Officials with the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating last Friday afternoon’s explosion and fire at the Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) plant, located at 10868 189th Street in rural Council Bluffs. The explosion and fire happened at around 3:30-p.m., while a fuel tanker truck was being loaded with fuel. The driver of the truck was severely injured by the explosion and was flown by LifeFlight to the University of Nebraska Hospital’s Burn Unit. The victim is in critical but stable condition and continues to be treated at this time. The name of the victim will be released by his company (CHS) when all family members have been notified.

The Lewis Township Fire Department, along with fire departments from Council Bluffs, Treynor, Offutt Air Force Base, and approximately seven (7) other fire departments responded to the explosion.

Authorities say this is an on-going investigation by the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) State Fire Marshal Division (SFM), the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, and the Council Bluffs Fire Department.

Currently, there is no specific cause has been determined for the explosion/fire.

The Fire Danger rating in Shelby County has been lowered from “High,” to “Moderate.”  Property owners and/or managers planning a controlled burn of brush or grassland areas are asked to call in and report your burning projects to Shelby County Dispatch at 712-755-2124, and notify your local Fire Chief.

Timing for burns should be morning, or evening hours and extinguished by dark unless authorized by Fire Chief due to possible impacts to roads and health from smoke. Burns must be monitored at all times.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says a Bridgewater woman was arrested Friday night on multiple drug charges. 31-year old Sherrece Patricia Kilgore was taken into custody at around 7:10-p.m. for: Theft in the 5^th degree; Trepass with intent to commit a public offense (at KC’s Tavern in Bridgewater); 9 counts of Prescription Drug Violation, for having in her possession without a prescription, varying amounts of Alprazolam, Diazepam, Baclofen, Prednizone, Gabapentin, Naproxen, Vyvanse, and cyclobenzaprine; Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine; and two counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (multiple meth and marijuana pipes).

Kilgore was brought to the Adair County Jail and released Saturday morning on $2,000 bond. 51-year old Mark Elmer Steil, of Bridgewater, was arrested Oct. 5^th on an Adair County warrant for felony Theft in the 2^nd degree. Steil was being held in the Adair County Jail on $5,000 bond.

And, 31-year old Tanya Jo Bakalar, of Greenfield, was arrested Oct. 3^rd on an Adair County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was released the next day on her own recognizance after making an initial appearance before a magistrate.

A traffic stop in Audubon County Sunday afternoon resulted in the arrest of three men on drug charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says the traffic stop took place in Brayton at around 2:30-p.m., Sunday. Taken into custody was 19-year old’s Verlyn Duane Richardson, Jr., and Kyle James Hernandez, both of Des Moines, and 44-year old Verlyn Duane Richardson, Sr., of Audubon.

Hernandez and Verlyn Richardson, Jr., were charged Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia. Verlyn Richardson, Sr., was charged with Possession of Contraband, Possession of Marijuana/2nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The trio was booked into the Audubon County Jail and later released after appearing before the Magistrate.

The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program through Cass County Public Health is looking for young families to enroll in their program. PAT provides home visits to help young children grow up healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The PAT educators help communities partner with parents to do a better job of preparing children for a stronger start in life and for greater success in school.

PAT Educators Nancy Gibson and Victoria Means provide monthly home visits to families with young children—from prenatal visits through entering Kindergarten. During those visits, they work on getting a complete health history, doing developmental screenings to catch any delays as early as possible, check on immunizations, and much more. Children in the program also have access to free vision, hearing, and dental checks.

Gibson says “We’ve been in Cass County for 18 years, and we are a credentialed, evidence-based program. We provide support to the parents and kids. It’s not just for the children—it’s about the whole family.” The families are very active in deciding the goals for the program. Maybe it’s a goal for the child, but it might be a goal for the parent. Gibson says “We also provide activities that are specifically chosen to meet a need for that family – maybe it’s a game that works on fine-motor development. Or we’ll work on discipline strategies and techniques, language, or healthy back-to-school routines. If it’s a goal or concern for that family, then that’s what we are going to work on together.”

