http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby Charlotte Eby, an Iowa native, has covered the Iowa Legislature and politics in the state since 2001. She is the Des Moines bureau chief for Lee Enterprises. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:41:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en DES MOINES – Vice President Joe Biden took on critics of the Obama administration in a forceful speech to Democratic activists in Des Moines Saturday. Appearing at a fundraising dinner for Iowa Democratic Party, Biden pointed to the economic challenges he and President Obama faced when they were sworn into ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=391 JOHNSTON – Congressman Bruce Braley called criticisms that the federal Cash for Clunkers program did not significantly affect the fuel-efficiency of vehicles on America’s roads “absurd.” An analysis of data by the Associated Press found that the most common deals replaced old pickups with new ones that got only marginally ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=388 JOHNSTON – Two Iowa casinos have agreed to fines for admitting people who should not have been allowed inside. The Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington was fined $20,000 for admitting an underage female who played a slot machine and was served an alcoholic beverage. A security supervisor questioned her identification ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=386 DES MOINES – Gov. Chet Culver and the union representing the largest group of Iowa’s state employees announced an agreement to save nearly 500 state jobs by imposing furloughs and benefit reductions. The deal with the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61 must still be ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=383 DES MOINES – Des Moines lawyer and Democrat Roxanne Conlin officially filed papers today to run for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Chuck Grassley. Conlin, 65, is a well-known Democratic activist who was the party’s nominee for governor in 1982. That year she became the ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=378 DES MOINES – Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty delivered a tough critique of the Obama administration and a Congress he said is dramatically off course in the keynote speech at an Iowa GOP fundraiser Saturday night. As speculation builds that he will make a presidential bid in 2012, Pawlenty sought to ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=375 JOHNSTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin thinks the country should have a debate on whether the Medicare program providing health care to U.S. seniors ought to be expanded to cover children as well. Harkin floated the idea with reporters after a taping Friday of Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press.” “It’s ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=373 DES MOINES – Days before coming to Iowa to headline a Republican Party fundraiser, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was noncommittal about whether he would run for president but didn’t shut the door to a campaign. In recent weeks, Pawlenty has launched the Freedom First PAC, fueling speculation that he is ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=371 My Lee colleague Ed Tibbetts of the Quad-City Times has this dispatch from the southeastern part of the state -- A registered lobbyist at the Iowa Legislature has been arrested, accused of threatening to extort $1 million from the conservative Iowans for Tax Relief, authorities said today. Mary Katheryn Moravek, 51, of ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=368 DES MOINES – The White House’s drug czar said Monday that Iowa officials should look at the problems California has seen after allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes as they consider the idea here. Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, specifically ... http://www.wcfcourier.com/app/blogs/eby/?p=366