Red Oak Police stopped a vehicle at 2:00am Saturday (1/10) morning for not having license plates on the vehicle in the 1100 block of N. 4th Street.  During the stop officers arrested the driver 34-year-old Cody Dean Franzen of Stanton for Operating While Intoxicated First Offense.  Franzen was also cited for Operation Without Registration, a fine of $127.50.  He was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $1,000 bond.

The Cass County Health System Women’s Health Initiative is presenting a free community event, Stress Management Tools for Women. The event will be held January 22, 2015, from 5 – 7 pm in the CCMH Atrium. Sarah Herzberg, PhD, LMHC, will present the program at 5:45 pm. Dr. Herzberg is a therapist who has been practicing at Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center since 2007.

Stress Management Tools for Women will provide tools to help women identify and manage signs of stress, particularly those associated with raising children and caring for aging parents. “Women can experience a lot of stress associated with caring for their children or aging parents and in many cases both at the same time,” Dr. Herzberg noted. “Rather than just pushing through, it can be very helpful to recognize and acknowledge the stress, and there are specific techniques anyone can use to help manage the stress.”

In addition to Dr. Herzberg’s 30 minute program, there will be displays featuring a number of stress management tools that are available locally, such as relaxation and exercise. Local businesses will have staff on hand to share information about the services they offer that may assist in managing stress. Businesses participating in the event include a local yoga studio; Twila Garside, Pet Therapist; and three county fitness centers—The Wellness Center of Anita, Nishna Valley Family YMCA and 712 Fitness.

There is no pre-registration and no charge for this Women’s Health event. For more information contact the Cass County Memorial Hospital Public Relations Department at 712-243-7405.

(Press Release)

A man who suffered a diabetic episode and crashed his vehicle on a dead-end road was transported to the Montgomery County Hospital Friday morning. According to Red Oak Police, at around 9-a.m., officers received word that a vehicle was trying to pass through a fence in the 1600 block of north 5th Street. When they arrived, they found 60-year old Bryan Platt, of Red Oak, slumped over in his 2000 Dodge Dakota pickup.

Officials say Red Oak Rescue arrived and transported the man to the hospital. They say he was not injured when the pickup went out of control and hit a Dead End sign and a fence. Following the collision, and due to the medical episode, Platt continued to press on the accelerator, but the fence prevented the vehicle from moving forward.

Damage from the incident amounted to a little more than $2,700.

CRESTON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a man who was fatally injured in an explosion at a fertilizer plant in southern Iowa. Creston Fire Chief Todd Jackson on Friday identified the man as 71-year-old Eldon Ray, of Creston. Jackson says Ray and two other people were injured Thursday morning when an overpressurized air pipe exploded at Green Valley Chemical.

Jackson says Ray died after leaving the scene in an ambulance, and the other two people were taken by private vehicle to Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, where they were evaluated and released. Jackson did not have their names.

Jackson says the explosion cause is being investigated. He says the blast didn’t cause a fire.