Friday Morning Read - Iowa Ideas Conference: Apple deal debated, climate change discussed, and more

Climate Change in Iowa - While the topic of climate change continues to be debated across the nation, scientists at an Iowa Ideas panel Thursday discussed how the global issue is affecting Iowans, especially farmers.

In the last 50 or 60 years, state climatologist Harry Hillaker said, Iowa has had about a 25 percent increase in precipitation, meaning an increase of about 5 or 6 inches of rainfall a year. That increase comes in early spring and summer, Hillaker said. Read more about what this panel discussed here.

Apple in Iowa -The Iowa Chamber Alliance's chief executive on Thursday defended the use of $200 million in financial incentives to lure an Apple data center to Waukee that will employ 50 to 100 people.

'The state is putting up less than $20 million,' John Stineman, the alliance's executive, said of the deal to attract the $1.375 billion data center. 'Out of the taxes that will be paid as a result of the construction and operation of the project, the state will get at least 50 percent of its original investment if not 100 percent, which is more likely over the time that the local governments are incentivizing it.' Read more about this panel and what was discussed here.

Medicaid Panel - Iowa's human services chief took a tough negotiating stance Thursday, saying he will not ease the state's oversight and accountability requirements for private companies managing Iowa's $5 billion Medicaid program and 'write them a blank check' in the interest of getting a new contract.

Jerry Foxhoven, director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, conceded it is well past the time he expected it would take to negotiate Medicaid rates with three managed care organizations that will be retroactive to July 1. Read more about what Foxhoven and others said during this panel here.

#MUSTERONEUP Mailbag - In bizarro world, where fullbacks run post patterns and defensive tackles reign supreme in the three-cone drill, the Hawkeyes actually should be thanking Penn State for the Woodshed Valley treatment last season.

After all, it set the stage for the Hawkeyes' greatest victory last season and one of the best Kinnick Stadium has seen during the Kirk Ferentz era. Read through Marc's weekly mailbag of questions about the Iowa Hawkeyes here.