The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released its first report on hepatitis C infection in Iowa. Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants in the U.S. A comparison of data from 2000 to 2015 shows the number of Iowans diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection increased nearly three-fold, from 754 cases in 2000 to 2,235 cases in 2015.

The number of HCV diagnoses among those between the ages of 18 and 30 has more than quadrupled since 2009, with 303 diagnoses in 2015. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with HCV infection don’t have any symptoms and therefore are not tested or diagnosed. Because of this, the number of Americans and Iowans who are infected with hepatitis C is likely much higher than the report indicates.

According to Randy Mayer, Chief of the IDPH Bureau of HIV, STD, and Hepatitis, the increase in diagnoses is expected and is a positive sign. “These data indicate that Iowans are getting tested and referred to treatment by their medical providers. Everyone born between 1945 and 1965 and anyone who has ever injected non-prescription drugs, even once, should be tested for hepatitis C.”

The majority (63 percent) of Iowans reported with HCV were between the ages of 45 and 64. This mirrors national data, and has prompted the CDC to recommend anyone born between 1945 and 1965 talk to their doctor about being tested for Hepatitis C.

CDC also recommends testing for HCV if:
You ever injected non-prescription drugs, even if you injected only one time or many years ago.
You were treated for a blood clotting problem before 1987.
You received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992.
You are on long-term hemodialysis treatment.
You have abnormal liver tests or liver disease.
You work in health care or public safety and were exposed to blood through a needlestick or other sharp object injury.
You are infected with HIV.

Over 55 percent of Iowans between the ages 18 and 64 who have HCV live in one of six counties: Polk, Linn, Scott, Woodbury, Pottawattamie, and Black Hawk.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection; today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness, but for 70 to 85 percent of people who become infected with hepatitis C, it becomes a long-term, chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C is a serious disease than can result in long-term health problems, even death. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; however, there are highly effective and curative treatments available for hepatitis C with few of the side effects that previous medications had. The best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs.

To see the Epidemiological Profile of Hepatitis C in Iowa and to learn more about HCV, visit www.idph.iowa.gov/hivstdhep/hep.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests over the past week. At around 8-a.m. on Feb. 6th, an Iowa State Patrol Trooper stopped a vehicle on eastbound Interstate 80 at mile marker 81 in Adair County. As he spoke with 22-year old Raymond Wylie Smith, of Washington, MO., the Trooper noticed what appeared to be a large bud of marijuana in the center console of the vehicle. Smith confirmed the Trooper’s suspicions, and a K9 search of the vehicle was conducted, which resulted in the recovery of additional substances believed to be marijuana, along with numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia. Smith was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was later released from the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

46-year old Charles Ray Balius, of Creston, was arrested in Adair County Friday night, following a traffic stop at the intersection of 180th Street and Highway 25. He was taken into custody for OWI/3rd offense, open container of alcohol in a vehicle, and Driving While License Revoked for OWI Test Refusal. Balius was later released on $5,000 bond.

Saturday morning, 22-year old Dain Elise Saxton, of Leon, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. She was later released on $300 bond. Saturday afternoon, 38-year old Brandon Eugene Rudolf, of Leon, was arrested in Greenfield, for Driving While License Suspended. And, 38-year old Michael Ross Waddingham, of Orient, was arrested in Orient, for Driving While Barred. He was later released on a $2,000 bond.

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

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Police in Creston report seven people were arrested on separate charges during the period spanning Friday through Sunday. Sunday night, 35-year old Nicholas Giesken, and 39-year old Stephanie Giesken, both of Creston, were arrested for Interference with Official Acts and Violation of a Protective Order. Stephanie Giesken was being held in the Ringgold County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. Nicholas Giesken was being held in the Union County Jail, also awaiting a bond hearing.

Early Sunday morning, 26-year old James Randolph, of Columbus, OH, and 28-year old Joshua Palmer, of Creston, were arrested in Creston. Both were charged with Disorderly Conduct, Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Both men were later released on $300 bond, each.

Friday night, 33-year old Clay Pettit, of Creston, was arrested for Domestic Assault. He was later released on $300 bond. 27-year old Kyle Hoadley, and 26-year old Kristen Oliphant, both of Creston, were arrested Friday night on Trespass charges. Both were cited and then released on a Promise to Appear in Court.

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

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After the massive Missouri River flooding of 2011, plans were made to install a better system for monitoring heavy rain and run-off from snowpack to more accurately predict pending floods. Jody Farhat, Omaha division chief of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers, says a better, real-time reporting system was designed — but still hasn’t been built.

