Podcasts about iowa department

We discuss with Iowa State University Extension Field Agronomist Mike Witt.

Members of Governor Kim Reynolds' Iowa Department of Government Efficiency Task Force are considering recommending the consolidation of counties or county services.

Join us for another episode of The Fenceline as we spotlight the latest Good Farm Neighbor Award winners — the Keitzer family. This episode is presented in partnership with WHO Radio and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.We'll hear from award recipients Dan and Jan Keitzer, along with special guests Pat McGonegle, CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and Craig Floss, CEO of Iowa Corn.For more information, visit www.supportfarmers.com.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment's new Health and Environment Laboratories improve the state's ability to respond to disease outbreaks and health threats; Get to know Catherine Murphy; the impact of the Public Health AmeriCorps program at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services; the Pennsylvania Department of Health celebrates 120 years; and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands has been awarded a 2025 Network of Practice Grant from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative.   New Kansas Health & Environment Laboratories AmeriCorps in Action: Strengthening Public Health in Iowa PA Department of Health Celebrates 120 Years of Service The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands awarded a 2025 Network of Practice Grant

We discuss with Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Jeremy King.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Aron Arthur talks about the final spring turkey hunting season, morel mushroom season, water recreation on the Raccoon River and fishing.

Summary In this episode of Develop This, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig discusses his journey to his current role, the importance of Iowa's agricultural production, and the challenges faced by farmers today. He emphasizes the balance between increasing agricultural output and sustainable land stewardship, the impact of tariffs on agriculture, and the safety nets in place for farmers. Naig also addresses the challenges in the egg production industry, particularly due to avian influenza, and the consolidation within the industry. He concludes with a call for greater consumer awareness and appreciation for the work of farmers. Takeaways Mike Naig has served as Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture since 2018. Iowa ranks second in agricultural production in the U.S., only behind California. The Iowa Department of Agriculture focuses on land stewardship, food safety, and consumer protection. Farmers face significant challenges, including weather and market fluctuations. Tariffs can disrupt agricultural markets and impact prices. The farm safety net is crucial for maintaining food security in the U.S. Egg prices have risen due to increased production costs and avian influenza outbreaks. Avian influenza has led to significant losses in poultry production. Consolidation in the egg industry has raised concerns about profit distribution. Consumer awareness of agricultural processes is essential for supporting farmers.

Welcome to Episode 185 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Iowa's State Climatologist, Dr. Justin Glisan, reveals his weather outlook for spring planting and beyond. Later, Amanda Van Steenwyk (who leads Iowa Farm Bureau's farm succession planning program, Take Root) and farm succession planning attorney Erin Herbold-Swalwell share their tips for successfully transitioning the family farm from one generation to the next. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Register for Dr. Justin Glisan's free “growing season weather outlook” webinar on April 10. Learn more about the Iowa Department of Agriculture's Climatology Bureau and contact State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan directly. Learn more about Iowa Farm Bureau's Take Root farm succession program and watch for new workshops this summer.

Kelly Anderson-Thomas, Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, explains why ASTHO's Leadership Institute has been so helpful; Ali Grossman, Prevention and Intervention Section Supervisor at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, tells us the benfits of having a Public Health AmeriCorps service member on site; an ASTHO resource looks at modernizing public health data while also protecting privacy; and it's a perfect time to sign up for ASTHO's next INSPIRE: Readiness webinar which will take place on April 17. ASTHO Web Page: ASTHO Leadership Institute ASTHO Webinar: Public Health in Action – How AmeriCorps is Shaping Public Health in Indiana and NACDD ASTHO Web Page: Modernizing Public Health Data and Protecting Privacy ASTHO Webinar: INSPIRE: Readiness – Navigating AI-Enabled Community-Inclusive Preparedness  

Dr. Robert Kruse, State Medical Director and the Division Director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and an ASTHO Member, tells us about his state's response to a confirmed case of Lassa Fever; Clarie Miller, Lead Suicide Prevention Coordinator at the New Mexico Department of Health, explains how her team helped reduce suicide rates in women and Indigenous peoples; an ASTHO Report can help your state learn about resiliency planning; and the deadline to apply for ASTHO's Leadership Institute has been extended April 10th. Iowa Health and Human Services Web Page: State and Hospital Officials Follow Federal Guidance After Lassa Fever Death USA Today News Article: Have the flu or know someone with it? Flu cases surge to highest levels in 15 years, CDC says New Mexico Department of Health News Release: State suicide rate decreases in key groups in 2023 ASTHO Report: State Resiliency Planning Considerations ASTHO Web Page: ASTHO Leadership Institute  

In this episode, we speak with Paul Steier, AAMVA Director of Vehicle Programs, and Brenda Bohlke with the Iowa Department of Transportation, about fraudulent online vehicle dealers. Host: Ian Grossman Producer: Claire Jeffrey and Chelsey Hadwin Music: Gibson Arthur

We hear the latest Bred heifer and Stock Cow Prices.  We look towards bull sale season 2025, have lots of news that you need to hear, market recaps and lots more on this all new episode of the Ranch It Up Radio Show.  Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel. Season 5, EPISODE 218  Bred Heifer & Stock Cow Prices Plus Cattle Industry News Bred Heifers & Cows Sell Well Marty Ropp from Allied Genetic Resources joins us to discuss the upcoming bull and heifer sale season along with John Fisher from Stockmen's Livestock to recap the bred heifer and stock cow markets as well as let us know what we could expect for prices in the future. Cattle & Agriculture Industry News Former USDA Counsel Named Deputy Ag Secretary A veteran of the first Trump administration's agriculture team has been named to be deputy secretary of the USDA. President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination of Stephen Vaden to be deputy under Brooke Rollins, a former think tank executive already tapped to head the USDA. A Yale law graduate, Vaden served as USDA general counsel from 2018-2020, when he was confirmed to a judicial appointment on the U.S. Court of International Trade. He has served as a board member of the Commodity Credit Corp. CDC Confirms Nations First Severe H5N1 Infection Of Human A patient in Louisiana was hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza (H5N1), marking the first instance in the United States of severe illness linked to the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today in a news release and press call. CDC said the Louisiana patient, one of 61 human cases to occur in the United States since April, was infected with a D1.1 virus recently detected in wild birds and poultry in the U.S. and in recent human cases in British Columbia, Canada, and in the state of Washington. Officials noted the D1.1 strain of H5N1 is different from the B3.13 genotype detected in dairy cows, sporadic human cases in multiple states, and some poultry outbreaks in the U.S.  No person-to-person spread of H5 bird flu has been detected. California State Of Emergency, New Human Infections, Canadian Struggles all due to H5N1 Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency in an effort to streamline the Golden State's response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Several California agencies have developed coordinated responses to address and minimize farm worker exposures, lower raw dairy product contamination and mitigate the spread of the virus, the governor said in a statement: He said “This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak.” About 680 dairy farms are under quarantine from HPAI outbreaks, while 6.2 million birds have been hit and 36 people infected across California. A commercial poultry worker in northwest Iowa is now the first confirmed human case of HPAI in the Hawkeye State, according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS). An estimated 6.7 million birds have been affected in more than a dozen counties across Iowa, according to USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that more than 13.9 million birds have been impacted by HPAI in the most recent tally of the spread of H5N1 infections across nine provinces. British Columbia is reporting the highest number of HPAI cases among 8.3 million birds. New Brunswick has the lowest number of birds affected by avian influenza with fewer than 100 birds at two locations being confirmed with the virus. Beef Processor Fined For Odor Violations The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) fined STX Beef Company $200,000 for violations linked to foul odors coming from its Corpus Christi facility, according to a local report. The penalty follows years of complaints about smells traced to cattle processing and wastewater management issues. TCEQ also cited equipment failures, inadequate scrubber systems and poor recordkeeping. Of the fine, $2,000 is already paid, with $40,000 due soon. Over $80,000 will support Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's AutoCheck program, addressing regional vehicle emissions. The company has 30 days to submit an odor control plan, including equipment repairs and new systems, and must comply with air quality rules for five years. Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Requirement Will Return Due to Court Ruling Producers pay attention now.  The Corporate Transparency Act filing requirements are back in effect following a court decision that reverses the injunction that previously halted this mandate.  NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus said that The Corporate Transparency Act requires millions of family farmers and ranchers to file complex paperwork and disclose beneficial ownership information with the federal government under penalty of severe fines and jail time. Earlier last week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction on the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act, holding that the government is likely to prevail in a constitutional challenge. This decision places many small businesses in jeopardy that have not yet filed Beneficial Ownership Information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.  In light of the Fifth Circuit's decision, FinCEN announced it will delay enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act until January 13, 2025.  It is highly recommended to visit with your accountant, tax professionals, and or attorneys on exactly what needs to be filled and where.  Sale Barn Updates From Pratt Livestock & Torrington Livestock We have the latest sale barn updates from Pratt Livestock, their latest reports are HERE and Torrington Livestock with their latest reports HERE.  RanchChannel.Com Now Has The Futures Markets & New Listings Futures Markets RanchChannel.com now has futures markets at your fingertips!  Feeder Cattle, Live Cattle, Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, Soybean Oil, Milk Class IV, and Ethanol.  Information is provided by DTN and market information may be delayed by as much as 10 minutes.  Click Here for more information! UPCOMING SALES & EVENTS Ressler Land & Cattle:  January 11, 2025 Spruce Hill Ranch:  February 6, 2025 Prairie Hills Gelbvieh:  February 8, 2025 Wasem Red Angus:  February 20, 2025 Vollmer Angus Ranch:  April 1, 2025 Jorgensen Land & Cattle:  April 21, 2025 World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale: May 15 18, 2025   BULL SALE REPORT & RESULTS Churchill Cattle Company Van Newkirk Herefords Gardiner Angus Ranch Cow Camp Ranch Jungels Shorthorn Farms Ellingson Angus Edgar Brothers Angus Schaff Angus Valley Prairie Hills Gelbvieh Clear Springs Cattle Company CK Cattle Mrnak Hereford Ranch Frey Angus Ranch Hoffmann Angus Farms Topp Herefords River Creek Farms Upstream Ranch Gustin's Diamond D Gelbvieh Schiefelbein Farms Wasem Red Angus Raven Angus Krebs Ranch Yon Family Farms Chestnut Angus Eichacker Simmentals & JK Angus Windy Creek Cattle Company Pedersen Broken Heart Ranch Mar Mac Farms Warner Beef Genetics Arda Farms & Freeway Angus Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus Fast Dohrmann Strommen RBM Livestock Weber Land & Cattle Sundsbak Farms Hidden Angus Wheatland Cattle Company Miller Angus Farms L 83 Ranch U2 Ranch Vollmer Angus Ranch A & B Cattle Carter Angus Farms Roller Ranch Montgomery Ranch Jorgensen Farms DLCC Ranch Four Hill Farm North Country Angus Alliance Spruce Hill Ranch Wilson Angus Jorgensen Land & Cattle Motherlode Sale ISA Beefmasters JYJ Red Angus Jorgensen Land & Cattle, Legends Of The Fall Bull Sale Clear Springs Cattle Company FEATURING Marty Ropp Allied Genetic Resources https://alliedgeneticresources.com/ @alliedgeneticresources John Fisher Stockmens Livestock http://www.gostockmens.com/ @gostockmens Kirk Donsbach: Stone X Financial https://www.stonex.com/   @StoneXGroupInc    Mark Vanzee Livestock Market, Equine Market, Auction Time https://www.auctiontime.com/ https://www.livestockmarket.com/ https://www.equinemarket.com/ @LivestockMkt @EquineMkt @AuctionTime Shaye Koester Casual Cattle Conversation https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ @cattleconvos   Questions & Concerns From The Field? Call or Text your questions, or comments to 707-RANCH20 or 707-726-2420 Or email RanchItUpShow@gmail.com FOLLOW Facebook/Instagram: @RanchItUpShow SUBSCRIBE to the Ranch It Up YouTube Channel: @ranchitup Website: RanchItUpShow.com https://ranchitupshow.com/ The Ranch It Up Podcast is available on ALL podcasting apps. https://ranchitup.podbean.com/   Rural America is center-stage on this outfit. AND how is that? Tigger & BEC Live This Western American Lifestyle. Tigger & BEC represent the Working Ranch world and cattle industry by providing the cowboys, cowgirls, beef cattle producers & successful farmers the knowledge and education needed to bring high-quality beef & meat to your table for dinner. Learn more about Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner aka BEC here: TiggerandBEC.com https://tiggerandbec.com/   #RanchItUp #StayRanchy #TiggerApproved #tiggerandbec #rodeo #ranching #farming References https://www.stonex.com/ https://www.livestockmarket.com/ https://www.equinemarket.com/ https://www.auctiontime.com/ https://gelbvieh.org/ https://www.imogeneingredients.com/ https://alliedgeneticresources.com/ https://westwayfeed.com/ https://medoraboot.com/ http://www.gostockmens.com/ https://www.imiglobal.com/beef https://www.tsln.com/ https://transova.com/ https://axiota.com/ https://axiota.com/multimin-90-product-label/ https://jorgensenfarms.com/ https://www.bredforbalance.com/ https://ranchchannel.com/ https://www.wrangler.com/ https://www.ruralradio147.com/ https://www.rfdtv.com/ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/117324 https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/117247 https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/117283 https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/117306

Susan Winkler of CT IFS joins Paul Tyler as a guest host to discuss their interviews from InsureTech Connect (ITC) in Las Vegas. The podcast explores the critical intersection of climate risk and insurtech innovation, featuring conversations recorded during the conference. The episode includes insights from Stacey Brown of InsurTech Hartford discussing industry AI adoption trends; Sabine VanderLinden of Alchemy Crew examining climate risk and its impact on retirement planning; Tom Polowy of InsureGo addressing personal lines challenges in the Connecticut market; Travis Grassel from the Iowa Department of Insurance providing regulatory perspectives; and Vilas Shah of Infosys sharing sustainability initiatives and innovation budget trends for 2025.  

