MARION — Nicolette Hahn Niman has seen, and smelled, her share of hog confinement operations. The environmental advocate and author wasn’t surprised that the Iowa Legislature passed the so-called “ag gag” bill, which makes it a crime to take a farm job under false pretenses. The law goes into effect July 1, despite the...
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CEDAR RAPIDS   – St. Luke’s Hospital officials say they are holding off on demolishing a church for as long as possible as supporters scramble to raise funds to save the historic structure. Daily demonstrations outside First Christian Church, 840 Third Ave. SE, have been postponed because of Third Avenue construction, but work continues behind...
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CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – April 5, 2012 – The Linn County Board of Health today announced the winners of its Healthy Worksite Wellness Awards during a breakfast ceremony at Elmcrest Country Club. There were five award categories based on employer size: Winner of employer with fewer than 50 employees: Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste...
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CEDAR RAPIDS – Cedar Rapids makes medical history. Thursday morning, a Dr. Kevin Kopesky will remove a patient’s gall-bladder at St. Luke’s Hospital. He’ll do it with just one incision and the help of a robot. St. Luke’s said this will only be the second time this surgery has been done in Iowa. It’s the first...
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Decorah is among 10 towns announced today, April 4, as one of the small communities selected to receive site visits for the Blue Zones Project. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield also announced the following communities were chosen to compete to be a demonstration site: Algona, Audobon, Fairfield, Harlan, Osage, Red Oak, Spirit Lake,...
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   Mercy Dialysis is the recipient of the 2011 Heartland Kidney Network 5-Diamond Patient Safety Award.  The award is in recognition of Mercy’s patient safety initiatives and its outstanding dialysis care to the community for more than 27 years. Mercy Medical Center, based in Cedar Rapids, opened the area’s first – and only –...
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Appanoose County didn’t take its last-place finish in a health rankings report lightly. Residents in the south-central Iowa county formed a wellness coalition after it was named least healthy in the state last year by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “We’ve made really great strides,” said Joyce Bieber, executive director of the Centerville-Rathbun Lake...
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IOWA CITY — The Iowa Hawkeyes are now taking nominations for Kid Captains for the upcoming football season. Current and former patients of the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital are eligible to become a Kid Captain during a Hawkeye football game.  The program, in its 4th year, honors patients and celebrates their survival stories....
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The following is from the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club: Des Moines – In a ruling today, Polk County District Court Judge Mary Pat Gunderson ruled in favor of the environment and water quality. “After more than 30 years, this antidegradation rule finally brings Iowa into compliance with the Clean Water Act,” said...
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Students in personal trainer Nichole Holze’s exercise class took turns going around a circle and shouting the names of  different colors during a Friday, March 30, 2012, class at the Cedar Rapids JayCees building. “Let’s do it again,” Holze said as the cycle finished, “But this time I want you to extend...
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