SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

October 25, 2023

Sullivan’s Salvos 10/31/23

In this edition:

*Happy Halloween!

*VOTE!

*COVID Shot

*Big Changes at County Buildings

*Iowa City Human Rights Awards

*Remembering November 1, 1991

*A Few Bad Actors

*Did You Know?

*Happy Halloween!

Halloween is Tuesday the 31^st. I have been amazed in recent years by the amount of effort (and money) that goes into decorating homes for the season. When I was young, few homes displayed anything other than carved pumpkins. Now, there are huge blow-up characters, lights, and much more.

Regardless of how you view Halloween, we need to remember a few key things: First, be careful! One thing that has not changed is an abundance of young children in dark costumes excitedly crossing streets. Secondly, you may want to temporarily take down your campaign yard signs. Despite annual accusations to the contrary, I still think most signs that disappear are teen pranks. Finally, have fun! Halloween offers all of us an opportunity to be young again.

VOTE!

Election season is upon us, and voters in the ICCSD face a very serious choice. There are seven candidates for the ICCSD Board, three of whom are “parent’s rights” candidates.

It is critical that these candidates lose and lose badly! This is our opportunity to demonstrate that we care about *ALL* the children in our District, regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual identity, disability, etc. Now is the time to stand up and be heard!

Again, there are 7 candidates in this election, to fill four seats. Incumbents Lisa Williams, Charlie Eastham, and Molly Abraham have done a great job, and they deserve your continued support. Mitch Lingo should get your fourth vote. He has a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and is philosophically aligned with the incumbents.

We are not even going to mention the others. Just remember to vote Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo! Please join me in preserving the type of education people in the ICCSD have come to expect!

Election Day is November 7, but voting began October 18! Please get out and vote! Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo!

*COVID Shot

I just got a COVID shot. It was my fifth – I previously got shots in 3/21, 4/21, 10/21, 10/22, and now 10/23.

I am proud to say that. I think it reflects that I am willing to do what it takes for the good of everyone else. I hope you feel the same way.

Johnson County is proudly paying for the shot for any of our employees who want it. Shots are administered through our Department of Public Health, and funded through our self-insurance pool.

*Big Changes at County Buildings

The Johnson County administration building is undergoing renovations. On October 23, offices will begin moving to temporary locations in the Health & Human Services Building at 855 S Dubuque Street. The move will take place over several weeks.

If you need to access a county government office, please call ahead to see where you need to go. More info is available on the county website at: www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

*Iowa City Human Rights Awards

I attended the 39^th Annual Iowa City Human Rights Awards on October 25. The Human Rights Commission honored several deserving individuals and organizations. DVIP received the Bill Reagan Award. Tashundra Marshall of the Housing Fellowship received the Isabell Turner Award. Daniel Lekin, an ESL teacher at Liberty High, won the Ken Cmiel Award. Dr. Jerry Anthony from the UI received the Linda Severson Award for his work on affordable housing. Kim Painter won the Rick Graf Award for her years of LGBTQ+ advocacy. Congratulations to all the winners!

*Remembering November 1^st, 1991

32 years ago on November 1st, a UI post-graduate student named Gang Liu killed four faculty members, a student, and himself.

Faculty members Christoph Goertz, Dwight Nicholson, Robert Smith, T. Anne Cleary, and Linhua Shan were all slain. Student Miya Rodolfo-Sioson was shot and survived but was left paralyzed from the neck down.

If you ask longtime residents of Johnson County, most can tell you where they were that fateful evening. (I was working my second job - a Friday night shift in a Systems Unlimited group home.)

I wish I could say that in the decades that passed, something good had come from this horror. Frankly, I simply do not see it. Even bigger mass killings have occurred on other campuses across the nation. Our mental health system is no better, and our gun laws are even worse. The killings make no more sense today than they did 32 years ago.

Most of us who still live here know someone who was personally affected by this tragedy. The scars are still there.

I hope you will take a moment to reflect upon one of the saddest days in Johnson County history, and pray for the many survivors whose lives were touched by the people we lost that day.

*A Few Bad Actors

I don’t know about you, but I am sick of entire professions being denigrated because of a few bad actors.

I played football back in high school. Football players are supposed to be stupid. I wasn’t stupid, and neither were most of my teammates. Ironically, I remember my football coach (who was NOT a good person) teasing me for being smart!