Literacy is a major component, and PAT offers a “traveling library.” The educators will bring a selection of books with them for the family to read during the next month, when a new batch of books will be swapped out. Parents who are interested in the program can contact Nancy Gibson at 712-243-7475. Referrals are also welcome—anyone who knows of a family that could benefit from participating is encouraged to call.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says a rural Braddyville man reported late last week, that sometime over the past two months, someone stole two cows and a bottle of alcohol from his property. The cows include a two-year old, and a Longhorn brindle cow. One of the cows, a calf, weighed 350-pounds.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193.

A Glenwood man was arrested Sunday, on a felony assault charge. According to Glenwood Police, 50-year old Carl Galvan was taken into custody for felony Domestic Abuse Assault, and, unlawful possession of Prescription drugs. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Also arrested Sunday in Glenwood, was 39-year old Lance Cole, of Glenwood, who was charged with Driving While Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Underwood was arrested Sunday morning  for OWI/1st offense. 28-year old Jessica Archer was taken into custody after she was pulled over at around 2:40-a.m. in Underwood, for not having registration plates. The deputy observed Archer showed signs of impairment before placing her under arrest.

Late Saturday night, a Clarinda Corrections Officer, 55-year old David William Berry, of Elliott, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, after he was pulled over in Oakland at around 11:50-p.m., for driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway.

And, 52-year old Lorene Mae Pucelik, of Harlan, was arrested for OWI/1st offense and Failure to Maintain Control, after she was pulled over in Oakland at around 9:20-p.m., Friday. The woman’s husband had called authorities saying he was concerned for her welfare when she didn’t show up to meet him at the Avoca High School football game, Friday.

Gov. Terry Branstad has announced that the Abigail Adams Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution would be the 5th award recipient of private funds used to promote historical projects around Iowa.  Kristine Bartley, Regent of the Abigail Adams Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) joined Gov. Branstad in the announcement.

To date, the Iowa History Fund has provided funds to:

• restore Gov. Samuel Merrill’s mausoleum in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines;
• construct a monument honoring the six Littleton brothers near Wapello;
• assemble the Hugh Sidey Collection in Greenfield; and
• repair gravesites at the 160 year old St. Wenceslaus Church Cemetery in Spillville.

The 5^th Iowa History Fund award, in the amount of $10,000, is being granted to finalize the fundraising effort to install more than 300 unmarked baby graves in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines.  The Iowa History Fund contribution will match other private contributions from Kurt Rasmussen, Suku Radia and Prairie Meadows to meet the organization’s overall goal of raising just under $27,000.

Starting in 1848, 501 babies were buried in a special area of Woodland Cemetery.  At the time, most were given a number and a small wooden cross that eventually deteriorated.  In 2006, Gerald A. LaBlanc initiated a campaign to complete a headstone marker for each grave.  LaBlanc, now almost 90 years old, has been an educator, advocate, tour guide, fundraiser and spark plug for preservation, restoration and appreciation of the historic site.  He secured the funds for 196 of 501 headstones but was unable to complete the project alone.  Stepping up in service, the Abigail Adams Chapter DAR has taken the initiative to complete the project.

DES MOINES, IA (October 10, 2016) – Despite rising health premiums, Iowa employers are asking employees with single (employee-only) and family coverage to contribute about the same as they did in 2015. Remarkably similar to previous studies, Iowa employees with single coverage are paying 17.1 percent of the total health premium (employer and worker contributions combined), while employees with family coverage contribute about 31 percent of the family premium. This is according to the 2016 Iowa Employer Benefits Study(c), the 18th annual study conducted by David P. Lind Benchmark of Clive, an employee benefits research firm. One-thousand-twenty-five Iowa employers participated in this year’s survey.

