Thanks to a 150-thousand dollar grant, more nurses aides in Iowa are learning to provide basic dental care to patients. The two-year grant is part of a statewide effort to integrate oral health into standard care for seniors and people with disabilities. Di Findley, director of the non-profit Iowa CareGivers, says the Lifelong Smiles Coalition developed a training program for health care aides called, “Mouth Care Matters,” and 100 direct care workers have been trained so far.

Findley says, “One of the direct care workers mentioned at our statewide conference when they began to understand that connection between the mouth and the rest of the body, she said, “I’m going to start placing a much higher priority on oral health and checking that person’s mouth than I am putting lipstick on.'” Findley says standards for oral health care should be added to the intake process for nursing home patients and especially for those receiving home health care services. For example, aides or nurses could ask a few simple questions, like, “Can you eat?” or “Do you have sores or pain in your mouth?”

She says, “I think promoting standards that can be recognized at the state level and integrated into the bigger system, that’s the only way it’s going to change significantly.” The grant comes from the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. Delta Dental of Iowa is a nonprofit insurance company and its foundation’s purpose is to help improve oral health care in the state.

Learn more at: www.lifelongsmilescoalition.com.

(Radio Iowa)

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

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MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) – After a 15-year restoration, a mechanic was taking a classic 1961 Chevrolet Corvette for a final test drive in Mason City before shipping the car to its owner in Florida. Then came the crash. Ray Shimak told the Globe Gazette  he was checking on a shifter adjustment when another car swerved into the Corvette.
No one was hurt, but the crash damaged the Corvette’s right rear and front.

Shimak had been restoring the Corvette since 2006 for retired Mason City businessman Lee Snell, who bought the car in the 1970s and had worked on it for years. Shimak says the latest repairs should be done by Jan. 1st. He says Snell accepted the news of the crash well, noting “He’s a patient man.”

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

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Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department say two men were arrested early this (Wednesday) morning for failing to obey the orders of a police officer. According to the police report, at around 1:25-a.m., an officer was conducting a traffic stop on the 3500 block of John Street. When the vehicle came to a stop the driver, later identified as 38-year old Gary Boro, of Omaha, exited the vehicle and allegedly moved in an aggressive manner toward the officer. The officer then called for assistance.

(Updated 9:55-a.m.)

A man from Nebraska was arrested following an attempted traffic stop and pursuit this (Wednesday) morning, in Council Bluffs. Authorities say just before 2-a.m., Bluffs Police Officers pulled over  a 2001 Chevy Tahoe in the area of N. 8th St. and Ave F. Officers made contact with the driver of the vehicle and identified him as 38-year old Moreice Stewart, of Omaha. Stewart had valid warrants for his arrest issued out of Douglas County, NE. When the officer was returning to his patrol car Stewart accelerated away from the traffic stop and headed east out of Council Bluffs on Highway 6.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputies pursued Stewart and deployed stop sticks at 270th and Highway 6. After Stewart’s vehicle went into a ditch, he fled on foot into a cornfield. Following a foot pursuit, Deputies took Stewart into custody and transported him to the Pottawattamie County jail.

He faces Pott. County charges that include: Fugitive from Justice (with regard to the Nebraska warrant); Felony Eluding; OWI/1st Offense; Reckless Driving and Interference with Official Acts. Bluffs Police also charged Stewart with Fraudulent use of Plates, No Registration, Equipment violation and Eluding.

Iowa City’s Kinnick Stadium will be playing host to an “away game tailgate” event for veterans again this season. Gary Boseneiler, Director of Johnson County Veterans Affairs, says this marks the third year for the event. “The first year we had 300 veterans and family members attend and last year I had 500 sign in. I’m anticipating about the same this year,” Boseneiler says.

The event is scheduled for October 15 and will begin at 10:30 a.m., about 30 minutes before the kickoff between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Indiana. A light tailgating lunch is free (first-come, first-serve) to veterans and their family members who can watch the game on TVs at Kinnick Stadium. Boseneiler says, judging from the first two years, plenty of vets from outside the Iowa City area will attend. “Folks from all across the state and even a few who come across the border,” Boseneiler said.

