19 La revisión de cigarrillos electrónicos por parte de la FDA es más importante que nunca: cualquier retraso relacionado con COVID-19 debe ser breve By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 14:45:00 GMT WASHINGTON, D.C., 1 de abril del 2020 – Después de años de demoras perjudiciales por parte de la FDA, en julio del año pasado un juez federal estableció como fecha límite el 12 de mayo del 2020 para que los fabricantes de cigarrillos electrónicos... Full Article
19 Más de $14 millones en becas de investigación otorgadas para soluciones de tecnología de la salud centradas en la salud del corazón y del cerebro, incluidos los proyectos especiales relacionados con el COVID-19 y las ECV By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:02:00 GMT DALLAS, 2 de abril del 2020 – La American Heart Association, la organización voluntaria líder mundial dedicada a un mundo con vidas más duraderas y saludables, anunció hoy que se otorgarán más de $14 millones en becas de investigación científica a cuatro... Full Article
19 Alerta de medios de la AHA: El COVID-19 genera preguntas sobre un mayor riesgo para las personas con ECV y los sobrevivientes de accidentes cerebrovasculares By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:50:00 GMT Sala de prensa sobre el COVID-19 de la AHA DALLAS, 3 de abril del 2020 – El COVID-19 está generando preguntas y preocupaciones generalizadas sobre el mayor riesgo que implica para aquellos con cardiopatías y sobrevivientes de accidentes... Full Article
19 Los médicos de la ciudad de Nueva York observaron diferentes presentaciones cardiovasculares del COVID-19; impacto de alguna ecv preexistente By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Sat, 04 Apr 2020 09:00:00 GMT DALLAS, 4 de abril del 2020 — El día de ayer, se publicó una investigación en Circulation, la revista insignia de la American Heart Association, cuyo objetivo es ayudar a generar aún más conciencia sobre las manifestaciones cardiovasculares del ... Full Article
19 La protección del futuro de la medicina durante la pandemia del COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:07:00 GMT Sala de prensa de la AHA sobre el COVID-19 DALLAS, 6 de abril del 2020— La American Heart Association cree que el hecho de permitir prematuramente que estudiantes del área de la salud proporcionen cuidado de pacientes durante la pandemia del COVID-19... Full Article
19 Precaución recomendada para el tratamiento del COVID-19 con hidroxicloroquina y azitromicina para pacientes con enfermedad cardiovascular By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:00:00 GMT DALLAS, 8 de abril del 2020— El impacto mundial del COVID-19 continúa aumentando y, cada día, la comunidad científica aprende más sobre el efecto y la interacción de las enfermedades cardiovasculares con el COVID-19. Juntos, la American Heart Association... Full Article
19 Las guías de orientación provisionales de RCP abordan los desafíos de proporcionar reanimación durante la pandemia del COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 16:09:00 GMT Sala de prensa de la AHA sobre el COVID-19 Atención con el contenido actualizado a continuación. DALLAS, 9 de abril del 2020– Debido al aumento exponencial actual de la incidencia del COVID-19 en todo el mundo, el porcentaje de paros cardíacos con el... Full Article
19 Framework on how to safely resume essential cardiovascular diagnostic and treatment care during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the AHA and 14 North American cardiovascular societies By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 16:39:00 GMT AHA COVID-19 newsroom DALLAS, May 4, 2020 — The American Heart Association, together with 14 cardiovascular societies in North America, today issued joint guidance, “Safe Reintroduction of Cardiovascular Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic:... Full Article
19 COVID-19 has unmasked significant health disparities in the U.S.; essay on behalf of the Association of Black Cardiologists suggests solutions By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 19:03:45 GMT Full Article
19 Kids with Kawasaki disease symptoms possibly linked to COVID-19; coronavirus infection leading to critical illness in children remains very infrequent By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 20:17:33 GMT Full Article
19 Protected: ASDR 2019 By nicolasrapp.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2019 21:31:15 +0000 There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. The post Protected: ASDR 2019 appeared first on Nicolas Rapp Design Studio - Freelance Infographic Designer. Full Article Uncategorized
19 Made In Québec, Créateurs de richesses By Published On :: Portraits of entrepreneurs Quebecois, for whom the question of profit goes after those working conditions, personal development and improvement of the environment. How to do more with less? Enrich themselves ... but differently. --------------------------------------------- Des portraits d'entrepreneurs québecois, pour qui la question du profit passe après celles des conditions de travail, de lâépanouissement personnel et de lâamélioration de lâenvironnement. Comment faire mieux avec moins ? Sâenrichir⦠mais différemment. Full Article