The study also found that Iowa employer health insurance premiums increased an average of 8.0 percent from 2015 to 2016. This factors in employers receiving an increase, decrease, or no change in their premiums. The Iowa average represents the premium increase employers received prior to making design changes to their medical insurance plans. After the health plans were modified by employers – such as increasing employee cost-sharing arrangements – the increase over last year was 5.9 percent for single premiums and one-half percent for family premiums. During the similar period, wages for Iowans increased by 3.7% (source: Iowa Workforce Development). The study also showed:

* The combined average annual premiums for all types of medical plans offered by Iowa employers (HMO, PPO, Traditional Indemnity and Consumer-Driven Health Plans) were $6,509 (up 5.9% from 2015) for employee-only coverage and $15,743 (up 0.5%) for employees who include family members. Since 1999, the year this study began, the single premium has increased by 215 percent while the family premium has increased by 186 percent.

* Employees are asked to contribute $93 monthly for employee-only coverage, similar to last year. Employees with family members are asked to pay over $403 a month, a slight decrease compared to last year ($417). Over the course of 18 years (1999-2016), employee contributions have increased by 151 percent for single coverage and 128 percent for family coverage.  In sharp contrast, the Iowa Workforce Development shows the average weekly wage (for all industries) earned in Iowa increased by 46.4 percent between 2000 and 2015. It is important to note that employers continue to pay about 83 percent of the total single-health premium and 69 percent of the family premium – similar to results from past studies.

* The average deductibles that Iowa employees are required to pay in 2016 dropped slightly for single coverage ($1,627) when compared to last year’s average ($1,662). The 2016 family deductible ($3,382) remained statistically unchanged from 2015. Despite this glacial change, deductibles since 2004 for both single and family have risen by 188 percent and 185 percent, respectively.

* In the six years (2005-2010) prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, family health premiums for Iowa employers have increased by almost 31 percent. Since 2010, family premiums increased by only 18.4 percent during 2011-2016.

* From the 2011 – 2016 post-ACA period, contributions by employees with family coverage have increased by only nine percent, compared to 23.5 percent during the 2005-2010 period.

* The percentage change in family deductibles during the same pre-ACA period was 71 percent (from $1,547 to $2,644), compared to the family deductible increase of six percent during the post-ACA period.

As health insurance costs continue to rise, employers contain their health insurance costs by:

* Passing some or all of the increased costs to their employees (51 percent)
* Absorbing the entire cost increase (30 percent)
* Increasing deductibles (23 percent)
* Raising employees’ out-of-pocket costs (13 percent)
* Increasing co-payments for office visits (10 percent)
* Changing insurance companies (9 percent)
* Reducing pay raises or bonuses (8.5 percent)
* Offering Consumer-Driven Health Plans (7 percent)
* Increasing prescription drug co-payments (5 percent)
* Hiring fewer new employees (5 percent)
* Beginning wellness program initiatives (2 percent)

When asked about important reasons for changing health plans, Iowa employers felt that reducing long-term health costs and complying with government regulations were equally important when making coverage decisions. In addition, encouraging employees to better understand health costs and to become more engaged when seeking care are also important to employers.

In 2016, 79 percent of all Iowa employers reported offering health coverage, a slight increase from 76 percent in 2015. The most apparent reason for this increase is that more employers with fewer than 50 employees are reportedly offering health insurance to attract and retain employees in a seemingly more competitive employment market. “Reported premium increases by employers this past year does not appear to have meaningfully impacted employee costs through payroll deductions and through higher deductibles. Based on our recent findings, this one year hiatus from such increases has been beneficial to employee cost-sharing responsibilities. It does appear that post-ACA results show that such costs have only moderately increased when compared to pre-ACA results,” noted David P. Lind Benchmark President, David Lind.

The 2016 Iowa Employer Benefits Study(c) was conducted during the spring and summer of 2016.  Results are based on 1,025 responses from 4,798 randomly selected employers with two or more employees. For the overall sample, the results are accurate to within plus or minus 3.0 percent, at a 95 percent confidence level.  Data Point Research, Inc., of Ames, provided the statistical analysis and mathematical basis for the study.

David P. Lind Benchmark (DPLB) is an independent, for-profit, and non-partisan employee benefits research firm located in Clive, Iowa. Since 1999, DPLB has provided scientifically-based research to assist private and public employers and policy makers in their decision making. The Iowa Employer Benefits Study(c) is a comprehensive, statistical review of Iowa employee benefits and healthcare that is conducted annually by David P. Lind Benchmark.