����vlog

News Close Up...Iowa's cancer UP IOWA’S CANCER FIGHT. FROM NOW ON, A FIRST RESPONDER IN THE STATE OF IOWA, IF THEY’RE DIAGNOSED, WE’LL KNOW THAT THEIR CANCERS ARE COVERED. FIREFIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE RENEWED HOPE FOR TREATMENT. STILL, MORE THAN 1 IN 20 IOWANS WILL HAVE A CANCER DIAGNOSIS AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES. I HAVE LUNG CANCER. I HAVE NO FAMILY HISTORY OF LUNG CANCER. TODAY, A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THE NATION FOR CANCER CASES. SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN DONE YESTERDAY. SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO. WE’VE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY. AND DO DOCTORS THINK THE STATE IS DOING ENOUGH TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM? NO. I THINK WE’RE MAKING SOME STEPS AND A LITTLE LATER, THE STATE’S LATEST ONE ECONOMY REPORT IS OUT. DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE DISPARITIES, BLACK RESIDENTS IN POLK COUNTY ARE FACING, IT IS REALLY FOR MANY PEOPLE, AN EYE OPENER, A PATH FORWARD FOR BETTER HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION AND HEALTH. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. TODAY WE’RE DIGGING INTO TWO KEY ISSUES DISPARITIES FACED BY THE BLACK POPULATION IN POLK COUNTY AND A PATH FORWARD FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE STATE OF CANCER IN IOWA. AFTER A LONG FIGHT, A BILL EXPANDING BENEFITS FOR IOWA FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS BATTLING CANCER IS ON ITS WAY TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK. HOUSE FILE 969 WOULD PROVIDE WORKERS COMPENSATION FOR FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING ALL TYPES OF CANCER AND EXTENDS THE BROADER INSURANCE COVERAGE INTO RETIREMENT. FOR KELLY STOKES, THAT MEANS NO FELT. HER HUSBAND BRIAN, A LONGTIME DES MOINES FIREFIGHTER, LOST HIS BATTLE TO CANCER IN 2023. HE WOULD GO TO WORK WHEN HE COULDN’T OR HAD TO USE SICK LEAVE, RISK RUNNING OUT OF SICK LEAVE AND JUST NOT BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON HIS CARE, HIS MEDICAL CARE THAT HE NEEDED. KELLY SAYS SHE IS SO EXCITED THAT THIS CHANGE HAS NOW BEEN ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING LAW. WELL, RADON EXPOSURE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER IN IOWA. RANKS FIRST IN THE PERCENTAGE OF HOMES THAT HAVE RADON LEVELS AT OR ABOVE THE EPA’S ACCEPTED AMOUNT. NEARLY 1500 IOWANS ARE EXPECTED TO DIE FROM LUNG CANCER THIS YEAR. THAT’S MORE THAN 25%, OR MORE TIED TO RADON. ����vlog IS BEN KAPLAN INVESTIGATES WHAT’S BEING DONE TO PROTECT US FROM THIS RADIOACTIVE GAS. THEY SAY NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. HELLO? ANYBODY HOME? MAYBE THE RADON MAN HERE. J.B. SCHERER, IS BRIGHT COLORED SWEATSHIRT WILL SUFFICE. FOR TWO DECADES NOW. I WAS ONE OF THE YOUNGEST PEOPLE TO BE CERTIFIED. THE SELF-PROCLAIMED RADON MAN’S JOB HAS BEEN TO HELP PROTECT IOWANS FROM THE SILENT ASSASSIN. IS THERE A CERTAIN AGE OR TYPE OF HOME THAT YOU FIND TYPICALLY HAVE HIGHER RADON LEVELS? NO, IT DOESN’T SEEM TO MATTER. ALL OF THEM HAVE ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE CHANCE OF FAILURE. AROUND 70% IS MUCH ABOVE THE ONE OUT OF 15 NATIONALLY. BUT SCHERER SAYS 100% OF IOWANS CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. EVERY HOUSE IS FIXABLE, AND THAT TESTING IS THE FIRST STEP. THESE ARE WHAT’S CALLED CONTINUOUS RADON MONITORS. THESE ARE GENERALLY WHAT’S USED FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS OR DO IT YOURSELF. CHARCOAL TEST KITS ARE JUST AS ACCURATE. THOSE TESTS COST BETWEEN 10 AND 20 BUCKS AND CAN BE FOUND AT HARDWARE STORES AND EVEN MANY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. AND THE LEVELS YOU’RE WATCHING FOR. THE EPA SAYS IF IT’S ABOVE FOUR, FIX IT. IF IT’S BETWEEN 2 AND 4, SERIOUSLY, CONSIDER FIXING IT. