(Radio Iowa) — Loneliness is becoming a serious epidemic among senior citizens nationwide, especially in states like Iowa with much older populations. A retirement living company, with facilities in Iowa and Nebraska, is working to take a proactive approach. Jennifer Knecht, vice president of marketing and communications at Immanuel Communities, says loneliness can bring on all kinds of ailments. “We know that scientifically, loneliness has been linked to greater risk of heart disease,” Knecht says. “We know that being lonely on a regular basis is the equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We know that loneliness may speed the onset of dementia. We also know that loneliness shortens life.”

While the signs of loneliness can be concealed, they often come during a change of circumstance in a person’s life. Retiring from a career, health issues, or the death of a loved one can all lead to isolation.  “Forty-three percent of America’s seniors are lonely which is incredible, that’s a huge number of folks,” Knecht says. “Often, folks are suffering from loneliness and don’t even necessarily know how incredibly serious it is — or can be — for their health.”

Potential signs of loneliness may include: poor eating habits, loss of interest in personal hygiene or appearance, significant clutter in the home, a general lack of interest or withdrawal. Combating loneliness is a five-part process, she says, with the first steps being: learn about the epidemic, take an online loneliness assessment, discover what help is available, and then seeking out that help. “This is the hardest step in the process, actually identifying the fact that you’re lonely and then asking for a little help, some support,” Knecht says. “Step five, make the choice of which solution is best for you. There’s a lot of different options out there that can help you combat loneliness or a loved one combat loneliness.”

Raising awareness and fighting loneliness are priorities in their facilities, she says, as a sense of community can make a world of difference in seniors’ lives.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An ex-con found guilty in September of first-degree murder for killing an Omaha woman he had just met has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. KMTV reports that 40-year-old Jeremiah Connelly received the mandatory sentence Wednesday for killing 22-year-old Jeanna Wilcoxen, in September 2018. Wilcoxen, the mother of a 4-year old son, was a native of Council Bluffs.

Prosecutors say Connelly confessed to police that he had abducted Wilcoxen from an Omaha park near a laundromat where he’d met her a day earlier. He told police that he was angry she had backed out of plans to move in with him. He told police he forced her into his van, raped her and suffocated her. Her body was found in a ravine near Fremont, NE. Connelly carried out the killing about six weeks after he had been released from prison, where he served a term for attempted kidnapping, robbery and other crimes.

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The Creston Police Department reports two arrests and an incident of vandalism/theft. Authorities say 37-year old Wesley Gregg, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday morning in the 100 block of N. Elm, on a Union County Warrant for Burglary 2nd Degree. Gregg was being held in the Union County Jail on a $10,000 bond. Wednesday afternoon, 39-year old Jennifer Beard, of Creston, was arrested at her residence for Violation of Court Order/No Contact Order. Beard was being held in the Adams County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

A Creston woman reported to police Wednesday morning, that sometime during the previous night someone had broken a window on her vehicle while it was parked at her residence in the 500 block of N. Stone Street. A wallet in the vehicle was stolen. The loss was estimated at $220 altogether.

ZEARING, Iowa (AP) — Local and state authorities are investigating the death of woman during a domestic dispute in central Iowa. The Story County Sheriff’s Office says a Zearing resident called 911 around 5 p.m. Wednesday to report that a neighbor told her he’d killed his wife. Deputies found her body outside, and it was taken away for an autopsy. The man was taken to Ames for medical treatment. The couple’s names haven’t been released.

(Radio Iowa) — A group of students are asking the state board that oversees the three state universities to host public meetings with students on the campuses in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City. Sara Castro, a Grinnell College student, says students of color are experiencing a rise in racism and are finding it more difficult to afford tuition. “We ask that this Board of Regents take us seriously. Last year, you refused to. We’re not asking any more. We’re demanding. Reach out to our staff before the end of the fall semester to schedule these town halls or we promise to shut down every one of your spring semester meetings,” Castro said. “Stop hiding from the students you represent.”

Castro is a spokesperson for “Iowa Student Action,” which is part of a national network of grassroots organizers. Castro addressed the Board of Regents during the public comment period at its meeting in Cedar Falls yesterday (Wednesday). Becky Hawbaker is president of the United Faculty, the union at the University of Northern Iowa with about 650 members. She says there are problems that must be addressed. “I’m here to support our students of color and other marginalized students who have organized and who have called this university and others to account for inadequate progress on addressing individual and institutional discrimination on our campus,” she said. “Their social media posts, their town hall meeting this week have all illustrated and given voice to problems and issues we need to collectively hear.”

Last week, U-N-I’s president formed a committee to investigate allegations of systemic racism on the Cedar Falls campus and come up with plan of action.