(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a woman from Cass County was arrested Tuesday evening following a traffic stop, and a Red Oak woman was arrested Tuesday afternoon, on fraud charges.

A traffic stop near W. 5th and B Streets, Tuesday, resulted in the arrest of 50-year-old Lisa Leraine Carlson, from Griswold. She was taken into custody after a records check determined Carlson had a suspended license through lowa. She was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $491.25 bond. Carlson was also cited for failure to provide financial liability.

And, Red Oak Police arrested 25-year-old Daisy Adelle Walker, of Red Oak, for 58 Class-D Felony counts of unauthorized use of a credit card. Walker was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $100,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – A small group of legislators will return to the statehouse today (Wednesday) and begin negotiations among Republicans on the spending plan for the state fiscal year that starts July 1st. Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says there’s no real impasse on the state budget and differences will be resolved quickly.

“We’re not going to shut the state down. We’re not Washington, D.C. and we’re never going to be,” Reynolds told reporters. “We know how to sit down and have a conversation and move things forward.” House Republicans have drafted and passed budget bills for all state agencies and operations. Senate Republicans have not, passing only the D-O-T budget out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on April 13th.

Senate G-O-P leaders say their overall spending target of about eight-point-two BILLION dollars matches the governor’s proposed budget plan. House Republicans are proposing spending about 70 million dollars more than that.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she is not giving up on her bid to get the 2022 Iowa legislature to provide state scholarships for students in private schools.  “We’ve had a lot of different things that we’ve looked at: narrowing it, doing a smaller number, limiting the number of schools that it would apply to, the percentage of poverty level,” Reynolds says. “I mean, we’ve talked about a whole host of things.”

In March, the Republican-led Senate passed the governor’s plan to provide state scholarships to 10-thousand students in low and moderate income households who enroll in private schools. Reynolds says some parents don’t feel their public school supports their values and a private school would be a better fit.

“The parent should have that choice to decide where is the right place for their child to get a quality education and the support system that they need,” Reynolds says. The plan has stalled in the House, as many House Republicans worry the proposal will hurt small, rural schools and benefit urban areas like Des Moines where there are dozens of private schools.

The governor’s plan for private school scholarships a year ago stalled, too. It was smaller and only for students transferring out of 34 public school buildings flagged for failing federal standards.

ATLANTIC, IOWA – May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team raises awareness about the signs, symptoms, and risk factors regarding mental health and how to know when to seek help. Over the past couple of years, mental health has moved to the forefront for many. An increasing number of folks are beginning to see it for what it is: a vital component of your overall health and well-being, just as important as your physical health. At the same time, mental health conditions, resources, and conversations can still feel complicated and out of reach.

Many people are learning about mental health topics for the first time. Having a widespread understanding of the topic can help you be more informed if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health condition or crisis.  Around half of the people in the U.S. will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their life. This understanding can help us to be more empathetic to the mental health of our families, friends, and community members.

There are signs and symptoms to be aware of and specific factors that can lead to mental health conditions or crises. What resources are out there – and how do I know if they’re right for me?  By becoming acquainted with the common signs of mental health issues, we can be more prepared, confident, and less afraid of where to start when addressing our mental health.  “Understanding the signs and symptoms of a mental health condition is the first step to a happier, healthier life.” says Senior Life Solutions Program Director Karmen Roland, RN. “Understanding that mental health conditions are common and treatable is the next. We must keep working to break down the stigma against mental health to ensure people receive the help they need.”

There’s often no single cause for a mental health condition. Instead, many possible risk factors can influence how likely a person is to experience a mental health condition or how severe the symptoms may be. Some risk factors for mental health conditions include trauma, which can be a one-time event or ongoing, genetics, brain chemistry, lifestyle (such as a lack of sleep), as well as environment or social determinants such as financial stability and health care access.

Of course, understanding the risk factors for a mental health condition can be more problematic when it’s your mental health. It’s hard to see the changes. Take time to ask yourself about any changes in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to see if this is part of a pattern caused by a situation affecting the health of your mind. Here some questions to get you started:

• Have things that used to feel easy started feeling difficult?
• Does the idea of doing daily tasks like making your bed now feel really, really hard?
• Have you lost interest in activities and hobbies you once enjoyed?
• Do you feel irritated, possibly to the point of lashing out at those close to you?

Our society focuses much more on physical health than mental health, but both are equally important. If you are concerned about your mental health, several options are available. You are not alone – help is out there, and recovery is possible. It may be hard to talk about your concerns, but simply acknowledging that you’re struggling is a huge step.

You may not need this information today yet understanding the basics of mental health will mean you will be more prepared if you ever need it. Go to mhanational.org/may to learn more.

Senior Life Solutions is Cass Health’s program designed to meet the unique needs of individuals typically 65 and older experiencing depression and/or anxiety related to life changes that are often associated with aging. If you or someone you know is struggling, our program wants you to know we are here to help. Whether through our program, or another service, our team works to identify and address the emotional needs of those in our community and provide support.

If you need more information, education, or would like to discuss support, please call 712-250-8100 or visit casshealth.org.

The city of Denison is receiving money from the E-P-A, for community-wide assessment work and the development of reuse plans for sites including the Denison Municipal Utility Power Plant and Avenue C sites. The selected grant also supports the creation of a project webpage and Spanish translation services for outreach activities.

The EPA says Denison will receive $400,000 of the $254.5 million in Brownfields grants for 265 selected communities. Denison Mayor Pam Soseman says “This will further our ability to revitalize vacant areas into usable spaces.” Denison City Manager and Engineer Terence Crawford says “This is our first Brownfields project, and we are anxious to take full advantage of the opportunity.”

“The federal Brownfields fund,” Crawford says, “allows us to proactively protect the environment and the health of our citizens, while helping to transition blighted or underutilized properties into assets that strengthen our community. Reinvesting sustainably within our existing footprint will eliminate costly infrastructure extensions, create jobs, and generate additional sources of tax revenue.”