(Radio Iowa) – A nationwide study finds the number of drownings rose significantly in recent years, and with temperatures in Iowa expected to hit the 90s this week for the first time this year, anyone in — or on — the water needs to take precautions to stay safe. Kelly Hilsabeck, the trauma injury prevention coordinator at Gundersen Health System, says Iowa parents should make it a priority to get their kids in for swimming lessons. Hilsabeck says, “Enroll your kids as soon as they seem physically, emotionally, developmentally ready to start learning those basic swimming skills and water survival skills.”

The C-D-C study found about four-thousand deaths nationwide in 2019 from drowning, but the numbers rose by about 500 each year in 2020 and 2021. Due to the pandemic, Hilsabeck says many people may have simply not taken swimming lessons during those years, and she notes, those lessons aren’t just for kids. “You’re never too old to learn,” Hilsabeck says. “The new study that came out actually found that about 54% of U.S. adults have never had a swimming lesson, so it’s really important to know there’s not an age limit on swimming lessons.”

Whether swimming in a backyard pool or a municipal pool, drowning is always a risk, but the risk may be even greater on lakes and rivers due to hidden drop-offs, currents and murky water. Hilsabeck says drowning is typically a silent tragedy. “It’s been portrayed as a very loud and noticeable event in movies and TV shows,” Hilsabeck says, “and often it’s just really not that way. The swimmer possibly could have already been distressed and just isn’t going to be making a lot of noise and it can just happen so quickly in 20 to 60 seconds.” Anyone on a pleasure boat, kayak, canoe or innertube should also strive to be safe by wearing a life jacket — and she says to make sure it’s one that fits.

Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says confirmed cases of bird flu among poultry and dairy cattle in northwest Iowa are a crisis — and another reason congress needs to pass the Farm Bill this year. “There’s a lot of dollars in for avian influenza and African swine fever. These are massive things,” Feenstra says, “and if African swine fever would ever hit Iowa, it would be catastrophic to start euthanizing our hogs.”

Feenstra, who represents Iowa’s fourth congressional district, says 25 million birds in Iowa have been impacted by avian influenza. African Swine Fever, which is fatal to hogs, has not been detected in the United States.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Seven Veterans on a cross country bicycle trek made their way through Atlantic, Monday, to show how outdoor therapy is beneficial to mental health, and to help veterans transition from their wartime experiences through long distance outdoor expeditions. Warrior Expeditions is a non-profit organization that recognizes the therapeutic value of long-distance outdoor journeys and offers veterans long-distances hikes, bike rides, and canoeing expeditions.

For multiple years, the biking experience has been a cross-country ride that follows the Great American Rail-Trail route across the United States. While the Great American Rail-Trail is yet to be completed, the planned route includes Cass County.

Seven veterans are participating in this year’s biking expedition, and on June 10 Callie Leaver and Allen Megginson biked from Coon Rapids to Atlantic. They rode the T-Bone Trail to its Dunbar Road Trailhead a few miles north of Atlantic where the trail currently ends. From there, they jumped on gravel roads to finish their ride to Sunnyside Park, their camping location for the night. Callie and Allen started their journey in Washington D.C. on May 8, and are biking approximately 50 miles a day. They expect to complete the 3850-mile cross-country journey in about 12-15 weeks.

Veterans Callie Leaver (L) and Allen Megginson (R) pause for a photo just north of Atlantic. (Photo courtesy Ciara Hoegh)

Warrior Expeditions outfits veterans with all the gear they will need for their expeditions, and Callie and Allen are carrying all the gear they will need for the ride with them on their bikes. When asked what they would share with area residents, Callie was sure to note that Iowa has the most beautiful bike trails and that Iowa drivers have been very friendly when sharing the road. She appreciates that truckers have slowed down for them.

For more information on Warrior Expeditions, and to follow Callie and Allen’s ride across the U.S., visit Warrior Expeditions on Facebook at www.facebook.com/warriorhike.

The Great American Rail Trail is an initiative of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 whose mission is to build a nation connected by trails. For more information on the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Great American Rail Trail, visit www.railstotrails.org.

Nishna Valley Trails is a tax-exempt local nonprofit that promotes the development of recreational trails and cycling. People who support these causes are welcome to join the group by contacting President Dave Chase at 712-249-3059.

A map of Cass County trails, including information on trail type, ADA accessibility, and restrooms, can be found at https://www.atlanticiowa.com/experience/cass-county-trails-map-2/. Printed copies of the Cass County Trails Map can be picked up at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 5002