I am probably extra sensitive now because my job is one of those positions that gets denigrated the most. I am an elected official, and we are all crooked, immoral, unprincipled, on the take, etc.

I have known hundreds and hundreds of elected officials over the years. Very few of them fit that description. Most care deeply, and work really hard for low pay.

I get it. Donald Trump has lowered the bar for everyone. And Democrats are not immune – look at Bob Menendez. But those people are exceptions, not the rule. Especially when you are talking local government. A few bad actors do not represent a whole group.

Lawyers have long been the butt of jokes. They are all unscrupulous, immoral, and money hungry. They make our lives worse by complicating everything. Yes, we have seen some pretty shady attorneys; again, see Donald Trump’s entourage. But are all lawyers rotten? Of course not!

I have many friends who are attorneys. They are smart people who really care about justice. They care about right and wrong. They practice law because they want to see justice done. A few bad actors do not represent a whole group.

Another position that gets denigrated is that of law enforcement officer. I am really tired of all cops being criticized for the actions of a few. Yes, we have seen far too many examples of police brutality. Of course it is not acceptable. No one is more upset by these events than other cops. It is also not what usually happens.

I know a lot of cops. A couple, I will admit, are not great people. But scores of them ARE. Some of the finest people I have ever met in my life are cops. They deserve our respect. A few bad actors do not represent the whole group.

Before I got into politics, I worked in human services. In general, the public seems to like social workers. And for the most part, the social workers I know are indeed pretty great. But guess what? I know some current and former social workers who are awful people. So it works both ways.

All teachers do not deserve to be judged by the worst teacher out there. All custodians do not deserve to be judged by the worst custodian out there. All elected officials do not deserve to be judged by the worst elected official out there. All attorneys do not deserve to be judged by the worst attorney out there. All cops do not deserve to be judged by the worst cop out there.

If I made a statement like this based on race – “All black people are ___,” I would rightly be called racist. If I made a statement like this based on religion – “All Jews are ____,” I would rightly be called antisemitic. So why do we think it is OK to judge people based upon their occupations?

Please stop this nonsense, and view individuals as individuals.

By the way, according to Insider Monkey, the three most respected jobs are #3 – firefighters, #2 – scientists, and #1 – Doctors. My wife (and a lot of other scientists) will be surprised to see that result, especially post-COVID.

*DID YOU KNOW? Mass shootings were a relatively new phenomenon in 1991. There had never been more than one in a single year until ’91, when there were 3, including Iowa City.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

October 18, 2023

Election season is upon us, and voters in the ICCSD face a very serious choice. There are seven candidates for the ICCSD Board, three of whom are “parent’s rights” candidates.

We are not even going to mention the others. Just remember to vote Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo! Please join me in preserving the type of education people in the ICCSD have come to expect!

Election Day is November 7, but voting begins October 18! Please get out and vote! Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo!

I had to call my insurance company recently. Even though Johnson County is self-insured, we are forced to use Wellmark as the plan administrator. I HATE Wellmark. I HATE insurance! This country could and should do so much better!

I spoke to two people whose very jobs were to frustrate me and cause me to give in. Why? Why does our government reward that? What if instead we helped our citizens to get the care they need? Then let the insurance companies simply rot?

There is truly a special place in Hell for those that perpetuate our current system of healthcare insurance. It is evil to the core. Money over lives, every time.

Do you know the name Scott Brennan? If you don’t, you probably should. Brennan is a Des Moines-based attorney who served as the Chair of the Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) from 2006-2008. Brennan is now a member of the Democratic National Committee representing Iowa. He is also the only Iowan on the DNC Rules Committee.

So obviously, Mr. Brennan has a lot of power. Unfortunately, he has been using that power in a manner contrary to the benefit of Iowa’s Democrats.

You see, Mr. Brennan is stuck on Iowa being “first.” For a glorious 50-year window, the Iowa Caucuses were the first event in the Presidential nominating process. National press poured into the state, and Iowans got up close and personal contact with Presidential candidates.

Understand, I personally benefitted from this more than almost anyone. I have had the opportunity to meet Presidents Carter, Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden. I have had meaningful conversations with Jesse Jackson, Tom Harkin, Dick Gephardt, Howard Dean, John Kerry, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama. It was an incredible opportunity. The Iowa Caucuses served me VERY well.