Clark Smith has almost 40 years of experience in economic development. Clark began his economic development career as executive director of the Hampton Area Chamber and Development Corporation. He then joined the Iowa Department of Economic Development, where he worked as a community consultant and manager of existing industry. Most recently, Clark was the economic development director for Aquila, Inc. – Iowa. He has worked with hundreds of companies providing site selection/expansion assistance. Clark has been President of the Professional Developers of Iowa and the Community Development Society of Iowa. Clark also managed and owned a trade association business and started Butler House on Grand Bed and Breakfast, which he sold. EDC Forge CRM Customer Relationship Management platform Smart Solutions Group, Inc. 

On the early morning of June 27, 1995, 27-year-old Jodi Huisentruit, a news anchor in Mason City, Iowa, overslept and rushed out the door to head to work. But she never made it in. Concerned coworkers called the police, who found Jodi's red Mazda Miata in her apartment's parking lot. Evidence at the scene suggested a struggle, leading police to believe Jodi had been abducted as she tried to get into her car. In the days that followed, search teams scoured Mason City and beyond, but no trace of Jodi was ever found. It's been more than 29 years since Jodi disappeared, and investigators are still searching for answers… Jodi Huisentruit was last heard from in the early hours of June 27, 1995. At around 4:00 am, her producer called to wake her up after she had overslept, and Jodi said she would be on her way to the station. However, she never arrived.  By 7:15 am, police had been called to her apartment complex at 550 N Kentucky Avenue in Mason City, where they found signs of a struggle near her red Mazda Miata. Her belongings were scattered in the parking lot, but Jodi was nowhere to be found. When police canvassed the area, they learned that a white van, possibly a mid-1980s Ford Econoline, was seen in the parking lot at around 4:30 am. It has never been located.  Jodi is a white woman with brown eyes, standing at approximately 5'3". At the time of her disappearance, she weighed between 110 and 120 pounds and had blonde hair. Anyone with information on Jodi's case can reach out to the Mason City Police Department at (641) 421-3636. Information can also be provided to the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations at (515) 725-6010. Editor: Shannon Keirce Research/Writing: Haley Gray and Anna Luria SUBMIT A CASE HERE: Cases@DetectivePerspectivePod.com SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detperspective/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/detperspective FIND DERRICK HERE Twitter: https://twitter.com/DerrickL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DerrickLevasseur Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DerrickVLevasseur CRIME WEEKLY AND COFFEE Criminal Coffee Company: https://www.CriminalCoffeeCo.com Crime Weekly:  https://crimeweeklypodcast.com/shop ADS: 1. TryMiracle.com/Detective - Use code DETECTIVE for 3 FREE towels and to save over 40%! 2. HelloFresh.com/FreeDetective - Get 10 FREE meals!

Iowa is home to many lakeside beaches created to provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. Sand deposited at the water's edge for public access was found to behave differently than the rest of the lake environment, harboring potentially harmful bacteria concentrations during the summer months when beach going is most popular. In this episode, listen to how watershed improvement professionals from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, including host Jeff Berckes, adjusted their monitoring approach and found creative ways to diagnose and improve water quality at beaches across the state. About our guest: Jason Palmer is a Natural Resource Biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Water Quality Improvements Section.

Do you work for a fish and wildlife agency, and have you ever wondered what life is like at a Department of Natural Resources, which might encompass many agencies under one roof? You're not alone. This podcast host (Tim) has forever been curious about the differences between fish and wildlife agencies and Departments of Natural Resources in terms of communications.  I sat down with Jess Brown, social media coordinator at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Brent Drinkut, a photographer for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, way back in July when we were all in Virginia together. If you're new to conservation communication or looking for work in the conservation communication realm, I hope you find this episode helpful or at least an interesting look at how different communications can be depending on what type of agency you might work for.  

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) announced that it received permission from a court to kill approximately 1.3 million broiler chickens previously owned by a Minnesota poultry processor. The department added that it concluded depopulation on October 25.The decision comes after the chickens' previous owner, Pure Prairie Poultry, filed for bankruptcy at the end of September, attributing their position to pandemic-influenced supply chain issues and low chicken prices. Minnesota and Iowa station KIMT News 3 reported that the company owed debtors between $100 million and $500 million.Download and listen to the audio version below and click here to subscribe to the Today in Manufacturing podcast.

Iowa Business Report Tuesday EditionOct. 29, 2024     Heather Kriener of the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services with tips on protecting yourself online, in recognition of October being Cybersecurity Month. 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture has euthanized over a million chickens. The country's top election security official says U.S. elections are secure. And the Republican in Iowa Senate District 22 is running for his sixth term.

In this episode, we welcome Melissa Gillett and Angie Pinegar with the Iowa Department of Transportation to discuss their Trailblazer Award-winning customer service training program, CARE. Host: Ian Grossman Producer: Claire Jeffrey and Chelsey Hadwin Music: Gibson Arthur

Iowa Business Report Wednesday EditionOct. 23, 2024     Heather Kriener of the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services on the importance of cybersecurity for consumers and businesses alike.

Iowa's policymakers, providers, and insurers operate within a state comprised of an aging population and large rural areas. According to the Iowa Department of Justice, the state ranks 16th nationally for the number of residents 50-years-old and over. Approximately 18% of Iowa's more-than-three-million residents are 65 years old and older while 23% are under 18 years old. The average life expectancy in Iowa is 78.12—21st highest in the country. In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers 77 of the state's 99 counties “rural” based on the amount of open countryside and rural towns. These are only some of the findings in our report titled "Iowa's Healthcare Landscape." The full report explores and presents data on Iowa's healthcare business climate, healthcare expenditures, insurance, and rural healthcare. In doing so, it highlights Iowa's unique healthcare landscape to help public- and private-sector decision makers understand the state's challenges and identify where to focus solutions to improve the state's healthcare system.   On this episode of Common Sense Digest, Host and CSI Chairman Earl Wright dives into all of these issues and more with one of the report's authors, Dr. Chelsea Lensing, CSI's Health & Wellness Fellow. Dr. Lensing shares her insights from writing this report including trends regarding the ages of doctors, access to care, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer's rates, and much more. This episode paints a very clear picture of the state of affairs of healthcare in Iowa. To read our complete report, you can find it here. Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here. Dr. Chelsea Lensing is an assistant professor at the Stead Department of Business Administration and Economics at Coe College where she teaches Principles of Microeconomics, Health Economics, Intermediate Economics, International Economics, and Econometrics II. She previously instructed at the University of Iowa in Principles of Microeconomics and Business Statistics. Her research focuses on health, labor, and public economics with an emphasis on understanding the relationship between nutrition, obesity, and healthcare costs. Her academic work explores how health behaviors and nutrition decisions intersect, manifesting in externalities that reverberate within our healthcare system. Dr. Lensing earned a B.A. in Mathematics at Coe College and a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Iowa.

In this episode of Walk Talk Listen, we sit down with Dr. Angie Tagtow, a pioneering leader in food and nutrition policy and the founder of Äkta Strategies LLC. Angie brings her vast experience from working at local, state, federal, and international levels, and shares insights into the intersection of public health, food systems, and environmental sustainability. She reflects on her time as the Executive Director for the USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, where she spearheaded the development of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and discusses how those guidelines continue to influence healthy lifestyles and nutrition security today.   Angie highlights the importance of multi-sector relationships, systems thinking, and innovative strategies for transforming food and water systems. She discusses her work with the Iowa Department of Public Health and various public health organizations, focusing on how adaptive leadership and values-driven approaches can create long-lasting systemic change. Angie's commitment to lifelong learning and knowledge-sharing is evident and her work underscores the need for holistic, collaborative solutions to public health challenges, which are vital for addressing both nutrition and environmental concerns.   Listener Engagement: Discover the songs picked by Angie and other guests on our #walktalklisten here. Connect with Angie via social media: LinkedIn. Share your thoughts on this episode at innovationhub@cwsglobal.org. Your feedback is invaluable to us. Follow Us: Support the Walk Talk Listen podcast by liking and following us on Twitter and Instagram. Visit our website at 100mile.org for more episodes and information about our initiatives. Check out the special WTL series "Enough for All" featuring CWS, and the work of the Joint Learning Initiative (JLI).

Join Dr. Clancy  and his guests, Kira Blum, Dr. Schleich, and Dr. Slayman, as they discuss guidance for clinicians with their patients regarding the ever expanding options with dietary and herbal supplements, high protein products and sports drinks.  CME Credit Available:  https://uiowa.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=68899  References/Resources:  Examine https://examine.com/  NatMed https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/  NSF Certified for Sports Program https://www.nsfsport.com/  Host: Gerard Clancy, MD Senior Associate Dean for External Affairs Professor of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Guests: Kira Blum, RDN, LD Director of Sports Nutrition University of Iowa Athletics Kevin Schleich, PharmD Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in the University of Iowa Department of Family Medicine University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Tyler Slayman, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Financial Disclosures:  Dr. Gerard Clancy, his guests and the members of the planning committee for Rounding@IOWA have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. CME Credit Designation: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Nurses: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour. Other Health Care Providers: A certificate of completion will be available after successful completion of the course. (It is the responsibility of licensees to determine if this continuing education activity meets the requirements of their professional licensure board.)  

 Join us for Episode 13 of The Fenceline as we team up with Bob Quinn and the Iowa Department of Land Stewardship. In this special episode, we honor the late Kent Mowrer and his family with the Good Farm Neighbor Award. Tune in to hear their inspiring story and the legacy of commitment to sustainable farming. Good Farm Neighbor Award - (Supportfarmers.com)Mowrer FamilySupportfarmers.com 

On this week's episode, Mike Hawkins of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources chats about the reintroduction of paddlefish on the Iowa Great Lakes!

Iowa's new abortion law will take effect at 8 a.m. on July 29th. A report by the state auditor's office found the Iowa Department of Education improperly renegotiated a contract. And Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City is settling a lawsuit with international students who accused the college of human trafficking.

Join Dr. Szot, Dr. Larson, Dr. Shim, and Dr. Reist as they discuss new therapeutic agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and their role in management of the disease. CME Credit Available:  https://uiowa.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=66930  Resources:  Lecanemab in Early Alzheimer's Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2212948. PMID: 36449413 Lecanemab: Looking Before We Leap. Neurology. DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000207505. PMID: 37479527 Host: Joseph Szot, MD Associate Dean for Continuing and Integrated Medical Education Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Guests: Scott Larson, MD Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine University of Iowa Department of Family Medicine Jeff Reist, PharmD Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Science Director, Pharmacy Practice Learning Center University of Iowa College of Pharmacy HyungSub Shim, MD of Neurology and Psychiatry Clinical Assistant Professor Medical Director of the Memory Disorders Clinic University of Iowa Department of Neurology and Psychiatry Financial Disclosures:  Dr. Joseph Szot, his guests and the members of the planning committee for Rounding@IOWA have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. CME Credit Designation: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Nurses: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this activity for a maximum of 0.5 ANCC contact hour. Other Health Care Providers: A certificate of completion will be available after successful completion of the course. (It is the responsibility of licensees to determine if this continuing education activity meets the requirements of their professional licensure board.)  

