Around Des Moines

Neither rain nor seasonly-limited produce kept people from the first downtown farmers’ market of the year in Des Moines on May 10, 2008. Rhubarb, a few leaves of spinach, some young garlic, greenhouse tomatoes, and a bit of asparagus from Polk City were the local fruits and vegetables for sale. One vendor clearly labeled out-of-state produce. There were plenty of bakeries, a few wineries, meat producers, and value-added agricultural businesses with booths. Most of the people I saw making purchases were waiting for warm food prepared for immediate consumption.

There are several residents of Des Moines who believe the best economic plan for the city would include no zoning laws. Seeing several signs with rules scattered around the market this year, I kept thinking about the idea that too much legal restriction leads to economic contraction. On the public side of the market, there are instructions on how dogs should behave and times when vendors must start and stop selling. On the business side of the market, there is a new application process that requires vendors to apply online and submit photographs of every type of item to be included with instructions that they cannot depart from that list at all. There may be good reasons for all of these attempts at control; nevertheless, they threaten to squeeze the vitality of experimentation out of the market.

One of the new cottage industries that made it onto this year’s vendor list is Beaverdale Confections Co. You can buy blocks of gourmet marshmallow, lollipops (marshmallows on a stick), and hot cocoa gift boxes. The Kahlua marshmallow was a well-balanced taste but there was competition between the smooth creaminess of the Kahlua and the granular chewiness of the marshmallow. The coconut and marshmallow combination offered uniformity in textures and sweetness. These are not the air-puffed marshmallows sold in most grocery stores.

Often what I find most useful about the downtown market is learning about the many non-profit and political events happening around the city. At the May 10th market, I picked up literature for Walk Now for Autism, talked with Rep. Leonard Boswell’s (D-3rd District) primary challenger, and learned more about Bike to Work Week.

Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 by the grandparents of a child with autism. The organization informs about, funds research into, and advocates on issues related to autism. The Iowa Walk Now for Autism fundraiser will take place June 7, 2008 in Gray’s Lake Park.

Ed Fallon was shaking hands and talking with voters so I took the opportunity for an impromptu interview. I asked him how the campaign was going. He replied, “good,” then talked about Boswell’s refusal to debate and linked that to democratic injustice. I asked Fallon if he thought Boswell’s campaign mailings and his own personal appearances did not satisfy democracy. The challenger said people want to see the two candidates side-by-side, answering the same issues.

Bike to Work Week Project Coordinator Tina Hadden said over 1600 people have registered, which is nearly 300 more than last year. Approximately 70% of the registrants are in the greater Des Moines area. Most of the remaining 30% are in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor. There are several events being held in Des Moines during the week, which officially runs from May 10th through the 16th. Hadden said the new Johnston trail allowed a bicyclist to miss beating a motorist by only a couple minutes on an annual race from Johnston to downtown Des Moines. Registering helps bicyclist activists to demonstrate support to elected officials for bicycle-friendly polices.

M.R. Field covers local events for AroundDesMoines.com.

Valley Junction’s first farmers’ market of 2008 was held on a humid afternoon. Fortunately, the rain and thunderstorms forecast for May 1st held off until the next morning. Fresh produce was scant but not absent. There was a handful of new rhubarb, greenhouse cucumbers, and hydroponic tomatoes. Other Iowa food was available as prepared items. These included preserved meat, jams and jellies, cheese, and wine. Someone was even selling aged garlic. There were also plenty of bakery products, from breads to cakes. Entertainment was provided by musical groups at two different locations. There was a band and a drinking tent at the depot and a more intimate group of musicians north of the community center. Many people seemed satisfied to spend their time admiring the numerous puppies that were being walked around the market. I chatted with a few of the vendors.

Kirk Sloan, owner of Sloan Brothers Iowa Organic Produce, wants to bring Fairfield’s riches to central Iowa. He had cucumbers from the Maharashi Vedic City Organic Farm and clarified organic butter from Spring Sunrise. Next week he expects to have basil and bell peppers, too. Sloan used to live in Fairfield but now resides in West Des Moines. He will be at the Ankeny and downtown Des Moines farmers markets, too.

Maria Burham and her husband, John, started a Knead to Treat about three years ago. Although the idea was John’s, Maria is the one who does the baking and selling. They supply bakery items to Fareway stores in Osceolo and Winterset. I asked Burham to describe her product. She said it is basic homemade, “the kind of bread you would buy that reminds you of your grandmother.” They have scones, breads, sweets, and croutons. Customers can call ahead to order breads and cookie baskets to be picked up at the farmers’ market.

