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Two Iowans tested for novel coronavirus
The Iowa Department of Public Health has identified two Iowans who recently returned from China and are undergoing testing for the novel coronavirus. The two are currently under voluntary home confinement, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Since December, 361 people have died and more than 17,000 people have been sickened by novel […]
Buttigieg clings to his lead with 75% of caucus results now in
With 75% of the Iowa Democratic caucus votes now reported, former mayor Pete Buttigieg is clinging to a narrow lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders in the race for delegates. The newly updated results were announced at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, and showed Buttigieg retaining 26.9% in the competition for the state’s 41 state delegates. Sanders, who […]
UI builds ‘public trust’ in Iowa charities, but without oversight
As part of an effort to build public trust in nonprofits, the University of Iowa maintains an online list of organizations that it says are committed to ethical practices – but almost any organization can be placed on that list. The Register of Accountability is a publicly accessible and searchable list of 970 nonprofit entities […]
Bill aims to eliminate legal fees for accessing public documents
The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill that would prevent governmental agencies from charging citizens a fee to determine whether they’re entitled to see documents in the agency’s possession. The fees have been the subject of controversy for years. Under the current law, anyone who requests a government document from a public entity may be […]
Capital Dispatch files open-records complaint against agency
Iowa Capital Dispatch has filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Information Board about a state agency’s public-access policies. Iowa Workforce Development requires individuals who request a document to submit their request in writing and to send it through an online portal that warns them various records are confidential and obtainable only with a subpoena […]
Is this a slot machine or a game of skill?
A legal battle is heating up over the way Iowa defines casino-style “amusement devices” found in taverns across the state. Electronic games that look like slot machines are strictly regulated in Iowa, with restrictions on prizes and player age limits. But the difference between those devices and the less-regulated games of skill commonly found at […]
Fired fraud investigator claims she was ‘blacklisted’ by state
A fired Medicaid-fraud investigator is suing the state of Iowa claiming she was “blacklisted” after complaining about the need for improved methods of preventing fraud. Wendy Dishman, who worked for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals from July 2010 through May 2015, was the administrator of the department’s Medicaid investigations division. In 2014, Dishman […]
Mental health advocates express concern over Reynolds’ plan
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds wants to use a portion of her proposed 1-cent sales tax increase to help pay for some of the mental health costs now shouldered by the counties. Reynolds would increase the statewide sales tax from 5 percent to 6 percent — Iowa also allows local governments to impose a 1 percent […]
Iowa health officials propose a ban on vaping in public
Iowa may soon join 13 other states that prohibit vaping and the use of e-cigarettes in public. Iowa’s Smokefree Air Act, enacted in 2008, prohibits smoking in almost all public places – including offices, restaurants, bars, and outdoor entertainment venues. Under new legislation proposed by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the law would be […]
‘How do you hide five grizzly bears?’
Many animals from the now-closed Cricket Hollow zoo were unaccounted for when animal-welfare groups arrived to relocate them. “It was apparent that the lion’s share of the animals – no pun intended – were missing when we first arrived there,” said Amanda Howell, an attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Auditor says Iowa can’t measure Medicaid success due to bad data
Iowa Auditor of State Rob Sand issued a stinging indictment of Iowa’s privatized Medicaid system Thursday, saying his office has been unable to collect reliable data to measure the quality of services provided to vulnerable Iowans. “If we can’t assess the quality of care because the data are not reliable, that certainly calls into question […]
Veterinary board won’t initiate probe of zoo vet
The Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine will not initiate its own investigation into the veterinarian who worked for the recently shuttered Cricket Hollow Zoo in Manchester. The board chairman, Dr. Keith Leonard of Atlantic, said Tuesday that no one has complained to the board about the veterinary care at the privately run zoo, and the […]