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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Creston Police Department says three people were arrested over the past few days, two incidents of theft and one incident of vandalism was reported. On Saturday, 26-year old Alex Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested at his home on a Union County warrant for Violation of Probation on an original charge of OWI/1st offense. Cunningham was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. That same day, 35-year old John Morse, of Afton, was arrested on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Morse was later released on a $300 bond. And on Friday, 57-year old Marlene Ploessel, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th degree. She was released on a Promise to Appear later in court.

Creston Police said also, a resident of the 500 block of W. Montgomery Street reported on Friday someone stole several guns, ammo, pieces of jewelry and various other antique items from his home, following a break-in. A complete list of the items and their value was not available. On Saturday, a man residing in the 1000 block of W. Adams Street in Creston told police someone stole two chainsaws from his home. The loss was estimated at $450.

And, on Sunday, a resident in the 800 block of N. Cherry Street in Creston reported someone drove a vehicle onto his yard and damaged a wood railing leading to the steps of his house. The damage was estimated at $150.

Researchers at Grinnell College say they’ve found that using a copper mix for all types of metal materials in hospital rooms can cut down on dangerous bacteria. Shannon Hinsa-Leasure led the research that studied materials made with a copper alloy at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center. “What we found was that on average, copper surfaces had 98 percent fewer bacteria than control surfaces,” Hinsa-Leasure says.

She says the use of copper to fight bacteria has been studied before, but they took it a step further. “What separates our study from some previous work that had been done in I-C-U’s — we were looking in medical surgical suite rooms — these are rooms where patients are up and moving around,” Hinsa-Leasure explains.  “We look at  surfaces around the patients, but we also looked in the bathrooms. We had copper alloy sinks and grab bars and toilet flushes in the bathroom that we were testing in this study.”

Hinsa-Leasure is an associate professor of biology at the college, and says they were also able to get a good comparison of rooms that were in use and those that weren’t. She says the unoccupied and occupied rooms that served as controls had relatively the same levels of bacteria, while the rooms with copper has significantly lower levels of bacteria, with the unoccupied room having much less bacteria than the occupied rooms. “So what this means is that even when you terminally clean a room, the number of bacteria build up in that room. Even though the room may look clean and ready for a patient, there’s a lot of bacteria there. So the copper really help maintain these terminal cleaning levels in vacant or empty rooms.”

Bacteria can lead to infections and that can lead to more problems for the patients and hospitals. “If you consider that one in 25 patients could get a hospital-acquired infection and roughly 10 percent of those patients died in 2011 who got a hospital-acquired infection, there’s a dramatic cost,” Hinsa-Leasure says, “not only in the patients that get sick, but for the hospitals. Hospitals are now starting to  get scored and not get as much money back if they are getting hospital acquired infections.”

Copper alloy material does cost more than other metal products, but she says there’s a savings in the long run.  “If you look at the minimal increase in cost to put in a copper alloy, it pales in comparison to what you are saving. Not only lives, but also money to keep hospital running,” according to Hinsa-Leasure.  Hinsa-Leasure says copper has the right properties to prevent the bacteria from thriving.

“There have been some studies that have been done that show the mechanism of action — so it’s the copper ions themselves that get into the cells. And they are able to damage the D-N-A, cause some oxygen radicals and really do a lot of damage to the cells,” she explains.  Hinsa-Leasure says hospitals should consider using the copper alloy material to cut infections. But she says they don’t have to make every room in the hospital look like a penny. “We don’t need copper everywhere — but it should be strategically placed in environments where people are immune compromised,” according to Hinsa-Leasure.  “So especially if hospitals are looking at doing renovations or restructuring, that’s the time to put it in. Also, you might want to put it into some areas you already have in your hospital, your I-C-U’s and  different areas of the hospital where it could be important.”

Hinsa-Leasure led the research team that included undergraduate students Queenster Nartey and Justin Vaverka. They  published their results in the American Journal of Infection Control.

(Radio Iowa)

The area’s top news at 7:05-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey of business leaders suggests the economy will continue slowing in nine Midwest and Plains states because of weakness in agriculture and energy businesses. The overall economic index for the region declined to 45.5 in September from August’s 47.8. Any score below 50 suggests the economy is weakening.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says energy and agriculture manufacturing is especially weak in the region. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Iowa motorists are reminded harvest time is underway and drivers should be prepared to encounter combines and other large farm equipment on the road. Chuck Schwab, a safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension, says rear end collisions are among the most common crashes involving farm machinery. “Motor vehicles go at a much higher rate of speed than agricultural equipment, so you have this fast closing distance and rear end collisions are very prominent if you’re not prepared to stop,” Schwab says.

