A subcommittee in the Iowa Senate has endorsed a bill that would force the two state Mental Health Institutes targeted for closure to admit patients through the end of June, but staff at the facilities in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant have been told layoff notices are coming soon. Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the staff at the Mental Health Institute in Mount Pleasant told him they’ve already turned away more than three-hundred patients.

“We appropriated the money. We expected these facilities to operate for the year,” Hogg says. “And for them to be unilaterally closed is unacceptable.” Senator Mark Segebar, a Republican from Vail, says while officials have been trying to “redesign” the state’s mental health service delivery system for several years, this is not the time to “make this jump” because the beds at the two state-run Mental Health Institutes are still needed for patients.

“Sometimes they just take ’em to the ERs and leave them there for three days until they can find a bed in their own hospital,” Segebart says. “That’s terrible. It’s really a crisis.” Danny Homan is the president of AFSCME Council 61, the union which represents many of the workers at the two facilities. He says staff at the Clarinda Mental Health Institute were told on Tuesday that patients with acute mental illness will no longer be accepted there after April 1st and the last day for staff there will be on or before May 18th. According to Homan, staff at the Mount Pleasant M-H-I were told Tuesday that the first round of layoff notices would go out this Monday, February 23rd and May 31st is the target date for complete closure of the facility.

“The legislators are on the right side of this issue,” Homan says. “The governor of this state is on the wrong side of this issue.” Governor Branstad says it’s been difficult to recruit psychiatrists to work in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant and he says the two facilities are antiquated and ill-suited to modern treatment. Senator Hogg says that wasn’t his impression when he toured the M-H-I in Mount Pleasant two weeks ago. “It was built in the late ’50s and early ’60s. It’s in as good a condition as the high schools in Cedar Rapids,” Hogg says. “…Second, the staff there is working hard and most importantly the patients who we had a chance to visit with talked about how treatment they might have received in prison had failed. Treatment they may have received in the community they liked, but it wasn’t enough. They were really benefitting from being there.”

The bill that cleared a senate subcommittee early this morning (Thursday) calls on the governor to keep the institutes operating through June 30th, since the budget approved by the legislature last year allocated that money. Homan says it’s clear community services for mentally ill patients can’t handle the number of patients who would have been served at the state-run hospitals. “And the governor should sign this bill and he should stop the movement to close these facilities until the infrastructure’s in place to do what we need to do,” Homan says. “And we’re not there.”

According to Homan, staff at the Clarinda M-H-I are contacting nursing homes and trying to transfer geriatric patients who’re being treated at Clarinda for a mental illness. Homan says that’s “outrageous” since four of those geriatric patients are violent sexual predators who did time in prison for sex crimes.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The condition of an Iowa wrestler who collapsed at the state high school duals tournament has improved. Spokesman Gregg Lagan for Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines said Thursday morning that Tayler Pettit’s condition has been upgraded to serious from critical. Lagan says he can’t provide other medical information on the teenager. The Creston/Orient-Macksburg wrestler doubled over during the tournament Wednesday.

Pettit began to seize and quit breathing. An on-call doctor used an automated external defibrillator and shocked Pettit twice before moving him from the mat.

Do you help take care of an older family member or friend? If so, you are not alone. Over 65 million family caregivers in America provide a vast array of emotional, financial, nursing, social, homemaking and other services on a daily or intermittent basis.  Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational series designed to provide tools you need to take care of yourself.

ISU Extension officials say if you take good care of yourself, you will be better prepared to take good care of your loved one. As a participant you will learn how to: reduce stress, improve self-confidence, better communicate your feelings, balance your life, increase ability to make tough decisions and locate helpful resources.

Iowa State University Extension is sponsoring Powerful Tools for Caregivers in cooperation with Good Samaritan Society in Red Oak in March and April. This program has been tested and evaluated through a grant from the U.S. Administration on Aging. Classes consist of six, 2 ½ hour sessions held once a week. Two experienced leaders conduct each class. Interactive lessons, discussions and brainstorming help you take the “tools” you choose and put them into action for your life.

Sessions are scheduled every Wednesday for six weeks and begins on March 18th. Classes will be held at Good Samaritan, 201 Alix Ave., Red Oak from 2:00 – 4:30 pm. A grant received from Good Samaritan defrays the participant costs. Participant books are available for use or purchase ($35). For more information or to register, contact Montgomery County Extension at 712-623-2592 before March 13th.

ISU Extension and Outreach wants to encourage young children to find opportunities in nature, and to that end, they’re offering an online class for child care providers called Early Connections to Nature & Science. The 90-minute class will emphasize children’s need for physical activity, explore nature’s benefits, and highlight free resources as well as additional learning opportunities for providers.