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION STANDARDS ARE STRICTER. ANYTHING ABOVE 2.7 PICOCURIES PER LITER OF AIR IS TOO HIGH. AS FOR THE READINGS IN THIS HOME, THE LAST TEST WE JUST PICKED UP WAS 0.4, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS OUTSIDE AIR. SO THAT IS AN ALL CLEAR. SO ALL THE RADON, IT’S THE SAME AS OUTSIDE AIR. YOUR SAFE BEING IN THE BASEMENT AS YOU ARE OUTSIDE. THAT’S THANKS TO STEP TWO. A RADON MITIGATION SYSTEM LIKE THIS ONE. WHAT THEY DO IS PULL STRONGER THAN THE NATURAL PRESSURE OF THE HOUSE. THIS ACTIVE MITIGATION SYSTEM USES A FAN TO PULL THE GAS THROUGH THIS PVC PIPING INSTALLED BELOW THE SLAB IN THE BASEMENT TO OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. IT JUST MITIGATES IT SAFELY OUTSIDE. SO NO RADON IS COMING INTO THE HOUSE. SCHERER DIDN’T INSTALL THIS UNIT, BUT SAYS THE AVERAGE ONE HE DOES INSTALL COST BETWEEN 14 TO $1500. WE ALWAYS SAY IT’S A LOT CHEAPER THAN LUNG CANCER. IT COST US $1,200 TO HAVE OURS INSTALLED. THAT WAS AROUND FIVE YEARS AGO. AFTER ADEL RESIDENT MARIA STEELE RECEIVED LIFE ALTERING NEWS. WOW. SO RADON HAS AFFECTED MY LIFE IN MANY WAYS. THE MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER, WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR LUNG CANCER, WHICH HAD SPREAD TO HER BONES. IT KIND OF JUST ROCKED MY WORLD. AND WAS TOTALLY OUT OF LEFT FIELD. STEELE SAYS SHE DIDN’T SMOKE, AND HER RESEARCH INDICATED RADON COULD BE A CULPRIT. SO SHE TESTED HER HOME WITH ONE OF THOSE DO IT YOURSELF KITS. IT WAS DOUBLE WHAT IT SHOULD BE. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE IT’S NOT REALLY. I’LL DO IT AGAIN. SO I, YOU KNOW, WENT TO A DIFFERENT HARDWARE STORE, GOT A DIFFERENT KIT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS STILL HIGH. THE NOW RETIRED NURSE PRACTITIONER SAYS SHE HAD A MITIGATION SYSTEM INSTALLED WITHIN THE WEEK. AND SHE RETESTS EVERY TWO YEARS, JUST LIKE SCHERER TELLS HIS CUSTOMERS TO DO, TO COMPENSATE FOR ANY CHANGES TO YOUR HOME’S FOUNDATION. LIKE SHIFTING THAT CAN CAUSE CRACKS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT. IT’S BECAUSE OF THE UNDERLYING GEOLOGY. WHAT IOWA IS BUILT ON. THAT’S WHAT DOCTOR BETSY SWANNER, A BIOGEOCHEMIST AND PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EARTH, ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE AT IOWA STATE, SAYS IS THE SIMPLEST EXPLANATION FOR WHY RADON IS SO ABUNDANT IN OUR STATE. THE SOILS THAT WE LIVE ON ARE DERIVED FROM MATERIAL THAT WAS BROUGHT HERE BY GLACIERS FROM OTHER PARTS OF NORTH AMERICA, OR THEY WERE CREATED BY ROCKS THAT WERE DEPOSITED OUT OF AN OCEAN THAT WAS HERE IN THE DEEP PAST. SWANNER SAYS THESE MATERIALS CONTAIN A LOT OF URANIUM, WHICH CAN DECOMPOSE INTO RADON. RADON CAN ESCAPE THROUGH THE FRACTURES AND CRACKS IN OUR SOIL AND THEN INTO OUR HOMES AND BODIES. WHAT’S REALLY DANGEROUS IS THAT WE INHALE THAT RADON, AND WHILE IT’S IN OUR LUNGS, IT DECOMPOSES TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT’S A SOLID. AND THEN THAT SOLID IS STUCK IN OUR LUNGS AND COULD UNDERGO FURTHER RADIOACTIVE DECAYS AND RELEASE HARMFUL ENERGY AND PARTICLES INTO OUR BODIES. IT’S WHAT STEELE SAYS. HER DOCTOR, RICHARD DEMING, TOLD HER LUNG CANCER. AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, MARIA, NO ONE CAN SAY, FOR WITH 100%, HOWEVER, YOU HAVE NO OTHER RISK FACTORS AND SAYS IT’S LONG OVERDUE THAT THE IOWA LEGISLATURE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO. WE’VE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY. OTTUMWA