(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission renewed the licenses for the 19 state casinos it oversees during their meeting today (Tuesday) in Altoona. Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, also released the economic impact information on the casinos for the last calendar year.

“Over one-point-one-BILLION dollars has been attributed to the Iowa economy as a result of the casino industry in 2019,” according to Ohorilko. He says the figures include all the funds generated and expenses paid to operate the facilities. “This would include things that are required statutory payments — like taxes — but also expenditures for various supplies, construction, payroll expenses, and charitable contributions,” Ohorilko says. “And so, when added together as a whole the impact for 2019 exceeded one-point-one BILLION dollars.”

Ohorilko says the I-R-G-C has a policy that requires the casinos to seek Iowa vendors first. “Of that one-point-one billion dollars, a significant amount of that money was spent with Iowa vendors or folks that reside in the state of Iowa. That is also something that commission focuses on, asks the operators to do,” he says. Ohorilko says 90-percent of the money spent in 2019 went to Iowa vendors. The casino industry impact has topped the one billion mark for several years.

Ohorilko says that was even more impressive this past year after a tough winter saw business way down early on. “Last year was a tough year for the industry due to weather and flooding,” Ohorilko says, “what has been nice to see — at least early on in January, February, and early March — numbers are up.” He says the increased traffic this year is due in part to a milder winter. “But also we think some of it is attributed to sports wagering being offered in the state,” Ohorilko says.

Sports betting began in mid-August and betters are required to register at a casino before they can bet, which casino operators say has helped bring in new customers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say 22 Iowans are among the thousands of passengers and crew who were quarantined on a cruise ship docked in Northern California, and most of them are preparing to return home. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that 18 of the Iowans will be flown home on a government-chartered plane and kept in isolation in their homes.

None of them have shown symptoms of the COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, but they will be screened before and after the flight. At least 21 of the roughly 3,500 passengers and crew on the Grand Princess cruise have tested positive for the disease.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. Authorities say 56-year old Jerry Paul Crump, Jr. of Shenandoah, was arrested March 3rd, after an investigation into complaint about a Sex Offender who failed to register himself as living in Page County. Crump was arrested at his address in Shenandoah and transported to the Page County Jail, where his bond was set at $2,000.
And, on March 6th, 25-year old Justin Lynn Turner Peery, of Westboro, MO., was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office, on a Page County warrant for Sex Offender Registry Violation/1st offense. He was also being held in the Page County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

The CAM School Board, Monday evening set the date for a Public Hearing on the FY 2021 Budget, which, according to Superintendent Paul Croghan, calls for a levy rate of slightly more than $10.54 per $1,000 property valuation…an increase of 54-cents. That’s still 21-cents less than the district high of $10.75/$1,000. The Budget Hearing will be held 6:30-p.m. April 13th in the Superintendent’s Office Board Room, at the High School in Anita.

The CAM School Board, Monday, approved a summer mowing bid of $750 from Blackie’s Mowing Service for the first year and $800 per year for each of the next two-years. A bid from Walsh Door and Security amounting to $16,697 was also approved, along with the 2020-21 School Calendar, which is similar to the current school year’s calendar. Classes for 2020-21 will begin August 24, 2020, and end May 24, 2021.

The new calendar includes an additional 30-minutes of additional instructional time.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — A 25-year-old father has been charged with killing his infant son in northern Iowa. Floyd County court records say Shane Morris is charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. Charles City police began an investigation on Aug. 3, when the baby was taken to Floyd County Medical Center. Police say he died the next day of blunt force trauma to the head. A court document says Morris told investigators that he’d tripped while carrying his son and the boy’s head struck a kitchen counter edge.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — For the second time this academic year, a public university in Iowa is paying an administrator to stay home and look for other jobs as part of a legal agreement to quit and not sue. Iowa State University is paying former senior admissions official Consuela Cooper to telecommute until June 15 or until she finds a new job, whichever comes first. Cooper has agreed to resign and “not to seek or accept employment with the university at any time in the future.” It’s similar to a deal the University of Iowa reached with its new chief diversity officer last August.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office says another filing has taken place in advance of the November General Election nominating deadline. Delmar South has submitted his nomination papers for Union Township Trustee, a non-partisan position. The Auditor’s Office said there are still a few positions were no one has filed papers:

Primary Election (filing deadline March 25th):

• County Attorney (Vacancy Position) – Republican
• County Attorney – Democrat
• County Sheriff – Democrat
• County Auditor – Democrat
• Supervisor District 1 – Democrat
• Supervisor District 4 – Democrat.

General Election (filing deadline March 20):

• Edna Township Trustee
• Ag Extension Council (4 positions)
• Hospital Board (1 position left)
• Soil and Water Conservation (3 positions).

Also, the Agricultural Extension filing deadline is Wednesday Aug 26, 2020.  Previous updates from the Cass County Auditor’s Office on candidates submitting nomination papers can be found in separate posts on the News page.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa House has voted to establish a limit on the co-payment insurance companies require to fill a prescription for insulin. Representative Ann Meyer, a registered nurse from Fort Dodge, says it’s a 100-dollar cap. “The cap applies to each individual prescription and allows for an entire month of insulin,” Meyer says.  People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes must take insulin to control their blood sugar levels, but the cost of insulin has doubled in the past eight years. Representative Lindsay James of Dubuque says it’s become so expensive, some patients are rationing their insulin or don’t have the money to pay for it at all.

“Family members and friends should never be forced to stand at the gravesite of their loved one because companies are protecting their bottom line,” James says, “and yet this is exactly what it happening.” The bill has no groups or businesses registered to lobby against it. Colorado and Illinois are the only states that currently have a co-payment limit on insulin and it’s 100-dollars.

Last week, the Virginia legislature voted for a 50-dollar-a-month price cap and New Mexico’s legislature vote to establish a monthly co-pay cap of 25 dollars. Neither has been signed yet by the governors of those states.

AMES, Iowa – LINCOLN, Nebraska – March 10, 2020 – Following the historic 2019 flooding in Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa, the departments of transportation in both states continue to coordinate efforts to minimize the impacts of anticipated flooding in 2020. Because of last year’s event, some areas may be more vulnerable to flooding this year. Officials say because of the work that has been done over the last year, travelers in the two states should be cautious that flooding impacts will not be the same as they have been in the past. Levee repairs, by both the US Army Corps of Engineers and local levee districts, and roadway improvements, especially to Interstate 29 and Iowa2 on the Iowa side, will impact how floodwater flows in these areas, compared to the flooding last fall.

Nebraska and Iowa DOT officials coordinate regularly on improvements that have been made to each state’s transportation system following last year’s flooding. This includes specific projects on roadways connecting the states like Nebraska/Iowa Highway 2, U.S. 34 and Interstate 680. Other projects have provided strengthening to shoulders and roadsides, especially on I-29 and I-680, that may help keep roads open longer and increase the ability to re-open roads sooner should flooding occur in these areas again this spring.

Five new flood sensors have been installed in areas where potential flooding is anticipated this spring. These sensors will give transportation officials better information about river levels in key areas, allowing for emergency materials and equipment to be moved into place earlier than in the past. The two states will also be coordinating their communications efforts through news releases and social media.

Iowa Traveler information: www.511ia.org; Social media: https://www.facebook.com/iowadot/  https://twitter.com/iowadot
General flooding information: https://floods.iowa.gov

Nebraska Traveler information: https://www.511.nebraska.gov/ ; Social media: https://www.facebook.com/NebraskaDOT/ ; https://twitter.com/NebraskaDOT