An internationally-renowned opera singer from Iowa is honored for his generosity toward a campaign to fight malaria. Simon Estes, a native of Centerville, is credited with helping raise over half-a-million dollars for “Nothing But Nets” — an organization that distributes nets and other malaria treatments to protect families in sub-Saharan Africa.

“I feel very honored and humbled to have been able to save children’s lives in Africa,” Estes said. The 79-year-old Estes said most people are likely unaware the disease, caused by a mosquito bite, claimed 429-thousand lives worldwide in 2015. Most of the deaths occurred in Africa. Estes first learned of the problem in 2010 when he performed at the closing ceremony for the World Cup soccer tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa.   

“The moderator mentioned that every 30 seconds, a child was dying from malaria because they didn’t have a net under which to sleep that had been chemically treated,” Estes said. “One-million children were dying every year and 90-percent of the deaths were in sub-Saharan Africa.” Proceeds from CD sales of Estes’ album “Save The Children, Save Their Lives” have benefited the Nothing But Nets campaign, which presented Estes with a “lifetime impact award” on Monday at an event on the Ankeny campus of Des Moines Area Community College.

In December of 2013, Estes gave a benefit concert at Hilton Coliseum in Ames where he performed with 1,100 students from 52 high schools across Iowa. The choir was named the “Iowa Students Care Choir.” The concert raised $100,000 for the Nothing But Nets campaign.

(Radio Iowa)

(Corrects headline and 3rd paragraph to say “500 poles or pieces of equipment”, not “vehicles“)

Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a proclamation urging Iowans to abide by a new state law that penalizes motorists who fail to slow down or pull into another lane when passing a utility maintenance vehicles. “Utility workers already have very dangerous, high-risk jobs,” Reynolds says, “so moving over and slowing down protects not only those utility workers, but also you and everyone else on the road.”

Corey Birkel, a lineworker for Alliant Energy, is based in Dubuque and he’s
“more concerned” about passing drivers than the high-voltage lines he’s fixing.  “There are more distracted drivers out there on the roads today,” he says. “Even when we put our bright orange cones out and turn on our flashing lights, they don’t always see us or change the way they drive.”

While there have been no fatal accidents involving motorists and utility crews, more than 500 MidAmerican utility poles or pieces of equipment have been struck by a passing motorist so far this year. Jim Dougherty is MidAmerican’s vice president for electric delivery. “The reason we collect that statistic and then communicate it to our employees is to raise awareness around the phenomenon of distracted driving,” Dougherty says. “Whatever the cause of that is, it’s a reality for our employees.”

John Dvorak, safety director of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, says last fall line R-E-C crews working at the side of Iowa roads reported many “close calls.” “Our crews set up bright orange cones, signs and our bright yellow trucks with their flashing lights activated,” Dvorak says. “People still didn’t give them room to do their work.”

Motorists who fail to slow down or move over when passing a utility vehicle now — because of the new law — can be fined or, in extreme cases, can lose their drivers license. Since 2002, Iowa law has required motorists to keep a reasonable distance when passing emergency vehicles like police squad cars, fire trucks and ambulances.

(Radio Iowa)

Republican Senator Joni Ernst says she’s willing to bring Democrats into the negotiations on health care, although Ernst concedes many of her G-O-P colleagues are opposed to it.
[RIkayJEHarlan1] :21 :across the aisle.”
(as said) “I think you’d lose a lot of support from the Republican Conference because they really want their ideas addressed before they move on to, maybe, the Democratic Conference, but I want to find a way forward,” Ernst says. “…If that means, you know, visiting with other members, that’s o.k. I think you saw a lot of support here for working across the aisle.”

Ernst held a town hall meeting in Harlan Monday morning and spoke with reporters afterwards. Other Republicans have criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for suggesting it may be necessary to strike a bipartisan deal with Democrats since Republicans on their own haven’t agreed on a plan to repeal and replace the health care law. Ernst says if working with Democrats is what McConnell decides is necessary, she won’t criticize. “We have to find a solution,” Ernst told reporters in Harlan today. “We know the path we’re on is unsustainable.”

Ernst says the Affordable Care Act has created a “monopoly” in Iowa because there’s just one insurance company left for Iowans who qualify for federal subsidies and shop the so-called “exchange” to get a policy. Ernst took a number of questions about health care from people at Monday morning’s town hall in Harlan. Some expressed concerns about losing their insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Others complained the G-O-P’s plan to get rid of minimal coverage requirements for insurance policies will dramatically escalate out-of-pocket expenses. Ernst says she’s not sure what will wind up in the final plan. “I remain optimistic that we will find a way forward,” Ernst said.

Ernst says she’s offering her own amendments to the senators are who writing the G-O-P’s plan, but she’s not ready to publicly reveal those ideas yet.

(Radio Iowa)

Governor Kim Reynolds says she has an “obligation” to balance the new state budget and some state worker layoffs may be necessary. “I think they’ll be minimal, so I’ve not had many that have come to our desk,” Reynolds says. “I think the message that we want to really portray is that services have not been impacted so far. That is what each one of our directors are doing, really, the best job that they can to manage a very tight budget.”

The state’s new budgeting year began July 1st. Last week, seven workers in the Department of Natural Resources laid off as managers reorganized the agency to deal with a budget cut.  “Even with the recent layoff at DNR, no services were impacted,” Reynolds says. “And every single day we should be looking at our agencies and looking for ways that we can provide a more efficient and effective service to Iowa, by really being mindful of the taxpayer dollars that are funding state government.”

Reynolds says state agency directors are aiming to “minimize” the need for layoffs. “I want to also though take this opportunity to complement our state workers that do a phenomenal job every single day,” Reynolds says. “They are the face of Iowa government and they are on the ground, delivering services, and we’re very appreciative.”

Reynolds plans to wait until late September before deciding whether to call legislators back in special session. Reynolds has the authority to withdraw up to 50 million dollars from the state’s Economic Emergency Fund to cover any shortfall in LAST YEAR’S state budget. The full extent of the deficit won’t be known until all accounts are settled September 30th.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Police and prosecutors will pay $285,000 to an Iowa lawyer who spent 16 days in jail after he was allegedly framed by a longtime tormentor and falsely accused of threatening witnesses and a juror. The payment from the city of Coralville and Johnson County settles a lawsuit filed by Raymond Tinnian, who alleged that authorities were fooled and pursued the wrong man. Tinnian says the settlement compensates him for a personal nightmare and travesty of justice

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An agency has chosen a vacant riverfront block in downtown Des Moines for a $137 million courthouse. The General Services Agency announced Monday its preferred site was a block along the Des Moines River that for decades was home to the downtown YMCA. That building was imploded in 2015, when the Y moved several blocks to a new location. The Des Moines Register reports the selection of the 1.8 acre site was a setback for city officials who had proposed building the courthouse in another area.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she wants Congress “to get something done” on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, but she declined to offer specifics. The Republican governor told reporters Monday that lawmakers need to put in a “long-term solution” for replacing the health care law. She didn’t answer questions about alternatives she supports or whether she backs any GOP-led health care bills moving through Congress, noting that details are still being sorted out.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say Cedar Rapids firefighters have finished their two-day battle against flaming bales of recycled cardboard. Firetrucks were sent to International Paper around 7:35 a.m. Saturday. The city says firefighters worked with company employees to remove the bales, break them open and extinguish any flames or embers. The release says firefighters ended their work Monday morning. One firefighter received minor injuries.