But the caucuses did not serve everyone well. Caucusing was (and is) a challenge for people with disabilities, people who lack transportation, single parents, people who are claustrophobic, people who cannot physically stand for long periods, and people who work second shift. All of these groups are marginalized by the caucus process.

Caucuses also posed a challenge for anyone who wanted their vote to remain a private matter. Over the years how many wives were pressured into caucusing for someone by a demanding husband? How many employees decided it was easier to follow the lead of the boss? Could everyone actually exercise free will when the vote is not secret?

The Democratic Party stands for free and fair elections, and advocates for making voting more accessible for all. It is simply not possible to claim we stand for these principles, yet support the caucuses.

Now, members of the IDP continue to follow Brennan’s lead, and fight like Hell for Iowa to remain “first.” But what, really, has “first” done for most Iowans? Are our schools better? Do we have less poverty? Do our seniors enjoy better lives? Do people with disabilities have their needs met? Do we have more good jobs with good benefits? Is our standard of living improving? You know the answers to these questions.

The IDP needs to follow the lead of Democrats throughout Iowa, and refocus. Let’s end this Quixotic quest and get back to making Iowa a better place. Let’s listen to voters, and focus on the things they need. Let’s win a few elections, for God’s sake!

Mr. Brennan, your efforts are an unnecessary distraction. Please, for the good of Democrats across Iowa – stop.

“Can you believe my neighbor had the nerve to knock on my door at 3am? Luckily, I was still up playing the bagpipes.” – Steven Wright

We all know that neighbors can make your life great, miserable, and everything in between. I have been very lucky when it comes to neighbors. I grew up down the road from my grandparents. I bought my first house from my next-door neighbor at the time. The Dalys were our neighbors in our old house for 21 years, and they are wonderful people and great friends. I know not everyone is so lucky.

I have been thinking for a while about this, and I have come to realize that a big part of my job as a County Supervisor revolves around the relationships between neighbors.

When I look back at my time on the Board, many of our fights have been over someone wanting to do something, and the reaction of the neighbors to that something.

Junk yards. GuideLink Center. Hog confinements. Compost facility. Muslim Youth Camp. Gun range. Parks. Fences. Event centers. New roads. Pesticide and herbicide applications. Affordable housing. Dogs. Group homes. Mobile homes. Loud parties. Open burning. Wildlife. Subdivisions. Nuisance properties. Churches. Bright lights. Construction. Cemeteries. Mining. Trails. Pipelines. Fireworks. Concerts. Local food production. Migrant workers. Hunting. The list goes on and on.

Almost everything that has ever happened in Johnson County had some type of impact on neighbors. And then we run into conflicting rights. The owner of a property has certain rights. Neighbors have a right to enjoy their property without interference. Those two sets of rights can and do come into conflict all the time. So how do we balance this?

Sometimes the law is clearly in favor of one party or the other. And largely because of the GOP, sometimes the more egregious the use of the property, the more strongly defended the right. (See hog confinements and carbon pipelines.) But in other situations, the law is vaguer.

When the law is less clear, working with neighbors becomes more individualized. There is no set method. The most obvious is a test of “reasonableness.” Is the property owner being reasonable? Is the neighbor being reasonable? Many times, our job is simply to appeal to their better natures and attempt to negotiate a solution.

This is how we spend our time as Supervisors. Neighbor versus neighbor. How are you going to work it out? I try to be fair, and make the best decision possible. I try to make certain I am not influenced by who is the wealthiest, loudest, or most articulate. Instead, I try to focus on the facts. Sometimes it is easy. Most times, it is not.

It seems funny when you think about it, but a really big part of our jobs is handling disputes between neighbors.

*DID YOU KNOW? Allergies bothering you this time of year? There are two likely causes: First, as furnaces kick on, dust flows through the system. Secondly, Iowa’s harvest season puts a tremendous amount of dust into the air.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

October 11, 2023

I know that many of you have heard about the conflict that has occurred in the Board Room in recent days. (If not, you can view/listen to meetings on our website.) I don’t know that any commentary from me helps, but I do think you all deserve some reassurances.

First, I know some of you have said, “Why didn’t you do anything?” I’m going to do my best to respond to that. When the shouting started, my first instinct was to decide if people were physically safe. I thought they were. Had I felt otherwise, I would have called 911.

