More than 750 county officials will be traveling to Des Moines this week for education, skills training and networking.  The Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) will be holding its 69th Spring School of Instruction March 15-16 at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. In addition, ISAC will award scholarships to eight outstanding high school students during ISAC’s Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony on March 15th. 

Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 will be awarded to: Amanda Kesterson, a student at the Denison High School; and Amanda Steffes, from the Audubon High School. A Runner-up scholarship in the amount of $1,500 will also be awarded to Paige Kennon, from the Atlantic High School. Ethan Westering from the Atlantic High School, will receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Iowa Counties Information Technology Organization.  And, Michaela Kennedy from Abraham Lincoln High School will receive the Past President’s Scholarship in the amount of $3,000. 

Criteria used in judging the scholarships are scholastic achievement, financial need, participation in extracurricular/community activities, and overall character.  Eligibility is limited to children of county officials or county employees. ISAC scholarships are funded through the ISAC Education Foundation.  Also during ISAC’s business meeting, county officials will review and approve the association’s budget for fiscal year 2013. 

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a Villisca man suffered incapacitating injuries during a single-vehicle rollover accident this (Tuesday) morning in the western part of the County. 32-year old Dean Richard Orr was traveling north on Birch Avenue from Highway 34 at around 7:20-a.m., when his 1996 Buick Park Avenue slid through the intersection at 210th Street. The vehicle continued north on Birch. As it approached the T-intersection with 205th Street, the car went off the west side of the road.

When Orr overcorrected, the car rolled six times and landed in the north ditch. Officials say Orr, who was traveling too fast for the road conditions, was ejected from the vehicle through the side door window as the car rolled. He was transported by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He faces charges which include Driving While Suspended, Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to have Insurance, and not wearing a seat belt. His car was a total loss.

Public hearings will be held Wednesday morning in Atlantic, with regard to an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 Cass County Budget, and, the proposed Fiscal Year 2013 County Budget. The hearings take place shortley after the Board of Supervisors convene their regular weekly meeting, at 9-a.m.  Following those hearings, the Board will act on adopting the amended FY 2012 budget, and amending FY 2012 County Budget appropriations.

In addition the Supervisors will act on adopting the FY 2013 County and Secondary Roads budgets, which includes receiving and acting on a County Compensation Board recommendation for elected officers’ compensation. The Board will also act to approve an agreement for the use of County Road N-28 as a detour, while Highway 148 is widened and resurfaced, from Anita south to Highway 92. The project is expected to begin in May, and end in November.

The Riverside Middle School in Carson will host its Second Annual Health and Wellness Fair this Thursday, March 15th, from 8:30-a.m. to 3:15-p.m.  The event, which is open to the public,  begins with a keynote address at 8:30-a.m. by Charity Campbell, Iowa’s Teacher of the Year, who serves at the Norwalk Middle School. Campbell was named Iowa’s Teacher of the Year in September, by Governor Terry Branstad.

The Health Fair portion of the days’ activities runs from 9-am until 2-pm. Sessions will cover: Health Insurance; Shaken Baby Syndrome; Muscle fatigue, endurance and strength; fitness activities, and more. In addition display tables will be available for viewing from: the Pottawattamie County Tobacco Prevention Coalition; Council Bluffs Convention and Visitors Bureau; East Pott. 4-H and ISU Extension; Riverside Youth Sports; Pott. Co. EMA and the Carson Fire Department, to name a few.

Health and Wellness checks will be offered during the Health and Wellness Fair, and include: Dental Screening; BMI (Body Mass Index); Blood pressure; Massage Therapy and Vision screeing. The day concludes with a “Think First” Assembly from 2:15-3:15pm, which is designed to educate young people about making good decisions.

The Riverside Middle School is located at 330 Pleasant Street, in Carson.

Over 73-thousand employees in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities could become state-licensed “direct care workers” if a bill that’s cleared the Iowa Senate becomes law. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says a task force worked for the past five years on the idea. “This bill is truly a step in the right direction to ensure that those who take care of the most vulnerable of Iowans have the training and qualifications to do so,” Jochum says. 

A-A-R-P lobbied for the legislation, arguing that if barbers, plumbers and massage therapists have to be licensed, then direct care workers who provide basic care to elderly, ill and disabled Iowans should, too. The bill would create a state board that would establish how many hours of education or training would be required to earn a direct care worker license. The board would also take complaints and keep a list of direct care workers who’ve been the subject of complaints. Jochum says by making the job a profession, that may address the “radical” turn-over of direct care workers. “We have anywhere from 60 to 67 percent turn-over annually that’s costing our taxpayers and employers about $189 million a year from the turn-over itself as we have to retrain and get everybody back up to speed,” Jochum says.

Iowa would become the first state to license direct care workers if the bill becomes law. The legislation faces a deadline as it must clear a committee in the Iowa House by the end of this week to remain eligible for consideration.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)