We discuss easier and more efficient ways to give nasal vaccinations.  Plus, updates on Avian Flu in dairy cattle, reports from Superior Livestock's Corn Belt Classic sale, lot's to go through on this all new episode of the Ranch It Up Radio Show. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcasting app or on the Ranch It Up Radio Show YouTube Channel. EPISODE 190 DETAILS BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE (BRD) & BOVINE VIRUS DIARRHEA (BVD), MANAGE IT NOW.    HOW TO MANAGE BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE (BRD) & BOVINE VIRUS DIARRHEA (BVD)   Benefits of the User-Friendly ALLFLEX® CleanVax™ Nozzles and Shields for Intranasal Vaccination Enhanced Calf Comfort CleanVax™ nozzles are shorter and less invasive, minimizing discomfort for calves compared to traditional cannulas. Optimal Vaccine Distribution Atomizer tips ensure even vaccine distribution across mucosal surfaces, reducing product drip and ensuring a consistent dose. Easy and Versatile Use CleanVax™ nozzles attach to any syringe or Luer lock applicator gun, allowing for seamless integration into existing routines. Improved Hygiene and Biosecurity Disposable plastic shields can be replaced between animals or groups, enhancing hygiene and reducing cross-contamination. Expert Endorsement “CleanVax nozzles and shields optimize every aspect of the intranasal vaccination process for confidence in a clean, consistent dose every time,” said Jonathon Townsend, D.V.M., Ph.D., dairy technical services for Merck Animal Health.   Available Intranasal Vaccines BOVILIS® NASALGEN® 3-PMH BOVILIS NASALGEN 3 BOVILIS NASALGEN IP BOVILIS CORONAVIRUS BOVILIS ONCE PMH® IN How to Obtain CleanVax™ Products ALLFLEX CleanVax™ products are available through Merck Animal Health representatives or ALLFLEX suppliers. For more information, visit MAHcattle.com. CleanVax™ nozzles and shields enhance calf comfort, ensure consistent dosing, and improve hygiene, supporting better cattle health and productivity. Merck Animal Health continues to lead in innovative solutions for cattle producers. For More Information Key elements for implementing antimicrobial stewardship plans in bovine veterinary practices. American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Updated March 2022 Joint AABP-AVC Judicious Therapeutic Use of Antimicrobials in Cattle     Cattle Industry News: Avian Flu Update, Livestock Indemnity Payments, Cultivated Meat   Influenza Sweeps Through Northwest Iowa Dairy Cattle  According to MeatingPlace.com, following Iowa's first positive case of HPAI, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, in dairy cattle in early June, Iowa has reported four new cases in its northwest region. According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, influenza was detected in three dairy cattle herds in Sioux County and one in neighboring Plymouth County. Both northwest counties border O'Brien County, where Iowa's first dairy cattle influenza case was reported June 6. At the time, Iowa was the 10th state to confirm HPAI in dairy cows. The nationwide outbreak of the avian virus in dairy has struck nearly 100 herds across 12 states.   Bills Introduced To Help Unborn Livestock Losses U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson introduced the Livestock Indemnity Program Enhancement Act to help Texas livestock producers recover from the devastating wildfires that occurred in the Texas Panhandle earlier this year. This bill would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish an additional payment rate through the Livestock Indemnity Program for excessive unborn livestock death losses, according to the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.      Cattlemen Take Aim At Government Investment In The Cultivated Space The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) issued a statement condemning a Department of Defense-sponsored research grant that will fund the development of cell-cultivated meat products by manufacturing company BioMADE. NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said, “It is outrageous that the Department of Defense is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to feed our heroes like lab rats. U.S. cattle producers raise the highest-quality beef in the world, with the lowest carbon footprint — and American troops deserve to be served that same wholesome, natural meat and not ultra-processed, lab-grown protein that is cooked up in a chemical-filled bioreactor”.   He went on to say “This misguided research project is a giant slap in the face to everyone that has served our country. Our veterans and active-duty troops deserve so much better than this.” BioMADE is described as a public-private bio-manufacturing consortium sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense.   UPCOMING SALES & EVENTS ISA Beefmasters: October 5, 2024, San Angelo, Texas   BULL SALE REPORT & RESULTS Churchill Cattle Company Van Newkirk Herefords Gardiner Angus Ranch Cow Camp Ranch Jungels Shorthorn Farms Ellingson Angus Edgar Brothers Angus Schaff Angus Valley Prairie Hills Gelbvieh Clear Springs Cattle Company CK Cattle Mrnak Hereford Ranch Frey Angus Ranch Hoffmann Angus Farms Topp Herefords River Creek Farms Upstream Ranch Gustin's Diamond D Gelbvieh Schiefelbein Farms Wasem Red Angus Raven Angus Krebs Ranch Yon Family Farms Chestnut Angus Eichacker Simmentals & JK Angus Windy Creek Cattle Company Pedersen Broken Heart Ranch Mar Mac Farms Warner Beef Genetics Arda Farms & Freeway Angus Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus Fast - Dohrmann - Strommen RBM Livestock Weber Land & Cattle Sundsbak Farms Hidden Angus Wheatland Cattle Company Miller Angus Farms L 83 Ranch U2 Ranch Vollmer Angus Ranch A & B Cattle Carter Angus Farms Roller Ranch Montgomery Ranch Jorgensen Farms DLCC Ranch Four Hill Farm North Country Angus Alliance Spruce Hill Ranch Wilson Angus   FEATURING Dave Sjeklocha, DVM Merck Animal Health @merckanimalhealth https://www.merckvetmanual.com/ https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/ Mark VanZee Livestock Market, Equine Market, Auction Time https://www.auctiontime.com/ https://www.livestockmarket.com/ https://www.equinemarket.com/ @LivestockMkt @EquineMkt @AuctionTime Kirk Donsbach: Stone X Financial https://www.stonex.com/   @StoneXGroupInc    Shaye Koester Casual Cattle Conversation https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ @cattleconvos   Questions & Concerns From The Field? Call or Text your questions, or comments to 707-RANCH20 or 707-726-2420 Or email RanchItUpShow@gmail.com FOLLOW Facebook/Instagram: @RanchItUpShow SUBSCRIBE to the Ranch It Up YouTube Channel: @ranchitup Website: RanchItUpShow.com https://ranchitupshow.com/ The Ranch It Up Podcast available on ALL podcasting apps.   Rural America is center-stage on this outfit. AND how is that? Tigger & BEC Live This Western American Lifestyle. Tigger & BEC represent the Working Ranch world and cattle industry by providing the cowboys, cowgirls, beef cattle producers & successful farmers the knowledge and education needed to bring high-quality beef & meat to your table for dinner. Learn more about Jeff 'Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca Wanner aka BEC here: TiggerandBEC.com https://tiggerandbec.com/ #RanchItUp #StayRanchy #TiggerApproved #tiggerandbec #rodeo #ranching #farming References https://www.stonex.com/ https://www.livestockmarket.com/ https://www.equinemarket.com/ https://www.auctiontime.com/ https://gelbvieh.org/ https://www.imogeneingredients.com/ https://alliedgeneticresources.com/ https://westwayfeed.com/ https://medoraboot.com/ http://www.gostockmens.com/ https://www.imiglobal.com/beef https://www.tsln.com/ https://transova.com/ https://axiota.com/ https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/newsroom/merck-animal-health-announces-new-user-friendly-allflex-cleanvax-nozzles-and-shields-for-intranasal-vaccination https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/114983 https://hpj.com/2024/06/10/bill-introduced-to-help-unborn-livestock-losses/ https://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/114936 https://superiorlivestock.com/market-report/

William “Bill” Drilling is a 1979 graduate of North High School in Sioux City, Iowa and a 1985 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy.  Following graduation, Bill joined his father and brother as a staff pharmacist at Drilling Morningside Pharmacy.  Bill and his brother, Don purchased Drilling Pharmacy from their parents, Don and Virginia Drilling in January, 1986.  Bill's daughter, Sarah Sorensen joined the pharmacy staff in 2018 as a third-generation pharmacist at Drilling Pharmacy. Bill's highlights: • President and Pharmacist in Charge at Drilling Pharmacy 1996-current • Member of the Iowa Pharmacists Association Board of Trustees 1996-1998. • Siouxland Star Award from the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce for the store façade changes -2010 • Parade Marshall at the Morningside Days Parade – 2013 and 2022 • Featured in the Siouxland Design for the restoration of the façade and unique design of the Drilling Pharmacy façade -2013 • IPPE Preceptor Excellence Award from the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy -2019 • Member of the Iowa Pharmacy Association Platinum Level • Member of CPESN • Preceptor for University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Drake, Creighton University and South Dakota State University • Serves as a resource for local media on pharmacy related issues • Served on the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Building Committee • Served as an IPA Delegate, IPA Champion Advocate, IPA Legislative Committee, IPA Public Affairs Committee • Collaborated with IPA, University of Iowa, and Iowa Department of Public Health on the 1815 Project. • Reached 1,000,000 prescriptions in 2000 • Reached 2,000,000 prescriptions in 2013 • Reached 3,000,000 prescriptions in 2020 • During the COVID pandemic, Drilling Pharmacy responded to the Siouxland community by giving over 20,000 vaccinations as well as over 1,000 flu shots at both on site and in store clinics. Bill is an extremely strong believer in innovation and always looking for the next opportunity. Services we currently offer include Lipid panels, A1C test, Blood Glucose Screening, Blood Pressure Screenings, Test to Treat (COVID-19, Influenza, and Group A Strep), a wide variety of immunizations, Script Talk, Medication Synchronization, and MTM Services. OTC hearing aids are on the way! Bill enjoys getting the opportunity to work with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Pharmacy Association and the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy with various projects and grants. Ashton Maaraba has over 24 years of healthcare industry experience, he is credited with transforming several start-up healthcare brands into consumer staples. Ashton's leadership expertise stems from a prominent career in healthcare, with specialties in Health IT, Enterprise Solutions that drive value-based care and healthy patient outcomes and Direct-to-Consumer brands. Ashton was responsible for the inception-to- commercialization and the deployment of various products and services and Digital Health services across an impressive 50,000+ pharmacies, retail stores, managed care, local and national businesses, and eCommerce in the U.S, Canada, Australia, and Great Britain. He is recognized as a current expert in the architecture, commercialization, operations and revenue growth for diverse telehealth and digital healthcare assets, solutions, and products into multiple business, medical, retail and patient verticals. Ashton holds a J.D with a specialty in Health Law, has an MSc. From Nova Southeastern University and earned his BSc. from Michigan State University. He is a long-standing supporter and proponent of IPC Membership group, NCPA, APHA, NACDS, HIMMS and MEDICA and other leading organizations. Ashton started his career in pharmacy services by working with FLAVORx, a pediatric compliance-driven medication flavoring staple. He trained inside a leading independent pharmacy, Center Pharmacy, at the hands of Harold Kramm a leading independent pharmacy owner and advocate. He has been recognized for his relentless energy in pharmacy advocacy on Capitol Hill through the Rx Impact leadership group, Independent Pharmacy Cooperative and is a leading member of NY State pharmacy lobby.   Ashton has transitioned each company and product that he served to become national powerhouses. And is often credited for accelerating his company's mission and impressive growth trajectory through many of the most complex industry verticals.  Ashton has been a member of many corporate advisory boards and councils, notably, Rx Sense and InfinityRx. He has served on both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Advisory Committee and Canada's leading community pharmacy conference committee. Ashton's top corporate highlights underscore his business acumen and passion for transcending business objectives into game-changing outcomes. At Bonum Health, he led the development, commercialization, compliance, and nationwide adoption for a national telehealth brand. He was credited with leading eRx Network (now Change Healthcare – digital healthcare network company) product and account management division. PharmaSmart (Medical Device and Data Company) & FLAVORx (Medicinal Flavoring Company). As the President and CEO at AshHEALTH, LLC. a Healthcare and Digital Health IT Market Advisory Company, Ashton advised and consulted many start-up companies operating in healthcare with a mission to advance medication adherence programs across pharmacy and physician collaboratives. Presently, Ashton is the President of IPC Digital Health, an Independent Pharmacy Cooperative company. As the head of the company's digital and virtual healthcare strategy, and Pharmacy team, Ashton is leading the development and commercialization of iCare+ a unique digital health ecosystem of virtual products and services designed to future-ready independent pharmacies.

Join Sarah Noll Wilson and guest Courageous Fire as they delve into the challenges faced by Black women in predominantly white spaces. Courageous shares insights into her journey of embracing authenticity and self worth, highlighting the power of vulnerability, trust, and empathy in building inclusive spaces. About Our Guest Courageous Fire is a Black woman and diligent part of the workforce who learned it was important to have a safe space to do safety planning, what it looked like to get help outside the workplace during the crisis of domestic violence, how far reaching the cost of DV is to health, how disruptive it is to work performance, how expensive it can be for years into the future, and how uniquely this health, economic, social justice issue specifically impacts Black women. Once Courageous executed her plan to free herself and her daughters, she began to furiously RESEARCH. She wanted to find and/or create the best solutions. She wanted to know if she could find employer partners to create spaces within the work environment for safety planning if she provided the training and materials. She wanted to know if they realized how much money she could save them in employee absenteeism and healthcare costs if she provided them with cultural resources for their Black women employees. And she wanted to teach them how to utilize their position in Black women DV victim-survivor's lives to be disruptors of the oftentime end result of DV - homicide. She began Courageous Fire, LLC nearly 5 years ago to educate with a concentration on two distinct groups - Centers of Trust and Centers of Must - to increase the spaces where Black women can be treated with dignity, compassion, and stop being refused services or having services terminated for showing up fully as a Black woman during crisis. Courageous has always known her work would need to broaden to mitigate the harm of systems holding Black women accountable for the perpetrator's violence against them and their children. That's why she is moving toward those state-operated systems in her collaborative work with organizations such as Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Children and Families of Iowa, and Safe and Together Institute to make that happen. Nearly 5 years later, Courageous has successfully charted relationships with over 30 organizations to increase safe spaces for Black women. These places in Iowa include many cities: Waterloo, Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City, Decorah, Cedar Rapids, Ankeny, and Des Moines, as well as Illinois and New York. In this time she has 1 organization that has set up a place for safety planning, but she knows there are many more needed. Courageous is a consultant, trainer, and women's empowerment speaker who comes with 12+ years of curriculum development and delivery experience, 6+ years as a motivational speaker, and 5+ years of independent studies in historical and systemic racial impact on Black women in DV. She often says her approach is never “shame on you!” which closes people down, but instead it is one of “did you know?” to give people a safe place for consideration. Courageous is aware that there is a temptation to assume how a Black woman will “teach”, but experience has shown her that knowledge, authenticity, and comfort with who she is creates a safe for her audience to be comfortable with themselves while they learn, question, seek, discard, relearn, and grow. She comes ready to invite everyone that attends that level of #permission. Links and Resources Website: www.cfirellc.com/home LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cfire Instagram: www.instagram.com/cfire_llc Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work by Tina Opie and Beth A. Livingston : https://a.co/d/dzMZaMD

Join Dr. Clancy and Dr. Donaldson as they discuss heat-related illnesses-prevention, early interventions out in the field, and diagnostic and emergency resuscitation measures.   CME Credit Available:  https://uiowa.cloud-cme.com/course/courseoverview?P=0&EID=66600  References/Resources:  Association of Extreme Heat with All-Cause Mortality in the Contiguous US, 2008-2017. Jama Netowrk Open. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2792389 Trends in heat related illness: Nationawide observational cohort at the US Department of Veteran Affairs. The Joural of Climate Change and Health. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667278223000561 Heatstroke. New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra1810762 https://www.ready.gov/heat Host: Gerard Clancy, MD Senior Associate Dean for External Affairs Professor of Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Guest: Melvin Donaldson, MD, PhD Fellow in Emergency Medicine University of Iowa Department of Emergency Medicine Financial Disclosures:  Dr. Gerard Clancy, his guests and the members of the planning committee for Rounding@IOWA have no relevant financial relationships to disclose. CME Credit Designation: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. Nurses: The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine designates this activity for a maximum of 0.5 ANCC contact hour. Other Health Care Providers: A certificate of completion will be available after successful completion of the course. (It is the responsibility of licensees to determine if this continuing education activity meets the requirements of their professional licensure board.)  

Recorded live at AAPD 2024, little teeth, BIG Smiles host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Matt Geneser to discuss the latest in vital pulp therapy for permanent teeth with deep caries lesions. A native Iowan now teaching at both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral level in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa, Dr. Geneser shares his thoughts on how to foster better outcomes for vital pulp therapy, which has been shown to be a more successful option for permanent teeth in recent years. As part of the conversation, he delves into the why pulp therapy can be successful specifically in rural communities. In the conversation, Dr. Geneser also touches on the LSTR (lesions sterilization and tissue repair) procedure, as well as the need for dental educators in academia.Guest Bio:Dr. Matt Geneser is a clinical professor of pediatric dentistry and full-time faculty member in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa. A native Iowan, he attended the University of Iowa (BS 2002, DDS 2006) before obtaining his certificate in pediatric dentistry from St. Joseph Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island (2008). After a short stint in private practice, Dr. Geneser took on a full-time academic role at the University of Iowa in 2011.Dr. Geneser served as graduate program director at the University of Iowa Department of Pediatric Dentistry from 2012-2019 and currently directs the undergraduate clerkship experience for dental students. Since 2012 he has also directed a Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM) Clinic for infants with cleft lip and palate. He is heavily involved in teaching at both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral levels while maintaining a busy faculty practice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Health & Human Services discusses the work of the state's largest agency, which now includes public health and human services under one umbrella.

