With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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Jim Field speaks with Barb Fuller, Human Sciences Specialist for Nutrition and Health for ISU Extension and Outreach, about Food Safety Month.
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The (podcast) Freese-Notis weather forecast for the KJAN listening area, & weather info. for Atlantic.
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to force Iowa’s public universities to pay into a fund that subsidizes insurance for Iowans with health risks. Judge Dennis Stovall says the Iowa Individual Health Benefit Reinsurance Association doesn’t have the authority to sue. The association helps Iowans with medical conditions obtain affordable coverage, and is funded by assessments charged to insurers and self-insured health plans.
Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa paid assessments until 2010. The University of Iowa became self-insured that year and, the association argues, required to pay. But all three refused to pay then, with their governing board arguing they weren’t covered by the law.
The lawsuit sought to collect more than $1.5 million, warning that higher costs for patients and providers would otherwise result.
After nearly 30-minutes of discussion and obvious uncertainty over how a tax abatement would be carried out, the Atlantic City Council Wednesday approved by a vote of 5-to1, the third and final reading of an ordinance designating the 2014 Urban Revitalization Area. Councilpersons Cord, Hartkoph, Halder, Somers and Hayes voted yes. Councilman Chris Jimerson voted against the motion, while Councilperson Lori Stuart was absent from the proceedings.
City Administrator Doug Harris and Mayor Dave Jones were at odds over what the City’s legal position is, with regard to tax abatement’s being retroactive to Jan. 1st, 2014, for building permits obtained on and after that date. Harris said the issue isn’t the ordinance itself, but its implementation. Harris said the there is a different understanding between the key players involved the abatement decision: Bob Josten (The City’s Legal Counsel), City Attorney Dave Wiederstein, and County Assessor Brenda Nelson.
Attorney Bob Jostens’ legal opinion in the matter, was that abatement’s cannot be retroactive, but Jones said the County Assessor would make that determination, and the Council would have to approve each abatement request made following an assessment. Harris said the City would be opening a “Can of worms.” He asked the Mayor how does the City determine the increase in value of properties where building permits were issued after Jan. 1st, 2014. Jones said it’s based on “luck.”
Harris said the Attorney’s say the City can’t abate value created prior to Sept. 3rd, 2014…the date the Ordinance was approved. Jones said if a building permit was issued in 2013, the property owner would not qualify for abatement in 2014. He said if the were issued the permit in 2014, then “They got lucky…that’s the best way you can put it.”
According to the City of Atlantic’s Urban Revitalization Plan, a person making improvements on an existing home located south of 14th street, will be able to apply for a 100-percent tax abatement of the added value up to $75,000. For new homes built south of 14th Street the first $75,000 of tax value would be abated for a period of five years. Those with residences north of 14th Street, both new construction or rehabilitation, will get 100-percent of that taxable value abated over a period of five years. Duplexes will also be eligible for tax abatement’s under the ordinance. Commercial construction is the same throughout the entire city based on a sliding scale up to the first $250,000 in value. It starts out at 80-percent of the value, then 70-percent, 60, 50 and finally 40-percent.
In other business, the Council approved the second reading of an Ordinance amending the City’s Code of Ordinances by making a slight language change in the section pertaining to Speed Regulations. A motion was then made and seconded to waive the third reading and approve the Ordinance as amended. The vote was all-in-favor.
The Council also approved a change order between the City and AAA Budget Environment, for the mitigation and disposal of additional asbestos materials on the property located at 611 Linn Street. The change order amounts to $1,554. City Administrator Doug Harris said the last months heavy rains slowed down progress on street projects, but work is expected to resume on those projects next week, where it hasn’t already begun.
An electrical inspector with the State of Iowa has determined the Red Oak Middle School is unsafe to occupy, following a water leak over the Labor Day weekend that left as much as two-inches of water on the second floor of the more than 100-year old structure. As a result of the inspection, the school will remain closed indefinitely, or until electrical repairs are completed. The Daily NonPareil said water leaked into electrical conduits, creating a safety hazard. Insurance is expected to pay for the repairs. The leak, which was detected after an alarm was triggered, was accidental, according to Superintendent Terry Schmidt.
Schmidt said he expects work will take at least 10 to 14 days but repairs have to bring the building up to code, which creates significant variables depending on how much damage is found. Middle school students were given Tuesday and Wednesday off class as the district strived to reopen the building. Restoration was nearly finished on Tuesday afternoon when work was called off after the electrical concerns were uncovered. The bulk of the damage was to the building’s drywall.
Red Oak Middle School students will return to class Monday for an orientation at Red Oak Community High School, while high-schoolers will have the day off and high school staff will have an in-service day. The middle-schoolers will then hold classes at the adjacent Red Oak Technology Center, with a few shared classrooms in the high school building.
Schmidt said classes will be squeezed into spaces that weren’t being used all day. The Technology Center used to have higher occupancy, leaving leftover space that is available immediately. Being able to make everything work – even if it’s not ideal, he said – was one positive outcome from the experience. At this point, it’s unknown whether the middle school students will need to make up any days at the end of the year. Red Oak took advantage of a change in state law last year to adopt an hours-based calendar, instead of a traditional days-based calendar, which Schmidt said offers some flexibility.
Students who attend Red Oak Middle School should report to the high school auditorium at 8:08 a.m. Monday. All students will be in class the following Tuesday. Practices for volleyball and football, meanwhile, will resume this Thursday at regular locations beginning at 3:45 p.m.
An announcement about supplies, computers and other equipment needs will be made today (Thursday). All middle school staff will report today for directions and assignments, including their duties for Friday.
DELORES DAVIS, 87, of Greenfield, died Wed., Sept. 3rd, at the Greenfield Manor. Funeral services for DELORES DAVIS will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon. Sept. 8th, at the United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 7th, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.
Burial will be in the Greenfield Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the burial at the church.
Memorials may be directed to the Deloris Davis memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.
DELORES DAVIS is survived by:
Her children: Bill (Alice) Davis of Greenfield,;Mary Jane (Alan) McCunn of Ames and Scott (Karen) Davis of Stuart.
5 grandchildren, one great granddaughter, 4 step great grandsons; Her sister-in-law; Fer dear friend Harley Ploen of Walnut; other relatives and friends.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — ST. LOUIS (AP)— Peter Bourjos singled home the winning run in the ninth inning, giving the St. Louis Cardinals a series sweep and their fifth straight win with a 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Pittsburgh closer Mark Melancon (2-4), in his second inning of work, got the first two men before Yadier Molina drew a walk. John Jay singled to left. Bourjos followed with a single to center and Molina easily beat the throw home.
St. Louis grabbed the Central Division lead Monday and increased it to 2 1-2 games over the Milwaukee Brewers. It is largest lead this season for the defending division champs. Trevor Rosenthal (2-6) pitched the ninth for the win.