HOUSE PIPELINE BILLS
Three bills regulating carbon capture pipelines have been introduced in the Iowa House. State Representative Tom Jeneary of Le Mars says these differ from the bills introduced in the Iowa Senate by Jeff Taylor, a Senator from Sioux Center.
The House bill adds more protections for landowners.
The bill would also delay pipeline considerations until after the Environmental Protection Agency set rules on carbon capture pipelines.
Jeneary says the bill is a workable solution for both proponents and opponents of the pipeline. He says these pipelines are moving forward too quickly, and more deliberation is needed.
SPECIALTY CLINICS
With the introduction of a neurology clinic in a couple of weeks, Floyd Valley Healthcare is working toward filling available new space when their expansion project is completed. CEO Dustin Wright says offering more clinics was one of the reasons for the expansion.
Floyd Valley Healthcare was limited in the specialty clinics they could provide.
Wright explains why neurology was the specialty area chosen by the Floyd Valley Health Care Board.
Deciding on a neurology clinic was part business considerations, part constituent need.
A lot of conversations go into determining which specialties are best to pursue at Floyd Valley Healthcare.
A neurology clinic will be offered at Floyd Valley Healthcare starting March 7.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY
This morning is starting out bitterly cold. The National Weather Service has called a Wind Chill Advisory, and it remains in effect until 10 o’clock this morning. Wind chills as low as 30 below zero are expected this morning, in an area from Plymouth County north into Minnesota and South Dakota. Parts of northeast Nebraska are also included. Le Mars will experience wind chills around 20 below this morning, with a slight recovery this afternoon. After that, temperatures will moderate, with a high Saturday in the mid 30s.
ACCIDENTS
The Plymouth County Sheriffs Office responded to two accidents Thursday. One occurred near C80 and Grenoble avenue. A vehicle was southbound on K22, failed to negotiate a curve, entered the ditch, hit a field drive, and re-entered the roadway, then continued driving until the vehicle stopped working. The driver, who was not identified, was not injured.
There was another crash on US 75 near the 120 exit ramp north of Le Mars. A northbound vehicle lost control, entered the ditch, and struck two road signs. No injuries were reported and the vehicle was driven away.
COVID TESTS
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced it will no longer require the reporting of positive COVID-19 tests on April 1st. The department started taking test reports in March of 2020. The announcement says since the development and widespread availability of rapid in-home tests, this type of reporting no longer accurately reflects the prevalence of the virus in the state. The Public Health Division will continue to review and analyze COVID-19 and other health data from several sources.
CAP INSULIN PRICES
AARP Iowa state director, Brad Anderson, says the organization is pushing for state lawmakers to enact a cap on insulin costs like the one now in place for 18-thousand federal Medicare users in the state. The Iowa insurance division estimates around 245-thousand Iowans are on health insurance plans regulated by the state that have no caps on insulin. AARP Iowa would like to see a state cap on insulin somewhere between 35 and 100 dollars per month. Anderson says a cap passed in the House in 2021 with broad bipartisan support and they believe the time has come to get this bill to the finish line.
LIABILITY LIMITS
Most Republicans in the Iowa Senate have voted for a bill to provide new liability protection for the trucking industry as well as companies with commercial vehicles, like delivery trucks, cranes or utility vehicles. Non-economic pain and suffering damages in lawsuits over accidents would be limited to two MILLION dollars, while payments to cover medical expenses, economic losses and punitive damages would remain UN-limited. Republican Senator Adrian Dickey of Packwood owns a trucking company and is chairman of the Iowa Motor Truck Association’s board of directors. He says the bill is an attempt to rein in what he describes as false claims from ambulance chasing attorneys. Four Republican senators joined all the Democrats in voting against the bill. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the bill protects the bottom line of trucking companies and robs families who lose a loved one in an accident of the support they need. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.
