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

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As tens of thousands of Iowa children prepare to go back to school, a study finds one in four of them has a vision problem. Urbandale optometrist Dr. Beth Triebel says kids may not be up-front about having a problem with their sight so parents need to be watchful for warning signs. “A lot of times you’ll notice the kids squinting to see things,” Dr. Triebel says. “If they’re reading, they may turn their head funny, close an eye or rub their eyes a lot after reading. They may get very close to the reading material or move it really far away.”

A comprehensive eye exam is required in most Iowa schools before a child starts kindergarten with a follow-up a few grades later. Triebel says there are simple vision tests that can be performed on children as young as infants which can spot potential problems very early. “There’s a free program called InfantSEE that you can get your child in to get that very basic, preliminary exam to look for any red flags that could be a problem later,” Triebel says. “After that, I typically recommend an exam before kindergarten, between ages 3 and 5, and then after that, every couple of years is a good idea.”

Since 80-percent of all learning is visual, she says good vision is important in the classroom. A study finds 60-percent of students who are identified as “problem learners” have undetected vision problems. “There could be some underlying vision problems that could either be the cause of it or certainly add to that type of behavior,” Triebel says. “It’s very important that if your child is having trouble in school or having trouble learning, that you get a comprehensive eye exam and make sure everything is working right.”

Triebel offers a few suggestions for things parents can do to protect their child’s vision, including:
-provide a well-lit, comfortable area for reading and homework
-a child watching TV should sit 6 to 8 feet away from the television set
-children should take frequent breaks to rest their eyes while reading, working on a computer or playing video games
-wear appropriate eye protection in activities where there is a risk of eye injury
-time away from school should allow for creative play time to help his or her vision develop properly.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Creston Police Department said two people were arrested Wednesday, and one incident of theft was reported. Taken into custody at around 1:30-p.m., was 30-year old Lacey Dalton, of Murray. Dalton was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation, with regard to an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance charge. Dalton was being held in the Ringgold County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

38-year old Corey Mason, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday, on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Mason was later released on $300 bond.

And, a man from Texas reported to Creston Police that someone had taken a wrist watch, necklace and silver hoop earrings from his room at the Super 8 Motel, in Creston. The theft happened sometime between 5:30-a.m. and 4:30-p.m., Wednesday. The loss was estimated at $500.

The area’s top news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Sioux City Community School District says it is investigating a sexual harassment claim against a school board member. The Sioux City Journal reports a school district spokeswoman, Alison Benson, confirmed the investigation Wednesday.

Benson declined to identify which of the board’s seven members is being investigated or the nature of the alleged incident, stating the details are a part of a “confidential personnel matter.”

A trailer being pulled by a semi sustained $25,000 damage Wednesday morning, after it rolled into a ditch just east of Harlan. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says a semi driven by 51-year old Donald Dean Elridge, of Ft. Dodge, was exiting the Essentia Protein Solutions plant onto Highway 44 at around 9-a.m., when the trailer experienced mechanical problems.

Images from the Harlan Fire and Rescue Dept.’s Facebook page

When Eldridge pulled the semi off onto the shoulder of the road, the trailer became disconnected and rolled into a ditch, spilling about 5,200 gallons of beef broth. Crews were able to transfer the remaining liquid contents into another trailer, and set the damaged tanker up-right.

Crews with the Harlan Fire Department, Harlan Street Department, Officers with Harlan Police Department, Medivac ambulance personnel, along with Iowa DOT and Iowa DNR personnel, assisted at the scene. No injuries were reported.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sampling the pork chop on a stick. Snapping a selfie with the butter cow. Taking questions about foreign policy from hecklers. For those who would be president, a visit to the Iowa State Fair may be the purest distillation of the campaign experience in the state that starts the voting in the race for the White House. The 10-day event starts Thursday and most of the 2016 hopefuls will pass through.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Fair says the opening acts for singer Meghan Trainor’s canceled grandstand performance will now be the main act for a free show. Fair organizers said Wednesday afternoon that Charlie Puth and Life of Dillon will perform August 22nd at the grandstand. The announcement comes one day after Trainor, the artist behind the hit “All About That Bass,” said she couldn’t complete her tour due to a vocal cord problem.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Two people have died, including a 9-year-old boy, after an RV carrying a trailer struck an SUV in Warren County. The Des Moines Register reports 9-year-old Eric M. Fuller and 72-year-old Karla K. Handy, who were passengers in the SUV, died Wednesday morning.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The committee searching for the next University of Iowa president has recommended a slate of finalists to the Iowa Board of Regents. Committee chair and interim school president Jean Robillard said Wednesday the names of recommended finalists will remain confidential for now.

