Gomers -- What's going wrong

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE: From 2000 through 2011, the annual number of deaths in Iowa linked to prescription pain reliever overdose increased 1,450 percent - from four deaths to 62 - The Gazette reported last week. Deaths from overdoses involving all kinds of drugs rose 346 percent, from 46 to 205. And treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse soared 370 percent, from 187 to 878.

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BATTLE CONTINUES: The never-ending Linn County Board of Supervisors' dispute with Auditor Joel Miller appeared to escalate last week. This time, supervisors discussed results from 11 interviews that two of their members conducted earlier this year with county employees. Most of the comments were negative about Miller's supervision of maintenance of county buildings, part of his duties. The employees were not identified, although Sheriff Brian Gardner took credit for one of the comments. Miller fired back, saying the survey is the latest attempt by the supervisors to relieve him of the maintenance supervision. Hmmm. If maintenance is not up to par, isn't there a better way to document it than an anonymous survey?

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