(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s seeing momentum grow for passage of his bill that would put new restrictions on a drug called xylazine. It’s also known as the “zombie drug,” as it’s used by veterinarians and farmers as a tranquilizer for large animals. “The drug is not intended for human use, but you know what happens with drugs today. Some people are now mixing that substance with fentanyl,” Grassley says. “This is a deadly combo that’s taken a lot of American lives.” The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act is bipartisan, as Grassley teamed up to introduce it with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat from Nevada.

“Our bill classifies the tranquilizer as a Schedule 3 substance and secondly, enables the Drug Enforcement Agency to monitor its manufacturing,” Grassley says. “Importantly, veterinarians and farmers would still be able to use the tranquilizer for their animals.” Since the bill was introduced almost a year ago, Grassley says 23 co-sponsors have signed on in the Senate, along with 88 co-sponsors in the House.

“The prospects of our legislation becoming law are stronger than ever,” Grassley says. “Too many communities have felt the devastating effect of the nation’s drug epidemic. Inaction is not an option.” A 2022 report from the DEA found 23% of fentanyl powder contained xylazine. It causes depressed breathing and heart rate, unconsciousness, necrosis, and death, while naloxone does -not- reverse its effects because it is not an opioid.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Cass County (IA) Auditor Kathy Somers has officially announced her intentions to run for re-election in the June 4, 2024 Republican primary. Somers was elected to fill a vacancy following Dale Sunderman’s retirement in the November, 2022 General Election, and is now running for a full four-year term.

Somers served 12 years on the Atlantic City Council from 2010 through 2021. She was chairperson of the city’s personnel and finance committee for 10 years, and credits that experience, along with her committee work as chairman of the landfill board and member of the Cass County Public Safety Commission, with preparing her for the role of county auditor. Somers learned how local governmental finances and budgets work, and became familiar with many issues involving the county as a result of those experiences.

Before becoming the county auditor, Somers worked at A.M. Cohron & Son, Inc., a bridge construction company, as the HR & EEO Officer and Safety Coordinator. The experience allowed her to bring a background in human resources, employee benefits, equal employment opportunity, workman’s compensation and liability insurance claims to the county. She also previously worked at CADCO as the executive secretary where she was involved in various projects that benefited the county and has brought that history to the office as well.

Kathy Somers (official photo)

The auditor’s duties include serving as the county’s financial officer, budget director, clerk to the board of supervisors, commissioner of elections, and registrar of voters. The auditor processes taxable valuation rates and prepares the property tax book. Real estate transfers, payroll, accounts payable, and passport applications are also handled in the auditor’s office.

Somers is the daughter of Dean and Verna Esbeck and is a 1988 graduate of Atlantic High School. She is married to Guy Somers. They have four grown children: Mikayla Stockhaus, Justin Somers, Nadia Coop and Lex Somers. Kathy Somers looks forward to serving the citizens of Cass County for another four years.