The Harvest Barn, an Osceolo business that opened in 2001, sells naturally raised meats. The meat is packaged in a variety of styles from dried beef to cooked shaved brisket to raw pork loin. There is also homemade fudge. In addition, you can find Milton Farms cheese at the booth. If there is a particular product you would like, you can call Harvest Barn and then pick up your order at the market.

Gino’s sauces were on sale. There was marinara, garlic cream, and Italian. The person marketing the product described Gino’s as an Italian steakhouse. It is located at 2809 Sixth Avenue in Des Moines.

The Brain Injury Association of Iowa, based in Waterloo, was selling helmets for bicyclists and extreme sports enthusiasts. The group holds a walk around Gray’s Lake the first Saturday of October as an annual fundraiser. It also offers a monthly support group and hosts activities for survivors. The Family Help Line number is 800-475-4442.

The Valley Junction Farmers’ Market is held every Thursday (except July 3rd) through October 2nd. It is located in West Des Moines at approximately Fifth and Elm Streets. Hours are 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

M.R. Field writes about local issues for AroundDesMoines.com. 

Over the past few weeks I’ve realized that while the weather may not change every five minutes, the weather forecasts certainly do. Whether the weekend turns out to be sunny and dry or rainy and chilly there are a variety of activities around Des Moines to entertain you.

Most dependent on the weather is the Pella Tulip Time. Pella is just under 40 miles east of Des Moines on state highway 163. The town has a Dutch heritage and has built a tourism base on that theme. The festival runs all day every day from Thursday, May 1st, through Saturday, May 3rd. Besides delicious pastries for sale, there will be tours of historic houses, musical entertainment, parades, and, of course, tulips.

Weather will also matter for the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, but that will be in Louisville, Kentucky. Des Moines’ local track is Prairie Meadows in Altoona (I-80 Exit 142, northeast of Des Moines). The racetrack/casino has three restaurants and lots of economic controversy. Prairie Meadows gets mentioned in national horse racing news due to its experience with slots and because Maggi Moss, a native Iowan and local trial lawyer, was nominated for the Eclipse Award as horse owner of the year.

If you want conversations on science, television, publishing, art, food, clothes, and an assortment of games, DemiCon will run from Friday afternoon through mid-afternoon on Sunday, May 4th. This is the 19th year of the science fiction and fantasy convention hosted by the Des Moines Science Fiction Society. Cost for all three days is $50 for adults; less for one-day attendance. It is to be held at the Hotel Fort Des Moines in downtown Des Moines.

The 2008 ICAN convention will be on Saturday, May 3, 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Jim Hightower is scheduled as the keynote speaker. Join the Iowa Citizen Action Network for workshops on promoting progressive politics, including one about on-line organizing. The convention is being held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston, a few miles to the northwest of Des Moines.

Theatrical choices this week include The Sunshine Boys at Grandview College’s Viking Theatre. Tickets cost $10 and the theatre is located at 2811 East 14th Street in Des Moines (on the #4 bus route). Show dates are May 1-4 and May 8-11. Times are 7:00 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For children, Holes, based on Louis Sachar’s award-winning book, opens at the Des Moines Playhouse. Show dates and times are: May 2-18; Fridays at 7:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 1:00 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults.

On Friday, the 2nd, there will be a reception for “Walk in Closet,” a display of artwork by Angela Warren and Rebecca Gehm, at The Thoreau Center (3500 Kingman Boulevard from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. The Hentschel Art Gallery (835 42nd Street) is open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. The current exhibit is “The Blues,” paintings by Davenport native Nancy Purrington. She looks at the unique features of the Mississippi River at Davenport.

Scrub Days for Des Moines residents start on May 3rd. The MWA Transfer Station at 4198 Delaware Avenue and the Compost Center at 1601 Harlett will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Guidelines on what can be dropped off by whom can be found on the city’s website. Throughout the next few months there will be scrub days scattered across the city.

M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com. 

Thursday happens to be May 1st, a date that has been selected for many different types of celebrations or awareness events over the years. This special Weekend Pick looks at traditional, modern, and one-time events for May 1, 2008.

Many people in modern society celebrate the seasonal Celtic holiday of Beltane on May 1st. It just so happens that the Valley Junction farmers market for 2008 will begin on May 1st. Depending on when the rain arrives, it could be an appropriate way to acknowledge the day, particularly when you consider that Beltane is a celebration of fertility and farmers want good crops.

