From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
The transition of Mercy Iowa City to the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown is officially complete. Signs on the campus were switched out Wednesday morning, showing the new ownership of the building. UIHC is looking to switch electronic medical records over to the same system the main campus uses, Epic. UIHC will open another location in North Liberty next year.
A bill to overhaul Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, or AEAs, has passed the Senate Education Subcommittee. Dozens of teachers, administrators and parents were there to voice both concerns and support. AEA programs help schools across Iowa with free resources for students with different needs as well as provide professional training. Governor Reynolds argues Iowa’s nine AEAs haven’t done a good enough job educating students. Her plan would eliminate directors and allow school districts to choose whether to contract with their local AEA for services.
An Iowa House subcommittee unanimously rejected a bill that would have removed civil rights protections for gender identity. The rejected bill would have instead defined gender dysphoria as a protected disability. People in opposition to the bill celebrated the decision in the Rotunda of the state capitol.
Perry High School students returned to class Wednesday for the first time since the deadly school shooting earlier this month. A sixth grade student, Ahmir Joliff was killed in the January 4 shooting. High school Principal Dan Marburger died from his injuries 10 days later. Six others people were hurt. There was an added police presence and therapy dogs at the school as students arrived. Elementary and Middle School students are already back in the classroom.
Officials arrested a boy accused of making threats against two Iowa school districts. A 14-year-old former student at Osage allegedly posted online he was planning shootings at the schools. Charges are pending. Osage in northern Iowa, and Wayne Community in southern Iowa, say both went into lockdown early Tuesday morning.
