Dallas County Hospital Contributes Millions to the Local Economy
Dallas County Hospital contributes $7.3 million to the local economy on an annual basis.
That’s according to the Iowa Hospital Association who recently released their latest study. The hospital generates 150 jobs. Employees spend $1.9 million on retail sales and contribute $117,000 in state sales tax revenue each year.
Hospital Board Chair Mary Laborde says the impact they make on the local community is something Dallas County Hospital is very proud of.
“We understand that as a community partner, our reach extends well beyond the walls of our facility. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to serve those in our community, not only from a healthcare perspective, but also on a financial level – providing jobs and positively impacting the local economy.”
The IHA study examines jobs, income, retail sales and sales tax produced by hospitals and the rest of the state’s health care sector.
Real Estate Records to be Placed Online
Real estate documents will soon be more simple to access in Dallas County thanks to an agreement between the County and Cott Systems.
County Recorder Chad Airhart says this new software will modernize records and make access to the documents as easy as logging into a computer. It’s a goal he has had since first being elected in 2010.
“As one of the fastest growing counties in Iowa it’s important that we be as efficient as we can and that we have a software system that is the best system for us as the workload increases and the challenges that we face daily increase. I was very confident that Cott was right direction for us to go with that and really pleased that our Board (of Supervisors) made the decision to approve this software system and we’re excited to get it installed this summer.”
Senator Chapman Says Bicycle Passing Bill is Just a Feel Good, Not Effective
A bill that would require motorists to use specific caution when passing bicyclists on Iowa roads was approved by the state Senate last week but some say it’s pointless legislation.
District 10 State Senator Jake Chapman says even proponents of the bill stood on the floor of the Senate and told them the bill does nothing to change the law but it’s about education.
“We already have the law in place. If you’re going to pass bicyclists, you need to treat them as a motor vehicle and pass in the adjacent lane. I’m not in favor of expanding Iowa code just to expand Iowa code. If we want to talk about education, and certainly I’m in favor of that. It’s a great recreational activity, and actually for some people it’s their manes for transportation. We need to promote safe education and how to treat bicyclists, and how bicyclists need to treat drivers.”
Chapman says he doesn’t feel it’s prudent for lawmakers to take up bills for laws that are already in place. Though it’s a feel good bill, he says it didn’t accomplish anything.
Weekly Precipitation Update
March in Iowa is historically a rather dry month, according to the National Weather Service, and so far the Raccoon River Valley has seen just a small amount of precipitation.
Perry and Jefferson saw around 0.06 inch of precipitation this week, along with 0.3 and 0.4 inch of snow respectively. Guthrie Center is reporting no precipitation so far this month.
Normal precipitation totals in March are 0.15 inch of rain and 0.6 inch of snow.
Diabetic Education Program Starts Monday at Dallas County Hospital
Dallas County Hospital is hosting another Diabetic Education Program starting next week.
The classes will take place on Mondays starting March 7th from 6-7pm at the hospital and continue for four weeks.
Experts will take about diabetes and how to manage it. The cost to attend is $10 per person, or free for Well and Wise club members.
Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To sign up call 465-7628.