May Day as celebrated among American school children also means a day for baskets filled with flowers. I remember gathering lilacs and iris, putting them in a basket made out of construction paper, and leaving them on the porches of elderly neighbors. I still like to make these simple gifts to brighten someone’s day. In Hawaii, May Day is known as Lei Day.

In 1987 Gloria T. Delamar’s book, Mother Goose; From Nursery to Literature, was published. To help promote the book and to share an appreciation of the nursery rhymes, Delamar established The Mother Goose Society and designated May 1st as Mother Goose Day. A list of ideas for celebrating the day can be found on the society’s website.

International Workers’ Day also is known as an international labor day. In the United States it was generally treated with disregard during the Cold War as the Soviet Union celebrated the day with a military parade in Moscow. It might be time for Americans to return to the traditional history of the day and remember its significance. On May 1, 1886, workers across the U.S. went on strike in support of an eight-hour work day. Many people I know are finding themselves working many more than eight hours a day thanks to cell phones, e-mail, and worker shortages.

The National Day of Prayer and its counterpoint, a National Day of Reason, are held on the first Thursday of May, which happens to be May 1st this year. For the Day of Reason, the Iowa Secularists will show The God Who Wasn’t There at 7:00 p.m. on May 1st at the Botanical Center (909 Robert D. Ray Drive). Admission is free. There are also events in Cedar Rapids and in Iowa City on the 1st.

The Love Foundation has designated May 1st as Global Love Day, an international celebration of humanity. This non-profit organization was founded by author Harold W. Becker in 2000. One Becker quote found on the group’s website is, “When we know we have love in our heart, unconditional compassion becomes as natural as breathing.” I’m trying to figure out how to apply the ideas of Global Love Day to a local school board, some county supervisors and county voters, and some people seeking to be the next president of the U.S.

John McCain will be in Des Moines on May 1st to promote his healthcare plan. The town hall meeting will be held at the Polk County Convention Complex (Fifth and Grand). Doors open at 12:00 noon.

The Polk County Suicide Coalition hosts a talk on “Protecting Your Dreams: College Suicide; Why It Happens and How to Prevent It” on the 1st. The seminar will be held at 1914 Carpenter Avenue, Conference Room B, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. For more information or for crisis help, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s website or call the lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. People considering suicide and their families might appreciate some unconditional love and May Day baskets.

M.R. Field writes about local events for AroundDesMoines.com. 

Sin sold out the Fourth Street Theatre when the Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance presented seven 15-minute plays from April 24-27, 2008. At the April 27th matinee performance about 75 people were in the audience. The room was crowded and talk around the place was that at least the Saturday night show also was well-attended.

The seven plays were selected by competition, as were the directors. Then the directors chose their casts. As with short stories, the best short plays make exquisite use of each word. Not all of the seven sins achieved that level of intensity. In addition, while the performances were to highlight the scriptwriters, some of the plays were memorable primarily due to the acting.

Most of the plays were very traditional in their casting and dialogue but contemporary in their humorous references. That also made most of them very forgettable.

The show started off with the fast-paced Nursemaid by Erich Goldstein. Slim Tim Shafton, the Fitness King, was on a gluttony strike to protest the mayor’s nursemaid-style governance, such as banning trans fats in restaurants. The characters were given multiple dimensions, complex reasons, and life histories merely through the power of dialogue.

Ethelyn Boddy’s The Ugly Identical Twin took on envy with a story that moved through time. It offered Lyra E. Halsten, as the protagonist and the antagonist, opportunities for a variety of emotions. However, the frequent pauses needed to indicate a different time and place disrupted the flow of the play. I’ve seen one-person shows that handle the transitions much better.

The use of sexual attraction in advertising and sexual harassment were common themes in Lust for Men by Lindsay Tornquist. The presence of Warren Westlund, who acted in three of the seven plays, saved this one with his over-the-top performance. There were several good jokes in the play but there was nothing that seemed original.

In Wealthy Mr. Dezille, Sean Gannon’s play on avarice, the power of the soliloquy was demonstrated. The premise of the play was that Mr. Dezille only cared about making money and that cost him his business empire and his sanity. James Meade gave a quality performance as Dezille but there were too many details in the play inconsistent with reality for any actor to save it. I could believe that Dezille was in a mental institution, I just could not accept why he was there or how the nurse behaved.