When attempting to pass farm machinery, Schwab urges motorists to be patient and make sure they know the farm equipment won’t be turning left. “You need to make sure you’re in line and know that they’re not turning left, watch for the signals and the movement of equipment before you make that pass,” Schwab says.

In addition to roadway collisions, Schwab says the most common type of farm vehicle related accidents include roll-overs involving tractors, lawnmowers, and all terrain vehicles.

(Radio Iowa)

An Iowa high school’s homecoming queen shared her crown with a classmate late last week and by Sunday night video of the kind gesture had been viewed nearly 200-thousand times on the internet. During a school assembly on Thursday, Katie Gassman was crowned the homecoming queen for Wayne Community Schools in Corydon. Gassman had passed a note to the adults in charge of the ceremony and asked that it be read if she won. The teacher who read it choked back emotion as she told the crowd what that note said.

“Tonight I would like to share my crown with the girl who always has a smile on her face and has overcome so many hardships,” the woman said. That girl is Chelsea Sloan, who has Down Syndrome, kidney problems and arthritis — and she was part of the queen’s court, too. Chelsea’s mother was the one videotaping the scene and you can hear her surprised AND pleased reaction to the announcement. The crowd in Corydon cheered as Chelsea stood between her school’s homecoming king and queen and posed for pictures, with the crown on her head.

(Radio Iowa)

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

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs working to upgrade its levees before homeowners are forced to pay higher premiums for flood insurance. City officials say the levees are being upgraded because of the 2011 flood along the Missouri River that lasted for months, but the levees must be certified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities say 29-year-old woman fatally wounded in shooting Sunday morning in Keokuk. The state Division of Criminal Investigation is looking into the woman’s death. The woman was found in an alley shortly after midnight Sunday morning.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Christian college in northwest Iowa to begin offering vocational programs to fill gap in its offerings. Dordt College officials say they decided to add the program after noticing how many students graduating from Christian high schools were enrolling on vocational programs at other colleges.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Former Iowa State running back Troy Davis arrested on suspicion of public intoxication roughly 14 hours after being honored at the Cyclones’ game against Baylor on Saturday. Iowa State University Police say Davis refused to take a sobriety test when officers contacted him early Sunday morning. Davis will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame later this year.

Audubon County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Jensen reports 350th Street will be closed for about 65 working days, effective Monday, Oct. 3rd, for a bridge replacement project. The bridge is located just west of the 2900 block of 350th Street, between Swift and Thrush Avenues, on the south side of Audubon Township Section 35…on the Audubon/Cass County line.

For emergency responders: The residence at 2951 350th Street will only be accessible from the east. Plan alternate routes for emergency response to nearby residents. If you have any questions, call the Audubon County Engineer at 712-563-4286.

Two Council Bluffs men were arrested Sunday morning on 1st Degree Robbery charges following the alleged robbery of a 16-year old male. Authorities say at around 5:30-a.m., Officers with the Council Bluffs Police Department responded to Jennie Edmundson Hospital Emergency Room for a subject later identified as 18-year old Darrel Thompson, of Council Bluffs, who was receiving treatment for what appeared to be possible stab wounds.

darrell-l-thompson

jesse-a-shipley

In his possession officers located a wallet that did not belong to Thompson. Officers contacted the owner of the wallet, a juvenile, who reported being the victim of a Robbery that occurred in Valley View Park. The juvenile had multiple lacerations and abrasions primarily to the area of the head and face and later he received treatment at Mercy Hospital. He told officers that while at the park with the suspects, the suspects “Jumped him” knocking him to the ground and assaulting him.

While on the ground being beaten by the suspects he grabbed a knife from his pocket and began swinging at the suspects attempting to protect himself. The juvenile also told officers that the suspects took the knife from him. The juvenile told officers the suspects were armed with a handgun and threatened to “Kill him” while holding the gun to his face. The second suspect, 18-year old Jesse Shipley, of Council Bluffs, was identified when he was brought to Jennie Edmundson Hospital for treatment of injuries that he received during the incident. All parties involved were treated and released from the Hospital.