Iowa’s hospitals rank in the bottom half of the national pack on a new report card based on medical errors and other problems. Leah Binder, president and C-E-O of The Leapfrog Group, says the 2017 Hospital Safety Grade Report surveyed more than 26-hundred hospitals nationwide, including 33 facilities in Iowa. The grades were given based on medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections.  “The bad things that you never want to see happen in a hospital, but they do happen,” Binder says. “About 500 people a day die from these preventable errors. It’s a very serious issue and we believe every American deserves information before they’re admitted to a hospital on how well that hospital is doing.”

Iowa has fallen ten places in the survey over the past several years. “Iowa is ranked 33rd in the country,” Binder says. “They have about 27% of their hospitals earning an A. That’s not so great. Nationally, the average is about a third of hospitals get an A so they are still not there.” Binder says Iowa’s drop in the rankings is a concern. “Unfortunately, they’ve gotten worse,” Binder says. “They used to be, back when we started doing this five years ago, they were ranked 23rd in the country. They’re kind of slipping unfortunately.”

Of the 33 hospitals graded in Iowa, nine received an A, ten got B’s, including St. Anthony Regional Hospital, in Carroll. 13 were given C’s, including CHI Health Mercy, in Council Bluffs, and there was one D for UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center of Sioux City. The nine A’s were given to hospitals in: Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Council Bluffs (Methodist Jennie Edmundsun), Des Moines, Dubuque, Newton, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Waterloo. See the full report at: http://www.hospitalsafetygrade.org/

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Public Health reports the department is hosting a 3-part parenting series just for dads and kids (up to age 18) called “Building Up Dads” beginning on Tuesday, November 14th. Nancy Gibson, Parents as Teachers Coordinator said “Being a parent isn’t easy, However, research shows that dads who spend time with their children increase self-esteem, confidence, and life skills in their children.

Each of the three sessions will include dinner, separate activities for dads and kids, and then time together. The series is free for families to participate in thanks to grants from Boost 4 Families and DECAT. Gibson says “We are really excited about this opportunity for families. Our goal is to give dads the tools and confidence they need to be a great parent, while also giving them time to build their relationships with their children.”

As an added bonus, participants who attend all three sessions will have their name entered in a drawing for a free family zoo membership to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. The first session is November 14th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, and the topic is “Resiliency.” To reserve your place, please call 712-243-7475.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers were kept busy late Wednesday evening into early this (Thursday) morning, making several drug-related arrests. All the drugs were discovered during traffic violation stops. During the first traffic stop a little after 6-p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of 19th and Nodaway, officers arrested 19-year old Hannah Madeline McCormick, of rural Clarinda, for possession of marijuana & possession of drug paraphernalia.

Just after 2:30-a.m. today (Thursday), Clarinda Police arrested 54-year old Jeana Marie Walker, and 62-year old Denise Diane Neville, both of rural Clarinda. The women were arrested for possession of marijuana. Walker and Neville were arrested at the intersection of 16th & Essie Davison Drive.

McCormick, Walker and Neville are being held in the Page County Jail on $1,000 bond, each. Police reports have been submitted to the offices of Page County Attorney Carl M. Sonksen for review regarding the filing of formal charges.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports, Beginning Sunday night, Nov. 5, drivers may encounter interstate closures in Council Bluffs when road construction crews close portions of interstates 29 and 80. Southbound I-29 between Ninth Avenue and Nebraska Avenue will be closed from 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, to 5:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 10, for demolition of part of the Union Pacific Railroad’s bridge. Drivers are encouraged to use I-480 as a detour.

East- and westbound I-80 will be closed at the I-80/I-29 interchange (exit 1) from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly Tuesday through Thursday, Nov. 7-9, for bridge construction.
For more information or to sign up for alerts, visit the program website at www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov. You can also contact the program office at 712-216-3339.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Update 8:52-a.m: The traffic lights are now working properly)

The traffic signal lights on 7th Street in downtown Atlantic are not working properly. Please be cautious and remember the rules of the Right-of-Way at intersections.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa man has been given three years of probation and told to repay the state for claiming undeserved unemployment benefits. Court records say 54-year-old Bryan Terry, of Lake Mills, was sentenced Tuesday in a Winnebago County courtroom. His $750 fine was suspended, as was his five-year prison term. He’d pleaded guilty to a charge of fraudulent practice.

Officials say Terry misrepresented his employment status and income to obtain nearly $8,500 in benefits, which he must pay Iowa Workforce Development as restitution.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County late Wednesday night, arrested 39-year old Jill Coddington, of Corning. Coddington was taken into custody after she allegedly violated a No Contact Order by picking up her boyfriend and bringing him to her home, in Corning. A domestic dispute transpired soon thereafter. The boyfriend left the scene and fled on foot before deputies arrived. Coddington was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $300 bond.

The driver of a vehicle pulled over for traveling 83 miles per hour in a 55 zone, Wednesday morning, was arrested on weapon and drug-related charges. His passenger was arrested on drug and other charges. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 28-year old Alexander John Welsh, of Boone, was arrested at the scene on Highway 34 and Fig Avenue, at around 10-a.m., Wednesday. While speaking with Welsh, Deputies noticed inside the vehicle, in plain view, drug paraphernalia.

During a Probable Cause search of the vehicle, Deputies located two loaded handguns, used hypodermic needles, a digital scale containing methamphetamine residue, a concealed machete,’ and a lock box containing $900 in U-S currency. Welsh was arrested for three counts of carrying weapons, two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited person, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was brought to the Adams County Jail and held on a $16,300 cash bond, only. A passenger in the vehicle, 38-year old Cathryn Marie Stone, of Garden Grove, IA, was arrested for Providing a False I.D.,  Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Meth).

Once inside the jail, Stone allegedly tried to flush down the toilet, a baggie containing meth and a spoon. She was subsequently charged with Interference with official acts, and Possessing contraband in a Secure facility. Her cash only bond was set at $6,900.