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The chronic and evolving neurological consequences of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have lifelong and dynamic effects on health and wellbeing. Research on the longterm consequences emphasises that, for many patients, TBI should be conceptualised as a chronic health condition. Evidence suggests that functional outcomes after TBI can show improvement or deterioration up to two decades after injury, and rates of all-cause mortality remain elevated for many years. Furthermore, TBI represents a risk factor for a variety of neurological illnesses, including epilepsy, stroke, and neurodegenerative disease. With respect to neurodegeneration after TBI, post-mortem studies on the long-term neuropathology after injury have identified complex persisting and evolving abnormalities best described as polypathology, which includes chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Despite growing awareness of the lifelong consequences of TBI, substantial gaps in research exist. Improvements are therefore needed in understanding chronic pathologies and their implications for survivors of TBI, which could inform long-term health management in this sizeable patient population.




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Concussion in American Versus European Professional Soccer: A Decade-Long Comparative Analysis of Incidence, Return to Play, Performance, and Longevity

A study to comparatively examine the effects of sports-related concussions (SRC) on athletes in Major League Soccer (MLS) and the English Premier League (EPL) in terms of incidence, return to play (RTP), performance, and career longevity.




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10 Beautifully Designed, Minimal & Name-Centric Business Cards

Sometimes all you need is a name. It is a powerful thing. It always has a meaning and, even more, it has a subtext and undertone. A name can speak...

The post 10 Beautifully Designed, Minimal & Name-Centric Business Cards appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.




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The 5 Best Medical WordPress Theme for Your Business

Building a website for your medical practice doesn’t have to be as complicated as you think. You can still get great results by using a website template without using a lot of time or money. WordPress offers a wide selection of themes for medical blogs and websites. Check out the 5 best medical wordpress theme for you business below. Clinico Clinco is a great medical wordpress theme for a variety of reasons. It has a very clean look with simple features that make the layout perfect for medical professionals. The Clinico theme is responsive and has graphics that are “retina

The post The 5 Best Medical WordPress Theme for Your Business appeared first on Photoshop Lady.




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Cara Menang Terus Main Domino QQ Terpercaya

Cara Menang Terus Main Domino Terpercaya Domino QQ Terpercaya – Inilah tingkatan kartu terbagus di dalam permainan live poker, contohnya 10, J, Q, K, AS yang berlambang keriting seluruhnya. Kamu bisa melakukan raise pada saat mempunyai kartu bagus agar mendapatkan keuntungan besar di dalam permainan tersebut. Setelah anda mendapatkan tiga kartu domino tersebut. Anda diharuskan […]

The post Cara Menang Terus Main Domino QQ Terpercaya appeared first on Themegalaxy.




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Locate Free Port Games Online

Locate Free Port Games Online Free Port Games – Slot devices are a great means to gain some cash money as well as enjoy at the same time. Despite the fact that lots of individuals wonder if playing cost-free. Ports online is a great suggestion, it is truly one of the most convenient ways to […]

The post Locate Free Port Games Online appeared first on Themegalaxy.




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Authenticate Your Twitter API Calls Before March

On the 5th of March, Twitter is going to retire version 1 of its API. The replacement, version 1.1 is very similar, but with one major difference; every single call must be authenticated. This means that come March, your existing API calls will break; including simple things like displaying tweets on your site. To fix this, you need to move to the new v1.1 API, and authenticate with Twitter.




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Weird Kafka-Style Anatomies, Fantastic Creatures And Fancies Chart By Camille Renversades

Fantastic creatures and fancies chart by Camille Renversade, French chimérologist. Inspired by the old school boards, like the old Deyrolle...




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Remembering The Original Woodstock In Wonderful Historical Photographs, 1969

A wide-angle view of the huge crowd facing the distant stage during the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in August...




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This Bakery Turns Internet Trolls’ Insults Into Delicious Cakes, And Sends Them Back To Trolls

The New York City-based company Troll Cakes touts itself as a bakery/detective agency that can not only bake a chocolate...




