(Radio Iowa) – House Democrats are planning to push to make contraceptives, like the pill, available without a prescription. Representative Lindsay James, a Democrat from Dubuque, says pharmacists in 20 states are able to provide birth control without a doctor’s prescription. “Pharmacists especially in rural Iowa are an important resource and an important part of this equation,” James says. “They are an access point for care and can help eliminate barriers and expand access to contraception.”

In 2019, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds proposed making the pill available without a prescription, but the bill stalled in the House. This year, G-O-P lawmakers in the House and Senate are considering proposals that would still require prescriptions, but the required appointments with the prescribing doctor would be less frequent. House Democrats are also proposing an amendment to guarantee abortion rights in the Iowa Constitution along with other legislation related to reproductive health care. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights…

“We campaigned on reproductive freedom,” Konfrst says. “It is still a crisis in this state and it’s critically important we address it.” During House debate of a wide ranging bill Republicans are considering, Democratic Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell of Ames intends to ask that Medicaid patients get one year of health coverage after childbirth rather than just 60 days. “What has been discovered is that a lot of women have problems after that 60 day time period,” Wessel-Kroeschell says, “and we have seen some maternal deaths after that time period, which is just simply tragic.”

She’ll also call for restoring Medicaid coverage for family planning and sexually transmitted disease testing at Planned Parenthood. Republican lawmakers ended state and federal funding for those services at Planned Parenthood in 2017. Key Republicans say they stand by the decision to “defund” Planned Parenthood and have no intention of reversing it.

(Radio Iowa) – A man and woman living in Wapello County have been sentenced to two years in federal prison for coercing two men from Micronesia to work in an Ottumwa meatpacking plant. A federal judge has ordered the couple to pay nearly $70,000 in restitution to the victims. According to the U.S. Justice Department, the couple are citizens of Micronesia and U.S. residents who recruited two young men from Micronesia to come to Ottumwa to work, telling them they could send money back to their families in Micronesia.

The couple pleaded guilty to withholding the workers’ passports and confiscating most of their wages. A deputy in the U.S. Justice Department says the defendants callously exploited the victims and used their power over them to profit from their hard work at the Ottumwa plant.

ANAMOSA– Due to the ongoing investigation, Anamosa State Penitentiary has been placed on restricted movement for the foreseeable future. This will limit inmate movement throughout the facility and give DOC staff the ability to conduct a large-scale search of the prison for illicit contraband. Visitation will not occur during the restricted movement period.

Two other inmates were found unresponsive in their cells and were administered Narcan on Sunday, March 19. Neither inmate required outside medical attention and both tested negative for illegal substances. Responding staff did not become ill following their encounters with these inmates. DOC has determined these cases are unrelated to the original incident that occurred on Saturday, March 18.

The original incident remains under investigation and DOC will continue to work in conjunction with the DPS Narcotics Division.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The normally non-confrontational Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Board of Director’s meeting was just the opposite for more than 30-minutes, Monday evening. Heads began to butt as Ali Pieken with the Splash Pad Financing Committee spoke about getting a letter of support for submitting a grant application for project funding, using Shift ATL as a grant writing agency. Councilman Gerald Brink asked why the grant application wasn’t going through Parks and Rec Director Wyatt Adderton.

Pieken said going through the process of applying for a grant is a tremendous undertaking for one person.

She said a community member brought to her attention that someone on the Atlantic City Council was not behind the Splash Pad Project. She asked the Board & Mayor Grace Garrett, “Is this project a go?” Parks & Rec Board member Jeremy Butler, who is a Co-Chair on the fundraising committee, said the Committee is ready to go, but things aren’t moving forward.

Mayor Garrett said she was at a recent meeting with Butler, and didn’t understand what he meant by a “No go.”

Garrett said “The idea of having SHIFT involved to begin with was an idea and a suggestion, but I don’t think in that regard there was ever a go, because we were waiting” [on a legal clarification] to see if that would be possible. City Clerk Barb Barrick commented on what transpired during the meeting Butler referred to…

Butler said the City has three choices.

Butler at one-point stood-up and was about to leave, but then eventually sat back down.

Jeremy Butler (Standing) speaks with Mayor Garrett as he prepared to leave.

Mayor Garrett reminded Butler that she was “All about a Splash Pad”…and that “Our Council has never said they weren’t for a Splash Pad.” Ali Pieken said she has always felt support for the Parks and Rec Board for what she’s trying to accomplish, but she has not felt support from the City Council. Wyatt Adderton offered to be the Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee and an intermediary to foster communication between the Committee and City Hall. Because the Splash Pad was on the agenda for discussion only, no action was taken during the meeting.

While the City awaits a legal decision on SHIFT ATL being a funnel for grant funds, donations for the Splash Pad can be made through City Hall. We’ll have more from Monday’s Parks & Rec Board meeting later this week.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Jeffrey Kiley, Co-Founder and COO of Advantage Archives, will be at the Atlantic Public Library on Thursday, March 23 beginning at 1 pm. Kiley will demonstrate how to access and use Advantage. Jeff has a passion for history contained in the pages of old newspapers.

Advantage Archives is a business located in Cedar Rapids which serves communities across the nation. Their purpose is to digitize newspapers and other historical documents to make them accessible free online to anyone, anytime, from anywhere. Services are used by interested individuals, State & Local Governments, Libraries & Historical Societies, Newspaper Publishers, Educational Institutions, State Historical Societies, Manufacturers, Legal Professionals, and many more.

An interest in history, genealogy, past community events can be extended through Advantage. It might even settle a family disagreement about a date or event. It could be entertaining to read newspapers from the past as writing styles have changed a great deal.

Most libraries offer a link to this or similar service. Check their websites. The Atlantic Public Library offers it under Genealogy. Find information in the earliest newspaper such as Atlantic News Telegraph, 1870 to 1879.

This presentation is sponsored by Cass County Genealogical Society. There is no fee and everyone is welcome. Bring your laptop or phone to follow along.

Red Oak, Iowa – The Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF) Board recently approved 4 applications submitted by the city of Red Oak for the demolition program.

The demolition program, which is funded through SWIHTF, is designed to assist cities with the cost of demolition of blighted, residential properties. SWIHTF will pay 50% of the cost, up to $15,000, for demolition of the city owned properties. Over the past seven years, the trust fund and partnering cities have demolished 37 dilapidated houses that were beyond repair.

All cities within the SWIHTF region of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, and Shelby Counties can apply at any time. The SWIHTF Board meets quarterly to review, score, and approve the applications. Scoring criteria includes: city utilized the grant last year, asbestos inspection has been completed, condition of the building/collapse, inherent danger of the property, impact on the neighborhood, and plans for the space after demolition.

“When I visit our schools, civic organizations and with people in the community, one of their main concerns is the extent of dilapidated and dangerous properties within the community which greatly detract from the beauty of our hometown”, stated City of Red Oak Mayor Shawnna Silvius. “As mayor, knowing how many properties are now the city’s, I am driven to lead by example. Growing property valuations is essential to improve our tax base, and housing is one of our most critical needs.”

One of the biggest benefits to this program is that it allows for cities to promote beautification initiatives that will build communities where families choose to live and businesses choose to locate. Mayor Silvius stated, “eliminating our nuisance lots and thinking out-of-the-box to redevelop areas, whether infill housing or redeveloped blocks using tiny home concepts to 3-D printed concrete houses, or creating other community garden, splash pad or river front/park-type amenities, we can literally rejuvenate dying areas of town into something bright and beautiful.”

For questions or to request/send an application contact Sandy Hansen at 712-243-4196 or sandy.hansen@swipco.org.