Child care providers working in Harrison, Monona, and Shelby counties are invited to a professional development day on Saturday, May 16 at Willow Lake Recreation Area near Woodbine. The event starts at 8:00-a.m., with registration.

Two workshops are being offered:

8:30-am-to 12:30-p.m. –  MyPlate for My Child Care: 4 Easy Steps
Research suggests the groundwork for lifelong dietary habits may be laid down during the preschool years. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate provide four recommendations that can be implemented in the childcare setting. Participants will assist in preparing some new exciting recipes for a light lunch.

1:00-p.m to 4:00-p.m. –  Nature Explore: Wonder-Filled Beginnings
Part of the Nature Explore series from the Arbor Day Foundation, participants in this workshop will gain engaging strategies for documenting infant and toddler learning, and tips for choosing natural materials that meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers. The class will be going outside if possible so appropriate dress is suggested.

Providers may choose one or both workshops for up to a total of 7 hours of licensing credit. Providers are to sign up for each workshop via the Training Registry at https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry and submit payment before May 11.

Each workshop is taught by approved ISU Extension and Outreach specialists. Due to generous funding from Harrison, Monona, Shelby Early Childhood Area, the event is low-cost to providers serving these counties. Support is also provided by the ISU Extension and Outreach offices in corresponding counties, and Iowa Child Care Resource and Referral. Priority is given to Harrison, Monona, and Shelby county providers but other providers may also register.

For more information, contact the Shelby County extension office at 712-755-3104.

Two people were hurt during a collision early this (Friday) morning, here in Atlantic. The crash between a van and a pickup happened at around 7:35-a.m. at the intersection of 6th and Maple Streets. The injured were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, by Medivac Ambulance.

Ric Hanson/photo

No other details are immediately available.

The Creston Police Department reports a resident told authorities someone slit a tire on his vehicle while it was parked near his home. The incident, which took place sometime between 8-p.m. Wednesday and 5-p.m. Thursday, resulted in a loss of about $85.

Authorities also report 33-year old Troy Williams, of Creston, was arrested Thursday evening and charged with Driving While Suspended. Williams was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a wrong-way driver who died after a collision on U.S. Highway 20 in northwest Iowa. Sioux City police identified the woman as 84-year-old Katherine Siler, of Sioux City. The accident occurred a little before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday on the westbound lanes on the bridge over Interstate 29 in Sioux City. Sioux City police say Siler was driving alone when she entered the wrong lanes in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and headed east.

Her truck struck a van driven by 33-year-old Melanie Albenesius, of South Sioux City. Albenesius and her passenger, her 3-year-old daughter, were taken to Mercy Medical Center for treatment. Authorities say Siler died at the scene.

Some Iowa farmers may welcome the news but consumers won’t be thrilled — or surprised — to hear predictions that food prices will be rising in 2015, according to a report from the U-S-D-A. Agency economist Annemarie Kuhns says overall supermarket prices rose about two-and-a-half percent last year and we can expect more of the same in the year ahead. “In 2015, we’re expecting grocery store prices to rise two to three percent,” Kuhns says. The U-S-D-A’s Food Inflation Forecast details how beef prices are up about 19-percent from a year ago and those prices will likely continue to climb still-higher.

“We are forecasting beef and veal prices to rise five to six percent,” Kuhns says. The report predicts pork prices and dairy prices will also rise two-to-three percent, along with fresh vegetables, too. Kuhns says, “It’s going to be a lot of the items around the perimeter of the store, some of the meats, produce, that will see slightly higher-than-average inflation than a lot of the goods within the center aisles, the non-perishable goods, cereals, bakery products, sugars and sweets and non-alcoholic beverages.”

Look for changes on the menu at your favorite eatery, as well. The survey predicts restaurant prices will be rising an average of three-percent over last year.

(Radio Iowa)