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Artist Makes Cardboard Cutouts With Pandemic Jokes To Lighten This Difficult Time

Gotcha! According to John Marshall: “I draw on sheets of cardboard and pose with them at sunset. I call them...




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1969 Buick Century Cruiser: The Concept Car That Believed You Only Live Twice

Someday you will be able to drive a superhighway, turn the controls over to a guidance system, and travel across...




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Best sports movies: Just as baseball is America, 'Field of Dreams' has become Iowa

Editor's note: The Gazette sports staff has compiled lists of its top 15 favorite sports movies. Each day, a different staffer will share some insight into one of their favorites. Some of them are...




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Podcast: Michael Jordan, the NBA and ‘The Last Dance’ from 2 different perspectives

“The Last Dance,” the Michael Jordan documentary on ESPN every Sunday night for five weeks got me thinking I’d like to talk about this. You can listen to Jordan talk and “The...



  • Hlastradamus Odds Podcast

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Fran McCaffery’s new challenge: Recruiting preps you don’t know quite so well

Film on Class of 2021 high school basketball players dried up in mid-March when the high school season ended, with most state tournaments (Iowa’s excluded) canceled. If you’re a college...



  • Iowa Men's Basketball

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Best sports movies: ‘Caddyshack’ is a part of our vocabulary

Editor’s note: The Gazette sports staff has compiled lists of its top 15 favorite sports movies. Each day, a different staffer will share some insight into one of their favorites. Some of them...




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Dugout Sports, MLB pitcher Mitch Keller team up to support local firefighters during pandemic

CEDAR RAPIDS — Jay Whannel is baseball through and through. He was a star player in high school and college, played briefly in the professional independent leagues. He coached in college and...



  • Minor League Sports

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Best sports movies: ‘Goal! The Dream Begins’ presents a modern American dream

Editor’s note: The Gazette sports staff has compiled lists of its top 15 favorite sports movies. Each day, a different staffer will share some insight into one of their favorites. Some of them...




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Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas turns injuries into possible career

CEDAR RAPIDS — Xavier senior Kaiden Cuevas dedicated a majority of his life to sports, but after three different knee injuries he has decided to stop playing and focus on training other...




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Bowen Born itching to start basketball career at UNI

CEDAR FALLS — Like many high school seniors across the country, Norwalk’s Bowen Born is unsure when he’ll be able to get on campus at the University of Northern Iowa and begin...






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Joe wants you to Sample that: One C.R. man is on a mission to help local restaurants gain fans

When Joe Sample started posting photos of his takeout food stops in the days after Iowa restaurants were ordered shut down to dine-in service in March, he didn’t think much of it. He just...



  • Food & Drink

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Cargill rail yard stalls as court case rolls on

Background CEDAR RAPIDS — After a bitter battle between residents and one of the city’s major employers — Cargill — with the city of Cedar Rapids in the middle, in...




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Chew on This: Five places to get carryout barbecue

In normal times, Chew on This focuses on restaurant openings and closings. These are not normal times, with restaurants closed except to carryout, curbside and delivery. We know these businesses...



  • Food & Drink

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Why universal basic health care is both a moral and economic imperative

Several hundred cars were parked outside a food bank in San Antonio on Good Friday — the food bank fed 10,000 people that day. Such scenes, increasingly common across the nation and evocative...




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Collaboration creates Camp-in-a-Bag kits for mentoring program

“I pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.”...




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Many anticipated arts, cultural events delayed or canceled

Summer is going to look a bit different in the Corridor this year as many, long-cherished events are being canceled or postponed. And the organizations that run those events want you to know they...




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Judge rules Iowa law unconstitutional that blocked sex education funding to Planned Parenthood

An Iowa judge has ruled unconstitutional a state law that would have blocked Planned Parenthood of the Heartland from receiving federal money to provide sex education programs to Iowa youth. Fifth...




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No Linn County Fair this year because of coronavirus concerns

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Linn County Fair has canceled grounds and grandstand entertainment at this year because of the novel coronavirus and is looking at ways youths could exhibit their...