REPRESENTATIVE HANS WILLS IS TRYING TO BE A VOICE FOR CHANGE. HE INTRODUCED MULTIPLE BILLS AND SUPPORTED ANOTHER. THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WOULD HELP IOWANS IN THEIR BATTLE AGAINST THE RADIOACTIVE GAS. WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND WAYS TO PREVENT RADON FROM BEING IN YOUR HOME. ON WEDNESDAY, LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PROVIDE HOMEOWNERS UP TO A $1,000 TAX CREDIT TO INSTALL A MITIGATION SYSTEM UNANIMOUSLY ADVANCED TO THE FULL HOUSE FOR A VOTE. AND LAWMAKERS ARE STILL CONSIDERING TWO OTHER BILLS THAT WOULD REQUIRE NEW BUILDS INSTALL SYSTEMS AND PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR FREE TESTING KITS. WILL SAYS THESE PIECES OF LEGISLATION COULD ALSO SAVE IOWANS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FUTURE MEDICAL BILLS. ALMOST EVERY STUDY TELLS YOU THAT EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON RADON MITIGATION IS GOING TO SAVE YOU 20 TO 30, MAYBE EVEN $40 OF AVOIDED HEALTH CARE LATER ON IN LIFE. WILL SAYS WORK FOR THIS YEAR STARTED LAST SUMMER AFTER RADON LEGISLATION FAILED TO MAKE IT TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK IN 2024. EVEN WITH THE SAME INFORMATION ABOUT ITS POTENTIALLY DEADLY IMPACTS LAWMAKERS HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM NOW. I’M OPTIMISTIC. I THINK THIS IS A REAL ATTEMPT TO GET AS MANY THINGS FROM RADON DOWN THE ROAD, AND THE MESSAGING IS RIGHT. IT AFFECTS ALL IOWANS. ACCORDING TO PROFESSOR SWARNER, THE PROBLEM OF IOWA BEING THE LEVEL IT’S AT IS A PROBLEM. IT’S NOT GOING AWAY. WHICH MEANS THE RADON MAN WILL CONTINUE ANSWERING CUSTOMER’S CALLS FOR HELP BECAUSE IOWA’S FIGHT IS JUST GETTING STARTED. NOW, OUR BEN KAPLAN AND ����vlog CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER SUZANNE BEHNKE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL OF THE ANGLES TO IOWA’S CANCER CRISIS. SUZANNE IS HERE TO SHARE SOME OF THAT RESEARCH WITH US. SUZANNE, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. GLAD TO BE HERE. YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING AT ALL THE ANGLES OF THIS. NOW, AS WE HEARD FROM THIS STORY THAT YOU AND BEN PUT TOGETHER, IOWA HAS SUCH HIGH AMOUNTS OF RADON. SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOW FREQUENTLY IOWANS ARE GETTING THEIR HOMES CHECKED TO ASSESS RADON LEVELS FOR THE AMOUNT OF RADON THAT WE HAVE IN THIS STATE? YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE HIGHER, BUT THE MOST RECENT RESEARCH I COULD FIND, OR THE STATISTIC WAS ONE OUT OF 15 HOMES, IS TESTED AND 70% OF HOMES WILL EITHER BE AT HIGH LEVELS OR RIGHT AT THE EPA’S RECOMMENDED LEVEL. SO THAT’S THAT’S SEEMINGLY LOW FOR HOW MUCH RADON, YOU KNOW, COULD BE, YOU KNOW, LURKING AROUND THE CORNER FOR PEOPLE HERE POTENTIALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE ARE NO LAWS THAT REQUIRE TESTING. AND IT’S ALSO AN ODORLESS AND COLORLESS GAS. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, HOMEOWNERS OR IF YOU’RE IN IN YOUR HOME AND YOU SMELL SOMETHING, YOU AND IT DOESN’T SMELL GOOD, YOU TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET RID OF IT. OR IF THERE’S SMOKE, YOU HAVE A DETECTOR. THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT AREN’T GOING TO COME UP WITH RADON UNLESS YOU HAVE A TEST OR IT. AND THERE ARE DO IT YOURSELF TESTING KITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT A HARDWARE STORE. THERE ARE SOME AT YOUR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. YOU USUALLY THEY MIGHT NOT ALWAYS HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM, BUT SOME. AND YOU CAN USE THESE TO FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY IF YOU HAVE THAT HIGH LEVEL OR NOT. AND WE KNOW THAT STATE LAWMAKERS RIGHT NOW ARE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE IOWANS POTENTIALLY TO DO THESE TESTS. BUT EVEN IF FOR SOME REASON THESE BILLS DON’T MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, THERE ARE SOME CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT ARE ALSO DOING SOME WORK AS WELL. THERE ARE THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF COUNTIES AND CITIES IN THE STATE THAT HAVE TAKEN SOME EFFORT TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE TO SAY, YES, YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR HOME, ESPECIALLY IF THERE’S NEW CONSTRUCTION. ANY NEW BUILDING IN SOME COUNTIES OR CITIES HAS TO BE TESTED OR HAVE SOME KIND OF MITIGATION SYSTEM IN PLACE ALREADY. ANOTHER THING THAT IS BECOMING MORE, MORE COMMON IS RADON RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS KIND OF HARD TO SAY. YEAH, AND THAT ISN’T REQUIRED AGAIN, BUT IT IS BECOMING A MORE COMMON PRACTICE IN IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. THAT’S REALLY INTERESTING. NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN YOUR HOUSE, BUT THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF HOURS THAT YOU IF YOU’RE WORKING, YOU SPEND IN THE OFFICE OR IF YOU HAVE KIDS, YOU KNOW, YOUR CHILDREN MAY SPEND A LOT OF HOURS IN A SCHOOL. SHOULD IOWANS BE CONCERNED ABOUT RADON IN THEIR WORKPLACE OR IN THEIR CHILD’S SCHOOL? REGARDING A CHILD’S SCHOOL, THERE HAS BEEN A LAW THAT WAS PASSED AND SIGNED A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WOULD REQUIRE SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO TEST FOR RADON. NOW SCHOOLS HAVE UNTIL 2027 TO GET THAT DONE, BUT SOME OF THEM WE KNOW HAVE DONE THAT ALREADY. NOW, IN TERMS OF YOUR WORKPLACE, ASK, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF RADON IN THE STATE. SO IT DOESN’T HURT TO ASK. AND AND ESPECIALLY IN YOUR HOME TO DO THAT TEST. NOW THIS WAS A LONG STORY, BUT I’M TALKING TO YOU FREQUENTLY IN THE NEWSROOM, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF PIECES, YOU KNOW, THAT MAYBE DIDN’T MAKE IT INTO THAT STORY. YOU KNOW WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST? OR STANDS OUT TO YOU THAT YOU WEREN’T ABLE TO TO TELL IOWANS THERE? I DON’T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS HOW FEW PEOPLE TEST, AND THE FACT THAT ONE OF THE ONLY LAWS AROUND TESTING IS IN HOME SALES. IF YOU’RE A HOMEOWNER SELLING AND YOU HAVE KNOWN TEST RESULTS, YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE THOSE TO THE BUYER. AND THEN THERE IS A FACT SHEET THAT’S ON THE IOWA HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT’S WEBSITE THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE THAT BUYER. BUT THAT’S REALLY THE ONLY THING OTHER THAN THE SCHOOLS TESTING THAT’S IN PLACE. AND THAT’S REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT WE’RE SEEING IN PLACE FOR HOMES. AND, YOU KNOW, REALTORS DO RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO A TEST AS WELL. WELL, I KNOW YOU AND BEN ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO TRY TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON WHAT’S DRIVING THIS CANCER CRISIS. SO, SUZANNE, THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE’LL LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WATCHING YOUR WORK. THANK YOU. WELL, WHEN WE COME BACK, WE SHEDDING LIGHT ON TROUBLING DATA ON THE METRO’S BLACK POPULATION. THE DISPARITIES IN IOWA OUTLINED IN THE LATEST ONE ECONOMY REPORT. OKAY. THERE IS A PERSISTENT GAP IN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES IN POLK COUNTY