19 New COVID-19 patient data registry will provide insights to care and adverse cardiovascular outcomes By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:50:00 GMT DALLAS, April 3, 2020 —As physicians, scientists and researchers worldwide struggle to understand the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the American Heart Association is developing a novel registry to aggregate data and aid research on the disease,... Full Article
19 El nuevo registro de datos de pacientes con COVID-19 proporcionará perspectivas sobre la atención y los resultados cardiovasculares adversos By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:50:00 GMT DALLAS, 3 de abril del 2020 – Debido al esfuerzo de médicos, científicos e investigadores de todo el mundo por comprender la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19), la American Heart Association está desarrollando un nuevo registro para agregar datos y... Full Article
19 Interim CPR guidelines address challenges of providing resuscitation during COVID-19 pandemic By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 16:09:00 GMT Embargoed until 8 a.m. CT / 9 a.m. ET Thursday, April 9, 2020 AHA COVID-19 newsroom DALLAS, April 9, 2020 — With COVID-19 incidence currently increasing exponentially worldwide, the percentage of cardiac arrests with COVID-19 are also likely to... Full Article
19 Caregiving from a distance: how to help loved ones with heart failure amid COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT DALLAS, April 23, 2020 — As social distancing keeps families apart, many who care for a parent or loved one with heart failure may be left wondering how to best keep them safe. In the United States, more than 6 million people are living with heart... Full Article
19 Patient perspective: Living with type 2 diabetes and heart disease amid COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:15:00 GMT DALLAS and ARLINGTON, April 23, 2020 — As emerging science around COVID-19 highlights elevated danger for people with diabetes, heart disease and stroke[1], the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association urge people living with type... Full Article
19 Cuidadores a distancia: cómo ayudar a los seres queridos con insuficiencia cardíaca en medio del COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 15:30:00 GMT DALLAS, 23 de abril del 2020 — A medida que el distanciamiento social mantiene a las familias separadas, es posible que muchos de los que cuidan de un padre o un ser querido que padece insuficiencia cardíaca se pregunten cómo... Full Article
19 Perspectiva del paciente: vivir con diabetes de tipo 2 y cardiopatías en medio del COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 17:25:00 GMT Botones para compartir de AddThis Compartir en Facebook Compartir en Twitter Compartir por correo electrónico Compartir para imprimir DALLAS y ARLINGTON, 23 de abril del 2020 — Debido a que la ciencia que emerge en torno al COVID-19... Full Article
19 Online business exchange creates community, makes critical connections to meet needs during COVID-19 pandemic By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 13:00:00 GMT DALLAS, April 29, 2020 — As the shortage of many goods, resources and services grows during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association, the leading nonprofit organization focused on a world of healthier lives for all, has launched ... Full Article
19 12 scientific teams redefining fast-tracked heart and brain health research related to COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 17:53:13 GMT Full Article
19 The American Heart Association asks your help to support the 120M people in the U.S. living with cardiovascular disease who may be at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 17:30:00 GMT DALLAS, May 4, 2020 — Tomorrow, on #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of philanthropic action to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Heart Association – the leading global public health organization devoted to a world of longer healthier lives – is... Full Article
19 Scheduling surgery, COVID-19 risks and more: What heart valve patients need to know By newsroom.heart.org Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 20:35:00 GMT DALLAS, May 5, 2020 — An estimated five million patients in the United States live with heart valve disease, and many have had upcoming valve repair surgery rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Heart Association, along with 14 North... Full Article
19 R.B.I. Baseball 19 hits consoles on March 5 By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 13:44:36 EDT Can't wait for Opening Day? Good news -- you can take the field early when R.B.I. Baseball 19 is released on March 5. Full Article
