(Des Moines, IA)  – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Wednesday (today) said Abbott is recalling one lot of Similac PM 60/40 (Lot # 27032K80 (can) / Lot # 27032K800 (case)) manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan. This is in addition to lots of Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powder formula that were recalled on February 17. The FDA’s investigation related to powder infant formula produced in Abbott’s Sturgis, Michigan facility related to Cronobacter and Salmonella infections in infants is ongoing.

Affected products are in circulation in Iowa retail locations and have been distributed in small numbers through the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) WIC program. If Iowans possess any of the affected products, it should not be fed to infants. Similac PM 60/40 is specialized formula for infants with impaired renal function, so the number of Iowans impacted will be relatively low.

Products affected by the formula recall can be exchanged with retailers for an identical authorized supplemental food item. WIC authorized retailers should follow their store policy for exchange and substitutes (which may include, but are not limited to, the same product, a substitute product, store credit, or a cash refund.) IDPH is providing more flexibility to participants, allowing them to purchase an alternative formula for the rest of February and March. If WIC participants have questions, they should contact their local WIC clinic: https://www.signupwic.com/

At this time, this is the only type and lot of this specialty formula being recalled. Abbott is disseminating recall letters directly to customers.

Iowans can check to see if they have recalled infant formula by:

• • Review the codes on the bottom of their formula packages.
  • Visiting the company’s website.
  • Calling the company at 1-800-986-8540.

For additional details and future updates related to the infant formula recall visit the FNS Infant Formula Safety webpage, the FDA’s advisory, or the CDC’s advisory.

(8-a.m. News, 3/2/22) – The Red Oak Police Department reports two separate arrests took place, Tuesday: 63-year-old Ronald Edward Borden, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 2:10-a.m., for Simple Assault. He was taken into custody in the 300 block of W. 2nd Street. Borden was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond. And, 44-year-old Brian Keith Shaver, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 11:28-a.m., Tuesday, for Theft in the 5th Degree (Shoplifting). He was taken into custody at the Red Oak Fareway store and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where bond was set at $300.

The Creston Police Department reports 29-year-old Steven Douglas Brinker, of Creston, was arrested Tuesday night. Brinker was taken into custody for Child Endangerment resulting in serious injury. He was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s economy showed clear signs of improvement during February, according to the monthly Creighton University survey, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushed the survey’s business confidence index to its lowest level since the survey began in 1994. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says the Midwest economy is “up briskly” but business leaders are still dealing with familiar challenges. “More than four out of ten of the supply managers ranked supply disruptions,” Goss says. “Of course, with what’s going on in Ukraine now, you’d have to double that, I think, with big concerns. More than one-third indicated that finding and hiring qualified workers was their biggest challenge.”

Also, nearly one in five respondents listed “rising input prices” as their top challenge. While employment figures were up for February for the region, Goss says they’re still down about two-percent compared to pre-pandemic levels, dating back to February of 2020. “We asked the supply managers about what they expect in terms of a raise for this year — how much of a change in pay do you expect this year? On average, about 3%,” Goss says. “That’s very, very, I would call it modest or even weak, given what’s going on in terms of the overall demand for labor.”

A big issue for the region and nation remains the droves of people leaving the workforce, according to Goss, and he adds, inflation remains very high. “I don’t expect it to cool anytime soon. The earliest would be Quarter 3 of 2022,” Goss says. “It would depend a lot on what happens in Ukraine. You’ve got the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushing up commodity prices overall and that’s really going to push up inflationary pressures.”

On a zero-to-100 scale with 50 being growth neutral, Goss says Iowa’s Business Conditions Index for February climbed to 60.6 from 56.7 in January. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Goss says Iowa’s nondurable goods manufacturers, including food processors, have expanded at a solid pace, while durable goods producers, including metal manufacturers, have experienced pullbacks in economic activity.