THAT HAS SLIGHTLY WIDENED OVER TIME. A NEW ONE ECONOMY REPORT IS REVEALING DISPARITIES FOR POLK COUNTY’S BLACK POPULATION, SHOWING GAPS IN MORTGAGE DENIALS, HOME VALUES AND RENT PRICES, AND MUCH MORE. THE DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL IS COMPRISED OF BLACK LEADERS FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, DRIVEN BY A MISSION TO OVERCOME RACIAL DISPARITIES AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN DES MOINES ACROSS POLK COUNTY. JOINING ME TODAY IS TDC’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ERICA MARSHALL. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. WELL, WE KNOW THIS ONE ECONOMY REPORT COVERS A LOT OF AREAS. YOU KNOW, HEALTH, EDUCATION, HOUSING, JUST IT’S VERY BROAD. OVERALL, WHAT DISPARITIES STOOD OUT TO YOU AND THEN HOW CAN THAT DATA HELP TO DRIVE CHANGE IN POLK COUNTY? SO SOME OF THE DATA THAT I SAW THAT STOOD OUT, OF COURSE, WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP, IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF US AS AMERICANS TO OWN A HOME, TO HAVE THAT SOURCE OF GENERATIONAL WEALTH. AND SO TO SEE THAT WE HAVE BLACK RESIDENTS HERE THAT ARE COST BURDENED BY MORE THAN DOUBLE MEANING, THEY’RE SPENDING MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON THEIR HOUSING, OR THEY’RE SEEING MORTGAGE DENIAL RATES AT A HIGHER RATE THAN ANYONE ELSE IS CONCERNING. AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE WORRIED ABOUT AND ALL BE LOOKING TO MAKE A CHANGE. ONE THING THAT THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, YOUR REPORT FOUND THAT COMPARED TO WHITE HOUSEHOLDS, THERE’S A 41% GAP IN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES, AND THAT GAP REMAINS LARGELY UNEXPLAINED AFTER CONTROLLING FOR INCOME, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND OTHER SOCIO ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS. YOU KNOW, AND YOU MENTIONED MORTGAGE, YOU KNOW, DENIALS ARE HIGHER AS WELL. IS THERE AN EXPLANATION OR I GUESS, HOW DO YOU HOW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT DISPARITY? YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT OR SOME OF IT CAN BE EXPLAINED BY INCOME LEVELS, RIGHT? WE’RE STILL SEEING LOWER INCOME COMING INTO HOMES, MORE POVERTY SITUATIONS AND COMMUNITY. AND THAT, OF COURSE, CAN AFFECT SOME OF THAT. BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, WE DID DO SOME CONTROLLING FACTORS WITH SOME OF THOSE SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS THAT WE SEE AS FAR AS EDUCATION INCOME LEVELS. AND WE’RE STILL SEEING THAT GAP. SO WHAT WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE IS A SYSTEMIC BARRIER THAT WE NEED TO NOW ADDRESS TO FIGURE OUT HOW EVERYONE CAN BE ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD WHEN IT COMES TO HOMEOWNERSHIP. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTION STEPS THAT CAN BE DONE? ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAVE SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN ON THAT WORK. SO NEIGHBORHOOD FINANCE CORPORATION IS A BIG ONE. THEY STARTED THEIR JOURNEY TO HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT DOES COMBAT SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AND EXPLAINS THE PROCESS AS WE GO FORWARD. WE HAVE PROGRAMS WITHIN FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER THAT POLK COUNTY, YOU KNOW, IS ABLE TO FUND AND PROVIDE, THAT PROVIDES FREE FINANCIAL COACHING TO GET PEOPLE IN A SPACE WHERE THEY’RE READY TO BE HOMEOWNERS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THIS WITH, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OF OUR POLICIES, AND WE EVEN HIGHLIGHT SOME CASE STUDIES OF SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE DOING TO TRY TO BOOST HOMEOWNERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ANOTHER THING THE REPORT NOTED WAS JUST HOW KIND OF INTERCONNECTED THESE DISPARITIES ARE. AND I WOULD IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, BEING A HOMEOWNER CONTRIBUTES RIGHT TO YOUR OVERALL, YOU KNOW, WEALTH, YOUR OVERALL, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO TO LIVE YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU KIND OF SEEING THE WHERE DOES THE BARRIERS IN HOMEOWNERSHIP IMPACT OTHER AREAS OF LIFE? IT IMPACTS QUITE A BIT. I MEAN, WE SEE THAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE STABLE HOUSING, THEN THAT AFFECTS HOW OUR KIDS ARE SHOWING UP AT SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO EAT AT A REGULAR TIME OR THAT STABILITY PIECE ISN’T THERE THAT CAN PROVIDE A DIFFERENT SPACE FOR EDUCATION TO THRIVE. WHEN WE SEE THAT, WE ALSO SEE ISSUES WITH NOT HAVING INSURANCE COVERAGE, WHICH AFFECTS YOUR OVERALL HEALTH. I MEAN, A TEN, OR TEN YEAR LIFE EXPECTANCY DIFFERENCE IS A BIG DEAL, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS. SO IT AFFECTS QUITE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS. SO THAT’S WHY WE’RE REALLY LOOKING AT A COALITION MODEL OF HOW WE ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES. BECAUSE YOU CAN’T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. WELL WE WANT TO GET TO SOME OF THOSE OTHER PIECES OF THE STUDY. AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS BREAK. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. JOINING ME THIS MORNING IS TDC’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERICA MARSHALL. ERICA, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. YOUR ORGANIZATION RECENTLY RELEASED A ONE ECONOMY REPORT. WE’VE BEEN DISCUSSING SOME OF THE DISPARITIES IT FOUND FOR BLACK RESIDENTS IN POLK COUNTY. ONE THING YOU MENTIONED WAS LOOKING AT HEALTH CARE SPECIFICALLY. AND THE REPORT FOUND THAT ACTUALLY, LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR BLACK RESIDENTS IN POLK COUNTY IS LOWER. HOW MUCH LOWER? AND WHAT DO YOU SEE IS DRIVING THAT? YES. SO WE’RE SEEING ABOUT A TEN YEAR DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR A BLACK CHILD BORN IN POLK COUNTY. THAT’S SOMETHING THAT IS ALARMING TO US. SEEING 72 YEARS IS ABOUT WHAT WE WERE FINDING FOR THAT STATISTIC. IT’S IT’S DUE TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS AND PORTION OF IT, I THINK CAN BE NAILED DOWN TO JUST GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND THAT AMOUNT OF INSURANCE COVERAGE THAT WE’RE SEEING. YOU’LL SEE THAT HIGHLIGHTED IN THE REPORT. IT’S ABOUT ONE AND A HALF TIMES OF OUR ADULTS ARE JUST NOT AS INSURED AS THEY SHOULD BE. SO THAT COULD PREVENT YOU FROM GOING TO THOSE REGULAR SCREENINGS AND CHECKUPS THAT OFTENTIMES WILL CATCH SOME OF THOSE LONG, LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS. BETWEEN THAT AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING STILL IN BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH, HAVING ISSUES THERE, THERE’S STILL SOME NEED FOR US TO BE MORE EDUCATED WHEN IT COMES TO OUR HEALTH AND WHAT THAT REALLY ENTAILS. AND THEN IN EDUCATION, THE REPORT ALSO LOOKED AT GRADUATION RATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO DO SOME CASE STUDIES, TALKING THEY TELL YOU? YES. SO WE DID A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOLERS. AND REALLY, WHAT THEY SHARED WITH US IS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE MORE TEACHERS THAT LOOK LIKE THEM, TO HAVE THAT SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING AND BELONGING IN A SPACE CAN REALLY ELEVATE