The class will be held on Wednesday, March 18th, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Providers may register at the Iowa Child Care Provider Training Registry, https://ccmis.dhs.state.ia.us/TrainingRegistry/. Registration and payment is required by March 11th. Registrants only need an internet connection and speakers. The online class counts as face-to-face and is highly interactive.

Sandra McKinnon, human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, says “Research tells us that spending time in nature has many positive benefits. Children who have opportunities to play and learn in nature are more likely to handle challenges and problems more capably and act responsibly toward the earth and each other. They are more physically active and less likely to be obese.”

McKinnon says “Children can play anywhere and with anything, but the natural world is an especially inviting place for play. Children play to invent, explore and try different things. Open-ended play in natural settings or with natural objects enhances curiosity and triggers the imagination.”

The 8-a.m. Newscast w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Atlantic, Cass Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) and Cass County are collaborating to create a new website to serve the entire community. The site will serve existing and potential new residents and businesses. Quida Wymer, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said “We are excited to be a part of this professionally designed website incorporating all four major entities in Atlantic. Uniting together will create a more effective and successful website to attract people to Cass County. The project will also encourage and build stronger relationships between the Chamber, City, CADCO and County.”

Wymer says bringing all four organizations together will achieve a number of benefits for the entire Cass Community: increased search engine ranking for all four entities, information for the community on one user friendly site, strategic design will attract new entrepreneurs and young business leaders, as well as, become more efficient by eliminating duplicate information.

Five Q Communications a Cass County based digital marketing firm will be leading the website project. The initial stage of discovery will provide the organizations with an understanding of the end users, solid graphic design brief and a clear plan of execution. This discovery will provide insight into the user experience that must be created to accomplish the goals of each organization.

Wymer says the new skillfully designed website will be the first impression to our community. It will represent who we are: established yet progressive, offering endless opportunities. The website will communicate and promote all Cass County and the Atlantic Area has to offer to both its current residents and new visitors.

(Press Release)

Two people were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, here in Atlantic. The A-PD reports 34-year old Christopher Anstey, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, and, 23-year old Jacob Osbon, of Neola, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts and Theft in the 4th Degree (Shoplifting).

Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The 7:07-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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City officials in Atlantic are preparing for a disruption in traffic flow on Highway 6/7th Street, from Olive Street east, to just past the Burger King restaurant. Interim City Administrator John Lund said during Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, that he spoke with the officials from the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, about being proactive in trying to help businesses affected by the impending road closure.

The City has discussed the waiving sign permits for businesses affected by the changes.
Lund said it appears right now, that once the road is blocked, a potential detour route in town, might be 10th Street, but that remains to be seen.

The Iowa DOT has said heavy traffic would be detoured during construction using Iowa 83, Iowa 173, Interstate 80, and U.S. 71. Mayor Dave Jones said he’s heard the DOT would route truck traffic to Highway 92, but that would still leave area residents, especially farmers, scrambling to find a way into and out of town.

Work on the project – which is expected to take about two-months – will begin later this spring or early summer. In other business, Councilman Chris Jimerson updated the Council on the coming e-recycling program. A electronics recycling trailer will be placed near the Atlantic Depot/Chamber offices on May 9th from 8-am until 4-p.m. The City’s Community Promotion Commission has agreed to fund half the $6,000 cost of the trailer, with Cass County agreed to pay for the other half.

Authorities in Montgomery County are reporting three recent arrests. At around 10-p.m. Wednesday, deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27-year old Andre T. Mackins, of Omaha, following a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Highway 34. Mackins was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and released from the scene on a citation.

And, two women were arrested for Driving While Suspended. Red Oak Police arrested 27-year old Kaleena Nicole Dawn Sands, of Red Oak, at around 1:20 this (Thursday) morning. The woman was taken into custody near the intersection of Highways 34 and 48. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond. And, at around 10:40-p.m., Wednesday, 34-year old Peggy Sue Gurney, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 100 block of east Hammond Street in Red Oak. In addition to the DWS charge, Gurney was cited for having no SR-22 Insurance on file. Her bond was set at $1,000.

Red Oak Police also cited 45-year old Carol  Olivas, of Red Oak for Failure to Yield to a vehicle on the right Wednesday, following an accident that happened at 2nd and Valley Streets (an uncontrolled intersection), at around 3:40-p.m.  Officials say Olivas’ 1998 Plymouth van collided with a 2002 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 39-year old Markus Johnson, of Red Oak. The accident caused $4,300 damage altogether. No injuries were reported.