After this year’s increase in health care expenses for thousands of state employees, the State of Iowa’s next health insurance contract does not include an increase in out-of-pocket expenses for state workers. “It’s pretty much status quo,” Department of Administrative Services director Janet Phipps said. Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield is providing coverage to about […]Powered by WPeMatico
Investigators have released more information about how a child was allegedly killed by her mother earlier this month in southeast Iowa. Five-year-old Cloe Chandler died from strangulation, according to an autopsy report released Monday by the state medical examiner’s office. The girl died at a hospital after Ottumwa Police and medics found her unresponsive in […]Powered by WPeMatico
UnityPoint Health is sending out letters to around 960,000 Iowa patients about an email “phising” attack that may’ve compromised their personal information. UnityPoint says the fraudulent emails were disguised to appear to have come from a trusted executive within the organization. The phishing emails tricked some employees into providing their confidential sign-in information which gave […]Powered by WPeMatico
Iowa and other Midwestern states are seeing more weather extremes this summer, with many areas experiencing heavy rains that cause flash flooding followed by long periods of heat with no rain. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U.S.D.A.’s Midwest Climate Hub, based in Ames, says in some regions, those heavy rain showers may come more […]Powered by WPeMatico
Construction is now passing the two-year mark on the massive Prestage Farms pork processing plant in north-central Iowa. Ground was broken near Eagle Grove in July of 2016. Ron Prestage, CEO and president of the North Carolina-based company, says they’re entering the final stages of building the 240-million dollar facility in southern Wright County. “We […]Powered by WPeMatico
Alliant Energy announced an agreement last week to end its purchase of power from Iowa’s only nuclear power plant in Palo 5 years early, which will lead to the plant closing down in 2020. Alliant Energy spokesman Justin Foss says the decision was based on the drop in cost and availability now of cheaper fuel to […]Powered by WPeMatico
The father of a missing University of Iowa student is calling on people who may have information about her whereabouts to speak up. Rob Tibbetts, in an interview with ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America,” said he believes someone knows what happened to his daughter, Mollie Tibbets, who disappeared on July 18 in their hometown of Brooklyn […]Powered by WPeMatico
Governor Kim Reynolds says the state is nearly ready to submit applications for federal disaster assistance for some areas of the state that were hit by storms in June. Iowa has already qualified for federal help to repair and rebuild some public infrastructure, like roads and bridges, that were hit by flash flooding in central […]Powered by WPeMatico
Wind energy projects do not lower surrounding property values, according to a study being released by the Center for Rural Affairs. Center policy associate Lu Nelsen says opponents of wind power development who speak out at public meetings typically make the claim, but there’s no evidence to support it. “There’s a lot of questions about, […]Powered by WPeMatico