19 7 important MLB trends to watch in 2019 By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Wed, 27 Feb 2019 14:14:00 EDT The game is changing, perhaps more quickly than ever. Forget comparing the sport to what it looked like in the 1960s or the '80s; the game has changed massively in just the last half-decade. Remember, just five years ago, we were all talking about the lack of power ,and no one was talking about launch angle or spin rate. Things are slightly different now. Full Article
19 WordPress Theme Releases for 3/19 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:17 +0000 Cazuela is a neutral colored theme. Ilisa is a clean and minimal theme that can be easily used as a personal portfolio or a business website. Partition has a light, lively, colorful, yet professional and classic appearance. Full Article WordPress Templates WordPress Skins WordPress Themes themes WordPress wordpress themes
19 Coronavirus Alert! Precautionary Measures & Real-time Apps To Keep An Eye On Covid-19 Outbreak Situation By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 23 Mar 2020 12:48:19 +0000 Why asking Help from Allah is the ‘First Thing First’? As everything is in this universe has made by Allah, Almighty. He is the only One who has power over all. So, we should always ask help from the Almighty first to keep us away from these... The post Coronavirus Alert! Precautionary Measures & Real-time Apps To Keep An Eye On Covid-19 Outbreak Situation appeared first on SmashingApps.com. Full Article Best of the Web News Web Applications
19 5 Ways to Grow Sales During COVID-19 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 07:04:30 +0000 We are living in unprecedented times. The global pandemic has had a major impact on our lives and our economy. In addition to the vast personal losses across the country and across the world, so many businesses have been negatively impacted. According to CNBC, retail sales fell by 8.7% in March of 2020, the biggest... Full Article Business Online
19 Remembering The Original Woodstock In Wonderful Historical Photographs, 1969 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 12:13:54 +0000 A wide-angle view of the huge crowd facing the distant stage during the Woodstock Music & Art Fair in August... Full Article Photography 1960s festival music woodstock
19 1969 Buick Century Cruiser: The Concept Car That Believed You Only Live Twice By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 11:34:58 +0000 Someday you will be able to drive a superhighway, turn the controls over to a guidance system, and travel across... Full Article Technology 1960s Buick cars concepts retro
19 Former Hawkeye defensive lineman Jeff Koeppel tackled COVID-19 and prevailed By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 11:31:14 PDT Jeff Koeppel, a North Liberty businessman who played on Iowa’s football team from 1986 to 1989 — was a second-team All-Big Ten defensive lineman for two years — caught COVID-19... Full Article Iowa Football
19 COVID-19 Guidance for Meetup Organizers By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:33:05 +0000 On Wednesday, March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic and advised people everywhere to “make a plan in preparation for an outbreak of COVID-19 in your community.” Also on Wednesday, the WordPress.org Community Team published their recommendations for organizers of WordPress Events and Meetups. Our Recommendations We recommend that […] The post COVID-19 Guidance for Meetup Organizers appeared first on WooCommerce. Full Article Blog
19 How Four Food Businesses Started Selling Online During COVID-19 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 15:00:00 +0000 From no store to 800 orders per day — see how 4 stores successfully moved their business online during COVID-19 to stay open and save jobs. The post How Four Food Businesses Started Selling Online During COVID-19 appeared first on WooCommerce. Full Article Blog
19 How to Advertise your Products on Google for Free During COVID-19 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:00:00 +0000 Google’s offering $340 million in free ad credits during COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know to maximize your efforts and not only survive, but thrive! The post How to Advertise your Products on Google for Free During COVID-19 appeared first on WooCommerce. Full Article Blog Marketing
19 Time Machine: Smallpox epidemic hit Meskwaki hard in 1901 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 18:51:24 PDT At the turn of the 20th century, a vaccine had been developed for smallpox, a virus that killed millions in the 1800s. Those who survived the disease were often left badly scarred or blind. The... Full Article Time Machine
19 Trucker from Iowa charged in 1990s slayings of 3 women By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 21:01:58 PDT IOWA CITY — Investigators on Wednesday arrested a long-haul trucker from Iowa who they say is linked by DNA evidence to the killings of three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and... Full Article Public Safety