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Uptown Marion Market opening with caveats

MARION — While the Uptown Marion Market will continue to sell fresh produce, it will look a little different this year. The market will continue operating on the second Saturday of June, July...




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Iowa should give cash to undocumented immigrants

Immigrants have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 pandemic. They’re more likely than native-born Americans to be laboring to keep our essential services running, especially in the...




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Ahead of VP Pence’s Iowa visit, Joe Biden’s campaign calls out ‘consequential failure’ of Trump coronavirus response

Vice President Mike Pence owes Iowans more than a photo-op when he visits Des Moines today, according to Joe Biden’s campaign. “Iowans are seeing up close the most consequential failure...




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For Mercy employee on COVID-19 floor, isolating from family is best Mother’s Day gift she can give

This Mother’s Day, April Kelley just wants to give her daughter Jessica Kelley a hug. But she can’t. Jessica, 21, works on the COVID-19 floor at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. To...




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U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack calls on president to protect packing plant workers

At the same time Vice President Mike Pence was in Iowa on Friday to discuss the nation’s food supply security, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack called on the administration to take more measures to...




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Campgrounds reopen in Iowa Friday, see takers despite some health limitations

Some Eastern Iowans are ready to go camping. With Gov. Kim Reynolds allowing campgrounds across the state to open Friday, some people wasted little time in heading outdoors. “They’re...




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Bernadine "Bern" Caroline McDonald Roushar

BERNADINE "BERN" CAROLINE MCDONALD ROUSHAR
Cedar Rapids

Bernadine "Bern" Caroline McDonald Roushar, 86, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2020. A private graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. A Funeral Mass will be held at a later date.
Bern was the second oldest of six daughters born to John and Mary McDonald in Victor, Iowa, where she grew up. She married John E. "Jack" Roushar on Aug. 12, 1953.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two sisters and several in-laws.
Jack and Bern founded Roushar Pharmacy in Cedar Rapids in 1970. She volunteered and was a gift shop buyer at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids for 30 years.
She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Roushar (John) Cooney and five grandchildren, Jacklyn Caroline Cooney, Julie and Darryn Records, and John and Candace Cooney; three sisters and spouse's; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Mercy Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary. Condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.




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Cathy Van Nevel

CATHY VAN NEVEL
Belle Plaine


Cathy Van Nevel, 63, of Belle Plaine, passed away Thursday, May 7, 2020, at Keystone Care Center, following a long illness.
Cathy was born Feb. 4, 1957, to Tom and Donna (Looney) Kelley in Burlington, Iowa. She graduated from Marion High School in 1976. She married Bill Van Nevel Nov. 18, 1988. Cathy and Bill loved to travel, especially going on cruises. She enjoyed spending time with family, camping, roller skating, shopping and caring for her grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband, Bill Van Nevel of Belle Plaine; sister, Debbie (Mike) Whitson of Cedar Rapids; brother, Charles Kelley of Cedar Rapids; children, Jason (Stephanie) Van Nevel of Iowa City, Jenny (Jaime Gutierrez) Perez of Marion, Stacey (Brett Feuerhelm) Van Nevel of Van Horne, Jeff Van Nevel of Belle Plaine and Donna (Dan) Sun of Cedar Rapids; and grandchildren, Cheyanna, Breanna, Savanna, Elysia, Mia, Allie, Kaylee, Cameron, Ashlyn, Adrian and Oliver.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, David and Marjorie Looney, Bruce and Iva Kelley; parents, Tom and Donna Kelley; mother-in-law, Marcella Van Nevel and three granddaughters, Selena, Bella and Aria.
A private family graveside service will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, Belle Plaine. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Huntington's Disease Society of America, HDSA.org. Online condolences can be sent to the family at neuhausfuneralservice.com.
Hrabak-Neuhaus Funeral Service is assisting the family.




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Should you care about digital waste?