HOW YOU CONNECT. AND THAT’S REALLY WHAT WE’RE SEEING WITH SOME OF OUR GRADUATION RATES, IS THE CONNECTION MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THERE. AND SO OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE CASE STUDY, WE SAW WHERE THEY DO HAVE RESIDENCY PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS COULD REALLY HELP PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GET NEW TEACHERS HERE IN COMMUNITY AND DEAL WITH OUR OVERALL TEACHER SHORTAGE. SO THERE’S SOME OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION THERE, AND WE HAVE TO FIND WHAT WORKS FOR US HERE IN DES MOINES, METRO. ANOTHER THING, THIS REPORT LOOKED AT IS WITH ALL OF THESE DISPARITIES IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TOPICS, THERE’S A COST ASSOCIATED TO POLK COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID YOU FIND IN THAT AREA? YES. WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE COST OF DISPARITIES IS ABOUT $1 BILLION HERE IN POLK COUNTY. SO WE’RE LOSING OUT ON INCOME BY NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH COMMUNITY. AND THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE. WE’RE SEEING A HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR COMMUNITY, AND THOSE ARE JOBS THAT IOWANS WE NEED TO FULFILL. IT’S AFFECTING OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE ALL NEED TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION. WELL, JERICKA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WELL, SENATOR GRASSLEY HELD TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN SEVERAL IOWA COMMUNITIES. THE CONCERNS HE HEARD FROM IOWANS REGARDING THE ECONOMY AND HIS RESPONSE AFTER THE BREAK. WELCOME BACK. IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY FACED POINTED QUESTIONS FROM CENTRAL IOWANS DURING A MULTI-STOP TOUR ACROSS THE STATE LAST WEEK DURING A TENSE TOWN HALL IN JEFFERSON. SOME RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S POWER AND RISING COSTS FROM RECENT TARIFFS. WE JUST HAD TO RAISE THE PRICE OF COFFEE AND DRINKS AND EVERYTHING FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO COMES TO MY SHOP IN THIS WAY, YOU KNOW. OTHERS ASKED GRASSLEY WHETHER CONGRESS WILL APPROVE SUBSIDIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE FEELING THE PINCH FROM TARIFFS. GRASSLEY SAYS CONGRESS WILL NOT. BUT HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THOSE OWNERS ARE FACING. HE ALSO DEFENDED PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS PRESIDENT IS DOING WHAT HE SAID DURING THE CAMPAIGN. HE WAS DOING IT. HE’S DOING IT FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING TARIFFS DOWN GLOBALLY AND FOR AMERICA TO BE TREATED, TREATED WELL. GRASSLEY ALSO TOUTED HIS BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WOULD GIVE CONGRESS CONTROL OVER THE PRESIDENT’S USE OF TARIFFS. HE SAYS IT WOULD NOT CHANGE THE TARIFFS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT IF PASSED, WOULD LIMIT THE PRESIDENT’S AUTHORITY ON TRADE IN THE FUTURE. WELL, HERE IN IOWA, A BILL LOWERING THE MINIMUM AGE TO BUY OR CARRY A HANDGUN IN THE STATE WAS SIGNED INTO LAW ON FRIDAY. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SIGNED HOUSE FILE 924. IT LOWERS THE MINIMUM AGE TO BUY OR CARRY A HANDGUN FROM 21 TO 18. THE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE TO A U.S. SUPREME COURT RULING AND OTHER DISTRICT COURT RULINGS THAT FOUND SOME RESTRICTIONS ON ADULTS OWNING FIREARMS, LIKE AGE RESTRICTIONS, ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. WELL, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS EASTER SUNDAY MORNING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.