19 Marion coronavirus recovery task force wants residents to come out of this healthy and to ‘a vibrant economy’ By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 19:57:10 PDT MARION — Marion’s 14-member COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force is beginning to work on recommendations of how to get people back to work, while keeping everyone... Full Article Government
19 Coronavirus closes the Iowa Writers’ House — for now By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:34:18 PDT IOWA CITY — Once upon a time, there was a house in a city that loved literature. It was a quaint, two-story home in the heart of the historic district with brick stairs, pale yellow siding, a... Full Article Education
19 Ahead of VP Pence’s Iowa visit, Joe Biden’s campaign calls out ‘consequential failure’ of Trump coronavirus response By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 17:09:44 PDT 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... Full Article Government
19 ‘Death stalked swiftly’ in 1918. What will we remember now? By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 21:01:29 PDT In August 1919, the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette opined in favor of the passage of a $5 million congressional appropriation to “investigate influenza, its cause, prevention and... Full Article Staff Columnist
19 For Mercy employee on COVID-19 floor, isolating from family is best Mother’s Day gift she can give By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:03:41 PDT 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... Full Article
19 Pence’s Iowa visit underscores coronavirus worry By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 09:27:02 PDT DES MOINES — In traveling to Iowa to call attention to the burdens COVID-19 brought to religious services and the food supply, Vice President Mike Pence unwittingly called attention to another... Full Article Government
19 Mother’s Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries: Celebrating during a pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:10:23 PDT A 10th wedding anniversary traditionally is celebrated with a gift of aluminum or tin. For Sondy Daggett, her 10th year of marriage to Liz Hoskins was marked with a gift of Champagne and... Full Article Health
19 Iowa Writers’ House is gone, but need for literary community continues By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:37:59 PDT When Andrea Wilson approached me five years ago with her idea of creating a space for writers in our community separate from any offered by the University of Iowa, I must admit I was a bit skeptical,... Full Article Guest Columnist
19 Iowa’s health care system is not overwhelmed. Why is our economy still closed? By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Tue, 5 May 2020 14:42:29 -0400 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. Full Article Guest Columnist
19 Trump sets up states’ rights battle; most conservative governors surrender By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Tue, 5 May 2020 17:18:27 -0400 After more than a decade in the making, the Tea Party moment has finally arrived.The movement originated in 2009 as a challenge to runaway taxes, spending and regulation. Organizers sought to restore the constitutional balance of power between the states and the federal government.Eventually, the Tea Party devolved into a catchall for right-wing populism, and a magnet for xenophobes and culture warriors. In 2016, its early adherents overwhelmingly fell in line with President Donald Trump, choosing protectionism over freedom.But that original Tea Party spirit — the charge to buck the national government in favor of local control — was on full display recently from two unlikely sources.Trump decided early on in the coronavirus pandemic that the federal government would not centrally coordinate the purchase and distribution of medical supplies. That might have worked fine, except the Trump administration actively undermined state governments’ efforts. The federal government has outbid state buyers and even seized products from states.After 3 million masks ordered by the Massachusetts governor were confiscated in New York, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker decided to sidestep the usual procurement process. He sent a New England Patriots’ private airplane to bring supplies back from China.In Maryland, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan coordinated a large COVID-19 test order from South Korea. The delivery was facilitated by the National Guard and state police, and the tests were put in a secure location with armed security.