Photos


	The first graduating class from Central Springs High School in Nora Springs visited the Statehouse on April 16. During their visit they met with their state senator, Amanda Ragan, who showed them around the Senate Chamber. Central Springs High School is a newly formed school that resulted from the consolidation of area high schools. The students were accompanied by teachers Bill Shafer and Bob Axdahl.
	Sen. Amanda Ragan met with members of Iowans with Disabilities Take Action (IDACTION) when they visited the Statehouse on April 9 Advocating Change Day.
	Two Mason City students were at the Statehouse from April 1-4 for Capitol Project '08. The program brings high school students to Des Moines to learn about state government and the legislative process. Pictured are Porscha Vosburgh and Cacharel Schade from Mason City Alternative School with Sen. Amanda Ragan.
	On March 26, Governor Chet Culver signed what will be the biggest tax break of the 2008 session. House File 2417, which passed the Legislature earlier this session, will save Iowa taxpayers $67.5 million dollars by exempting state taxes on the federal tax rebates that are part of the economic stimulus plan approved by Congress.
	Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City met with Tracey Achenbach of the Homeward Housing Trust Fund, when she visited the State Capitol on March 25. Through her work with Homeward, Achenbach assists rural families with housing needs.
	The Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa were at the Statehouse on Tuesday, March 18th, and State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City spent time visiting with Kim and Cassidy Schwab. Cassidy is Girl Scout from Rudd, and her troop meets in Nora Springs. (Photo Credit: Senate Intern Christjahn Beck) From left: Sen. Amanda Ragan, Kim Schwab (back), Cassidy Schwab.
	Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City shares a laugh with Senate Page Michael Palsic from Osage, in the Senate Chamber on Thursday, March 13th. (03/13/08)
	On March 11, Gov. Culver signed HF2359 a day after it was passed by the Senate. The bill creates a regular source of funding for the Veterans Trust Fund. The Legislature established the fund in 2003 to help Iowa’s veterans with expenses such as education and unemployment assistance. The problem is that there are only $5 million in a fund intended to contain $50 million. That will change now that we’ll have four new Iowa Lottery games, which are expected to pump an estimated $3.3 million a year into the Veterans Trust Fund.
	On March 5, youth leaders from Mason City from Mason City joined Governor Chet Culver for a press conference encouraging expansion of the Bottle Bill. I am very proud of their effort to make their voices heard on an issue that’s important to them. These young people did a great job of conveying their message, which included photos of bottles and cans not covered by the current Bottle Bill being thrown away.
	State Senator Amanda Ragan met with Iowa State Rehabilitation Council representatives Marsha Mott of Clear Lake and Steven Faulkner of Mason City on Feb. 28. Mott and Faulkner were at the Capitol to discuss their efforts to help people with disabilities find employment. The ISRC operates as part of the Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services. More information can be found at www.ivrs.iowa.gov.
	Senators Joe Bolkcom and Amanda Ragan and other legislators watch debate on the Senate floor Feb. 27 when a statewide ban on smoking in public places passed on a bipartisan 29-21 vote.
	Representatives of Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa visited the Capitol on Feb. 27. During their tour, they visited the Senate Chamber and spoke with Senators Amanda Ragan and Thurman Gaskill about health care for Iowans.
	Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Senator Thurman Gaskill of Corwith met with employees of Winnebago Industries in the Senate Chamber on Feb. 20. The group was at the Statehouse to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. From left: Cindy Schack, Hancock County Economic Development Corp.; Rep. Henry Rayhons of Garner; Beth Bilyeu of Forest City Economic Development; Bruce Hertzke, chairman and CEO for Winnebago; Senator Ragan, and Senator Gaskill.
	On Feb. 18, Governor Culver signed Memorandums of Understanding for the newest Iowa Great Places. The Department of Cultural Affairs will help these new Great Places, including Charles City, draw on the resources of state agencies to to develop their unique qualities. Left to right: Senator Amanda Ragan; Tom Brownlow, Charles City City Administrator; Toni Noah; and Jim Erb, mayor of Charles City.
	State Senator Amanda Ragan took time Feb. 6 to visit with her friend Rosie Hussey, who was at the Statehouse for a meeting of the State Board of Education, of which she is a member.
