Officials at Cass County Memorial Hospital announced today (Tuesday), that the west entrance and parking lot (along 10th Street) will reopen Wednesday, May 8, 2013. The area had been closed for construction since early April.

CEO Pat Markham says they “Appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience with this temporary closure.” The west entrance door will be open from 5:00 am – 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. Weekend and holiday hours will be 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Patients and visitors coming to the hospital cafeteria, Rehabilitation Services, Human Resources, Educational Services, and Public Relations will find the west entrance especially convenient.

Governor Terry Branstad’s office has announced that retired Brig. Gen. Jodi Tymeson is resigning her post as head of Department of Veterans Affairs to assume her new role as the Chief Operating Officer of the Iowa Veterans Home. Tymeson’s first day will be May 28th.

Tymeson served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1974-2007. While there, she graduated from officer candidate school and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1982. She served as platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander and troop command commander – responsible for 3,450 soldiers.

Tymeson was selected to attend the Army War College as a national security fellow at Harvard University’s JFK School of Government, graduating in 1999. She is the first female promoted to brigadier general in the Iowa Army National Guard. She retired in 2007 with 33 years of service. Tymeson’s husband, John, is a retired brigadier general, following his 34 years of military service. He is a Vietnam veteran, and currently serves as chair of the board of directors at the Food Bank of Iowa.

Jodi Tymeson also served as a full-time 6th grade teacher at Cedar Heights Elementary in Cedar Falls from 1988-1992, and taught as a substitute teacher from 1993-1998. From 2001-2010, Tymeson served nearly 30,000 constituents as a state representative for Madison, Warren and Dallas Counties. She served as House Education Committee chair for four years, in addition to a number of other committee assignments.

Gov. Branstad will begin the search for Tymeson’s replacement immediately.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill that would require people convicted of certain aggravated misdemeanors to submit DNA samples now heads to the desk of Gov. Terry Branstad  for review. The Iowa House approved the Senate’s changes to the bill Tuesday on an 84 to 15 vote. The measure would require adults convicted of crimes like aggravated misdemeanor assault and theft to submit DNA samples to the federal DNA database.  Currently, only convicted felons and sexual offenders must submit samples.

The Senate changed the initial bill last week to exempt deferred judgment cases and misdemeanors related to hazardous waste, agricultural production and gambling. Traffic offenses are also exempt unless a person has three operating while intoxicated convictions in 12 years.  The Senate passed a similar bill last year, but it died in the House.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Public school districts would be required to conduct background checks on all employees under a bill approved by the Iowa House. The measure that unanimously passed Tuesday requires districts to pre-screen job applicants to see if they are listed on the state sex offender registry and registries for child abuse and dependent adult abuse. That includes part-time and substitute employees.  Current law requires federal and state criminal checks for licensed teachers and state checks on bus drivers.

Under the measure, districts would recheck employees every five years after their hiring date.  Republican Rep.  Megan Hess of Spencer amended the bill to require businesses to conduct criminal history and abuse registry checks on motorized food vendors, such as ice cream truck drivers.  The bill returns to the Senate for review.