In anticipation of the 2024 Top Influencers in Local Government, two guests joined the podcast to discuss their work in local government after being awarded an ELGL Top Influencer in Local Government in 2022. Sarah Mondesire is the Community Well-Being Manager for the City of Commerce City, Colorado and Jessie Brown is a Social Media and Communications Specialist at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. They shared key learning moments in their career, who has influenced them, and the values they hold. Host: Meredith Reynolds

Welcome to Episode 160 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we hear from Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Beth Romer about Choose Iowa, a program through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship that provides value-added grants to farmers and markets Iowa-grown products to consumers. We also visit with Iowa Farm Bureau economist Dr. Christopher Pudenz about Farm Bureau's upcoming Economic Summit.  Resources mentioned in this episode: ChooseIowa.com  Register now for Iowa Farm Bureau's Economic Summit

Welcome to VRTAC-QM Manager Minute! Today, we're joined by Brandy McOmber, Project Director, Ashley Banes, Counselor Specialist, and Paul Fuller, Counselor Specialist, all representing Iowa General. Our focus is Iowa's Blueprint for Change DIF Grant and its creative use of the collective impact approach. This initiative aims to amplify opportunities for competitive integrated employment through strategic partnerships and pilot programs. Its overarching mission? To phase out sub-minimum wage employment in Iowa and revolutionize the career paths of individuals considering such options. As 14(C) certificate holders decline, many individuals find themselves without employment, often spending their days at home or in day habilitation programs. Stay tuned to learn more about how they're transforming lives with DIF!   Listen Here   Full Transcript:   {Music}   Brandy: Making sure that we have a focus across the state, that competitive integrated employment is the first and preferred outcome for all individuals with disabilities.   Paul: We want to partner with the CRPs, the school districts, mental health providers, and we want to be able to provide customized employment or ISPY at a much younger age in the high school.   Ashley: Our work group has looked at the direct support professional registered apprenticeship that already exists in the state of Iowa, and that's registered, and we're looking at what can we take from that and really kind of DIF it.   Paul: We're DIF'ing it.   Brandy: who wants to dive in with us and DIF it?   Intro Voice: Manager Minute brought to you by the VRTAC for Quality Management, Conversations powered by VR, one manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today is Brandi McOmber project director Ashley Banes, counselor specialist, focused on the apprenticeship program, and Paul Fuller, counselor specialist focused on the transition pilot all with Iowa general. So hey, gang, thanks for joining me in the studio today. So a little background for our listeners. I heard this group talk about their DIF project in a recent CSAVR monthly directors meeting, and they were focused on one aspect of the grant that was centered around the IPS project. And in fact, I thought maybe that was the whole thing. And shoot, CSAVR already stole them and stole my thunder. But I learned from talking to the team that there was so much more to their grant to unpack. So we are actually going to not focus on IPS, and we're going to pick up where they left off. Now, I've really enjoyed focusing on the DIF projects from each grant year, and they each have such a unique emphasis, and the ideas that are generated from one state can really be transplanted across the country. So as a reminder to our listeners, this DIF grant series is called the SWTCIE Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment. And the purpose of this round of grants is to increase the opportunity for those SWTCIE program participants, which includes students and youth with disabilities seeking subminimum wage employment and potential VR program applicants, or VR eligible individuals with disabilities who are employed or contemplating employment at sub minimum wage to obtain competitive, integrated employment. All right, that was a mouthful. So let's dig in. Now I know our listeners are always super interested about your backgrounds. Like how do people get into VR? How do you even get here? So I'd like to understand each of your journeys into getting into VR. So, Brandy I'm going to start with you.   Brandy: Sure, thanks, Carol. To start out, I've worked with vocational rehabilitation services for 16 years now. Originally, I became interested in VR, as I previously worked at a facility with Transition Youth who were adjudicated as delinquent or CHINA or in other words, Child In Need of Assistance. So these were youth that had, you know, a lot of things to overcome in terms of transitioning into the world of work. So my specific role there was to help them come up with a plan. So in other words, where are they going to work? Where are they going to move out as they age out of the system? And through that process, I was able to interact with vocational rehabilitation in the state of Iowa. And it really got me interested in how much more of an impact I could have. So I applied and they accepted me. And then when I became a VR counselor, I really got interested in the other components of the broader state level work and applied and became a policy resource manager. And that gave me a much broader understanding of where we're at in the system, uniquely as a VR entity. With that coming into the DIF grant that we'll talk about today, it was really kind of the next level or the next step in the journey of moving from just our internal policy to how we can affect systems change throughout the state of Iowa. So that's really kind of my background.   Carol: That's excellent. And that really positioned you well for being project director on this DIF. Very cool. So Ashley, let's go to you. How did you meander into VR.   Ashley: Absolutely. And I think meandering is a great way of honestly describing it. I have worked within the state for about 14 years now, but I actually started within the Department of Corrections, and I hung out there for the first ten years of my career. Within that, the first six years, I ran our domestic violence program and carried a caseload of about 1000 clients when I did that. And the last four years that I was there, I really started focusing on mental health barriers, substance abuse barriers. And so that led me into a very specific program, which was our drug court program, and that is a prison diversion program. So that is the last stop somebody can kind of redeem themselves in before they get sent to prison. And the reason is I got super interested in that. My passion comes from actually very personal experience. And I lost my mom to suicide when I was 18 due to her severe mental health. So when that happened, that really left me asking questions of what supports are out there. And that really opened my eyes to see the lack of said supports in our community and in our state. So I hung out with in drug court for about four years, ran that program, and I started wanting to branch out because I was helping this certain population. And I was like, I know there's more out there. I know that I could be doing more. And I just felt like I was needed in more places. So a Voc Rehab counselor position opened and, the same county actually that I was running our drug court program in so I took a shot and applied for that and was offered that position. And so I jumped on that, I was  a Voc Rehab counselor, just carrying a normal caseload. for about a year, just over a year, and within that year is where I got into the IPS program that you touched on earlier that we already kind of talked about in our monthly meeting that we had. From there, the DIF grant counselor specialist position came up and I was like, this is really a way for me to take what I'm good at and the areas that I don't have a lot of experience in, like for example, being part of a grant was not anything I'd ever done in my life before, but I really wanted to have that experience. So I was like, this is my shot. So I applied for it and I honestly thought in my interview I was like, there's no way I got this. There's no way this is the worst interview of my life. And lo and behold, I got offered the position. So that's really kind of what got me in here. And being able to be kind of part of that top level systems change and being able to provide that support to my coworkers who are struggling with certain areas, that's really what drives me, and being able to take my passion and apply that. So that's how I meandered in here.   Carol: Well, first up, I'm very sorry about your mom.   Ashley: Thank you.   Carol:  In that situation, your background, I can imagine they snatched you up in one second because your background is so uniquely important to VR and having the mental health challenges that many of our customers face, that's been tough for counselors to handle and to work with. So I can see why you've been a valuable add to the team for sure. So, Paul, last but not least, how did you come into VR?   Paul: Meandering might be a good way to say it too, but my passion and my background here really lies in transition. And so I started my transition journey, I guess, in the Waterloo Community Schools here, the local school district, and I worked with individuals with disabilities in a transition program that partnered with Voc Rehab. And so I had 4 or 5 years of experience and then decided to apply. Then with VOC Rehab when a counselor position came open. That's been about ten and a half years ago. Best move I ever made. Love working with Iowa Voc Rehab. My coworkers here and everybody we get to help. So over those ten years, over the past ten years, I actually oversaw two transition programs in the local community where we assisted individuals with disabilities all the way from freshman through their transition into adulthood, all the way up to age 25. That was really interesting and fulfilling to me to see the growth that you would get from students and that you would see them obtain their goals and really achieve milestones for themselves that that were just amazing, watching them grow and learn and become adults, so to speak. And then, like Ashley, I saw the position with the DIF grant come open. Did not think I was going to get it after my interview. You know, those are the type of interviews that you end up getting the job when you think you bombed. But very fortunate to be here, part of a great team. Yeah, about 17 years total in transition, a little over ten here with Voc Rehab. And really looking forward to the things that we have going for us for the DIF grant.   Carol: That's good stuff. I always love understanding how people get into VR, because we often come from a very different journey and then evolve and come into this role. I can see why all three of you are on this grant. That is amazing. Brandy, can you give people a little picture of Iowa General? Like kind of how many staff are in the agency? How many people do you serve? I know Iowa is my neighbor, but I always think of, you know, a lot of cornfields, are there, any big metro areas? What's the lay of the land down there?   Brandy: Iowa, we currently have approximately 250 staff within VR. So decent size, but definitely a lot smaller than, you know, some of our bigger states like Texas, we are obviously a separated state. So we have Iowa General, and then the Iowa Department for the Blind, and we work closely with them in partnership. We do have some metro areas that are around the state, like Des Moines is one of our major metro areas. We also then have very rural areas where we see major needs in terms of a lack of transportation of available providers. So it's really interesting in that, you know, it sounds like it's all rural, but we definitely have a really good mixture of those different urban versus rural areas, which is interesting, but also was perfect for a grant because we can take a look at how we're affecting change in those major areas, and really understanding that we need to have a different approach for different areas in the state of Iowa and in terms of individuals, we serve for Iowa general alone in program year 2022, which would be July 1st, 2022 through June 30th, 2023. We served approximately 7900 potentially eligible students, as well as about 13 almost 14,000 eligible clients, for a total of almost 22,000. So decent numbers, but once again, definitely not as broad as some areas. For transition alone, we served around 14,000, a little over that, which would be a combination of that almost 8000 potentially eligible and, you know, 6500 eligible transition students. So we have a decent amount of clients that we serve. And we're very focused on transition in the state of Iowa. So we like to really push different transition programs. As Paul had mentioned, we have a lot of what we call TAP programs, Transition Alliance Programs that we've spoken nationally about as well, but definitely an emphasis on transition as well. So that's kind of the makeup of our state.   Carol: I like it, it's bigger than I thought. I didn't realize that. So that is good. I know when I was reading your project narrative and you had sent that, now that I know you wrote it in six weeks or less, Holy smokes, it was really good and I can totally see why RSA said, yeah, we're funding this project really well written. And you titled it The Iowa Blueprint for Change. And I was very intrigued by all of the research. You looked at a report that the US Government Accountability Office did, or they often are known as the GAO, and they had written a report back in 21 and submitted it to Congress about the 14(C) programs. I thought that was interesting. And you also had another report that was by the Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment. So you wove in these pieces to kind of lay the picture of what was happening in Iowa and how that aligned. Can you talk a little bit about that? Because I think it's interesting to note what your state is facing regarding sub minimum wage and kind of the lay of the land. We know over the course of many years across the country, some states have now kind of banned sub-minimum wage. And other people, they're all in different places on that. So can you kind of weave that together a little bit?   Brandy: Absolutely. I would preface it to say that, yes, we definitely made a late decision for applying for the grant, but it was absolutely a community effort. We really needed to rely on community members from different agencies and groups and entities to do it, because we decided so late. So I really need to give credit to those community members. That really helped us, because without them, the complexity of what we wanted to do would never be achieved in terms of an application. So there's really a couple of different reasons for the name that we selected for Iowa Blueprint for Change, and the name itself was actually selected by one of the community members that assisted us in writing it, because as we were kind of dumping data into a Google document, that would help us to really outline what every agency that was participating, what their thoughts would be, and what they see as the needs. We really identified that through the reports that you mentioned. It would really give us that blueprint to move forward. And so there's a couple of different reasons. Like I said, for the name, first of all, the report from the Government Accountability Office or GAO, as they're typically known, was really about identifying 32 factors that they had indicated that really influenced the transition of people from different environments like subminimum wage into competitive, integrated employment. So those 32 factors really range from things such as what is the individual's family or their own unique perspective in terms of what could happen. So what are their fears? What is the information that they know? What state policies are available within the state to kind of have some teeth, if you will, into making sure that employment first, for instance, is a focus. And also what is the local economy looking like. So those factors helped give us that blueprint. And to be honest, many of the factors that they mentioned really hold true in Iowa, where even though we don't have a large number of 14(C) certificate holders or that sub-minimum wage certificate holders, we recognize that we didn't have a lot. We have a handful, maybe five left. But the broader impact or the broader issue that we run into is that when those sub-minimum wage entities shut down, it really just meant a shift for those individuals not into work, but to sitting at home or to attending adult daycare, or the primary reason was going into day habilitation. And so we knew that that was a much, much broader issue, that when we have thousands and thousands of individuals in day habilitation, that some of which have employment, but many of which do not have competitive, integrated employment, we really knew that we needed to utilize that information as a blueprint to affect change systemically. In the state of Iowa, I would say the second reason that we really wanted to utilize the name Iowa Blueprint for Change was because we came across information related to the Collective Impact Forum, and that's really a cross sector framework that has a belief that if you bring a large number of individuals collectively together, they can make a really broad impact and advance equality if they're working together. So we wanted to utilize that model of collective impact to really focus on what can we have individuals and we're talking individuals from people with lived experience to their parents to parent support groups, educators, community providers, you know, a number of individuals coming together and then separating out the work, saying, how could we get this done in workgroups? So through that, we wanted to create what we would call a blueprint of what do we need to do systemically, like at the policy level, what do we need to do at the agency level? All of those agencies that really have a stake in the game for, or funding employment for individuals with disabilities. What do we need to do at a local, maybe support level, where there's these groups that are specific to people with disabilities, what could they do to affect change and then all the way down to the individual level. So when we come together, we can start to develop that blueprint and say as an individual representing vocational rehabilitation, for instance, I know that we need to commit to if we learn through this grant that, for instance, community providers don't have enough funding, what can we commit to in an actual document that we call our blueprint that would ensure that we have committed to making that change? So we would have these series of blueprints that would really help us to drive and have everyone involved commit to that systems level all the way down to the individual level change. So that really it was a twofold idea in terms of the blueprint, and it really brought together all of those individuals, like I mentioned, to make sure that they're committed. Because if we go into this, we knew that if we didn't have the support of all those other agencies and individuals and really show the face of the people that this change would impact, then we're going to be kind of dead in the water. We're not going to be able to move forward, if you will. So that's really the name that research. Also, that second report from the advisory committee was really also touching on the current atmosphere in Iowa and contributed to that blueprint, because we have made major strides in Iowa to move towards employment, we still face a number of challenges, like a lack of adequate training and support that can build capacity, professional competence across all levels of service provision. We have a lack of or we really did have a lack of a solid base of employment services grounded in evidence based practices. So all of these things combined were things that we knew we needed to utilize as a blueprint to really move the needle, if you will.   Carol: Yeah, I really enjoyed that part of the narrative, I did. Because it was so interesting and I thought about that kind of the lost group, you know, you think, okay, 14(C)'s are going away, this is great. But then there's a whole group of people, like you said, they're sitting at home. So we're missing the boat because they didn't move on into VR or into employment. They're either at home or they're sitting in day habilitation. So I love that you are focused on these folks for sure. Now, I know Iowa has done a lot of work, like, in fact, you guys have been the beneficiaries of several grants. Grants through ODEP and different initiatives that have really led you to this point. So let's dig into your actual projects. So I know there was the IPS component. Let's talk about what are these other elements of the project that you're trying to accomplish?   