	North Iowa Area Community College students traveled to Des Moines on January 31 to meet with Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City. Iowa’s community colleges provide the training Iowans need to move up in life and the skilled workers the state’s economy needs to grow. Ragan told the students that she will support increased funding for community colleges in order to keep tuition affordable. From left: Tyler Sisco, Heather Quam, Ragan, Stefanie Madsen, Traci Lerch, Bryce Howard, Tim Murphy, and Jacob Thompson.
	The proven benefits of doing more with less energy was a hot topic this week at the Iowa Statehouse. Sen. Amanda Ragan talked with Bill McAnally, chair of Industrial Technology at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, and Simon Lindner, a 2007 graduate of his carpentry program. The two were in Des Moines to testify before a Senate committee about how modern building techniques result in new homes that use 65% less energy than older homes. They discussed how saving energy is creating jobs and improving the budgets of businesses and families across Iowa. To learn more, contact Bill at McAnally@iowacentral.edu. Left to right: Lindner, BMcAnally, and Ragan.
	A wide variety of groups dedicated to protecting and improving Iowa’s soil, air, and water braved the bitter cold to visit the Statehouse on January 24. Floyd County Soil Commissioner Jon Gisleson met with Sen. Amanda Ragan of Mason City, a member of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee, and Rep. Mark Kuhn of Charles City, co-chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget. Left to right: Ragan, Kuhn and Gisleson.
	Sen. Amanda Ragan and other legislators met with northern Iowa business advocates, who were at the Statehouse on Jan. 23 to discuss their priorities for 2008. Pictured from left: Rep. Mark Kuhn of Charles City, Ragan, Mason City Mayor Roger Bang, Opportunity Village Director John Severtson of Clear Lake, Martha Taylor of the Business & Industry Group of North Iowa, Rep. Bill Schickel of Mason City, owner of DK Roper & Associates Diane Roper of Leland, and Rep. Linda Upmeyer of Garner.
	Sen. Amanda Ragan spoke with Police Chief Terry Dehmlow of Denver, Iowa, who was representing the Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers at the Statehouse on January 23. They talked about the unique challenges law enforcement officers face on the job every day and what the Legislature can do to help them keep the rest of us safe.
	On Jan. 23 Ronnie Pitzen of Nora Springs visited the Statehouse with the Iowa Telecommunications Association. Mr. Pitzen is a communications consultant for Omnitel.
	Local education leaders traveled to the Iowa Statehouse on January 22 to support increased educational opportunity for Iowa students. While there, they met with State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Representative Mark Kuhn of Charles City. From left to right: Ragan, Superintendent of Riceville Community Schools Tom Hamrick, Kuhn, and Riceville School Board Vice-President Sheryl Noble.
	Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City talks with Jackie Huff, who was at the Statehouse to perform with the Iowa Veterans Home Choir. Huff was among hundreds of Iowa veterans at the State Capitol to discuss their legislative priorities during Veterans Day on the Hill January 16. She currently resides at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown and is a former resident of Mason City.
	Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City opened the 2008 legislative session Jan. 14 at the Iowa Statehouse with her clerk, Amanda Kimber. Ragan said her primary goal this year is to keep making progress on commitments made last session to improve teacher pay, expand access to quality child care, limit increases on college tuition, make health care more affordable, and boost the state's economy through the Iowa Power Fund initiative.
	State Senator Amanda Ragan (right) with Amy De Bruin (left), of Interpower Corporation of Oskaloosa, after the final meeting of the statewide health care reform commission on Jan. 8. Ragan was a legislative member of the commission and De Bruin was the commission designee of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry. The Commission is calling for 79 individual improvements in Iowa health care, including universal coverage, medical homes, telehealth and other electronic reforms, and cost containment and transparency. It is now up to the Iowa Legislature to act on the commission’s recommendations. Hear Commission members’ remarks about their proposals at www.iowasenatedemocrats.org\media.
	State Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City met with Governor Chet Culver at the Iowa Statehouse on Dec. 3 to discuss the best ways to stand up for middle-class families and to continue responsible, prudent budget-making. Ragan and other legislators from across Iowa were at the Capitol to discuss priorities for the 2008 session, which convenes January 14. Last year’s budget left the state in better financial condition than the year before, and Ragan and other legislators pledged to repeat that accomplishment. Pictured from left: Ragan and Culver.