David D. DeBord’s choice of a local government’s community council to represent sloth in The Municipal Tree was a delight. This is the type of play that doesn’t strike an audience member right away but builds upon a theme to create a memorable impression. I also have to give credit to Patrick Gouran, the director, because this play also demanded good timing to convey the humor properly. While I enjoyed the play because of all the years I’ve spent dealing with non-profit and governmental organizations, the play did not have enough universal themes to make it a mass media hit.

Closing Time, in which the sexiest and most beautiful movie star walks into a bar to escape the media attention while on location, needed to be a longer play. William S.E. Coleman’s story progressed smoothly enough from the first encounter to the futon in the break room. However, this was the type of story that needed pauses to build up the tension and to make the characters more than one-dimensional.

Chuck Hughes’ The Passengers poked fun at wrath and at the scriptwriters’ sinful production. Essentially the playwright was saying anger can be countered with laughter.

M.R. Field reviews local arts for AroundDesMoines.com. 

In the past week enough flowers have been in bloom and enough leaves have unfurled to make it seem like Spring is finally here to stay. Alas, spiders and other crawling things also have been spotted with increasing frequency. It won’t be long before the summer events season begins. Indeed, the list of activities for next weekend, the first in May, is growing long. This weekend, though, is relatively quiet.

If you find yourself in downtown Des Moines, take a walk around the historic Polk County Courthouse. It is located between Cherry and Mulberry with the original entrance facing Fifth Street at Court. The special election to decide a referendum on building a new court building and renovating the current structure will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2008.

Java Joe’s, at 214 Fourth Street, offers several incentives to go downtown this weekend. On Thursday, April 24th, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. there will be a family game night and an ice cream social. The ice cream comes from KaleidoScoops in Ankeney and costs $2.50 per scoop. (If politics is your game, Drinking Liberally meets a few doors up Fourth Street at the Lift every Thursday at 8:00 p.m.) Ankeny Free Church Pastor John Colyer will lead an open forum on “The Bible” from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 27th. Musicians appearing this weekend include Leslie Wells, Nick LaPointe, and Sound Rabbit. In addition, the Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance presents Seven Deadly Sins as seven short plays. Performances are on Thursday at 7:00 p.m., Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Cost is $10, or, as the ISA website notes, only $1.43 per sin.

If you’re looking for a musical, The Pajama Game is playing at the Des Moines Playhouse (831 42nd Street) through May 4th. Show times are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Adult tickets are $34.

Starting on Monday, April 28th, and running through Saturday, May 3rd, a block party will be held by Ingersoll merchants and businesses between 35th and 42nd Streets. Specials can be found on food and merchandise. Personally, I’m going to try Bauder’s $0.99 root beer float. The pharmacy/soda fountain’s ice cream is quite good and the staff provides a friendly service that is only found in small, local establishments.

Wednesday, April 30th, is the last day to purchase discounted pool passes from Des Moines Parks & Recreation. The mayor’s ride to the trails was last week and this would be a good weekend to do your own bike riding. Take the 4-mile Creek trail up to Sargent’s Park on the city’s northeast side and check out the prairie flowers. There is not yet a trail to Ewing Park down by Easter Lake on the southeast side of Des Moines but the lilac arboretum in the park should be relatively accessible by bicycle. (It’s a pain to be reached by foot, but it is possible.)

M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com. 

In 1996 the Academy of American Poets declared April to be National Poetry Month. Five years earlier the Des Moines National Poetry Festival began. While the former is gaining attention, the latter has reduced its reach.

Poetry is life. It can swoop in with the speed of haiku, linger with the rhymes of a limerick, or inspire through the structure of of a sonnet. It can target the mind, the soul, or the heart. It can heal and it can cut; it is emotions.

For 2008, the Des Moines National Poetry Festival features a presentation by Li-Young Lee in Drake University’s Writers and Critics Series at Sheslow Auditorium (2507 University) at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30th. Another event in the series will be held on Tuesday, April 8th at 7:30 p.m. in the university’s Cowles Library Reading Room (2725 University). Erica Anzalone, who teaches fiction and poetry workshops, and novelist Fred Arroyo, an assistant professor in English, will read and discuss their work. Both events are free.

The Des Moines National Poetry Festival used to stage a three-day event. The festival has not been held since 2006, a major loss for Des Moines. I was able to attend only one event and that was a panel discussion during the 2005 program. The panel included then-U.S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, former laureate Billy Collins, Native American poet Joy Harjo, and Swan Scythe Press founder Sandra McPherson.