A report in the Omaha World-Herald says four Council Bluffs men were taken into custody Tuesday night in connection with a vandalism spree at a golfing facility in Council Bluffs. Sheriff’s officials told the paper the three 18-year old’s and one 19-year old were each booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail on a felony, suspicion of first-degree criminal mischief, charge. The arrest of Spencer Dolch, Andrew Ryan, Alberto Espinoza and Payton Hiffernan, followed an incident that took place Monday night, at the Bent Tree Golf Club.

Authorities said the young men walked off with all of the 18-hole course’s flag sticks and tore up 15 greens using a four-wheel-drive ATV. An area resident saw one of the 18-year-olds riding an ATV before the vandalism occurred. The resident contacted deputies, who questioned the teen and later arrested him and the others.

A man from Harrison County was arrested this week on a felony assault charge, after allegedly attempting to push his wife out of their rolling SUV, late last week. The Omaha World-Herald says according to court documents, the wife of a Logan man, 39-year old Shane Vanderlinden, told authorities on Monday, that the couple were traveling north on Interstate 29 late Friday night, en route to her parents’ home, when he started to beat her.

The woman told investigators Vanderlinden eventually pushed her out of their Land Rover on the exit ramp near Loveland, and she landed on the pavement. The vehicle was traveling at around 30-miles per hour at the time. An off-duty officer for the Logan Police Department stopped to help the woman, who was flown to the Nebraska Medical Center, where she was treated for skull fractures, bleeding on the brain, and numerous cuts and bruises.

Vanderlinden was charged with Attempted Murder. He also faces a felony charge of assault-willful injury and domestic aggravated assault. The man was arrested Tuesday and remained in the Pottawattamie County Jail Wednesday, on $50,000 bond.

The head of the Iowa Department of Human Services says he’s “not sure” there’s a need for more in-patient psychiatric bed space in Iowa for adults suffering from acute mental illnesses. Advocates for the mentally ill have raised concerns after the state-run Mental Health Institutes in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant were closed June 30th. Chuck Palmer briefed the Iowa Council on Human Services late Wednesday morning.

Palmer said “The vast majority of people with mental illness will never have to be in in-patient treatment…and shouldn’t if we do a decent job.” Palmer is touting a “redesign” of the state’s public and private mental health care delivery system that was begun in 2011. Palmer says the goal is to have a wider range of services availble, closer to the patient’s home. “If you were to ask me today: ‘Palmer, do we need more psychiatric beds?’ I’d say: ‘I’m not sure.'”

He told  the council “I know we are developing more alternatives.” Palmer says there should be more attention paid to “specialized care” immediately after a mental illness is first diagnosed, and more “Where’s my greatest return on investment?” Palmer asked. “It’s to put in place those things that help defer higher cost services or, frankly, inpatient psychiatric services.”

He says today in Iowa there are more than 700 spaces for adult inpatient psychiatric care in 27 private hospitals and the two remaining state-run Mental Health. As of August 1st, Palmer and his staff have a new electronic system to track openings. Palmer says it will help hospitals track down an empty bed for a patient suffering from an acute mental illness, although some hospitals are having technical issues with the system today.

The Mental Health Institute in Mount Pleasant provided inpatient services to patients with the dual diagnosis of substance abuse and a mental illness, while the M-H-I in Clarinda provided care for frail elderly patients who had a mental illness. Three of those patients have died after being transferred to private facilities. Palmer extended his condolences to the families, but he told the council he’s not sure the state should be in the business of providing geriatric care to mentally ill patients.

Members of the Council on Human Services praised Palmer’s work and said it was too bad all the news about the mental health redesign has been negative and few have focused on the “really positive” big picture.

(Radio Iowa)