Watch my video and see why it’s so important to minimize digital waste. Are you aware of how much digital waste your WordPress website is producing? Did you know this waste carries an actual cost for both you and your website’s visitors? Digital waste is an especially poignant topic in open source software (like the […]




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Career shift! I’m adding some Focus to Thesis

Watch my video on how I’m changing my approach with Thesis to include a lot more Focus. When I launched Thesis 2 in October of 2012, my goal was to create something that could serve as the foundation for any WordPress design. That’s why I spent the next 2 years working on Skins, which are […]




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The Joe Rogan Podcast with Elon Musk — A Supplemental Guide!

The Joe Rogan podcast with Elon Musk was one of the most important events of 2018, and no—I’m not being hyperbolic. If you thought this interview was all about Elon hitting a spliff, you…may have been misled slightly. In reality, Elon helps us peek behind the curtain to get a glimpse of the future: Can […]




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What can a 15-year-old stripper in Kentucky tell you about China?

Note: This post is adapted from my original viral Twitter thread. Ffrom November 2003 through July 2005, I worked in the prepaid cell phone and phone card industry. Most of my work was in BFE meth towns and urban ghettoes. I learned things about the poor in America you won’t want to believe… But this […]





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Langston: County collaboration is critical

I would be honored to serve this great county as your next Linn County Auditor. This role serves as the commission of elections and has oversight of all accounting functions, payroll, and oversight of property tax and real estate services. The position naturally requires someone of high integrity and strong work ethic, and it also requires strong leadership and someone willing to be a collaborative partner with the many Linn County residents, vendors, communities and staff who interface with the office.

I spent almost 14 years serving as Linn County Supervisor. I remain committed to helping Linn County be the most collaborative service provider possible. This takes a strong leader with a solid sense of what partnership and customer service mean to the many audiences Linn County serves.

My leadership and collaboration skills were demonstrated as we worked with many local, state and federal government partners to help Linn County successfully manage the devastation of the 2008 Flood, and the national recession that followed. During my tenure at the National Association of Counties, I trained counties and communities throughout the U.S. in post-disaster management. Our success in Linn County happened with collaborative efforts among many people and organizations. I took our “lessons learned” and shared what leadership and collaboration really look like when faced with a crisis.

While working for the National Association of Counties, I worked with the Cybersecurity Advisory Council of the Department of Homeland Security to advise on county-level election issues. Cybersecurity and elections security will be critical issues for all future elections. Engaging voters, helping to restore felons voting rights and making elections easier and more accessible are also key goals I have.

When I considered running for Auditor, Joel Miller had announced he wouldn’t be running again. Then he changed his mind. Two years ago, Mr. Miller changed his party affiliation to run against Supervisor Ben Rogers. Then he changed back to Democrat again, although the Linn County Web page still lists him as no-party. This does not represent the leadership Linn County’s partners need at any time, but especially not now.

These are unique times and there are many challenges ahead. I would be honored to bring my leadership and collaboration to serve Linn County. I ask for your vote in the June 2 primary for Linn County Auditor. Please request your absentee ballot, vote your ballot, and protect yourselves and our poll workers.

Linda Langston is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Linn County autidor.




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Iowa’s health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy still closed?

In response to the coronavirus, Americans were told by their federal and state governments to shut down their businesses, stop going to church, work, school or out to eat, travel only when necessary and hunker down at home. Originally, Americans were led to believe this was for a two- or three-week period, in order to flatten the curve and not overwhelm our health care system.

At seven weeks and counting, with staggering economic loss that will leave families and thousands of small businesses and farmers with profound devastation, the question must be asked, are we trying to flatten the curve or flatten our country?

The initial models that pointed to staggering loss of life from the coronavirus have proved wildly inaccurate. As of May 2, the CDC placed the number of deaths in the U.S. from the virus at 66,746. While all loss of life is deeply regrettable, these numbers cannot be considered in a vacuum. For perspective, deaths from pneumonia in the U.S. during the same period were 64,382, with average yearly deaths from influenza in the same range.