The panel discussion was informative. I discovered that Collins liked structure in his poems, while a turn of phrase attracted McPherson. Kooser, a native of Ames, unintentionally demonstrated how poetry differs from prose. He made reference to an old, brown suitcase and the audience let out a soft sigh, each with its own memory. Then Kooser started to describe the suitcase, and the audience grunted. The cracked leather and musty smell suddenly came from somebody else’s life, not from each person’s own dreams and experiences. Harjo was my personal favorite because of her topics and the flow of her words.

Charles Simic is the current poet laureate of the United States. His eighteenth book of poetry, That Little Something, was published earlier this year by Harcourt Trade Publishers. A description of the Simic and his work was found on the publisher’s website: “…the superb poet of the vaguely ominous sound and the disturbing, potentially significant image, moves closer to the dark heart of history and human behavior.”

More poetry books can be found in the Spring titles from the University of Iowa Press. I have been a fan of university presses for quite some time and came across the interesting titles of the University of Iowa Press while editing Leading Voices: Iowa. Poetry books in the press’s 2008 list include, G. Matthew Jenkins’ Poetic Obligation: Ethics in Experimental American Poetry after 1945, James E. von der Heydt’s At the Brink of Infinity: Poetic Humility in Boundless American Space, and Women Poets on Mentorship Efforts and Affections, edited by Arielle Greenberg and Rachel Zucker.

M.R. Field designs notecards and other communication pieces based on haikus. 

(Des Moines, IA, March 27, 2008) The Hot Pink Grannies defeated Lighten Up Iowa 20-14 in a Granny Basketball exhibition game at the Central Campus gym. In post-game commentary, Granny Forward Jewell Chapman said, “I feel like we had a lot of fun.”

Chapman scored the first goal of the game and the Grannies led at halftime 14-6. Lighten Up Iowa had taller players but the Hot Pink Grannies had more experience moving the ball as a team. The Iowa team was so new that when the announcer asked if the players were ready to take the court, the captain said, we “haven’t put [the team] together yet.” Helping round out the team of state employees, including some from the Department of Public Health, were members of the Motorcycle Grannies team from Indianola. In the second half, the Iowa team was helped by members of the Wild Wild West Des Moines Grannies.

The Grannies showed their sneaky sides as they managed to move the ball around the Iowa men who just stood and looked down at some of the more diminutive players in this game of six-on-six basketball played under 1920’s rules. In the exhibition game it sometimes seemed as though this was a preview for the Harlem Globetrotters’ appearance at Wells Fargo Arena on March 30th. The ball bounced off knees and shoulders and at one time was kicked by a Granny. With all the player substitutions, confusion sometimes was unavoidable. At the start of the second half a temporary Iowan found herself with the ball and wondering, “who’s my team?” When she realized the player to whom she passed the ball was not on her team she simply said, “oh, no!”

Granny Basketball games last 32 minutes and are divided up into 4 quarters of 8 minutes each. No running or jumping is allowed and only 2 dribbles are permitted. Unlike the Globetrotters, the Grannies pay for their own uniforms, court time, and travel. Like the Globetrotters, they use their appearances to help raise money for charity.

The Hot Pink Grannies vs. Lighten Up Iowa game brought in donations to help out lower income senior citizens with some of their expenses. Last year’s match raised money for a basketball court in Ghana. Patrick Choquette, the son of a state employee, was serving in the Peace Corps and thought the school where he taught chemistry, biology, and physics needed basketball in addition to the soccer and volleyball they already played. At this year’s game, Choquette, who now works for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, gave a brief report on the Ghana court. The schools’ students all pitched in to help construct it.

Twelve Granny Basketball teams will play 6 games in Alburton on Saturday, March 29th. The first game starts at 9:00 a.m.; the last one at 3:15 p.m.. The league has expanded and now includes teams in Illinois, Louisiana, and Minnesota. If your organization is looking for a fundraiser, the Grannies would like you to call.

M.R. Field had to catch some basketball action after missing the NCAA games. 

This coming Monday is St. Patrick’s Day so I must start with the standard, but extremely important, reminders. If you are celebrating with alcohol, have a designated driver. That person could be a friend, a cab driver, or a bus driver, if you end the night early enough

The other St. Patrick’s Day warning goes out to the younger folks. Do not dive into or inch towards the central part of the street during Monday’s parade. Drivers of floats have lots of details they must notice. It is easy not to see a small child picking up candy. It may be fun to see who has collected the most stuff but as in any sport, disobeying rules can get you disqualified.

