Influenza Cases Reported Across All Regions Of Iowa
(Des Moines) — The first confirmed cases of influenza are already being reported in Iowa, and it’s a reminder for people to use good hygiene habits as we head into the busy holiday week. Jeni Stiles, a disease prevention manager at Cerro Gordo County Public Health, says proper hand washing will help prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses.
Stiles says if you have a holiday event planned and you’re not quite up to it, don’t force yourself.
The latest figures from the Iowa Department of Public Health say influenza activity is -below- the typical numbers for this time of the year, but that activity has been increasing over the past few weeks. Here in Plymouth County, Tara Geddes, the Community Health Director says there have already been some influenza cases reported.
Geddes says the number of reported influenza cases in Plymouth County are about in line with past years at this time of year.
Geddes says it is not too late to get that influenza vaccination.
The Plymouth County Community Health Director echoes the sentiments of Stiles, and that is if you are not feeling well this holiday season…stay home.
State’s Executive Council Are Split On Lawsuit Against Brandstad
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A group of top state officials has approved payments of nearly $400,000 to continue a lawsuit defending former Gov. Terry Branstad. A jury found in July he discriminated against former Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Chris Godfrey because he is gay and awarded him
$1.5 million. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald and Auditor Rob Sand refused to approve the payment. They say taxpayers shouldn’t continue paying. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Secretary of State Paul Pate and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig approved the bills, bringing total court costs to more than $8 million, which will climb since Reynolds is appealing the case.
Local Breweries Are Popular Across The State
(Des Moines) — The beer brewing movement continues to grow in the state.
Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division spokesman, Tyler Ackerson, says it shows in yearly sales figures..
The gallons sold of non-Iowa brewed beers dropped one-point-one percent. He says the double digit jump in sales of Iowa brewed suds makes sense with the way the industry has expanded.
Ackerson says there haven’t been any big law changes to spark the increase.
Ackerson says the licensing numbers indicate more events that might feature Iowa products.
While the Iowa beers are getting more popular — they still are only a small drop in the keg compared to the other brands sold. There were nearly 71 million gallons of non-native beer sold in the state in the last fiscal year — compared to 795-thousand gallons of Iowa brewed beer. Iowans bought nearly five million gallons of wine produced outside the state — compared to nearly four-point-seven million gallons of in-state wine.
Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division For Price Markups
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A proposed class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of liquor retailers alleges that the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division illegally marked up the price of their products for years. The lawsuit comes days after the division’s former comptroller filed his own lawsuit alleging he was fired for blowing the whistle on the illegal price markups. West Des Moines attorney Stuart Higgins represents the plaintiffs in both cases. A
spokesman for the division has called the allegations of excessive markups untrue. State law allows the division to mark up products by 50 percent above what it paid before selling them to licensees.
Judge To Allow Some Evidence For Mollie Tibbetts Murder Trial
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – In a victory for prosecutors, a judge has ruled that they can use key evidence against the man charged with killing University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts. Judge Joel Yates agreed with prosecutors that some statements made by Cristhian Bahena Rivera must be suppressed because they came during an interrogation after he was not read
his full legal rights. But Yates ruled that prosecutors can use information provided by Rivera that led them to the body of Tibbetts, who disappeared in July 2018 while out running in Brooklyn, Iowa. He also ruled that they can use key blood evidence.
Congress Returns Home But Constituents Are Not Asking About Impeachment
(Kiron) — Congress is back home for the Christmas break and are hearing for the first time from their constituents, but few are talking about the impeachment of President Trump. Democratic congresswoman Cindy Axne returned to her southwestern Iowa district last weekend for the first time since voting in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump. Axne narrowly won a Republican-leaning district in 2018 and is a top GOP target in 2020.
Republicans have been running ads against her focused on impeachment, and Vice President Mike Pence had spoken on local television to urge her to vote against it. But at her town hall, none of her constituents asked about the vote. Instead, they focused on rural issues and the trade deal that passed
last week. Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King spoke with KLEM news on Monday afternoon and says people are scratching their heads over the actions of the Democratic controlled House of Representatives.