“We guarded that cargo from whoever might interfere with us getting that to our folks that needed it,” Hogan said last week in an interview with Washington Post Live.Hogan and Baker don’t fit the common perception of the Tea Party mold. They both have harshly criticized President Donald Trump and supported the impeachment inquiry. Hogan openly considered challenging Trump for the GOP presidential nomination.They are among the last vestiges of moderate conservatism in American executive office, and yet they are the ones waging a battle over federalism and states’ rights.The political minds built for this moment — the ones who have long fantasized about escalating the state-federal power struggle — are not up to the task. The conservative firebrands who should be taking up this fight instead are beholden to Trump and whatever cockamamie plans he comes up with.At a news conference last month, Trump made a striking claim about his powers in managing the public health crisis: “When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total. And that’s the way it’s got to be. It’s total.”That should have been a flashpoint for conservatives, the beginning of a revitalized Tea Party that recognizes the enormous threat Trumpism poses to our values.But it wasn’t. Loyalists brushed it off, again, as Trump misspeaking.The small-government philosophy is founded on the likelihood that the levers of government power will eventually be grabbed by some menace, an incompetent or malicious figure. But when that menace is your friend, your fundraiser and your public relations manager, it proves hard to slap his hand away.adam.sullivan@thegazette.com; (319) 339-3156 Full Article Staff Columnist
19 Sullivan: County leads with many of Iowa’s ‘firsts’ By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 11:45:42 -0400 I grew up on a Heritage farm (150 years in the same family) near Sutliff, and attended K-12 in the Lisbon school system. I am an alumnus of the University of Iowa. I have held several positions in the field of human services, including six years with the Department of Human Services and six years as executive director of the Arc of Johnson County. I am married to Dr. Melissa Fath, a research scientist at the University of Iowa and a volunteer pharmacist at the Free Medical Clinic. We have three adult children — Rachel, Jordan and BJ, and have served as foster parents for another 50+ children.I am a member of several community organizations, including: St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Iowa Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, NAMI, Center for Worker Justice, ACLU Hawkeye Chapter, AFT Local 716, and Iowa City Federation of Labor. I also served four years as chairman of the Johnson County Democratic Party.Some of the accomplishments of which I am proud:• Leadership during the COVID-19 crisis.• Leadership during 2008 floods.• Raising the minimum wage — the first county in Iowa to do so.• Passed a Human Rights Ordinance — the first county in Iowa to do so.• Passed a Sensitive Areas Ordinance — the first county in Iowa to do so.• Passed the Conservation Bond Initiative — the first county in Iowa to do so.• Passed the Community ID Program — the first county in Iowa to do so.• Started 1105 Project with gift of old Public Health building.• Saved Sutliff Bridge after 2008 floods.• Started trails funding.• Created the Free Tax Help project.• Created the Livable Community for Successful Aging.• Added outdoor warning sirens to unincorporated Johnson County.• Created the Local Foods Policy Council.• Heritage AAA Outstanding Elected Official — 2009.If reelected, my goals are: 1. Continue community recovery from COVID-19; 2. Begin serving people at the GuideLink Center; 3. Improve affirmative action results; 4. Renegotiate six union contracts to the benefit of all.I am grateful for your past support, and I thank you for your future consideration. I promise to never take this position for granted! I respectfully request your vote on or before June 2.Rod Sullivan is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Full Article Guest Columnist
19 Big oil overreaches on COVID-19 bailout By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 12:06:19 -0400 Like everyone, U.S. oil companies have been hit hard by the pandemic, and they are looking for relief. . Oil companies have requested special access to a $600 billion lending facility at the Federal Reserve, and the administration seems keen to deliver. The president just announced that the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of the Treasury would make funds available, and the Department of Energy is also floating a $7 billion plan to pay drillers to leave oil in the ground. Unfortunately, at least one faction of the industry — a group of refiners that traditionally profit when crude feedstocks are cheap — is angling for much more than a financial bailout. They are using the pandemic as cover to cannibalize markets vital to U.S. biofuel producers and farmers.Their plan, outlined in letter from several oil-patch governors, would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to halt enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It would allow refiners to stop offering biofuel blends at the fuel pump, eliminating the market for U.S. ethanol and biodiesel and decimating demand for billions of bushels of corn and soybeans used to make