The Des Moines St. Patrick’s Day Parade always draws a crowd. It is presented by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and starts at noon on March 17th. The parade will follow Locust Street from 15th Street eastward across the Des Moines River to the Embassy Suites Hotel.

If you prefer more compact entertainment, there will be a free Irish Fest at the State Historical Museum (600 East Locust) from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Activities include watching dancers and listening to music. There will also be weavers, spinners, and Irish language lessons.

This will be the third Saturday of the month and that means the vault at the State Historical Museum will be open for tours. The cost is $12 for adults, $8 for children 7-12 years old. The tour starts at 10:30 a.m. and is limited to 20 people. At 1:30 p.m. is a tour of the Civil War Battle Flag Preservation Laboratory. This tour is limited to 7 participants, ages 16 years and older. Its cost is $20, or $18 for Historical Society members, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Iowa Battle Flag Preservation Fund. Both tours last an hour. Make your reservations at (515) 281-7395.

The Democratic Party’s county conventions are on Saturday the 15th, as is the state Libertarian Party convention. The Polk County Democrats will gather at Valley West High School in West Des Moines. The Libertarians will gather at the Hilton Garden Inn in Johnston.

J.D. Flanagan is the scheduled performer for Botanical Blues on Sunday the16th. Cost is $4 for adults. Time is 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Location is the Botanical Center on the east side of the Des Moines River.

Performing at Ritual Cafe (between 13th and Locust) will be Steve Kastli on Friday and Sharon Bousquet on Saturday. The time for both is 8:00 p.m.

Spring break for the Des Moines Public Schools is next week, March 17th through the 21st. That may mean more or fewer crowds at some of your favorite activity sites.

Grand Canyon: A River at Risk opens at the IMAX in the Science Center of Iowa on Friday the 14th. The film follows two father-daughter teams down the river to raise awareness about water issues across the globe.

M.R. Field encourages organizations and performers to send news about their upcoming events to events@AroundDesMoines.com. 

In September 2007 the Older Iowans Legislature (OIL) convened to select its top issues for the 2008 session of the Iowa General Assembly. In the organization’s February 2008 newsletter, B.L. Donaldson, who serves as speaker of the OIL House, observed that with the state’s budget constrained OIL “would be wise…to only push for Bills that do not require any major expenditures. In other words…standardization of Long Term Health Care Insurance [SF2052]….” With the first legislative funnel plugged, how stand the bills of interest to OIL?

HF2142 passed out of committee on Tuesday of funnel week. This bill was introduced by Rep. Eric Palmer (D-Mahaska County) and allows individuals harmed by certain consumer fraud violations to sue for damages and attorney’s fees. The lobbyist declarations for and against it split down business lines. The attorney general, the Department of Elder Affairs, the trail lawyers association, the AFL-CIO, and Iowa Citizen Action Network (ICAN) support the legislation. Realtors, grocery stores, consumer product companies, pharmaceutical companies, a bank, grocery chain, and the behemoth Wal-Mart all oppose the bill. It passed the Judiciary committee on a vote of 13-8.

In a phone interview with AroundDesMoines.com, Ron Jome, chair of OIL’s board of directors, said the group was pleased that its elder abuse initiatives were still alive and maybe the legislature could focus on expanding those services to all 99 counties. He also said he thought “the Senate and the House did listen to the Older Iowans Legislature. They did submit all of our bills for consideration so we are pleased with that.” There is still concern with the senior living trust fund, particularly that the legislature may decide to use it for something other than “for what the Older Iowans Legislature was excited about it.”

According to an update of legislation sent out to members by Jome on March 4th, SF2082 is now in the Appropriations committee. (Bills in Appropriations were not subject to the funnel deadline.) This legislation would restrict use of the senior living trust fund to assisting with alternative long-term care (e.g., at-home care) and would require a minimum fund balance of $200 million. A companion bill in the House (HF2114) did not make it out of the Human Resources committee. Also in Appropriations is SF2082, which would provide $2,653,497 to fund elder abuse initiatives in fiscal year 2009.

Legislation to raise the personal needs allowance for residents in certain institutional health facilities did not make it out of either chamber’s Human Resources committee. Current law provides a personal allowance to individuals if their monthly income is below $50. The proposed legislation would have raised that amount each year based on the cost of living.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that in 2006 11% of Des Moines residents and 14.6% of Iowans were age 65 or older. OIL places the number of people age 60 or older in its 9-county central district at 570,000. Iowa has 13 Area Agencies on Aging, created under the 1973 Older Americans Act.

M.R. Field is editor of Leading Voices: Iowa.