Brandy: Absolutely. The purpose, as you had mentioned Carol earlier, the purpose of this particular DIF grant was to focus on that movement from sub minimum wage or those contemplating sub minimum wage into competitive integrated employment. And the intent of those DIF grants in general is to, you know, really support innovative activities. And we really took that to heart is how can we be innovative in what we're doing and not just stop at like, let's say a minimum wage job, but how can we achieve more than that? How can we move into economic security for the individuals that we're focused on? So that's really what we tried to do. We wanted to make sure that we touched on that issue of really the sub minimum wage isn't the issue, but how can we achieve success with all of those others, that lost group? As you mentioned. What I liked about the grant is it gave us the opportunity to define what we mean by contemplating sub minimum wage. So we tried to take a much broader approach. It's not somebody just thinking about going into sub minimum wage, but what we believe is it's any of those individuals that are traditionally maybe kind of pushed or it's suggested to them that maybe volunteering or staying at home or going into adult day care or day habilitation is the right approach for you. And so for our contemplating subminimum wage, we talked about what about students with the greatest need in the schools, individuals or students with Social Security benefits based on their own disability. We also opened it up to individuals with more severe mental health disabilities, which we mentioned earlier was Ashley's passion, as well as those individuals who are receiving a service such as waiver or whatever it might be, but aren't focused on employment. So that laid the groundwork to say these are all the individuals we want to serve. From there, we developed the goal to advance and improve systems so that Iowans with disabilities have competitive, integrated employment opportunities that lead to economic security. We developed really six primary objectives that would help us get there. And I know later we can dive into the specific activities, but ultimately, we wanted to first use. What I had mentioned before is that collective impact approach. So our first objective was really about engaging a large collective of diverse stakeholders that can really help us to guide the work. So really the change is happening through them. And, they would use those different systems, change models such as collective impact, diversity, equity and inclusion. You know, that type of thing to support individuals with disabilities, move into CIE or competitive integrated employment. The next area that we wanted to focus on is developing an actual registered apprenticeship and quality pre apprenticeship program that would not only increase the number of direct support professionals in the state of Iowa, because through our comprehensive statewide needs assessment and through talking with all these community members, one of the issues that we had is just a lack of available staff to provide job coaching and all those supports. So not only did we want to increase the number of individuals that could go through a program by creating and serving as an intermediary for an apprenticeship program, but also we wanted to make sure that we try to include and bring individuals with disabilities themselves to serve and to go through those apprenticeship programs. So that was the other objective. The third one is really about making an impact in the transition field because as Paul mentioned, that's his passion and that's my passion too. So how do we do that? What we decided to do is really develop some pilot projects that focus on uninterrupted transition to competitive, integrated employment for youth, especially those youth with the most significant disabilities. So utilizing a combination of technical assistance, grant dollars and training to really start earlier, introduce evidence based practices earlier, and provide training to the educators themselves as to the adult world of support, such as waiver. The fourth thing that we had mentioned that we wanted to do is to really facilitate that increase in individuals with disabilities in the state of Iowa, not only obtaining, but maintaining competitive, integrated employment. So diving into how do we increase opportunities? The next one was to increase the expectation and demand for CIE. So how do we promote this? How do we squash any misconceptions about what working means? For instance, for people on Social Security benefits, how do we involve parents and individuals with disabilities to serve as mentors themselves? You know, how do we affect change in that area? And finally, we wanted to really align those public policies. So develop an employment first policy. And in a technology and first policy that really puts those teeth into making the change in Iowa, as well as getting together those agencies that once again have the ability to fund employment programs and make sure that we really do a deep dive in, a commitment to increasing that funding, if that's what we learn is necessary so that our provider partners aren't really stuck in what we want to provide these great evidence based practices for instance.. But, they're not really achievable because we lose money. So looking at that issue and then just making sure that we have a focus across the state, that competitive, integrated employment is the first and preferred outcome for all individuals with disabilities. So that's really like a broad overview of what we were hoping to achieve.   Carol: You have bitten off a lot. Like in reading that, when I went through it, I went, oh my gosh, like, is this a five year grant or is this a ten year grant? Because there's a lot you're going to do. But I think with especially this particular subject, the systems change foundation of what your proposal talked about is so important because you can't do this unless you really engage all of the various partners to affect this sort of high level of change. Do you have certain targets, like the number of individuals you're trying to, like, what's the big target for the five year completion of your activities?   Brandy: So that's another area that we really bit off, probably more than we can handle. But we wanted to make sure that for outreach purposes, we provided outreach to every single individual in day habilitation, which is thousands and every, you know, student that has disability benefits or that could really qualify as a as an individual. So we had much broader numbers there. So we're talking thousands. But in terms of breaking it down, the great thing about this grant is they connected a national evaluator, which is Mathematica, that comes in and really dives in with us going, okay, that's a big piece. Now let's go. How many of those do you think? You know, through various pilot projects, through the different components of this, can you actually bring in because, you know, some are going to say, I'm not interested. Some are going to maybe, you know, have a different reason for not participating. So then they helped us to say, that's the goal for outreach. We're going to provide information to all of those individuals and also ensure that every one of those individuals that wants to be part of that broad collective that I talked about can participate and even serve in leadership roles. Then, from the number of individuals will actually serve, we have a little over 300 to say, we want to commit to this number of adults and this number of students to actually do it. Which is a lot of individuals as well. When you're talking only five years, especially since the first year is really about getting contracts ready, figuring out your team, trying to identify what you're doing. So definitely we thought big in that area as well.   Carol: Go big or go home, I like it. So, Ashley, you've been sitting here patiently waiting. You're the counselor specialist focused on the apprenticeship program. Can you tell us more about that? Like what do you do? Like what are you focused on? What's your role like?   Ashley: Absolutely. So really my role is just to support and guide our work group that we have that has volunteered their time to be part of this. So our work group consists of different businesses, educators, community providers, individuals with lived experience that want to build this program to ensure that it's successful. So right now, our work group has looked at the Direct support professional registered apprenticeship that already exists in the state of Iowa, and that's registered. And we're looking at what can we take from that. And really kind of DIF it, if that makes sense. So we want to make sure that we're taking what we're seeing within our need and the lack of the workforce that's currently available for those positions, and open that up again. Just really kind of supporting and guiding them. So that started with we branched out and we've talked to different states about some of their pre apprenticeships and registered apprenticeships that they have in the specific area, being able to kind of get the what went well, what didn't go well with them. So we can maybe avoid some of that and not repeat it. Partnering again we've partnered with everybody that I've listed earlier, but then we also have a couple registered apprenticeship gurus with the Iowa Workforce Development Group that have volunteered their time to be part of our group. So they're really like a good sounding board for us. So if we get some crazy ideas and we throw them at the two ladies that we have, they're like, yeah, let's do this. One of the great ideas that we have is stackable credentials. So being able to not just create a registered apprenticeship that gives you the ability to be a direct support professional, but also gives you the ability to advance in the career. And so the individuals that we're targeting that we want to be part of our apprenticeship is obviously the individuals that we're targeting within our grant. So individuals that are really interested in helping others, but maybe just haven't been able to find that right area to specialize that in. So if somebody comes into the registered apprenticeship program and they are wanting to be a supervisor eventually, then we can provide the opportunities and the abilities for them to be trained and have the opportunity to do that. The nice thing about our grant too, is then we can also work with the providers and the businesses that are wanting to support our registered apprenticeship and not only support the business, but offer some incentives with them. So if they're willing to put some teeth behind it, then we'll put some teeth behind it too, because it's going to take all of us working together for this to be successful. Also, the other really cool thing that I think we're building into our registered apprenticeship is specialty areas. So you talked about and Brittany talked about like my specialty area is really mental health. That's something I'm super passionate about. Other individuals have passions with intellectual disabilities, or they have passions with assistive technology areas, just any really area that somebody wants to gain some more knowledge in that they're super interested in, that could benefit them in the workforce, then let's provide them that opportunity. It's a work in progress. Right now we have 24 core competencies that we're reviewing to figure out if we want to leave them as they are, or if we want to alter some of them. And like I said earlier, kind of DIF them. So that's what our work group is doing right now. And again, the beautiful thing about it is we all come from very different backgrounds, so we all bring very different perspectives, which I think is going to make this a very beautiful program at the very end of it.   Carol: Very cool. I like that I haven't heard anybody say that yet, that they're DIF'ing it. And so now we've got it. We've got a new term.   Ashley: Absolutely. Just made that up too. So we're just going to roll with it   Carol: I love it. I like rolling., So Paul, I know you're focused on the transition pilot. Talk a little bit about that. What's going on with that and how's your role with it?   Paul: Yeah, of course, my previous experience, like I had mentioned, was overseeing two transition programs in the schools for the past ten years. After WIOA came out, we did notice, as Brandi had mentioned, students were going to adult daycare, just going home, sitting at home with parents, brother or sister, any kind of family member, and really not getting out in the community and being that competitive, integrated, employed. And so what our goal here is, is that each year for. The next three years, we're actually going to start two pilot projects, and we had created a work group. This would have been last August for the transition piece of the diff. As we say, we're DIF'ing it, of the DIF, the transition work group. And so we have actually been meeting we created a call for interest. And that went out to all CRP's, all AEA's, all LEA's throughout the state. And then we had proposals that were returned to us here over the past month or two. And we actually then took our group, reviewed those proposals and did choose to sites to receive this funding for these pilot programs here this year. We're actually starting those initial meetings with the schools. And so what we want to do is we want to partner with the CRP's, the school districts, mental health providers, and we want to be able to provide customized employment or IPSY at a much younger age in the high school. One thing that I had noticed around the state was that, you know, discovery might start that senior year for a student, that's way too late, way too late. What are you really going to know in the span of a year to make sure that they're going to be successful after their graduation? So what we're really hoping is that we can partner them with the IEP team. Like I mentioned, the mental health providers CRP's the school district teachers and start that discovery process freshman year. Also, some of the outreach where we can have students applying for like waiver services at a much younger age as well too, just because the waiting list right now is 5 or 6 years for some of that. So for additional funding after graduation, we were even talking about going into some of the middle schools to try and make sure that that outreach happens and those services are available, because that's another gap that we saw with students graduating without those waiver services or funding to be available there as that long term support. Also did want to just mention that we want to provide technical assistance to the AEA's and local school districts of one focus for the DIF. As we're DIF'ing it, is assistive technology. And so we want to be able to support job candidates. The school districts, AEA's with our assistive technology funds and how we're able to tie that in, along with the earlier service provision, to have better outcomes at graduation.   Carol: I like it. You're speaking my language with getting at these students younger, because I agree that whole business with senior year too late, too late, too.   Paul: Way too, yeah, way too late.   Carol: You know, getting at kids younger and just it is also and their families to get them exposed to other things. I think about how many of our students never had a job. You know, they aren't babysitting, they aren't mowing the lawn, they aren't doing anything. They don't get any exposure to that. And then all of a sudden, like, you graduate and you're going to go to work, you know, that just it's a foreign thought. And so I really like what you're doing with that and getting at the kids way younger. The IPSY that you said is good stuff. Now, I know as I've talked to grantees, everybody says year one is kind of a bummer because there's always challenges. You got slow starts and stops and all of that. How about any challenges you guys face to your one, or how did you kind of hit those head on?   Brandy: So we absolutely faced obstacles the first year. In fact, I think our motto for the year was that we will always pivot. So in other words, when we were awarded, we had to kind of keep changing the plan a bit to address everything that came our way, if that makes sense. So when we were awarded, the first thing to keep in mind is that typically with these DIF grants, you're notified that you're awarded only a couple of days before the grant year begins. So that is not a lot of preparation and planning time for you to get contracts started, if that makes sense, and to get things rolling. And there's also a really relevant push from RSA to make sure that those funds are expended, that they award you. And that is absolutely not a problem that we have. We'd love to spend the funds to get this rolling. But Iowa is one of, I'm sure, many states that have a very strict procurement process. So one of the things that we ran into right away is that even though we could identify in our grant some of the partners that we wanted to utilize, we still, once we were awarded, had to begin that long process of really making sure that we knew if we had to do an RFP, if we could go to sole source agreements, if we could work with other state entities and get it in faster. And so we ran into some issues where, you know, for instance, there was a provider that really wanted to work with us, but due to some of those procurement issues and due to us being unable to reach an agreement in terms of things like salary, we really then had to pivot and go, well, that part of the plan isn't going to work. So we had to reach out to the community again and say, who wants to dive in with us and DIF it? As Ashley had mentioned, who wants to get in there and really do this because our original plan wasn't going to work. So that's the tough part to keep in mind is that there's that combination of knowing that the applicant process can be very slow. You know, when you're going through an RFP or procurement combined with RSA, who wants you to spend the money? So that's one of the issues that we ran into. And really the thing to keep in mind is this was a front loaded grant. So that means that you have this big pot of money and you're excited because you can get started with that immediately. However, you need to be aware of your state level rules, because we knew that we'd need a decent amount of staff to make this happen because we had such a broad idea. The other thing that we ran into is securing the full time positions, or the FTEs to do the work was really, really difficult. So, for instance, as Ashley and Paul would tell you, they didn't begin this at the beginning. They actually didn't come in until July of 2023. So we started October 2022. And the first time our state could say, yep, we think we moved two positions. We kind of had to beg, borrow and steal just to do that same thing with other entities that we're working with. They have a very long process for hiring. So we went from, you know, well, this is something that we want to do October 1st, and then we didn't even get the contract secured. And then they had to go through hiring. So we spent the first year dealing with that. The other thing I think was it really wasn't a major barrier, but one thing that we had to keep in mind is that even though a lot of agencies were really willing to talk, some of them weren't willing to take the leap with us. So we had to do a lot of meetings and discussions and honest conversations and the state to say we are all after the same thing. And that's a focus of people with disabilities moving into competitive integrated employment. Are you willing to jump on board with us? So I would say those are the major issues that we had.   Carol: Yeah, it sounds very familiar with other states. And I think you give good advice with people understanding your own state procurement processes and such so that you keep it in mind, because I know folks want to jump in and then you go, gosh, this whole year flew by and we're doing mostly planning and just trying to get the people on board because, shoot, it took you nine months to get Ashley and Paul going. So that's a big chunk. It's just everybody needs to sort of maybe temper expectations year one. So on a flip side, what would you say have been some initial successes or things you're super excited about that have happened? I know you're early on, but have you had any initial success stories or anything?   Paul: Yeah, I think we've actually had quite a few success stories, surprisingly, as we're DIF'ing it. The creation of our work groups, I would say when we came on in July, the work groups hadn't been created yet. And those are for those six objectives that Brandi had outlined. And so really moving things with like policy and apprenticeships and the transition piece, getting all the stakeholders to come to our collective meetings quarterly and then having them choose a work group to become a part of and then meet with that work group. So with the transition work group, I just use that for an example. We met bi-weekly, and so having stakeholders from around the state come in and really buy into what we were talking about and help develop that call for interest for letters and then get those proposals in. Also, what we've been doing to better understand some of the subminimum wage providers is we've been touring those 14(C) certificate holders to better understand their communities, what their needs are, why are they still providing some minimum wage? How can we support them to move away from Subminimum wage? And from then what we're looking towards is developing a business plan. That way we can do a lot of outreach both to those 14(C) certificate holders, but then also businesses in the community, so we can help them move away from subminimum wage to competitive, integrated employment. I would say another success is that we have chosen those two pilot programs for the Transition Work group, and we actually meet next week with the first school district. And so I'm always a person of action. And so this is really, really exciting for me to finally see these things getting rolling and getting all the stakeholders together and really planning for the students and planning for the future. So with that, what we're planning is, is that service provision for those school districts will start then in August once the school year starts. So that gives us a few months to get everybody on board, hire any staff that needs to be hired and get those pilot programs rolling. And then like I said, we'll be doing two more per year. Also, the high number of individuals, as I mentioned, we have that collective meeting that we do quarterly, but the high number of individuals that have participated in that, we've had upwards of 100 or more in those meetings and there's zoom meetings. So we have people from around the country really, and it's really amazing to see the buy in and the support that the DIF grant and the things that we're doing have.   Carol: That is super cool to hear. I'm really happy for you guys. So if people want to find out more about you, does someone want to throw out your website address that folks can access?   Brandy: We actually have a webpage on our vocational rehabilitation website, so it's IVRS.iowa.gov And from there under the About us section, there's an Iowa Blueprint for Change webpage. We actually provide information there. The sign up for the collectives that anyone can really join but also, then we put a specific contact information for Ashley, Paul, myself,  anyone willing to do the work. So you just reach out, its one door for or many doors, or path, I guess you could say, . You can reach out to any of us and you can get to who you need to get to. But also, if you're interested in, What are we doing with transition and how can we support that? Paul's information is on there as well. As that area focus covering and same with Ashley for what she's doing. So we list that all out there.   Carol: Excellent. 'cause  usually we have folks that do want to reach out, So don't be surprised. And you may get a call like in a year or six months cause people go back and listen to your old episode and they're like, hey, I want to reach out to those Iowa people. Well, I look forward to checking back in with you all as you get further down the road and see how things are rolling. But I'm super excited about your progress and what you're doing today my fellow neighbors. So thanks for joining me today. I hope you have a great day.   Brandy: Thanks, Carol.   Ashley: Thank you.   Paul: Thanks, Carol.   {Music} Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR, one manager at a time, one minute at a time, brought to you by the VR TAC for Quality Management. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening!  