Then we turn to the meeting itself. I thought Chairperson Green Douglass did the right thing by gaveling out the meeting. We just needed at least one more Supervisor to exit the room to end the quorum.

Could I have gotten in the middle of the dispute? Sure. And as a white man physically stepping between two women of color, I would have been excoriated. Face it, folks – that is a lose-lose situation.

I honestly don’t know what else I could have done. Frankly, I think it was up to the two people screaming at each other to stop doing so.

So, throughout all this drama, I want to assure you that the work of Johnson County *IS* getting done! This is a distraction, yes, but the work is getting done. I also want you to know that I attempting to approach each of my colleagues with grace and compassion. There is too much harming going on and not enough grace.

There are never any disputes that are bigger than the office. We will get through this, just as Boards have gotten through various difficulties for approximately 185 years.

Huge cashmere sweater sale! Sunday, October 22 from 2-4pm at 1411 Sheridan Avenue in Iowa City. $20 for all sizes and all colors. www.elfcashmere.com.

Harvest is upon us, and farmers are in the fields. Please be aware as you are driving or biking – farm implements are very large and slow moving. Please take your time and be careful – there are avoidable accidents every year. Take a little extra time and enjoy the scenery – Iowa is beautiful this time of year!

I subscribe to Lyz Lenz’ fantastic online newsletter “Men Yell at Me.” I urge you to subscribe as well! It is great info from a great perspective. A couple of weeks ago, Lyz quoted the following passage from Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming”:

"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, / The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned; / The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity."

Last week I wrote about the complete BS that is “Parent’s Rights.” I think it is important to use air quotes around that, as it is an incredibly misnamed effort.

As I wrote last week: “Parent’s Rights is the new State’s Rights. Same old shit, different name.”

Here is the dirty little secret with “parent’s rights.” You have ALWAYS had the right to keep your kid out of a certain activity or lesson. What you do NOT have a right to do is cancel that lesson for my kid.

Unfortunately, this movement has hit the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD). There are seven candidates for the ICCSD Board, three of whom are “parent’s rights” candidates.

We simply must stop this movement in its tracks. Johnson County may be the firewall that students and teachers need!

There are 7 candidates in this election, to fill four seats. Incumbents Lisa Williams, Charlie Eastham, and Molly Abraham have done a great job, and they deserve your continued support. Mitch Lingo should get your fourth vote. He has a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and is philosophically aligned with the incumbents.

We are not even going to mention the others. Just remember to vote Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo! Please join me in preserving the type of education people in the ICCSD have come to expect!

Election Day is November 7, but voting begins October 18! Please get out and vote! Williams, Eastham, Abraham, and Lingo!

I recently finished “Poverty By America,” the new book from Matthew Desmond. Desmond is a Princeton professor who won the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction for his book “Evicted.”

Desmond ought to be required reading in America. He brings to light so many interesting facts. For example, in the USA, we assume single parenthood is a major cause of poverty. And that is true – here. But did you know that children of single parents in Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy are NOT more likely to live in poverty? Why the difference? Our social safety net is nothing compared to the rest of the world!

Desmond also spends time talking about who benefits from the poverty that exists in the US. Answer? We all do! That is how we get so many cheap goods and services. It’s how we get cheap access to money. It’s how we get segregated communities.

But the main beneficiaries are, of course, billionaires. You could guess as much, but hearing Desmond lay out the many ways in which the deck is stacked is really quite remarkable.

I laugh at the comments coming from some GOP members of Congress. There is a lot of “tough talk” about dysfunction in DC and the removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.

The same Republican Congresspeople who complain about Matt Gaetz or Andy Biggs genuflect at the feet of Donald Trump. That includes both Iowa Senators and all 4 of our Members of Congress.

Miller Meeks, Hinson, Grassley, Ernst, and all the rest are full of it. You cannot criticize Gaetz and pretend everything is fine with Trump! Hell, Trump called for a shutdown! Trump hates McCarthy! Gaetz is doing exactly what Trump wants!

Do you think for one second ANY of these folks would stand up for McCarthy if Trump were railing on him? Where was their outrage all the times Trump previously emasculated McCarthy?

This is called hypocrisy, folks. And Iowa’s GOP members of Congress are swimming in it.

