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Plenty to do in Marshalltown this weekend

From town halls to bowling, from books to eating spaghetti to enjoying a local play production, once again we are blessed to have many fun events happening this coming weekend in Marshalltown.

As an avid reader, and having a daughter who is a librarian, I would like to highlight the Marshalltown Public Library’s annual book sale.  This is a great opportunity for you to pick up some great books and support the library.

Please think about attending one of these wonderful events.

Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer town hall

Rep. Abby Finkenauer (R-Iowa) will hold a town hall at 4 p.m., Saturday at the Fisher Community Center, 709 S. Center St.

Finkenauer looks forward to hearing directly from Iowans about issues affecting the district including healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and education. Her top priority is making sure Iowans are being heard, and this week’s town halls will help Finkenauer continue uplifting Iowans’ voices and stories.

Finkenauer continues to work with colleagues across the aisle on issues important to Iowa’s First Congressional District, has introduced 11 bipartisan bills and voted to pass 275 bipartisan bills through the House. She is committed to lowering the cost of prescription drugs, finding a solution to fixing Iowa’s roads and bridges and fighting for Iowa’s hard-working families by encouraging growth of well-paying jobs and ensuring trade markets are strong.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

The Friends of the Marshalltown Public Library will hold its annual book sale from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, from 1-4 p.m., Sunday and from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Monday. The sale will take place in the library’s Community Meeting Rooms. Books will be available for every age and interest. A large selection of books for kids will be for sale along with best sellers, mysteries, romances and westerns. Non-fiction selections will include cookbooks, biographies, history, inspiration, travel and more.

All proceeds from the sale go to the Friends of the Marshalltown Public Library and will be used to purchase new materials of all types and for all ages.

MCT presents “Play On”

This is the hilarious story of a theater group trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty authoress who keeps revising the script.  Act I, Act II and the final act are rehearsal, dress rehearsal and the performance, in which anything that can go wrong, does.

When the authoress decides to give a speech on the state of the modern theatre during the curtain calls, the audience is treated to a madcap climax to a thoroughly hilarious romp. Even the sound effects reap their share of laughter.

Showtime begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Martha Ellen Tye Playhouse, 709 S. Center St.

Corey Brown Memorial Bowling Tournament

Corey left our earthly world at the young age of 13. He was full of life, inquisitive and above all he was kind to everyone. Corey’s memory and his message will continue on in so many things he loved — family, friends, animals, running and bowling. The Marshalltown Area USBC is organizing this tournament with proceeds that will fund a Scholarship in Corey’s name to be awarded starting next school year. Please come and join us as we gather for such a wonderful cause in honor of a wonderful young man. Let’s “Light Up The Lanes” with family, friends, fun, laughter and kindness.

The tournament begins at noon on Saturday and lasts until 6 p.m. It will also be held at the same time on Sunday. The event is at Wayward Social, 1101 South Sixth St.

Accessible and affordable health care for Iowans

Iowa’s health care system continues to be in crisis. Not only are the number of Iowans without health insurance rising, but the cost of insurance premiums and co-pays continue to increase.  Since July, more than 3,400 prescription drugs have gone up an average of 10.5 percent, with one type of insulin that has increased 353 percent over the last 15 years causing patients to ration their insulin intake.

Access to health care has declined as well, with more than 100 health care facilities and providers closing over the last decade, many in rural areas.  Iowans also lack access to quality mental health services as the governor and majority party lawmakers have closed three facilities in Iowa and reduced services at two others that serve those struggling with mental illness.

This session, House Democrats are working on four bills to make health care more affordable and accessible, including: 

• Expanding mental health services – Funding Iowa’s regional mental system so kids and adults can get the services they need.

• Lowering prescription drug costs – Taking steps to lower out of pocket drug costs by stopping pharmacy benefit managers from overcharging the cost of prescriptions then reimbursing pharmacies at a lower rate to line their own pockets.

• Protecting Iowans with pre-existing conditions – Putting in new protections in Iowa law to guarantee that Iowans with pre-existing conditions can’t be denied health care.

• Broadening preventative health care for children – Bring the 1st Five Program to all 99 counties in Iowa, which is an early detection and support system for social-emotional and developmental delays in children from birth to 5 years old.

If you want more information about our plan visit, https://iowahouse.org/healthcare.

Iowa Lawmakers Consider Changes to Medical Cannabis Program

Last session, the House and Senate passed bipartisan legislation to expand Iowa’s medical cannabis law and help more Iowans suffering from debilitating conditions like cancer and epilepsy. However, the bill was unexpectedly vetoed by Gov. Reynolds.

The vetoed bill, House File 732, increased the THC cap from 3 percent to 25 grams over a 90-day period. It would have also allowed the Medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board (mCBD) to grant a waiver for terminally ill patients to receive more than the 25 grams dose if a health care practitioner determined the supply was inadequately alleviating the patient’s debilitating medical condition.  

Last fall the mCBD passed a proposal recommending the legislature replace the current 3 percent THC cap with 4.5 grams of THC over a 90-day period. This limit would not apply to the terminally ill and could be increased by a certifying health care provider without the board’s approval.

This session, lawmakers are considering a new bill, HSB 653, to incorporate the board’s recommended 4.5 grams of THC over a 90-day period. However, the bill’s proposed THC level is significantly lower than most Iowan’s current dosage. Additionally, HSB 653 does not allow physicians to certify a waiver for their terminally ill patients to receive a higher THC dosage. As a result, some Iowans may return to increasing their opioid intake due to the inadequacy of 4.5 grams for pain relief.

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