Welcome to Episode 159 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, State Climatologist Dr. Justin Glisan offers his forecast for the 2024 growing season. And Brian Waddingham shares how the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers has been helping farm families raise livestock responsibly and successfully for the past 20 years. Resources mentioned in this episode:  Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Climatology Bureau Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers website Iowa Farm Bureau's 2024 Economic Summit

How can you embrace wildness in yourself?What opportunities do you have to experience nature, beauty, and wilderness in your own backyard?...Mark Edwards is a 76-year-old naturalist, is a leader in BeWildReWild and its Big River Connectivity project, and is retired from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, where he lead restoration efforts for 30 years. You can join the "Rewilding Iowa and Beyond" Facebook Group and check out this podcast with Mark from the Iowa Nature Summit. In this conversation, Mark shares his story, including how moving throughout his childhood and being exposed to many different cultures and environments shaped him; how he learned to take care of himself; and how he connected with wilderness through his own travels and finding his way back to Iowa, where he has remained ever since. Abbie and Mark discuss the meaning of rewilding and how we can make new choices around the meaning we make around our relationship to wilderness, nature, and non-human beings. Mark and Abbie explore our own wildness, rewilding as overcoming fear, and moving from imagination to embodiment as we navigate the need to do things differently. Finally, Abbie and Mark talk about the wildness in Iowa (the most biologically altered state in North America) and within ourselves.…Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created, produced & hosted by Abbie VanMeter.Stories Lived. Stories Told. is an initiative of the CMM Institute for Personal and Social Evolution....Music for Stories Lived. Stories Told. is created by Rik Spann.Find Rik on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Listen to our conversation with Rik in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ep. 8⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠....⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Explore all things Stories Lived. Stories Told.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CMM Institute.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CMM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cosmopolis 2045⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Access CosmoActivities for FREE.Contribute to the CosmoParents Survey.

Fertilizer spill kills 750,000 fish | Missouri GOP wants to eliminate corporate income tax | Kansas Man Sues Tennessee GOP Congressman | Missouri legislature defunding STL? | Texas Immigration Law Back On ICE | Alabama Election Blowout Win… for a Democrat? | Missouri AG gets slammed On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, March 29, 2024 - a Flyover Friday including: Fertilizer spill kills hundreds of thousands of fishMissouri GOP cuts taxes… for corporationsKansas Man Sues Tennessee law makerMissouri legislature defunding STL?Texas Immigration Law Back On ICEAlabama Election Blowout Win… for a Democrat?Missouri AG gets slammedArizona state senator's personal abortion appealMissouri GOP members tripping over each other to file for… Secretary of State?SOURCES: Missouri Independent; Lawdork.com; Kansas City Star; 1819 news; Democracy Now, associated press; St. Louis posRevisiting A story From last week: 750,000 fish have died in the fertilizer spillhttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/fertilizer-killed-more-than-750000-fish-iowa-missouri/A fertilizer spill this month in southwest Iowa killed nearly all the fish in a 60-mile stretch of river with an estimated death toll of more than 750,000, according to Iowa and Missouri conservation officers.That is the biggest fish kill in Iowa in at least a decade and the fifth-largest on record, according to state data.And it could have been worse: Fish populations were likely smaller than normal when the spill happened because of cold water temperatures and low river flows.“Thank goodness, in a way, it happened when it did,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' fisheries bureau. “But this is a big one. It's a lot of river miles that have been impacted.”Missouri GOP Tax Cuts To Phase Out Corporate Taxeshttps://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-again-votes-to-cut-corporate-income-taxes/The bill sponsored by state Rep. Travis Smith of Dora would cut the tax rate, currently 4%, to 3% on Jan. 1 and make another one percentage point cut each year until the tax is eliminated in 2028.“When you reduce the corporate income tax you are helping workers more than anything else because the corporation is not going to be paying those taxes,” Smith said. “They're putting it back in improving their facilities and paying wages.”The corporate income tax is paid by larger companies with many stockholders. A fiscal note for the bill estimates it would reduce state revenues by at least $884 million when fully implemented. The state collected $13.2 billion in general revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30.The bill passed on a 100-50 vote with Republicans voting for it and Democrats opposed. “We are one of the lowest corporate income tax states in the nation,” said state Rep. Joe Adams, a University City Democrat.Legally, Adams noted, corporations are people with many of the same rights as humans.“As people they should pay part of the freight for the operation of the government of this state,” Adams said.Texas Immigration Law On ICEhttps://www.lawdork.com/p/fifth-circuit-texas-sb4-stay-denialTexas's new immigration law creating Texas crimes of “illegal entry” and “reentry” and setting forth a process for removal of people convicted of those state laws will remain blocked for now, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on Tuesday night in a decision holding that Texas's S.B. 4 is likely preempted by federal law on multiple grounds.“The Texas laws at issue permit state authorities to prosecute an individual for being unlawfully present and remove individuals who are unlawfully present or removable, without any consultation or cooperation with the Attorney General of the United States,” Chief Judge Priscilla Richman, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote for the court's 2-1 majority keeping S.B. 4 on hold.it is the first ruling of substance analyzing S.B. 4 from an appeals court, which is good whenever courts take actions — but particularly when those rulings are affecting the enforcement of national and state laws. And, second, this is same panel of judges that will be hearing the merits of the S.B. 4 next week, meaning we have a fairly good idea that the same outcome will likely result from the full appeal.The immediate question is whether Texas seeks further review, from the full Fifth Circuit en banc or from the U.S. Supreme Court, on its stay pending appeal request, or whether the parties wait for the April 3 arguments on Texas's appeal of the preliminary injunction before taking any further action.For now, though, Texas's S.B. 4 remains blocked and will remain blocked for the duration of the Fifth Circuit appeal.Republicans in Missouri Continue Going After St Louishttps://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/measure-targeting-st-louis-earnings-tax-passes-missouri-house-heads-to-senate/article_b0b9f348-ec59-11ee-9492-8b5dfe93499d.htmlKansas Man Sues lawmaker for comments after super bowl parade shootinghttps://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287072190.htmlDenton Loudermill, a Johnson County resident, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, who last month shared a photo of Loudermill and erroneously wrote that one of the Kansas City shooters had been identified as an “illegal alien.” Burchett's false post caused Loudermill to receive death threats, incur damages totaling more than $75,000, anxiety and loss of sleep, according to the lawsuit, which accuses Burchett of false light invasion of privacy. The lawsuit asks a judge to issue damages “to punish” Burchett or deter him and others from similar conduct in the future.Missouri Budget Slashed, Without A Chance To Ask Whyhttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/26/democrats-gripe-over-limited-time-for-debating-proposed-50-billion-missouri-budget/The biggest fight Monday between Republicans and Democrats on the House Budget Committee as they finalized a spending plan for floor debate was over the time allotted to do the work, not any particular item in the $50.7 billion plan.Throughout the daylong hearing, Democrats said state Rep. Cody Smith, the committee's chairman, wasn't allowing enough time to propose amendments or hear why he cut $2 billion from Gov. Mike Parson's January budget proposal.And to show their displeasure when the time came to vote, many Democrats voted “present” and state Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, invoked a little-used rule to force a reading of each roll call and how members voted as each of the 17 spending bills was completed. Smith had no patience for that maneuver, and the committee voted to suspend the rule on “verifying the roll” to speed up its work.Smith delivered his budget proposal to the committee on March 14 but declined that day to answer questions about his changes. On Monday, when the committee convened shortly after 10 a.m., Smith said he would allow four hours for discussing amendments.Alabama Democrat Blows Out GOP Opponent https://1819news.com/news/item/hd10-lands-62-powell-38-after-democrat-special-election-blowout-republicans-asking-what-happenedState Rep.-elect Marilyn Lands (D-Madison) won the special election for House District 10 on Tuesday, making her the first net-gain Democratic pick-up in the Alabama Legislature since 2002.1819 News surveyed local and state Republicans, political consultants and elected officials to find out what they believe occurred and what they see for the future.One prominent GOP official said that national Democrats had nationalized this small campaign around abortion to scare Republicans in other states and help them fundraise off the issue.One complaint was that the Republican nominee, Teddy Powell, took too much of a moderate approach and said that if Republicans were to win in purple districts, they must run as full-on Republicans, just as Lands ran as a full-on Democrat — even more so in a special election where turnout is smaller and only the parties' most loyal show up to vote.However, the consultants did mention that this race would be a potential pick-up for Republicans in 2026 when the next gubernatorial election occurs, and more turnout will be expected.Arizona State Senator Shares Her Abortion Story, In Real Timehttps://www.democracynow.org/2024/3/27/eva_burch_arizona_abortionDemocratic Arizona state Senator Eva Burch made headlines last week after speaking on the floor of the state Senate about her plans to obtain an abortion after receiving news that her pregnancy was nonviable. Arizona has banned all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. “I felt like it was really important for me to bring people along, so that people could really see what this looks like,” says Burch, a former nurse practitioner who worked at a women's health clinic before running for office, about why she decided to publicly tell her story. “I wanted to pull people into the conversation so we can be more honest about what abortion care looks like” and “hopefully move the needle in the right direction,” she adds.Missouri Attorney General Gets Slammedhttps://apnews.com/article/dei-diversity-school-beating-missouri-hazelwood-928cd2980047d9f6c37351901f7d0e29Days after Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey blamed an after-school fight on a school district's diversity programming, a lawyer for the majority Black district in suburban St. Louis said that the state's chief attorney is showing “obvious racial bias.”Bailey, who is campaigning to keep his seat, said last week that he is investigating possible violations of the state's human rights laws by the Hazelwood School District, after a March 8 fight left a girl hospitalized with severe head injuries.Bailey blamed the school district's diversity, equity and inclusion programming as a cause for the fight, which St. Louis County police say happened after school hours in a neighborhood about two blocks from Hazelwood East High School. He said were it not for the programs, a school resource officer would have been present at the school. @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Fertilizer spill kills 750,000 fish | Missouri GOP wants to eliminate corporate income tax | Kansas Man Sues Tennessee GOP Congressman | Missouri legislature defunding STL? | Texas Immigration Law Back On ICE | Alabama Election Blowout Win… for a Democrat? | Missouri AG gets slammed On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, March 29, 2024 - a Flyover Friday including: Fertilizer spill kills hundreds of thousands of fishMissouri GOP cuts taxes… for corporationsKansas Man Sues Tennessee law makerMissouri legislature defunding STL?Texas Immigration Law Back On ICEAlabama Election Blowout Win… for a Democrat?Missouri AG gets slammedArizona state senator's personal abortion appealMissouri GOP members tripping over each other to file for… Secretary of State?SOURCES: Missouri Independent; Lawdork.com; Kansas City Star; 1819 news; Democracy Now, associated press; St. Louis posRevisiting A story From last week: 750,000 fish have died in the fertilizer spillhttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/fertilizer-killed-more-than-750000-fish-iowa-missouri/A fertilizer spill this month in southwest Iowa killed nearly all the fish in a 60-mile stretch of river with an estimated death toll of more than 750,000, according to Iowa and Missouri conservation officers.That is the biggest fish kill in Iowa in at least a decade and the fifth-largest on record, according to state data.And it could have been worse: Fish populations were likely smaller than normal when the spill happened because of cold water temperatures and low river flows.“Thank goodness, in a way, it happened when it did,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' fisheries bureau. “But this is a big one. It's a lot of river miles that have been impacted.”Missouri GOP Tax Cuts To Phase Out Corporate Taxeshttps://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-again-votes-to-cut-corporate-income-taxes/The bill sponsored by state Rep. Travis Smith of Dora would cut the tax rate, currently 4%, to 3% on Jan. 1 and make another one percentage point cut each year until the tax is eliminated in 2028.“When you reduce the corporate income tax you are helping workers more than anything else because the corporation is not going to be paying those taxes,” Smith said. “They're putting it back in improving their facilities and paying wages.”The corporate income tax is paid by larger companies with many stockholders. A fiscal note for the bill estimates it would reduce state revenues by at least $884 million when fully implemented. The state collected $13.2 billion in general revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30.The bill passed on a 100-50 vote with Republicans voting for it and Democrats opposed. “We are one of the lowest corporate income tax states in the nation,” said state Rep. Joe Adams, a University City Democrat.Legally, Adams noted, corporations are people with many of the same rights as humans.“As people they should pay part of the freight for the operation of the government of this state,” Adams said.Texas Immigration Law On ICEhttps://www.lawdork.com/p/fifth-circuit-texas-sb4-stay-denialTexas's new immigration law creating Texas crimes of “illegal entry” and “reentry” and setting forth a process for removal of people convicted of those state laws will remain blocked for now, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on Tuesday night in a decision holding that Texas's S.B. 4 is likely preempted by federal law on multiple grounds.“The Texas laws at issue permit state authorities to prosecute an individual for being unlawfully present and remove individuals who are unlawfully present or removable, without any consultation or cooperation with the Attorney General of the United States,” Chief Judge Priscilla Richman, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote for the court's 2-1 majority keeping S.B. 4 on hold.it is the first ruling of substance analyzing S.B. 4 from an appeals court, which is good whenever courts take actions — but particularly when those rulings are affecting the enforcement of national and state laws. And, second, this is same panel of judges that will be hearing the merits of the S.B. 4 next week, meaning we have a fairly good idea that the same outcome will likely result from the full appeal.The immediate question is whether Texas seeks further review, from the full Fifth Circuit en banc or from the U.S. Supreme Court, on its stay pending appeal request, or whether the parties wait for the April 3 arguments on Texas's appeal of the preliminary injunction before taking any further action.For now, though, Texas's S.B. 4 remains blocked and will remain blocked for the duration of the Fifth Circuit appeal.Republicans in Missouri Continue Going After St Louishttps://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/measure-targeting-st-louis-earnings-tax-passes-missouri-house-heads-to-senate/article_b0b9f348-ec59-11ee-9492-8b5dfe93499d.htmlKansas Man Sues lawmaker for comments after super bowl parade shootinghttps://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287072190.htmlDenton Loudermill, a Johnson County resident, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, who last month shared a photo of Loudermill and erroneously wrote that one of the Kansas City shooters had been identified as an “illegal alien.” Burchett's false post caused Loudermill to receive death threats, incur damages totaling more than $75,000, anxiety and loss of sleep, according to the lawsuit, which accuses Burchett of false light invasion of privacy. The lawsuit asks a judge to issue damages “to punish” Burchett or deter him and others from similar conduct in the future.Missouri Budget Slashed, Without A Chance To Ask Whyhttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/26/democrats-gripe-over-limited-time-for-debating-proposed-50-billion-missouri-budget/The biggest fight Monday between Republicans and Democrats on the House Budget Committee as they finalized a spending plan for floor debate was over the time allotted to do the work, not any particular item in the $50.7 billion plan.Throughout the daylong hearing, Democrats said state Rep. Cody Smith, the committee's chairman, wasn't allowing enough time to propose amendments or hear why he cut $2 billion from Gov. Mike Parson's January budget proposal.And to show their displeasure when the time came to vote, many Democrats voted “present” and state Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, invoked a little-used rule to force a reading of each roll call and how members voted as each of the 17 spending bills was completed. Smith had no patience for that maneuver, and the committee voted to suspend the rule on “verifying the roll” to speed up its work.Smith delivered his budget proposal to the committee on March 14 but declined that day to answer questions about his changes. On Monday, when the committee convened shortly after 10 a.m., Smith said he would allow four hours for discussing amendments.Alabama Democrat Blows Out GOP Opponent https://1819news.com/news/item/hd10-lands-62-powell-38-after-democrat-special-election-blowout-republicans-asking-what-happenedState Rep.-elect Marilyn Lands (D-Madison) won the special election for House District 10 on Tuesday, making her the first net-gain Democratic pick-up in the Alabama Legislature since 2002.1819 News surveyed local and state Republicans, political consultants and elected officials to find out what they believe occurred and what they see for the future.One prominent GOP official said that national Democrats had nationalized this small campaign around abortion to scare Republicans in other states and help them fundraise off the issue.One complaint was that the Republican nominee, Teddy Powell, took too much of a moderate approach and said that if Republicans were to win in purple districts, they must run as full-on Republicans, just as Lands ran as a full-on Democrat — even more so in a special election where turnout is smaller and only the parties' most loyal show up to vote.However, the consultants did mention that this race would be a potential pick-up for Republicans in 2026 when the next gubernatorial election occurs, and more turnout will be expected.Arizona State Senator Shares Her Abortion Story, In Real Timehttps://www.democracynow.org/2024/3/27/eva_burch_arizona_abortionDemocratic Arizona state Senator Eva Burch made headlines last week after speaking on the floor of the state Senate about her plans to obtain an abortion after receiving news that her pregnancy was nonviable. Arizona has banned all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. “I felt like it was really important for me to bring people along, so that people could really see what this looks like,” says Burch, a former nurse practitioner who worked at a women's health clinic before running for office, about why she decided to publicly tell her story. “I wanted to pull people into the conversation so we can be more honest about what abortion care looks like” and “hopefully move the needle in the right direction,” she adds.Missouri Attorney General Gets Slammedhttps://apnews.com/article/dei-diversity-school-beating-missouri-hazelwood-928cd2980047d9f6c37351901f7d0e29Days after Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey blamed an after-school fight on a school district's diversity programming, a lawyer for the majority Black district in suburban St. Louis said that the state's chief attorney is showing “obvious racial bias.”Bailey, who is campaigning to keep his seat, said last week that he is investigating possible violations of the state's human rights laws by the Hazelwood School District, after a March 8 fight left a girl hospitalized with severe head injuries.Bailey blamed the school district's diversity, equity and inclusion programming as a cause for the fight, which St. Louis County police say happened after school hours in a neighborhood about two blocks from Hazelwood East High School. He said were it not for the programs, a school resource officer would have been present at the school. @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

