(Radio Iowa) — Despite an increasing number of reports about the health hazards of electronic cigarettes, studies find the popularity of vaping continues to rise in Iowa. Erika Sward, spokeswoman for the American Lung Association, says more Iowa adults are using e-cigarettes, but they’re especially alluring to teenagers.

“Among adults in Iowa, just over 16% use and smoke cigarettes, and 5.3% use e-cigarettes,” Sward says. “The most recent high school data we have for cigarette smoking in Iowa is about 4.4%.” The latest study from the Iowa Department of Public Health finds e-cigarette use among Iowa 11th graders has rocketed in recent years to more than 22-percent, that’s almost one in every four. Sward says e-cigarettes were initially billed as being a safe alternative to help smokers transition away from traditional cigarettes to eventually quit.

“The Food and Drug Administration has not found any e-cigarette to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit,” Sward says, “but we have certainly seen these false and unproven claims from e-cigarette manufacturers and retailers.” The American Lung Association is continuing to press the F-D-A for more significant action on e-cigarettes, but she says the agency is moving very slowly.

“We’ve seen one warning letter go out to one manufacturer, Juul, but unfortunately in the ten-year history of these products in the U.S., that’s really been the major action,” Sward says. “We know that smokers are confused.” The state of Iowa is offering a program called, “My Life, My Quit,” which focuses on teens.

Through the program, teens work with a coach who listens and understands their unique needs, provides personalized support, and helps them build a quit plan to become free from nicotine. For details, text or call 855-891-9989 or visit mylifemyquit.com.

(Radio Iowa) — Authorities in Northwest Iowa are investigating two fatal car crashes that occurred within 30 miles of each other on Friday. Sheriff’s deputies in Kossuth County received a report of a single-vehicle accident about two miles east of Burt around 6:30 Friday morning. Upon arrival Deputies found 57-year-old Steven Michael Schindler, of Algona, unresponsive. Schindler was taken to Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona where he was pronounced dead. Authorities say Schindler was traveling north on a county road when his vehicle left the roadway and entered the east ditch and eventually came back across the road and ended up rolling in the west ditch.

Just before 11:30 p.m. Friday deputies in Humboldt County received a report of a single-vehicle accident near Bode. They say 46-year-old Joel Haynes, of Bode, was eastbound on a county road when he lost control of the vehicle he was driving and left the roadway and hit several trees. Haynes was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

Both accidents remain under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) — A Las Vegas man who was convicted of sending marijuana plants to Iowa has been sentenced to five years in federal prison. Sixty-two-year-old Oliver Maupin was found guilty in June by a jury of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana. Court records show Maupin created two separate marijuana grow operations in Oregon that sent large quantities of marijuana to Iowa.

Maupin studied Oregon’s medical marijuana laws and learned how to use them to avoid the detection of the illegal marijuana operations that court records showed created hundreds of pounds of marijuana worth several hundred thousand dollars. He was sentenced to the 60 months in prison and ordered to pay a ten-thousand dollar fine.

(Radio Iowa) — A Denison High School teacher has been placed on administrative leave after students complained the teacher used the “n” word in the classroom. Crystal Holt says she had divided students into juries, to discuss a court case involving the death penalty, and they were making poster boards about the case.

“I asked why they put ‘hate crimes’ on their board,” Holt told KDSN Radio. “And one of the students said: ‘Because in the reading it said he used pejorative terms.’ And another student in that group said: ‘What does pejorative mean?’ And I said it means derogatory. And the student said: ‘What does derogatory mean?’ And I said it means terms that are not nice to race and continued trying to explain that. And I said he used the ‘n’ word and then I said he used the word.”

Holt says there appeared to be no issue that day with the discussion, but the next day the dean of students asked her to speak with another class that had taken issue with her decision to use that word. “I went to that other teacher’s class and tried to explain the context of how I was using the word, the explanation of my teaching,” Holt says. “And I believe there is a videotape that is circulating (online) of me and the other teacher’s voice talking in that class trying to explain how we were using that word in instruction.”

A group of students are planning a protest tomorrow (Tuesday) morning to call for Holt’s firing. The school’s superintendent posted a statement on Facebook Friday, saying the district is conducting an internal investigation. Holt says her use of the word was not a racial slur. “A racial slur, in its intent, is directed at a person or an individual and that did not happen in this case,” she says. “The word was used to teach and help people understand the seriousness of racism in a capital punishment case and racism is a major part of several capital punishment cases.”

Holt spoke with a reporter at Denison’s radio station and was asked if the use of that word outside of an academic setting would be appropriate. “Never, never,” Holt said. “I cannot imagine that being used except in a classroom to combat and explain issues of racism.” Holt’s husband is State Representative Steven Holt, a Republican who in 2018 tabled a bill in the legislature that would have restored the death penalty in Iowa.

Denison’s superintendent — in a statement posted on Facebook — said the district takes the issue of racism “extremely seriously and regret and apologize for any impact” this classroom incident may have had. The superintendent said he’d work with students, their families and the school’s faculty to resolve the situation.

HAMILTON, Iowa (AP) — Crews have found the body of a woman while fighting a mobile home fire in the tiny southern Iowa city of Hamilton. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says firefighters found the body of 56-year-old Rhonda Kiler early Monday after being called to the fire.

Firefighters worked for about 45 minutes to douse the fire before finding Kiler’s body in the home. Local and state investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will meet 5:30-p.m Tuesday, in the High School Media Center. On the retiring board’s agenda, is discussion with regard to a retaining wall scheme at the Trojan Bowl, an action on: Revised/updated 500 Series Board Policies; the 2018-19 District Annual Report; 2018-19 Depository Statement; Board Strategic Plan, and the Abstract of Votes from the Nov. 5th School Election.

There will also be recognition of retiring Board members, followed by adjournment of the current Board. Afterward, an Organizational meeting of the New Board will take place. That includes administering the Oath of Office to newly elected Board Members, the election of a Board President & Vice President, an appointment of Board Treasurer & Secretary.

The new Board will act on necessary administrative matters, and hear a special presentation on the Construction Trades Program. Additional action items include: General and Special Education Contracts, the resignations of Food Service Worker Julie Wright and Special Ed Para-educator Kourtnie Beschorner, and Contract Recommendations for the following:

• Katy Christensen – Freshman Girls Basketball
• Wynter Waltz – Special Education Car Driver & Substitute/Activity Car Driver.
• Jeff Christensen – Substitute/Activity Car Driver
• Crystal Sunderman – Substitute Activity/Car Driver.
• And Stephanie Kloewer – Food Service.

Items for discussion include: A Facility Project Update; TLC Compensation Review Process and Strategic Planning. Other, action items include: the Green Hills AEA Board of Directors Election, and a Snow Removal Contract, to name a few.