Good Samaritan Society To Host Legislative Forum
(Le Mars) — The Good Samaritan Society of Le Mars and the Iowa Health Care Association are hosting a legislative forum on Wednesday, November 29th. The forum will begin at 10:00 a.m. In a news release, Good Samaritan officials say, they are inviting anyone who might be interested to attend. Nursing, assisted
living, residential care and home health providers face enormous challenges with heavy regulation, fines, Medicaid underfunding and workforce issues. Area Iowa legislators and U-S Senate and House members have been invited to attend. Good Samaritan says a strong turnout and a collective voice are needed to be heard by our elected officials. That legislative forum will be at the Le Mars Good Samaritan Society located at 1140 Lincoln St. NE.
Iowa Republican Congressional Delegation Vote YES On Tax Reform Bill
(Washington) — All three Republicans in Iowa’s congressional delegation have voted FOR the House G-O-P’s tax plan. Iowa Republican Congressmen Rod Blum of Dubuque, David Young of Van Meter and Steve King of Kiron voted yes. In late October, King said that he was ready to support the package.
King issued a written statement shortly after the bill passed, calling it “historic,” but adding that “it would have been much
improved” if the plan had included repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s penalty for those who do not have health insurance. That proposal is part the tax package pending in the U.S. Senate. In early October, when just a “framework” of the tax plan emerged, Congressman YOUNG indicated he’d support getting rid of
the estate tax, reducing the corporate tax rate and cutting income taxes on the “middle class.”
The lone Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation is Dave Loebsack of Iowa City. He voted against the House G-O-P’s tax plan. Loebsack said in a written statement that
the plan “slashes taxes for millionaires, billionaires and corporations” and “will hurt everyday Iowans.” Loebsack pointed to the bill’s cuts to “Medicare, Medicaid, education and job training initiatives” in order to finance the tax cuts.
Iowa Senate Democrat Leader Calls For Release Of Investigation Findings
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The top Democrat in the Iowa Senate wants information released from an internal investigation into alleged sexual harassment within the Senate Republican caucus.
Senate Minority Leader Janet Petersen, a Des Moines Democrat, sent letters Thursday to the GOP-controlled chamber’s two ranking Republican lawmakers requesting that findings from the investigation be shared publicly.
The investigation was launched after a trial this year involving a former Senate GOP staffer who alleged sexual harassment within the office. A jury sided with the staffer and the state agreed to pay $1.75 million as part of a settlement.
One of the letters addressed Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock, who has said information from the investigation can’t be shared because of privacy concerns. Gov. Kim Reynolds and House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, both Republicans, also want general findings released.
Ernst Introduces SAVE Bill To Help Military Sexual Harassment Cases
(Washington) — There have been numerous news stories about sexual harassment issues involving actors, Hollywood producers, and the entertainment industry, as well as, with politicians with Republican U-S Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama, and now lately, with Democratic U-S Senator Al Franken of Minnesota.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst told KLEM news that she, along with Missouri Senator Claire McCaskel have teamed up to co-sponsor the SAVE bill.
Ernst says other female Senators are joining in with support of the bill.
Ernst Praises Trump’s Asian Tour
(Washington) — President Trump recently completed his tour of Asian nations, and Iowa Republican U-S Senator Joni Ernst is praising Trump’s actions and words while visiting South Korea, China, and the Phillipines. Trump appeared before the South Korean legislative general assembly and made the comments that the United States would always stand behind its ally, South Korea. Through his speech to South Korea, he warned the North Korean leader not to intimidate the Pacific nations of South Korea, Japan, or any of the United States territories, like Guam. Ernst says Trump needed to assure our ally partners that we mean business with the constant threats imposed by North Korea.
Ernst says President Trump’s tour will prove to be beneficial for U-S interests with regards to national security and with trading opportunities.
Sioux City Bar Fight Turns Into Gun Fight
(Sioux City) — A fist fight turned into a gun fight Thursday night at the Firehouse Bar in downtown Sioux City. Sioux City Police were called to the 1200 Block of 5th St at 11:10 p.m. Officers say two acquaintances inside the bar got into a fight. One pulled out a gun and shot the other. The victim was taken to a Sioux City hospital where they were treated and released. The incident remains under investigation.
Ottumwa Man Sentenced To Prison For Aiding Fraud Involving Fake Deaths
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Ottumwa man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in helping a woman fakes the deaths of three of her family members to collect insurance payments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Iowa’s southern district says 34-year-old Cletus Abongwa Ngwa was sentenced in September and ordered to pay joint restitution of more than $260,000 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
His co-defendant, 47-year-old Venancia Amora Rodriguez, was sentenced last year to two years in prison for her role.
Prosecutors say she claimed her 17-year-old son had died of dengue fever in the Philippines in 2014. Months later, she claimed her husband had died of a heart ailment in that country, and the next year claimed her 15-year-old son drowned there.
Officials say all three are still alive and that Rodriguez paid people in the Philippines to fake the death documents.