From production to consumption, Weights and Measures Bureaus regulate fuel quality to ensure reliable fuels are being sold. Scott Fenwick, Technical Director at Clean Fuels Alliance America, discusses the role of Weights and Measures in the marketplace with Mike Herrington, Bureau Chief of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Weights and Measures Bureau.For more information, visit Clean Fuels Alliance America. To suggest topics or guests for a future episode, email us at podcasts@CleanFuels.org.

Enjoy this great chat with UI College of Public Health alumna and 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award recipient, Kelsey Feller. She is bureau chief of Data Sharing, Privacy and Open Records in the Division of Compliance at the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (IDHHS) where she balances the importance of data security and privacy with facilitating the use of data for public health initiatives and research. Read more about Kelsey at https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/2023-outstanding-alumni-award-recipients/ A transcript of this episode is available at https://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/news-items/from-the-front-row-alumna-kelsey-feller-public-health-data-and-careers/ Have an question for our podcast crew or an idea for an episode? You can email them at CPH-GradAmbassador@uiowa.edu You can also support "From the Front Row" by sharing this episode and others with your friends, colleagues, and social networks.

A flyover from this week's top heartland stories including:Missouri GOP in-fighting in full swing | In Iowa there's something in the water… poop | Missouri Medicaid enrollees trapped in a nightmare | Kari Lake leaks a tape | CO House ditches Minority Leader Mike Lynch | Iowa anthem antics | Ted Cruz's Democratic challenger in Texas | Missouri Senator Nick Schroer is a joke SOURCES: The Heartland Collective, Colorado News Line, Missouri Independent, New York Times, Iowa Capitol DispatchThrow The Bums Out! https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/25/missouri-senate-gop-warfare-escalates-with-suggestion-of-expelling-freedom-caucus-leader/The factional fights making the Missouri Senate a public spectacle are bad enough that Senate Majority Leader Cindy O'Laughlin told reporters Thursday that she'd vote to expel the leader of the Freedom Caucus from the chamber.Speaking to the assembled editors and publishers from the Missouri Press Association during their annual visit to the Capitol, O'Laughlin noted that expelling a senator takes 23 votes of the 34-member chamber.“Two years ago, I said with 23 votes, you can throw somebody out of here,” she said. “And I would do it today.”Asked who she meant, O'Laughlin named Sen. Bill Eigel.“I would have to have 23 votes and get 23 votes, I'll have to get some Democrats to vote for it and then I'll have to give up something big,” O'Laughlin said. “So….everything here is a trade off you know.”Soon after the remarks were reported on social media by The Independent, the door to the Senate Lounge, where O'Laughlin was speaking, opened and a Senate doorman said Eigel wanted to talk to her on the floor. Must be something in the water… sadly, in Iowa it might be poophttps://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/25/state-issues-several-fines-for-manure-violations/From article: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently fined several livestock operations and a manure hauler for infractions that ranged from failing to submit animal waste management plans to a manure spill that resulted from a train collision.The crash happened in June 2023, when an employee of Magnum Custom Hauling, of South English, was transporting up to 6,000 gallons of manure in Marion County.Employee Deal Keasling was operating a tractor that pulled a manure spreader on a gravel road south of Pleasantville when he approached a railway and noticed a train, according to a DNR order.“When he saw the train, he realized he wasn't going to be able to stop, so he basically floored it,” said Janet Gastineau, a senior environmental specialist for the DNR.There is a bend in the road at the railway intersection and wooded areas nearby that might have obscured Keasling's view of the train, which struck the manure spreader. Keasling's certification to handle the manure had expired, the order said.No one was injured, Gastineau said, but an unspecified amount of manure went into nearby Coon Creek. Magnum and Keasling were ordered to pay a $4,975 fine.The DNR also recently fined five livestock operations for failing to submit required plans to manage their manure, which helps ensure the manure is not excessively applied to fields: Missouri medicaid system seems to have been broken from the insidehttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/Hannah Kaplanis applied to Missouri's Medicaid program nearly two months ago, but hasn't received any response from the state.Just shy of 18 weeks pregnant, she's in need of prenatal care and growing increasingly hopeless. Aside from a free ultrasound in November, she hasn't been able to access any care. She called Missouri's Medicaid helpline earlier this month but had to hang up after waiting on hold for 45 minutes, and she is unable to apply for other insurance until she is out of Medicaid limbo. “It feels like I'm doing motherhood wrong already, but it's out of my hands,” she said. “I'm at a loss. It's just a waiting game and that gives me anxiety.”Jim Torres, program manager for health insurance services at Samuel Rodgers Health Center in Kansas City, helped Kaplanis submit her application and has been checking its status. He said that he hasn't seen “any movement on her most recent application that was submitted on Dec. 4.” Kaplanis' struggles are not isolated. Missourians trying to enroll in or retain Medicaid — the government-run health insurance program for low-income Americans — report running headlong into the state's increasingly-strained system. Interviews with advocates, applicants, participants and experts reveal increased pressure on the state's capacity has intensified bureaucratic hurdles to accessing Medicaid, which include lost and missing paperwork, indecipherable state notices and marathon call center wait times.“I've been doing this with my organization for 10 years now,” said Saralyn Erwin, a marketplace and Medicaid coordinator at Northeast Missouri Health Council who assists with applications and renewals, “and this is the worst that I have seen it.” GOP Chair in Arizona Resigns After Evidence of bribe to Kari Lakehttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/24/us/politics/kari-lake-arizona-gop.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShareThe chairman of Arizona's Republican Party resigned abruptly on Wednesday, a day after the publication of a 10-minute recording of a conversation between himself and Kari Lake, a former nominee for governor, in which he appeared to offer a bribe to persuade Ms. Lake to drop her 2024 Senate campaign.In the recording, which was published by The Daily Mail, Jeff DeWit, the chairman, tells Ms. Lake that there are “very powerful people that want to keep you out” of the race, and suggests he is passing on a message from them. He says he had been told to ask her: “Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll and give her — to keep her out?”Later in the conversation, which Mr. DeWit repeatedly urges Ms. Lake not to repeat to anyone, he starts to ask, “Is there a number at which — ” before Ms. Lake interrupts, saying “I can be bought?” He replies, “Not be bought,” but instead wait a few years before running.Ms. Lake brushed off the attempts, repeatedly telling Mr. DeWit that she was offended by the approach. “That's immoral — I couldn't look at myself in the mirror,” she says, according to the recording.The Colorado House GOP has a new leader… wonder why?https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/house-republicans-rose-pugliese-minority-leader/Colorado House Republicans chose state Rep. Rose Pugliese, a freshman lawmaker from Colorado Springs, as their new minority leader Thursday, a day after Rep. Mike Lynch stepped down following news of a 2022 drunken driving arrest.Pugliese had been serving as assistant minority leader.Iowa Forced Patriotism In Schoolshttps://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/24/iowa-lawmakers-consider-requiring-students-teachers-sing-national-anthem-at-school-each-day/Iowa students would be required to sing part of the national anthem at school each day under a bill advanced Wednesday by a House Education subcommittee.Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, stood and led the room in singing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” during her closing comments.Cahill said she sang because “our Capitol is the perfect place to show patriotism,” but requiring the singing of the national anthem in school classrooms each day is not the best path forward as it would be “mandating patriotism for students.”“I think that's something students choose and it's something that they learn and they'll learn it in other ways,” Cahill said.House Study Bill 587 would require students and teachers at Iowa public schools to sing at least one verse of the national anthem every day, in addition to singing all four verses of the song on “patriotic occasions” as well as at school functions or school-sponsored activities as determined by the district. Students and teachers would not be required to sing along, but would be required to stand at attention, remain silent and remove non-religious head coverings as the anthem is being sung.Private schools would be exempt from this requirement.Allred Alright For Texas? https://theheartlandcollective.com/2024/01/24/analysis-colin-allreds-chances-of-unseating-ted-cruz/Can Allred win? Missouri Dueling Club Opening Soon In Capitol Building Near Youhttps://www.newsweek.com/missouri-republican-senators-duel-nick-schroer-1863838A ridiculous human being and MAGA stooge of a state senator in Missouri, who's name is not important, offered a proposed new rule to allow for DUELING when the right wing snow flakes are insulted and get triggeredHis proposed amendment was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Missouri Senate Democrats. It read: "If a senator's honor is impugned by another senator to the point that it is beyond repair and in order for the offended senator to gain satisfaction, such senator may rectify the perceived insult to the senator's honor by challenging the offending senator to a duel.What kind of duels? Dueling pianos? Dueling banjos? Dual credit scholarships? Dual citizenship? Dual enrollment? Weekend plans?Welp that's it for this week. Stories in today's show can be accessed at the Heartland Collective, Colorado Newsline, Missouri Independent, New York Times, Iowa Capitol Dispatch @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