“There was authorization in 2014 to install a monitoring system for those aspects, the soil moisture and the snowpack,” Farhat says. “That has not been funded at this time but we’re hoping to get started on the process this year.” Farhat says other improvements have been made to the reporting system in the past six years. “We are working much more closely with the states and we also have set up a network of observers to give us snowpack measurements during the winter,” Farhat says. “We are getting better information this year that’s being fed into the NOAA products. I do think we have a better handle on it than we did in 2011.”

Farhat says despite above-normal snowpack this winter, it doesn’t compare to that of 2011. “Even though we have an area of high plains snowpack right now in North Dakota and in north-central South Dakota, it’s smaller in area and extent than it was in 2011 at the peak and it peaked in late February in 2011. Also, the mountain snowpack is tracking pretty close to normal.”

The Corps is predicting above-normal run-off into the Missouri River reservoir system for February through April. Farhat says they have “adequate” flood storage available behind the six mainstream dams.

(Radio Iowa)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa is tightening the rules for incoming out-of-state students seeking in-state residency after beginning their studies. Officials say a record 317 part-time freshmen enrolled at the university for fall 2016. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that many of those nonresidents weren’t taking enough credit hours to trigger the higher, full-time tuition.

Out-of-state students who want to become residents must live in Iowa for at least a 12-month period and prove they moved to Iowa primarily for reasons other than higher education. The nonresident students previously had to show that they worked an average of 20 hours a week for those 12 months. Under the tighter rules, students enrolling after May 1 will have to show they’re working an average of at least 30 hours a week.

A study by the Department of Natural Resources shows a recycling program used effectively in rural areas of some other states may not be the best system to use in Iowa. The D-N-R’s Jennifer Wright says states like New Mexico have used a “Hub and Spoke” approach where the “spokes” are collection points for recyclable material. “And they collectively work together and create partnerships to bring it into a hub so that they have enough materials enough commodity products….the cardboards, the papers, the plastics. So they get enough to effectively sell it back to the market,” Wright says.

Wright says the D-N-R wanted to find out if there was a need for this type of program.
“There was a thought maybe that rural parts of Iowa were challenged with their ability to effectively recycle,” Wright says. She says rural areas are much different than the cities where recycling has evolved into a fairly simple process. “You have your single stream bin and you roll it out to the corner every two weeks and then it goes of to a facility and then it gets process. But, when you get out into our rural communities — they do have recycling — it just may not be provided curbside,” Wright explains.

She says the found the process could be improved in rural areas. “The infrastructure is pretty robust, we have a lot of options available, it’s just that there are some inefficiencies within the system,” Wright says. Part of the problem is all the various collection points might not have enough of the material to make it worthwhile. Wright says they determined installing a whole new system isn’t needed, but some modifications would help. She says there might be an idea to have a hub and spoke for certain commodities, with the whole idea of helping them grow and become more efficient.

Wright says for example, collectors might work together to take their glass to one buyer to be able to get the best price. Wright says the focus moving forward will be on finding ways to help the rural recycling efforts get better.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities are investigating the Des Moines slaying of a woman and the crash death of a male suspect. Des Moines police say in a news release that officers and medics who responded about 2:30 a.m. Monday to a report of a stabbing found the woman’s body.

Officers developed information about a suspect and the suspect’s vehicle, and the vehicle soon was spotted by Altoona police officers. Des Moines police say the vehicle crashed on Interstate 80 as the driver tried to evade the Altoona officers. Des Moines police say the suspect died in the crash.

The names of those involved have not been released. Police say the woman’s death was Des Moines’ seventh homicide of the year.

Cass and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies coordinated efforts in a drug investigation Sunday, in Elliott. The result was three arrests, numerous items seized, including more than one-quarter of a pound of meth, a weapon and drug paraphernalia. Authorities say 32-year old Daniel Eugene Long, of Atlantic, 50-year old Kristine Myers Ryan, of Red Oak, and 64-year old Patrick Emile Clark, of Elliott, were arrested.

Long was arrested for felony Conspiracy to Deliver Methamphetamine. Myers-Ryan faces charges that include felony Gathering where Controlled Substances were used, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (A simple misdemeanor). Clark faces felony charges that include Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver, Drug Tax Stamp Violation, being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Pills. All three subjects were being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

They were arrested after authorities executed a search warrant at 508 5th Street #B, in Elliott. Recovered at the scene was nearly 142-grams of Methamphetamine, a .32- caliber handgun, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia.

Clark was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $100,000 bond. Long’s bond was set at $50,000, and the bond for Myers-Ryan was set at $5,000.