renewable motor fuel.With half the nation’s 200-plus biofuel plants already offline, thousands of rural workers facing layoffs, and millions of U.S. farmers on financial life support, the destruction of the RFS would be an economic death knell for rural America. It’s hard to imagine why refiners would expect the Trump administration to take the request seriously. The misguided plan would inflict incredible collateral damage on our economy, our energy security, and to the President’s prospects with rural voters. Notably, the courts rejected similar abuse in 2016. Even former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who scorned American farmers, rejected a similar plan back in 2017. Nevertheless, refiners saw the current health crisis as a political opportunity and went for a kill. Fortunately, farm state champions are pushing back. Governors from Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota condemned the oil-backed plan. They wrote, “Using this global pandemic as an excuse to undercut the RFS is not just illegal; it would also sever the economic lifeline that renewable fuels provide for farmers, workers and rural communities across the Midwest.” Aside from the sheer audacity, the refinery-backed plan also suffers from a major flaw — it wouldn’t change the economic situation of a single refinery. They claim that lifting the RFS would eliminate the costs associated with biofuel credits known as RINs, which are used to demonstrate compliance with the nation’s biofuel targets. Refiners that refuse to produce biofuel blends can purchase RINs from those that blend more ethanol or biodiesel into the fuel mix. In turn, when they sell a gallon of fuel, that RIN price is reflected in their returns. The oil industry’s own reports show that “there is no economic harm to RIN purchasers, even if RIN prices are high, because those costs are recouped in the gasoline blend stock and diesel.” Even in a fictional scenario where costs aren’t automatically recouped, a detailed EPA analysis found that “all obligated parties, including the small refiners subject to the RFS program, would be affected at less than 1 percent of their sales (i.e., the estimated costs of compliance with the rule would be less than 1 percent of their sales) even when we did not consider their potential to recover RIN costs — with the estimated cost-to-sales percentages ranging from -0.04 percent (a cost savings) to 0.006 percent.” Clearly, a 0.006 percent savings isn’t going to protect any refinery jobs, but refineries are betting that DC policymakers don’t know the difference between RINs values and compliance costs. They open one side of a ledger and hope that no one asks to see the next page.Meanwhile, the nation’s biggest oil lobby, American Petroleum Institute, is calling on the EPA to simply cut 770 million gallons of biofuel out of the 2020 targets. Earlier this year, regulators approved a modest bump in biofuels to addresses a small fraction of the four billion gallons lost to secretive EPA refinery exemptions. The courts have since sided against the handouts, but the EPA has refused to implement the decision. Now, API says the agency should rip away the few gallons clawed back by U.S. farmers. It’s a baseless argument with one goal: blocking competition at the fuel pump. Keep in mind, collapsing demand for motor fuel is just as hard on the nation’s biofuel producers. RFS targets enforced by the EPA are based on a percentage of each gallon sold — so if refiners make less fuel, their obligations under the law shrink at an equal rate. Meanwhile, biofuel producers across the heartland are closing their doors, as even their modest 10 percent share of the market has been cut in half.Biofuel advocates are focused on their own survival. Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley summed it up, saying “[T]here ought to be parity for all liquid fuels. So I look forward to working with (Agriculture) Secretary (Sonny) Perdue to make sure that our biofuels industry gets through this crisis so that we can continue to use America’s (home) grown energy in our gas tanks.” Parity makes sense, but refinery lobbyists want more. The Trump EPA should reject the latest anti-biofuel pitch because it’s bad policy, but more than that, it’s an insulting attempt to capitalize on a health crisis to make an end run around the truth. Former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent spearheaded the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005. He currently serves as co-chair of Americans for Energy Security and Innovation. Full Article Guest Columnist
19 Iowa’s senior care workers need our support By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 14:28:54 -0400 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. Full Article Guest Columnist
19 Iowa workers beware, neither Big Debt Chet nor COVID-19 can stop unleashed prosperity By www.thegazette.com Published On :: Wed, 6 May 2020 15:06:52 -0400 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 Full Article Staff Columnist