A flyover from this week's top heartland stories including:Missouri GOP in-fighting in full swing | In Iowa there's something in the water… poop | Missouri Medicaid enrollees trapped in a nightmare | Kari Lake leaks a tape | CO House ditches Minority Leader Mike Lynch | Iowa anthem antics | Ted Cruz's Democratic challenger in Texas | Missouri Senator Nick Schroer is a joke SOURCES: The Heartland Collective, Colorado News Line, Missouri Independent, New York Times, Iowa Capitol DispatchThrow The Bums Out! https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/25/missouri-senate-gop-warfare-escalates-with-suggestion-of-expelling-freedom-caucus-leader/The factional fights making the Missouri Senate a public spectacle are bad enough that Senate Majority Leader Cindy O'Laughlin told reporters Thursday that she'd vote to expel the leader of the Freedom Caucus from the chamber.Speaking to the assembled editors and publishers from the Missouri Press Association during their annual visit to the Capitol, O'Laughlin noted that expelling a senator takes 23 votes of the 34-member chamber.“Two years ago, I said with 23 votes, you can throw somebody out of here,” she said. “And I would do it today.”Asked who she meant, O'Laughlin named Sen. Bill Eigel.“I would have to have 23 votes and get 23 votes, I'll have to get some Democrats to vote for it and then I'll have to give up something big,” O'Laughlin said. “So….everything here is a trade off you know.”Soon after the remarks were reported on social media by The Independent, the door to the Senate Lounge, where O'Laughlin was speaking, opened and a Senate doorman said Eigel wanted to talk to her on the floor. Must be something in the water… sadly, in Iowa it might be poophttps://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/25/state-issues-several-fines-for-manure-violations/From article: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently fined several livestock operations and a manure hauler for infractions that ranged from failing to submit animal waste management plans to a manure spill that resulted from a train collision.The crash happened in June 2023, when an employee of Magnum Custom Hauling, of South English, was transporting up to 6,000 gallons of manure in Marion County.Employee Deal Keasling was operating a tractor that pulled a manure spreader on a gravel road south of Pleasantville when he approached a railway and noticed a train, according to a DNR order.“When he saw the train, he realized he wasn't going to be able to stop, so he basically floored it,” said Janet Gastineau, a senior environmental specialist for the DNR.There is a bend in the road at the railway intersection and wooded areas nearby that might have obscured Keasling's view of the train, which struck the manure spreader. Keasling's certification to handle the manure had expired, the order said.No one was injured, Gastineau said, but an unspecified amount of manure went into nearby Coon Creek. Magnum and Keasling were ordered to pay a $4,975 fine.The DNR also recently fined five livestock operations for failing to submit required plans to manage their manure, which helps ensure the manure is not excessively applied to fields: Missouri medicaid system seems to have been broken from the insidehttps://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/Hannah Kaplanis applied to Missouri's Medicaid program nearly two months ago, but hasn't received any response from the state.Just shy of 18 weeks pregnant, she's in need of prenatal care and growing increasingly hopeless. Aside from a free ultrasound in November, she hasn't been able to access any care. She called Missouri's Medicaid helpline earlier this month but had to hang up after waiting on hold for 45 minutes, and she is unable to apply for other insurance until she is out of Medicaid limbo. “It feels like I'm doing motherhood wrong already, but it's out of my hands,” she said. “I'm at a loss. It's just a waiting game and that gives me anxiety.”Jim Torres, program manager for health insurance services at Samuel Rodgers Health Center in Kansas City, helped Kaplanis submit her application and has been checking its status. He said that he hasn't seen “any movement on her most recent application that was submitted on Dec. 4.” Kaplanis' struggles are not isolated. Missourians trying to enroll in or retain Medicaid — the government-run health insurance program for low-income Americans — report running headlong into the state's increasingly-strained system. Interviews with advocates, applicants, participants and experts reveal increased pressure on the state's capacity has intensified bureaucratic hurdles to accessing Medicaid, which include lost and missing paperwork, indecipherable state notices and marathon call center wait times.“I've been doing this with my organization for 10 years now,” said Saralyn Erwin, a marketplace and Medicaid coordinator at Northeast Missouri Health Council who assists with applications and renewals, “and this is the worst that I have seen it.” GOP Chair in Arizona Resigns After Evidence of bribe to Kari Lakehttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/24/us/politics/kari-lake-arizona-gop.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShareThe chairman of Arizona's Republican Party resigned abruptly on Wednesday, a day after the publication of a 10-minute recording of a conversation between himself and Kari Lake, a former nominee for governor, in which he appeared to offer a bribe to persuade Ms. Lake to drop her 2024 Senate campaign.In the recording, which was published by The Daily Mail, Jeff DeWit, the chairman, tells Ms. Lake that there are “very powerful people that want to keep you out” of the race, and suggests he is passing on a message from them. He says he had been told to ask her: “Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll and give her — to keep her out?”Later in the conversation, which Mr. DeWit repeatedly urges Ms. Lake not to repeat to anyone, he starts to ask, “Is there a number at which — ” before Ms. Lake interrupts, saying “I can be bought?” He replies, “Not be bought,” but instead wait a few years before running.Ms. Lake brushed off the attempts, repeatedly telling Mr. DeWit that she was offended by the approach. “That's immoral — I couldn't look at myself in the mirror,” she says, according to the recording.The Colorado House GOP has a new leader… wonder why?https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/house-republicans-rose-pugliese-minority-leader/Colorado House Republicans chose state Rep. Rose Pugliese, a freshman lawmaker from Colorado Springs, as their new minority leader Thursday, a day after Rep. Mike Lynch stepped down following news of a 2022 drunken driving arrest.Pugliese had been serving as assistant minority leader.Iowa Forced Patriotism In Schoolshttps://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/24/iowa-lawmakers-consider-requiring-students-teachers-sing-national-anthem-at-school-each-day/Iowa students would be required to sing part of the national anthem at school each day under a bill advanced Wednesday by a House Education subcommittee.Rep. Sue Cahill, D-Marshalltown, stood and led the room in singing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” during her closing comments.Cahill said she sang because “our Capitol is the perfect place to show patriotism,” but requiring the singing of the national anthem in school classrooms each day is not the best path forward as it would be “mandating patriotism for students.”“I think that's something students choose and it's something that they learn and they'll learn it in other ways,” Cahill said.House Study Bill 587 would require students and teachers at Iowa public schools to sing at least one verse of the national anthem every day, in addition to singing all four verses of the song on “patriotic occasions” as well as at school functions or school-sponsored activities as determined by the district. Students and teachers would not be required to sing along, but would be required to stand at attention, remain silent and remove non-religious head coverings as the anthem is being sung.Private schools would be exempt from this requirement.Allred Alright For Texas? https://theheartlandcollective.com/2024/01/24/analysis-colin-allreds-chances-of-unseating-ted-cruz/Can Allred win? Missouri Dueling Club Opening Soon In Capitol Building Near Youhttps://www.newsweek.com/missouri-republican-senators-duel-nick-schroer-1863838A ridiculous human being and MAGA stooge of a state senator in Missouri, who's name is not important, offered a proposed new rule to allow for DUELING when the right wing snow flakes are insulted and get triggeredHis proposed amendment was posted on X, formerly Twitter, by Missouri Senate Democrats. It read: "If a senator's honor is impugned by another senator to the point that it is beyond repair and in order for the offended senator to gain satisfaction, such senator may rectify the perceived insult to the senator's honor by challenging the offending senator to a duel.What kind of duels? Dueling pianos? Dueling banjos? Dual credit scholarships? Dual citizenship? Dual enrollment? Weekend plans?Welp that's it for this week. Stories in today's show can be accessed at the Heartland Collective, Colorado Newsline, Missouri Independent, New York Times, Iowa Capitol Dispatch @TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and ThreadsCo-HostsAdam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post) Sean Diller (no social)The Heartland Collective - Sign Up Today!JOIN PATREON FOR MORE - AND JOIN OUR SOCIAL NETWORK!“Change The Conversation”Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium http://www.americanaquarium.com/

CNN has announced it will host a debate on January 10th in Des Moines for Republican presidential candidates who have at least 10 percent support in three polls. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says it has disenrolled more than 160 thousand people from Medicaid in the past seven months. Plus, access to reproductive health care sits on shifting sands across the Midwest and South and that's led some people to make permanent decisions.

On June 27, 1995, 27 year old Jodi Huisentruit was supposed to be at the news station at 3:00am. When Jodi wasn't there by 4:00am, the producer called Jodi and woke her up. Jodi said she overslept and would be in ASAP. When Jodi didn't show up for the 6:00 newscast, the producer filled in for the hour show. When the newscast was over, the producer asked a coworker to call the police to do a welfare check. When police arrived at Jodi's apartment complex, they saw signs of a struggle in the parking lot - it was pretty obvious that Jodi had been abducted. Police have never named any suspects or made any arrests in Jodi's case. Her body has never been found, although she was declared legally dead in 2001. This is her story. Anyone with information on Jodi's case can reach out to the Mason City Police Department at (641) 421-3636. Information can also be provided to the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigations at (515) 725-6010 or dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us Bryan "Vladek" Hasel's Fundraiser (donate by 11/10/23): https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/themurderdiariespod Resources: https://themurderdiariespodcast.com/episodes/template-9webg-nwtpj-rbzt4 Music Used: Walking with the Dead by Maia Wynne Link: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Maiah_Wynne/Live_at_KBOO_for_A_Popcalypse_11012017 License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Deep Relaxation Preview by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5726-deep-relaxation-preview License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Chill Wave by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/3498-chill-wave License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Our Links: Website: https://themurderdiariespodcast.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themurderdiariespod Buy Us a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mdiariespod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themurderdiariespod/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdgBwpV1/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@themurderdiariespod Edited by: https://www.landispodcastediting.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even in a summer of record-breaking heat and disasters, Republican Presidential candidates have ignored or mocked climate change. But some conservative legislators in Congress recognize that action is necessary. Their ideas about how to tackle the problem, however, depart from the consensus that is dominant among Democrats. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's first district, is vice-chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus and a former head of the Iowa Department of Public Health. “Where there's difference among individuals is with what urgency people believe there needs to be change. I believe that having rapid change without having affordable, available energy is not a solution,” she tells David Remnick. Miller-Meeks extols innovation in the private sector, but feels that mandates on electric vehicles would drive up costs too much for rural consumers. With a goal of reducing fossil-fuel consumption, she says, environmentalists need to reconsider their desire to remove hydroelectric dams to restore river habitats, and their opposition to nuclear-power generation. They should expedite mining for copper, uranium, and rare earth minerals, despite the environmental risks. “You have an Inflation Reduction Act which on one hand says you need to domestically source minerals,” she notes, “yet we won't allow permitting.” More broadly, she feels that the alarms sounded by environmental scientists have failed to convince the public. “Every time we advance that there is a crisis and there is doom, and it doesn't materialize, scientists, and we as political leaders, and people who are advancing policy, lose credibility.”

Even in a summer of record-breaking heat and disasters, Republican Presidential candidates have ignored or mocked climate change. But some conservative legislators in Congress recognize that action is necessary. Their ideas about how to tackle the problem, however, depart from the consensus that is dominant among Democrats. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who represents Iowa's first district, is vice-chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus and a former head of the Iowa Department of Public Health. “Where there's difference among individuals is with what urgency people believe there needs to be change. I believe that having rapid change without having affordable, available energy is not a solution,” she tells David Remnick. Miller-Meeks extols innovation in the private sector, but feels that mandates on electric vehicles would drive up costs too much for rural consumers. With a goal of reducing fossil-fuel consumption, she says, environmentalists need to reconsider their desire to remove hydroelectric dams to restore river habitats, and their opposition to nuclear-power generation. They should expedite mining for copper, uranium, and rare earth minerals, despite the environmental risks. “You have an Inflation Reduction Act which on one hand says you need to domestically source minerals,” she notes, “yet we won't allow permitting.” More broadly, she feels that the alarms sounded by environmental scientists have failed to convince the public. “Every time we advance that there is a crisis and there is doom, and it doesn't materialize, scientists, and we as political leaders, and people who are advancing policy, lose credibility.”