You think DC is in dysfunction now, Congresswoman Miller Meeks? How was it on January 6, 2020? That dysfunction apparently didn’t bother you, because your God Donald Trump was at the center of it.

You cannot worship Donald Trump and then complain about Matt Gaetz. It is like blaming the team’s performance on the ticket taker instead of the Head Coach.

Let’s go one step further – if Gaetz and Biggs are so bad, endorse their Democratic challengers. Can’t do that? I guess you are once again a hypocrite.

*DID YOU KNOW? Did you know Dingleberry Road in Johnson County is more than just a unique name for a road?!

Back during Prohibition (1920-1934), this road had quite a history. It was home to moonshiners Pete and George Dingleberry, famous for their "Dingleberry Dew" whiskey.

On June 17, 1927, Sheriff Frank Smith and deputies raided their farm, confiscating 21 gallons of "hooch." George faced trial, was fined $300, and given a six-month suspended sentence in the Johnson County Jail.

Now, every time you drive down Dingleberry Rd, you're following in the footsteps of a legendary moonshining duo!

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

October 4, 2023

I was sad to learn of the passing of Julia Dodds on September 26. Julia spent several years as a Clerk in the Johnson County Public Health Department before transferring to the Planning, Development, and Sustainability Department, where she served ten more years.

Julia had a great sly sense of humor, and I appreciated the fact that she was a fellow foster parent. My condolences to all who cared about her. RIP, Julia.

I lost a friend recently with the passing of Keith Ruff of Iowa City. Keith was born with cerebral palsy and the resulting physical disabilities. Keith moved to Iowa City for the graduate program in Rehabilitation Counseling. He used a wheelchair – don’t EVER say he was “confined” to a wheelchair – and became a familiar and well-liked figure about town.

During his four decades in Iowa City, Keith worked to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. For many years, he worked for Access 2 Independence (formerly the Evert Connor Center), a federally funded independent living center. Keith participated in many service system improvement efforts. He chaired Iowa’s Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, a statewide advocacy body composed of state officials, people with disabilities and their family members.

Keith served on our local MH/DD Planning Council, and was a tireless advocate. He spent hours of his time wheeling through our Health and Human Services Building as it was being built, ensuring that wheelchairs had adequate room. Keith co-hosted a disability-themed talk show, “This is Us” on Public Access TV. Keith also authored a book, “Wheeling Through The Years,” in 2018.

Keith was my friend through all of that. He was also my boss! Keith was part of the Board that hired me to serve as the Executive Director of the Arc of Johnson County (now the Arc of Southeast Iowa) way back in the 1990s. Keith and I had some great discussions (often over a beer at the Mill) about the ways in which the people with power would try to pit people with physical disabilities against people with brain diseases against people with intellectual disabilities. Keith was adamant that we needed to stick together. He was correct!

Last week I wrote a piece about how labor fits into the progressive movement in this country. The response was crickets. And frankly, that makes me angry.

It’s not that I require feedback on everything I write. I really don’t. As a matter of fact, sometimes responding to the feedback can be a pain.

It’s just that the whole point of the piece – how labor is not viewed as a progressive issue in the same ways race, gender, or the environment are – is sort of proven by the big shoulder shrug.

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Junior once said, “If you are comfortable in your coalition, your coalition is too small.” On the bright side, I guess I don’t need to worry about that! Economic justice matters, damn it!

I wrote the following on a friend’s Facebook post recently: “Parent’s Rights is the new State’s Rights. Same old shit, different name.”

Why is it so many of these movements with “Rights” in their name are dedicated to taking away the rights of others? Astroturf! Good old-fashioned marketing, baby! Let powerful words work for you, even if you misappropriated them.

I’ll have more on this next week. For now, just know that “Parent’s Rights” is bullshit.

The following is the intro from the annual report of the Johnson County Medical Examiner Department (JCME). I have taken the liberty of editing out a bit of the piece; the report in its entirety is available on the ME page of the Johnson Country website.

JCME achieved full accreditation by the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) in 2019, and re-accredited in 2020, 2021, and 2022. This significant accomplishment demonstrates that JCME adheres to the highest standards of medicolegal death investigation.

The primary statutory function of JCME is to determine a scientifically based cause and manner of death for every death within the jurisdiction. Cause of death is defined as the disease or injury process that initiated the sequence of events that resulted in death (e.g., “atherosclerotic heart disease” or “gunshot wound of the head”). Manner of death is a public health statistic that classifies the circumstances under which death occurred (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined). The cause of death and the manner of death are the core medical components of the death certificate.

