Latest Iowa Headlines
All the headlines from our Iowa Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Ex-Insurance Agent From Iowa Indicted On Mail Fraud Counts
Aug 1 2013 // A former Marshalltown, Iowa insurance agent has been indicted on federal mail fraud charges after being accused of defrauding customers for nearly a decade. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reported that 65-year-old...
2013 Already a Deadly Year at Iowa Rail Crossings
Aug 1 2013 // The number of railroad crossing deaths in Iowa this year already is higher than what is typical for an entire year, but it’s not clear why 2013 is proving deadlier than normal. The Des Moines Register reports that...
Companies Bringing Safety Technology to Grain Storage
Jul 31 2013 // The one sure-fire way to avoid dying in a grain bin is to stay out. That’s where Scott Haugan and some high-tech wizardry come in. The Des Moines Register reports Haugan, who runs the Howgan grain storage technology...
Casino Executives Named in Iowa Harassment Lawsuit
Jul 25 2013 // A former employee at an Iowa casino is accusing its general manager of making inappropriate sexual comments to employees and patrons. Gail Wilson, a former guest services manager at Lakeside Casino in Osceola, filed a...
Iowa Court: Lawyer May Be Sued for Emotional Pain
Jul 24 2013 // The Iowa Supreme Court said a couple from Ecuador may sue their attorney for emotional distress because his advice caused them to be separated from their children and grandchildren for a decade. It’s the first time...
IA&B Survey: Agencies Report Slight Decrease in Commercial Carrier Satisfaction
Jul 23 2013 // Insurance Agents & Brokers (IA&B) — a partnership of three agents’ associations serving Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware — said its latest survey shows its members’ overall satisfaction...
Iowa Egg Farms Settle Suit Over Salmonella Recalls
Jul 17 2013 // The Iowa egg producers blamed for a 2010 salmonella outbreak have settled a lawsuit brought by a California distributor that lost profits from the foodborne illnesses and the resulting product recalls, court records...
Wellmark to Close Subsidiary in Sioux City, Iowa
Jul 12 2013 // Iowa’s largest health insurer is closing its Sioux City office and eliminating more than 100 local jobs. Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield announced that the First Administrators, or FAI, office will close in...
New Iowa Health Co-Op Announces Insurance Plan Details
Jul 10 2013 // A new health care cooperative is working to offer Iowa residents two insurance plans that rely on a specific hospital network, the nonprofit announced. CoOportunity Health said they partnered with the University of Iowa...
Iowa Insurer’s Cash Reserve Size Questioned
Jul 10 2013 // Two state senators want Iowa to investigate whether the state’s dominant health insurer really needs $1.3 billion in reserves. Sens. Jack Hatch and Matt McCoy, both Des Moines Democrats, are skeptical about Wellmark...
Iowa’s Top Insurer Delays Exchange Participation
Jul 3 2013 // Iowa’s leading health insurer will wait a year before participating in the state’s new health exchange due to concerns about problems that could arise with its implementation in the early going, company’s...
Iowa Court Reconsiders Firing of ‘Irresistible’ Assistant
Jun 28 2013 // A dental assistant fired because her boss thought she was too attractive has won a rare reconsideration by the Iowa Supreme Court on her sexual discrimination lawsuit. Chief Justice Mark Cady signed an order on June 24...
Experts Say Iowa Should Act to Stymie Flooding
Jun 25 2013 // Iowa could do more to avoid flooding by limiting how much rainfall runs off into the state’s rivers and streams, including addressing climate change and expanding grasslands and wetlands to absorb rain where it...
No Punitive Damages for Workplace Sex Bias, Iowa Court Says
Jun 24 2013 // Courts cannot award punitive damages to victims of workplace sexual harassment and gender discrimination under the Iowa Civil Rights Act, the state Supreme Court ruled in a victory for employers. The court said lawmakers...
Iowa Health Insurer to Seek Smaller Rate Hikes
Jun 19 2013 // Months after customers blasted the company for skyrocketing rates, Iowa’s dominant health insurer says it will limit premium increases in 2014 to less than six percent for individual and small business...
Midwest Pelted With Rain, Wind, Hail, Tornadoes
Jun 14 2013 // A massive line of storms packing hail, lightning and tree-toppling winds rolled through the Midwest on June 12 in the evening, driving people into basements for shelter, tearing down power lines and causing flooding in...
Final Judgment for 32 Disabled Men in Iowa: $3.4M
Jun 13 2013 // A judge in Iowa has entered final judgment of $3.4 million against a Texas company found to have mistreated 32 mentally disabled workers at an Iowa labor camp. U.S. Senior Judge Charles Wolle ruled on June 11 the men will...
Iowa Pharmacist ‘Vehemently Denies’ Fraud Charges
Jun 13 2013 // An Iowa City pharmacist will contest federal criminal charges alleging that he improperly filed insurance claims for expensive drugs needed to treat patients with hemophilia, his attorney said. Michael F. Stein made an...
Iowa Governor Issues Another Disaster Proclamation
May 31 2013 // Gov. Terry Branstad has issued a disaster proclamation for another eight counties hit by recent storms and flooding. Branstad made the announcement Wednesday. On Tuesday he issued a similar proclamation for 13...
Iowa At Tipping Point For Major Flood Event, Disaster Declared
May 30 2013 // This spring is now the wettest on record in Iowa. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says statewide average rainfall of more than 16.4 inches is the most rain in March, April and May in 141 years of records. The previous...
