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Community Corner

UI flood recovery forges ahead despite audit: Daily Iowan Reader, June 29

Also inside: UI medical experts say health care debate will continue, IC bus fare sees first hike since '96, Osborn expected to plead guilty for 2010 murder, men's basketball coach talks recruitment

UI flood recovery to forge ahead despite audit

State and local officials came out in full force Thursday to defend the University of Iowa’s flood-recovery projects after a federal office recommended reversing replacement decisions on three UI facilities.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released the report on June 19.

“We audited the Federal Emergency Management Administration Region VII’s decisions to fund the replacement, rather than the repair, of flood-damaged buildings at the UI,” the report said. “We initiated this audit based on an anonymous complaint we received that FEMA Region VII did not correctly decide to replace university buildings.”

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The audit’s objective was to determine whether the FEMA Region VII office correctly applied the “50 percent rule” when deciding to fund replacement of Hancher Auditorium, Voxman Music Building, and the old Art Building following the 2008 flood. The “50 percent rule” refers to FEMA being able to fund replacement, rather than repair, when repair costs exceed 50 percent of the replacement costs or if the facility is considered destroyed.

UI officials say they will continue to carry on with the flood-recovery plans without any disruption.

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Read more here.


UI medical experts say health care debate to continue

Even though the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruled Thursday to uphold the Affordable Care Act, University of Iowa medical experts say the health-care debate is far from over.

“I’m sure that the debates that are highly contentious are going to continue,” said Keith Mueller, a professor and the head of health management and policy in the College of Public Health.

The Supreme Court upheld most of the Affordable Care Act, including the mandate requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance. President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law March 23, 2010.

“The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act — the name of the health-care reform we passed two years ago,” Obama said in a statement. “In doing so, it has reaffirmed a fundamental principle that here in America — in the wealthiest nation on Earth — no illness or accident should lead to any family’s financial ruin.”

The law will give more coverage but could result in cuts in direct funding to hospitals, said Denice Connell, the director of community relations at Mercy Hospital, 500 E. Market St.

Read more here.



Iowa City bus fare to see first hike since 1996

As temperatures climbed above 100 degrees Thursday afternoon, noticeably uncomfortable locals awaited their air-conditioned transportation to arrive at the bus stop.

Although some Iowa City bus riders are equally uncomfortable with the small increase in bus fares starting July 1, many said they will continue to ride because it’s their primary means of getting around town.

“There are many people like me who rely on the bus to get to class, work, or the grocery store,” University of Iowa junior Kelly Loch said. “It is unfortunate that soon they will be charged $1 every time they go to these places.”

The standard bus fare will increase from 75 cents to $1 on July 1.

Read more here.



Osborn expected to plead guilty for 2010 murder

Eric Osborn, 29, is accused of murdering his live-in girlfriend at Mobile Manor Park March 2010, and is expected to plead guilty at today’s hearing.

Osborn is charged with first-degree murder, a Class A felony carrying a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness said Osborn is expected to plead guilty to second-degree murder in a plea deal. Second-degree murder is a Class B felony punishable by up to 50 years in prison.

Lyness said she could not say why, as she is not privileged to Osborn’s discussions with his attorney Quint Meyerdirk.

Meyerdirk did not return phone calls for comment Thursday night.

Osborn is accused of killing Sarah McKay, 34, after the couple ingested beer, smoked marijuana, and took pills. After playing video games and having sex, McKay and Osborn reportedly fell asleep until he woke up around 3 a.m.

According to police reports, Osborn told police he struck McKay in the head with a baseball bat, then strangled her to death because he didn’t want her to suffer.

Osborn told police he blacked out, and after waking up and realizing what he had done he attempted suicide by slitting his wrists and throat, drank bleach, and took Valium and alcohol.

Read more here.


UIHC announces statewide health care alliance 

In an effort to improve access to health care, the quality of patient care, and reduce the rising cost of health care for Iowans, a first-of-its-kind alliance was announced on Thursday among four of Iowa’s largest health-care organizations.

The University of Iowa Health Alliance includes more than 50 hospitals and more than 160 clinics in the state. The four founding members of the alliance — the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Mercy Health Network, Mercy Medical Center-Cedar Rapids, and Genesis Health System — made the announcement in a statewide press conference at the UIHC and several other Iowa locations simultaneously.

The announcement came against the backdrop of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier Thursday morning that upheld President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, a health-care law requiring people to carry health insurance or pay a penalty to the IRS. 

Read more here.


Q&A: Iowa men’s basketball assistant coach Andrew Francis

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors put changes into effect on June 15 that immediately altered the recruiting landscape in men’s college basketball.

Basketball coaches are allowed to contact high-school prospects set to enter their junior year by means of unlimited text messages and phone calls. The NCAA has also granted permission for coaches to contact recruits through various social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. 

Andrew Francis is an assistant coach under Iowa head coach Fran McCaffrey.

Daily Iowan: Can you first talk about the way recruiting has changed since your days of playing basketball in the early ’90s? Just give me a feel for the landscape as a whole now that technology is playing such a huge role throughout sporting media.

Andrew Francis: Well, for me, my day was a long time ago [1992]. That’s a night and day change, but it’s more within the last 10 years, not 20, that the big change happened. The popularity of social networking and the popularity of forcing opinions out there grew. It could be bad for  [recruits] to really take in all the attention, whereas before, you couldn’t quite take it in. Basically, it’s to the point that these athletes have fan bases. A lot of guys love that … obviously, it’s flattering and exciting. As long as guys have good mentors around them and are staying humble, I think it can be a good thing.

Read more here.


Guest column: Occupy Iowa City still pushing forward in 2012

Occupy Iowa City start in early September 2011, when a few friends told the police that no, they would not leave the park. About four days later, the tents started to go up — and they kept going, all at once a rainbow of color. Large crowds gathered in College Green Park, the campsite and meeting place for Occupy. Food and medical support were provided by Occupy volunteers.

During this time, as a large group, we marched to the downtown Wells Fargo Bank and did a protest. We have performed street theater and presented videos in areas of large population. Some of us were involved in what Occupy calls a “shout out” at Walmart on Black Friday, pointing out Walmart’s poor record on its own workers’ rights.

Some of us participated in Occupy the caucuses with the even bigger Des Moines group. A number of the Iowa City Occupiers got arrested in Des Moines. Occupy Iowa City also planned and implemented shout outs at Newt Gingrich’s speech and Michele Bachmann’s visit to a local Iowa City restaurant.

Read more here.


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