Medical examiner jurisdiction is described by Iowa Code § 331.802 as deaths which affect the “public interest.” Common examples are deaths that occur unexpectedly or from an unexplained cause; trauma deaths in the context of an accident, suicide, or homicide; deaths unattended by a physician; and deaths of children under the age of two.

In 2022, there were 1117 deaths reported to JCME. Of these, 526 were accepted as medical examiner jurisdiction deaths. Each of these deaths were investigated and certified by JCME. After review of each of the remaining 591 reported deaths, jurisdiction was declined because each death was determined to not be in the “public interest” as defined above. Each of these deaths were certified by the decedent’s physician. The total number of deaths investigated (jurisdiction accepted) or reviewed (jurisdiction declined) by JCME comprised 52% of the 2144 deaths that occurred in Johnson County in 2022.

Of the 526 deaths accepted and investigated by JCME, 243 decedents were Johnson County residents and 214 were residents of other counties in Iowa. Additionally, there were 19 decedents who were in the custody of the Iowa Department of Corrections at the time of death and 50 decedents were out-of- state residents. As a result, 46% of deaths accepted and investigated by JCME consisted of Johnson County residents.

Of the 526 deaths accepted and investigated by JCME, all decedents were identified. Eight decedents were unclaimed by family or friends and final disposition was arranged by JCME.

Of the 526 deaths accepted and investigated by JCME, the manner of death was classified as accident for 253, natural for 214, suicide for 37, undetermined for 11 and homicide for 11.

In 2022, there were 47 drug-related deaths investigated by JCME. Of this total, 32 involved illicit drugs only, 5 involved over-the-counter drugs only, 6 involved prescription drugs only and 4 involved a mixture of drug types. Of the 4 mixed drug-related deaths, 3 involved a mixture of illicit (fentanyl, heroin, ketamine, and rocuronium), over-the-counter, and prescription drugs and 1 involved a mixture of illicit (fentanyl) and prescription drugs. Of the remaining 32 illicit drug-related deaths, 24 involved methamphetamine, 8 involved fentanyl, 5 involved cocaine, 1 involved heroin, and 1 involved hydromorphone. Of the 47 drug-related deaths, 40 were classified as accident, 6 as suicide, and 1 as undetermined.

Of the 1117 deaths reported to JCME in 2022, 123 decedents were determined to have died from COVID-19. Of these 123 decedents, the sex distribution was 72 males to 51 females with the most common age range of 70-79 years (38 decedents) followed by 60-69 years (26 decedents). Thirty-five decedents were Johnson County residents and 70 were residents of other Iowa Counties. Additionally, 2 decedents were in the custody of the Iowa Department of Corrections at the time of death and 16 decedents who were out-of-state residents.

Iowa law requires that a medical examiner issue a cremation permit prior to cremation. This practice is to ensure that deaths are properly certified and that deaths within the jurisdiction of the medical examiner are not unreported (“missed cases”). JCME issued 1386 cremation permits to funeral service providers in 2022.

JCME has an essential role in the coordination of organ and tissue donation. In 2022, 16 accepted JCME cases became organ donors. From these 16 individuals, the Iowa Donor Network coordinated the recovery of 26 kidneys, 10 livers, 9 hearts, 16 lungs, and 3 pancreases for transplant. Thirty-four accepted JCME cases became tissue donors with the recovery of bone, skin, heart valves, saphenous veins, femoral veins, adipose tissue, and/or joints. One tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 300 people. JCME fully supports organ and tissue donation and, by policy, JCME refers all out-of- hospital deaths to the Iowa Donor Network.

JCME requires its investigative employees to be certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) within two years of starting employment. In 2022, JCME had two Board Certified Death Investigators (Advanced): Clayton Schuneman and Kate Bengtson, and four Registry Certified Death Investigators (Basic): Amanda Gellhaus, Kora LaVoy, Anna Posthumus, and Kristen Long. Additionally, the three forensic pathologist medical examiners, Dennis Firchau, MD, Stephanie Stauffer, MD, and Marcus Nashelsky, MD, are certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Forensic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has just under 36 million acres of land. Over 31 million of those acres are farmed.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

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