Democrats on a Senate committee have advanced a bill that would give the state insurance commissioner authority to order rebate to customers if an audit of Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield reveals the company has too much cash in reserve. Senator Jack Hatch, a Democrat from Des Moines who is running for governor, is touting the bill.  “Let’s just say that there was a determination there was excess reserves,” Hatch says. “Right now the commissioner has no authority to require the company to do anything with that. (It’s) totally up to the company.”

Wellmark lobbyist Frank Stork points to a 2011 audit which concluded Wellmark’s reserves might have been too low to cover future risks.  “And there’s currently one underway,” Stork says, “so I think at a minimum you’d want to wait and see what the current audit indicates.” Stork says the company has “reasonable” reserves. Wellmark opposes the bill. Republican legislators argue it’s not the state’s role to tell a private company how much cash to keep in reserve.

Over one-point-eight million Iowans are covered by a Wellmark health insurance policy. According to the company’s website, Wellmark held over one-point-three BILLION dollars in reserves in 2012.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that a man convicted of rape nearly four decades ago should be allowed to seek new DNA testing, upholding an earlier Nebraska Court of Appeals ruling.  Juneal Pratt is serving 32 to 90 years for the rape, sexual assault and robbery of two Iowa sisters at an Omaha motel in 1975.

The 58-year-old Pratt has maintained his innocence and has sought DNA testing of evidence in the case for years. In 2011, a Douglas County District judge denied his request to allow DNA testing of the victims’ clothes, saying they were not stored in a way that preserved the integrity of the DNA.

Last year, the Nebraska Court of Appeals overruled Bowie, and on Friday, the state’s high court upheld that ruling.

The Atlantic Police Department has released additional details about a three-vehicle accident which occurred during Thursday morning’s snow storm. Officials say Dicey Trotter, of Atlantic, was injured during the crash that occurred at the intersection of 7th and Cherry Streets. She was transported by Medivac ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, for treatment.

The P-D says Trotter’s vehicle was traveling north on Cherry Street at around 10:37-a.m., and due to the icy road conditions, was unable to stop at the posted stop sign. Her vehicle slid through the stop sign and was hit on the left side by a vehicle traveling east on 7th Street. That vehicle was driven by Sandra Hayes, of Atlantic.

The impact of the collision caused Hayes’ vehicle to be pushed into the left side of a vehicle headed west on 7th Street, and driven by Larry Reimer, of Atlantic. Damage from the crash amounted to $25,000. Trotter was cited for Failure to stop within an assured, clear distance.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (1.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are investigating the shooting of a Golden Eagle northwest of Woodbine, in Harrison County. The DNR isn’t sure whether the federally protected bird was shot in western Iowa or eastern Nebraska, and are uncertain when the incident happened, but it’s believed the eagle was shot sometime Tuesday or early Wednesday. Authorities think an organized group of people are targeting the birds in an attempt to put them on the black market.

Any Harrison County resident with information regarding the eagle shooting, is encouraged to call the Turn in Poachers Hotline at 800-532-2020, or on the web, log-on to Iowadnr.gov/tip. You may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

A man and a woman from Red Oak were arrested on assault charges early this (Friday) morning. According to Police, 29-year old Billy Lyn Leeper and 24-year old Tarah Jasmin Hoffman, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody at a residence in the 100 block of B Street, at around 12:10-a.m. The pair were charged with Domestic Abuse Assault and brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center where they were being held without bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is getting $3 million from the U.S. Department of Education to help turn around low-achieving schools. U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that provides funding for the School Improvement Grants program, says improvement in the quality of education centers around focusing resources on schools with the greatest need. Iowa was one of nine states selected for the funding announced Thursday. Nine states received more than $71 million.

The grants are awarded to state educational agencies and they in turn make competitive grants to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for the funds and the strongest commitment to provide adequate resources to substantially raise student achievement in their lowest-performing schools.

Authorities in Fremont County said Thursday a 66-year-old man from Sidney was arrested Wednesday following an investigation into allegations he sexually abused a 5-year-old girl. In a Press Release, the Sidney Police Department says Roger C. Kissel was arrested on charges of second-degree sex abuse, lascivious acts and indecent exposure.  Kissel was being held without bond in the Fremont County Jail.