The tailgate event takes place inside the press box at Kinnick. Parking is available on the west side of the stadium. “You can park for free right outside the stadium and student veteran volunteers will help escort people from the parking lot upstairs to the area where the food and TVs will be,” Boseneiler said.

As of right now, it’s unclear what channel the game will be on. The possibilities include ABC, ESPN2, or ESPN-U. Boseneiler warns, if the Iowa-Purdue game is televised by ESPN-U, that channel is NOT part of the cable package at Kinnick Stadium — so attendees would be able to watch the game.

Anyone who has questions or would like more information can contact Gary Boseneiler at 319-356-6049 or by email: gbosenei@co.johnson.ia.us

(Radio Iowa)

A leader in Iowa’s evangelical Christian community was part of a national telecast billed as “An Honest Discussion About A Difficult Election.” Bob Vander Plaats  — the president and C-E-O of The Family Leader — says he will not endorse Donald Trump, but plans to vote for him.

However, Vander Plaats told the audience that as the father of a profoundly disabled 23-year-old son, he was shaken to his “core” when Trump publicly mocked a disabled reporter.

Vander Plaats says it’s time for Christians to focus on their own faith and steer the country toward a spiritual “revival.” Vander Plaats and three others spoke on last (Tuesday) night’s panel. Two are pastors in Orlando and Washington, D.C. and both said they’d vote for Trump because of policy reasons. The third worked in former President George W. Bush’s White House and told the audience a President Trump would endanger the republic, so he’s voting for a third party candidate.

Vander Plaats and the others agreed that many Christians are struggling with how or even why to vote this year. The event was held in a Florida church and organizers said “thousands” were watching live on the internet or their smart phones.

(Radio Iowa)

County officials in central Iowa who’re acting to raise the local minimum wage are getting criticized for the lower, “starter” wage for teenagers. Polk County Supervisors have voted twice to eventually raise the minimum wage to ten-75 ($10.75) an hour by 2019 — for adults. The county’s ordinance allows businesses to pay workers under the age of 18 a base wage that’s 15 percent below that. Sixteen-year old Alexa Rodriguez says that’s not fair because she does the same work her older colleagues do.

“When there’s a spill in the aisle or when it comes to providing good customer service, I’m able to do all of those,” she says. Des Moines resident Ashley Parker says she had to go to work at the age of 15 to support herself. “I was working many nights and every single weekend because my mom who struggled with addiction wasn’t working,” she says, “and my father refused to help me.” Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith says the two-tiered wage proposal is the recommendation from a task force and is the result of plenty of compromise.

“Is it everything we wanted? Absolutely not,” Hockensmith said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “Is it a good start? We think it is.” Michelle Hurd of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association says with that starting wage, employers can afford to hire teenagers. “It is in the best interest of youth in our state to provide young people with first time job experiences,” Hurd says.

The Polk County minimum wage ordinance gets its third and final reading next week. Officials in three other Iowa counties have passed ordinances to raise the minimum wage at the local level.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A three-judge federal appeals court panel is set to hear a dispute over the $3.8 billion four-state Dakota Access oil pipeline. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is being asked to keep a temporary stop of construction in place while the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe appeals a lower-court ruling from September that didn’t block the pipeline.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University pilots have flown President Steven Leath and his wife to and from the North Carolina city where they own a home and business on several occasions, at a cost of thousands in university donations. An Associated Press review also found the university plane flew Leath’s brother and sister-in-law to and from an NCAA basketball tournament game. The university says all flights have had legitimate business purposes.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of the three women who filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the West Des Moines police chief has agreed to a $30,000 settlement. The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2db5jIh) the city council approved the settlement with former animal control officer Carol Gass on Monday.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — In the wake of recent flooding, some Cedar Rapids property owners have shown interest in moving quickly on flood buyouts. Cedar Rapids television station KGAN reports that the city’s Flood Control Committee heard recommendations Tuesday morning to buy the Best Western Hotel and Cooper’s Mill Restaurant, both located just hundreds of feet from the Cedar River that overran its banks last week. The city has a signed purchase agreement with the owners for more than $5 million.