The original goal of closing much of the U.S. economy and staying at home was to flatten the curve of new coronavirus cases so that our hospital systems would not be overwhelmed. Hospitals built by the Army Corps of Engineers to handle the increased volume have mostly been taken down. Except for a few spots in the U.S. the health care system was not overwhelmed. As the medical models of casualties from the coronavirus continue to be adjusted down, it is clear the curve has been flattened, so why do we continue to stay closed and worsen the economic devastation that tunnel vision has thus far kept many of our leaders from acknowledging?

Many health experts say 80 percent of Americans will get the coronavirus and experience only mild symptoms. The curve has been flattened. Our health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy, for the most part, still closed?

A University of Washington study recently revised the projected number of deaths from the coronavirus in Iowa from 1,367 to a much lower estimate of 365. While all loss of life is horrific, we must also consider the devastation being done to our economy, our families and our way of life by actions taken to combat the coronavirus.

It must be noted that 578 Iowans died from the flu and pneumonia in 2017, a greater number than are likely to pass away from the coronavirus. We also know that many who die from the virus are elderly with underlying health conditions, increasing the likelihood that any serious illness could result in their death. Are draconian government restrictions in response to the coronavirus still needed and economically sustainable? The data shows that the answers to both questions is no. We are no longer flattening the curve; we are flattening our state and nation.

We have seen the medical data. What has been less visible in news conferences and in the overall reporting of the coronavirus and our response to it, are the economic and human costs of what we are doing:

• 30 million Americans are out of work and the number grows daily.

• Dairy farmers are pouring out milk they have no market for.

• Pork producers are euthanizing hogs they have no market for.

• According to a study by Iowa State University, the losses to Iowa Agriculture are at a staggering $6.7 billion and growing, with the largest losses in pork production and ethanol.

• In Iowa, the economic loss for corn is estimated to be $788 million, $213 million for soybean and $34 million for cattle.

• The Iowa Restaurant Association estimates that between 10 & 25% of Iowa’s restaurants will not reopen.

• Iowa’s public universities are predicting a $187 million loss.

• Iowa is spending $200 million or more per month on unemployment claims, with over 171,000 Iowans unemployed.

• 29 percent of the U.S. economy is frozen as a result of government action, with U.S. economic output down 29 percent.

• U.S. unemployment could soon hit 47 million.

• Losses to U.S. tourism are predicted to top $910 billion.

• Retirement plans for millions of Americans are being decimated, with recent reports projecting the average 401(k) loss at 19 percent.

• Drug and alcohol addiction and relapse are increasing.

• Testing for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease are being delayed, which could lead to increasing health problems and life-threatening illnesses in the future.

• Economic damage to rural hospitals could lead to hospital closures and less access to health care in some areas.

• Warnings of a possible meat shortage in the U.S. have been issued by executives of Farmland and Tyson, with reports that the food supply chain is under stress. Several grocery store chains are now limiting meat purchases and some national restaurant chains are no longer offering certain meat products on their menus. Higher meat prices are almost certain in the months to come.

• Huge U.S. debt increases unlike anything seen since World War II, to the tune of over $3 trillion and counting, are adding to the already monstrous $22 trillion in U.S. debt. This does not bode well for our children or future economic stability.

The list of consequences goes on and on, and behind each of the statistics is a family struggling to survive, a father and mother fearful of how they will care for their children, a small-business owner seeing their dreams and hard work destroyed overnight by draconian government mandates, a restaurant owner deciding never to reopen, a dairy farmer throwing in the towel and a business owner postponing indefinitely plans for expanding.

Behind these numbers is an economy greatly impacted by the government response to the coronavirus, with implications for our economic well-being profound and long lasting. Expansion projects delayed, business closures, layoffs and contraction for many businesses will likely keep unemployment numbers high and depress economic expansion for an unknown amount of time.

Let us be clear, it grows worse every day we remain closed.

Steve Holt represents District 18 in the Iowa House.




