agreed to let any person close to a drug addict get a prescription for the antidote and keep it on hand. Parents of addicts who died of drug overdoses had pushed for the change. The new law took effect on July 1st and is a game-changer for Iowans who are worried about a loved one who’s also an addict.

Gabbert says, “A family member or friend could go to a physician and obtain a prescription because they were concerned or they knew an individual who had a heroin or opioid dependency.” The new law also extends access to naloxone for more emergency medical personnel. This fall, pharmacies should be able to keep standing orders for naloxone so it can be purchased without an additional visit to the doctor.

The legislation includes legal protections for those who administer the drug to reverse the effects of an overdose.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) says $1.7-million in grant funding is being provided for cultural development projects in five, newly designated, and two current, Iowa Great Places communities. The announcement follows the DCA’s approval of an Iowa Great Places Citizen Advisory Board recommendation to designate and award funding to the communities. Among them, is Malvern.

The Malvern Area Betterment Association is receiving $292,900 to strengthen community development initiatives in the City of Malvern, through downtown streetscaping and public art. Other cities receiving DCA grant funds are: Bondurant; Dubuque; Forest City, and Maquoketa.

Madison County and the City of Manning, two current Iowa Great Places, are receiving a total of $209,400. The Madison County Chamber of Commerce receives $41,500 to increase accessibility to the John Wayne Birthplace, through site development, landscaping and property restoration. The City of Manning receives $167,900, to enhance community revitalization initiatives, by expanding Trestle Park, and developing the Trestle Trail.

Created in 2005, the Iowa Great Places program has awarded nearly $17 million to 41 designated Iowa Great Places. The Iowa Great Places program is administered by the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, visit www.iowaculture.gov or call 515-281-5111.