Thursday, May 16, 2013
Steve King, who represents Ames in the 4th District, said he would choose Obamacare over the Senate's current immigration reform bill.
Sign up for Ames Patch's free newsletter | Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said this week that he hates the immigration reform currently being discussed in the U.S. Senate more than Obamacare. “You know how badly I despise Obamacare,” King, R-Iowa, said at a news conference as reported by the Ames Tribune. “But if there was an offer that said you are going to get one or the other and you have to choose one, I would take Obamacare and try to live with that before I’d ever accept this amnesty plan.” The Senate bill would allow most of the 11 million residents living illegally in the country to become legal residents. An estimated 40 percent of those people came to the United States legally, but …
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Under the Affordable Care Act, Iowa has to expand its health care coverage for the poor. The question is how to do that, and Democrats and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are in sharp disagreement.
Under the Affordable Care Act, Iowa has to expand its health care coverage for the poor. The question is how to do that, and Democrats and Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are in sharp disagreement. Iowa Senate Democrats want to expand Medicaid, the federal-state healthcare program. Governor Terry Branstad, however, does not back Medicaid expansion. With the backing of Iowa House Republicans, he's introduced the "Healthy Iowa" plan as an alternative. Under the Democrat's bill, Medicaid expansion would cover up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, adding an estimated 150,000 people in Iowa to coverage. The federal government would pay for the expansion for three years, after which it would pay for 90 percent of the expansion. …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Also, free stuff galore, and if you cannot give it away, how about smashing it to smithereens?
Do you believe in vampires? This is not a joke. Sure, right. And Craigslist is a great place to find dates. If you believe that, you believe in vampires, too. Around the Patches But before we wade up to our eyballs into all that Craigslist angst, there’s more: Craigslist politics: Liberals will blame Bush. Conservatives blame Obama. Oh, and they don’t believe in science. Any questions? Of course. Do you hate your job? What does it even mean? This guy seeking advice need a dictionary. Endless metapause? It’s not her hormones, dude. It’s you. There’s lots of free stuff on Craigslist. Would anyone like some “dandy lions”? Is this a lion with a flare for fashion? They’re free, unless the answer arrives via text message. That’ll cost a dime. …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Investment groups are pitching casino projects all over Iowa. Warren County voters will consider a Norwalk casino on Tuesday. Linn County voters already said "yes" to a casino.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Investment groups are pitching casino projects all over Iowa. Warren County voters will consider a Norwalk casino on Tuesday. Linn County voters already said "yes" to a casino.
Gamblers have 21 casinos to choose from across the state of Iowa, and seemingly every few weeks some investment group is making a play to grow that number. Talk of a new casino in Ankeny and Urbandale came and went. Over in eastern Iowa, Linn County voters approved building a casino in Cedar Rapids. Now a West Des Moines casino group, Wild Rose Entertainment, is putting money towards a campaign for a casino in Norwalk. Warren County residents vote on Tuesday. Even if Warren County voters approve the casino the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will still have to decide whether to grant a license. It's the same case in Linn County. There's 18 active casino gaming licenses through the Iowa gaming commission, and there's three additional …
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Is it within the purview of a city government to dictate what breeds are dangerous and what breeds are not? Where is the best place to draw the line?
As typically happens when tragedy strikes, Iowans were doing some soul searching this week after a four-year-old Prairie City girl was bitten to death by a Staffordshire Terrier (KCCI) A babysitter, nearby at the time of the incident, was charged with child endangerment resulting in death, a serious felony. The horrific nature of this incident incited some to debate whether certain dogs with reputations for viciousness should be more regulated. Many cities tighten vicious-animal laws but forgo dog breed bans (Des Moines Register) Altoona, Des Moines, Clive, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill and Windsor Heights all singled out certain dog breeds, generally pit bulls and related breeds such as the American Staffordshire terrier, as automatically …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
As weird as ever, Iowa never disappoints.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
The ACLU of Iowa is siding with Fred Phelps' controversial church and its members, who have disrupted military funerals because they believe soldiers die in wars as a sign that God punishes the U.S. for the acceptance of homosexuality in the military.
Seemingly unlikely allies, the Topeka, KS-based Westboro Baptist Church and the American Civil Liberties Union, have teamed in a lawsuit suing two Iowa police agencies for the right to drag or desecrate the U.S. flag in protest at U.S. military funerals. Pastor Fred Phelps and his church members are not strangers to controversy in Iowa. From July 2010 to December 2012, they staged demonstrations at five military funerals in the state, including two in which they were told by authorities their activities violate a state law prohibiting flag desecration that remains on the books, but was struck down as unconstitutional in 2007 by a federal judge, the Des Moines Register reported. The church members say that’s a violation of their civil …
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Republicans have the opportunity to pick up a seat in the Senate with Democrat Tom Harkin retiring. The GOP has a problem, though, who to nominate.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Break out the rakes, fuel the lawn mower and start rattling those tomato cages -- it's spring.
For some of you, you've waited all winter for this. For others, it's the beginning of a long, grueling battle with the yard that doesn't end until it snows. Yes, spring is here and it means time to take care of your lawn and garden. But, so many questions. What should you do to get your lawn ready for the season? Do you need to aerate? When do you plant tomatoes? What type of grass seed is best to use? Thankfully, we have some helpful professionals lined up to answer all of your lawn and garden questions. Just pose your questions in the comment section below and the professionals will respond beginning on Wednesday morning. Check back frequently. Here's our panel of pros who've graciously agreed to answer questions: Mark Coleman, Geoff …
maxine weimer
11:08 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013
No Mark I would rather keep that all for myself! LOL! I give to the charities of my choice, I don't need someone to spread it for me. more ›