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Historical newspaper archives are online

I was happy to read Joe Coffey’s article in Sunday’s paper (“The birth of news in Linn County”) about the history of newspapers in Linn County. But I was disappointed that Mr. Coffey did not include mention of the Metro Libraries’ historical newspaper databases. All of the papers mentioned and pictured in his article (and many more!) are available in scanned, full-text, searchable versions, through the websites of the Cedar Rapids and Marion Public Libraries. There is no charge to browse or search these delightful old editions, and in fact, you don’t even need a library card.

I encourage anyone with an interest in local history, or just with a little time on your hands, to look at some of these old newspapers. It’s a delightful adventure to read about lives in other times.

Jo Pearson

Marion



  • Letters to the Editor

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Graham: Health care is a human right

Canusa Street in Vermont is the border between the United States and Canada. Roughly 200 years ago, when the border was decided, no one could have imagined that breaking your leg on one side of that street would have vastly different consequences than breaking it on the other.

I’m Kimberly Graham. I’m an advocate and attorney for abused kids and for parents in Iowa’s juvenile courts. I’m also a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa.

On one side of Canusa Street, that nation has a universal single-payer health insurance system. For 20 years, I’ve been friends with an international circle of moms who met in an online mommies group when our kids were infants. Some of us have had medical events requiring expensive care.

To this day, my Canadian (and Australian and British) friends are shocked when we American moms talk about $5,000 or $10,000 deductibles, plus astronomical premiums. We talk about medical debt and how we put off or avoid medical care. We talk about how our child’s broken leg and the resulting deductible has set us behind financially and will take years to pay off.

A poll commissioned in 2018 by West Health Institute and the University of Chicago showed that 40 percent of Americans are more frightened by the cost of health care than getting sick.

Are Canadians, Brits and Australians more deserving of health care without premiums, copays and deductibles than Americans?

Of course not.

In a moral and wealthy nation, health care should be a fundamental human right.

Human rights are not for sale.

Human rights are not commodities to be marketed, bought and sold.

We need a universal, single-payer health care system (Medicare for All) that covers everyone. It should work like a public library. We value libraries and all of us can use them. But libraries aren’t free, so we all pitch in and pay for them. When I want a book, I go to the library, hand them my library card, check out the book and never hand them a debit card or receive a bill in the mail.

Health care should work like that in a moral and wealthy nation. Please join me in working for the day when all of us truly have the health insurance system we deserve. You can learn more at www.kimberlyforiowa.com Onward to justice for all, Kimberly

Kimberly Graham is a candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.





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Iowa’s senior care workers need our support

COVID-19 is a brutal villain, infecting millions and taking more than 185,000 lives worldwide, just over 100 of which were Iowans at the time of this writing. In the face of this, Iowans are showing the strength of their character. Individual acts of courage have become everyday occurrences. Nowhere is this truer than in our state’s long-term care centers.

The threat facing those in long-term care is unprecedented. Because many who are infected remain asymptomatic, efforts to prevent the virus from being introduced into facilities has proved difficult. Once the virus is introduced, it is hard to impede its spread — and virtually impossible without enhanced testing capabilities and more personal protective equipment (PPE) than we have access to today.

Long-term care providers have taken unprecedented steps to protect their residents, including prohibiting non-essential visitors in early March. Unfortunately, even with these measures and following guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health officials, more than 3,600 long-term care facilities nationwide have been impacted by the virus, including 13 in Iowa.

Yet, in the face of this challenge, our long-term care workers are performing with a valor we have not seen during peacetime in a generation; maybe two.

While many of us are hunkered down in our homes teleworking and spending time with our families, these caregivers are leaving their families to provide care for the loved ones of others. What these caregivers are doing and what they are sacrificing is remarkable. We owe them our gratitude, and we owe them our best efforts to address their critical needs.

Adequate PPE and routine testing for long-term care are paramount. While there has been significant attention paid to providing hospitals with PPE, it is imperative we not overlook those working in long-term care.

More than 70% of long-term care facilities nationwide report they lack enough PPE. This not only puts our caregivers at risk, it also puts the people they care for at greater risk. Preventing the introduction of the virus and containing its spread in nursing homes and assisted living facilities is one of the most important things we must do to relieve pressure on hospitals now.

Testing is a critical area where more support is needed. There are protocols in place to limit the spread of the virus once it is in a facility, including establishing isolation wings where those who have the virus are kept apart from the rest of the residents and are cared for by staff who do not interact with those in the rest of the building. But the virus leaves many of those infected without symptoms, these steps cannot be effectively implemented without broader testing.

We applaud Gov. Kim Reynolds’ recent action to broaden testing for some of Iowa’s long-term care staff. Equally important is the plan to address potential staff shortages which may result from expanded testing. Since a test result only captures an individual’s infection status for a fixed period of time, long-term care staff and residents must be prioritized at the highest level to receive ongoing testing to effectively identify infections and respond as early as possible.

Those one the front lines of this fight need the tools to confront, contain and ultimately defeat the virus. There is reason to be hopeful. Even though residents of long-term care are particularly at risk, most recover from the virus. Caregivers can do even more amazing work if we get them the tools they need: protective equipment, testing and staffing.

It is time to rally around our long-term care residents and staff, and give them the support they need and deserve.

Brent Willett is president and CEO of the Iowa Health Care Association.




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Iowa workers beware, neither Big Debt Chet nor COVID-19 can stop unleashed prosperity

Chet Culver really should have known better.

Iowa’s former Democratic governor wrote a letter to current Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds decrying her administration’s declaration that workers who refuse to return to jobs amid COVID-19 fears would be denied unemployment benefits. He was among many who questioned whether Reynolds’ policy is even lawful, considering that unemployment rules allow Iowans to claim benefits for unsafe, intolerable or detrimental working conditions.

“Any such ill-conceived scheme that deprives them of choice and forces those hardworking, yet vulnerable, employees to report to unsafe workplace environments, while the positive incidences of COVID-19 infection are on the rise, is not merely penny-wise and pound-foolish — it is just plain wrong,” Culver argued.

But Culver should have known any overture for the rights of workers during the pandemic would fall on deaf ears. We learned Tuesday that more than 1,600 workers at four meatpacking plants tested positive for the virus. Reynolds continues insisting companies such as Tyson, with more than 1,300 cases at three facilities, are doing all they can to protect workers. In one Tyson facility at Perry, 58 percent of its employees contracted the virus.

Culver lost in 2010 to the Branstad-Reynolds ticket, a team that would go on to gut collective bargaining for public employees and make it far more difficult for injured workers to get compensation, among other greatest hits composed by its big business allies.

And Culver was bounced from office after issuing bonded debt to help Iowa communities, including Cedar Rapids, recover from natural disasters of 2008. Republicans dubbed him “Big Debt Chet” and decried his mismanagement of a crisis.

Strong management, apparently, is Reynolds’ decision to partially reopen 77 counties even as COVID-19 case numbers grow and deaths mount, and before ramped up testing and modeling provide critical information on the scope of the virus.

On Monday Reynolds received a lofty “A” grade from FreedomWorks and the Committee to Unleash Prosperity. Reynolds appeared on a conference call sponsored by the groups to talk about her strategy for reopening Iowa.

FreedomWorks and the Committee to Unleash Prosperity are conservative groups playing a key role in organizing “liberation” protests in Wisconsin, Oklahoma and elsewhere. FreedomWorks, with roots in the Tea Party movement, has been mobilizing local protesters and organizing events, according to The New York Times. It’s also conducting tracking polls in swing congressional districts and sharing data with presidential advisers and congressional staff.

“This isn’t political, and it shouldn’t be for anybody,” Reynolds told reporters this week when asked about her virus response.

FreedomWorks is among 24 groups who sent a letter to the president in April urging him to waive the Renewable Fuel Standard for the rest of the year due to pandemic concerns, potentially freeing Iowa farmers from more of their already scarce income.

So step aside Big Debt Chet. We’re unleashing prosperity. Even if workers get trampled.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com