Researchers at Iowa State University are finding physical activity is a boon to the brains of elementary school students. ISU kinesiology assistant professor Spyridoula Vazou says short bouts of skipping or jumping combined with academic learning can lead to improvement in kids’ cognitive abilities. “We always have the traditional perception that kids need to sit down to learn or they need to stand still to learn better and that is not accurate,” Vazou says. A group of children around 10 years old took part in a study conducted by Vazou and associate professor Ann Smiley-Oyen.

The kids were given a test measuring cognitive function while sitting at a table. They then were asked to do physical activities like crab walking or skipping around obstacles – while they answered math problems. When they stopped the activity to do the test again, they performed better than they had while simply sitting. Vazou says it’s important that the activities are not too physically demanding.
“So, as long as the intensity is moderate, they benefit during exercise and they benefit even more right after (the exercise) because they can absorb the information even better,” Vazou says. Many other studies have found longer bouts of aerobic activity can improve cognition in children, but Vazou says the research at ISU suggests even short periods of activity can improve a child’s working memory, self-control, and focus.

Vazou hopes parents and teachers take notice of the study’s findings.  “We shouldn’t suppress the desire of children to move, we should encourage them to move, because that is how their brain will function better,” Vazou says. The research at ISU also found that overweight and obese children showed even more cognition improvement after physical activity than their peers.

(Radio Iowa)

Two people were arrested during separate incidents overnight into early this (Friday) morning, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say at around 1:30-a.m., deputies arrested 37-year old Roger Lynn Gibson, of Stanton. Gibson was taken into custody in Stanton, on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Probation Violation. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

And, at around 10:45-p.m. Thursday, Red Oak Police arrested 17-year old Nicholas James Terry, of Red Oak, for being a Minor In Possession of tobacco, and careless driving. Terry was taken into custody in the 1500 block of Broadway in Red Oak, and subsequently released on a citation.

Iowa State Fair officials have revealed another Grandstand act for this year’s fair and it should please fans of hard rock from the 1980s. Def Leppard will perform on Saturday, August 15. The English rock band previously played the Iowa State Fair Grandstand in 2008 and opened for KISS last summer at Wells Fargo Arena. The opening acts for Def Leppard on August 15 will be Styx and Tesla.

Previously announced Grandstand acts for the 2015 Iowa State Fair include Casting Crowns on August 13 and Alabama on August 20. Tickets for the shows will go on sale later this spring. This year’s Iowa State Fair is scheduled for August 13-23.

LINK: http://www.iowastatefair.org/on-stage/grandstand/

(Radio Iowa)

A report from the Iowa Department of Education shows the state leads the nation in the percentage of students under age 18 enrolled in college level courses. Jeremy Varner of the department’s Division of Community Colleges, says another report shows the number of students enrolled in both high school and community college classes or “jointly enrolled” hit a record of nearly 43-thousand. “It is pretty significant, Iowa has some great policy in place that gives students the opportunity to get a jump start on their college education, which saves them money, reduces student debt, provides them a lot of opportunity,” according to Varner.

Varner says Iowa provides opportunities to students across the spectrum. “Many states focus on kind of elite students and giving them kind of a jump on a liberal arts education,” Varner explains. “But we, 42-percent of the courses that are offered are in the career and technical areas. And so Iowa provides students broad access to career tech opportunities as well.” Iowa students enrolled in an average of seven-point eight (7.8) credit hours, or two to three college courses during the 2013-14 school year.

“It’s an opportunity for students to reduce their debt, get a jump on college, maybe get some general education courses out of the way that might help them to reduce their time to degree — or maybe take on a second major,” Varner says. “It also allows students to start down a career pathway in career technical areas, so students can make progress toward a nursing degree or a degree in information technology or something like this.” There is another advantage for students who take a college course while still in high school.

“They get a sense of what college is about before they show up,” Varner says, “so it reduces that shock when students matriculate. They get a sense of what those expectations are, get some success under their belt, especially for first-generation students.” Students take college courses in three ways: through joint programs at their high school, through colleges where the courses aren’t available at the high school, or by paying tuition on their own to attend. Varner says 88-percent of the students take the college courses through a joint relationship with their high school, which they can take for no cost.

(Radio Iowa)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — An Iowa couple are being charged in Virginia with sex trafficking after a woman found in their recreational vehicle said they were holding her against her will. The U.S. attorney’s office says 36-year-old Aldair Hodza and 31-year-old Laura Sorensen of Clive, Iowa, made in an initial appearance Thursday in federal court.

The two were arrested on Jan. 6 east of Richmond in New Kent County after police said a frightened and malnourished 20-year-old woman told officers the couple had physically and sexually abused her. She also said she had been forced to engage in prostitution during the trip from Iowa to Virginia.

The government said Sorensen and Hodza told officers they were on vacation.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Former Creighton University President John Schlegel has been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. The Omaha World-Herald reported Thursday the Jesuit priest who led Creighton during a period of growth between 2000 and 2011 shared news of his diagnosis in a letter. Schlegel asked for prayers from his family and friends as he decides whether to undergo chemotherapy or let the disease take its course. He says this week’s letter may be his farewell, but he does not fear death.

Schlegel is currently pastor of Church of the Gesu in Milwaukee. He was born in Dubuque, Iowa in 1943. Before becoming president at Creighton, Schlegel was president of the University of San Francisco, another Jesuit college. Earlier in his career, he also worked at Marquette University and John Carroll University.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — By posting online all of his personal email from his eight years as Florida’s governor, Jeb Bush sought to show himself as a tech-savvy executive, in touch with constituents and an active administrator. But tucked away in a small percentage of those hundreds of thousands of messages were the names, birthdates and Social Security numbers of more than 12,000 people. A data security firm, Identity Finder, audited the database. By Thursday, Bush had removed the private information from all but a few hundred of the emails he had posted to a website, jebemails DOT com.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 28-year-old man who fell into a large tank filled with chemical cleaning solution has been rescued. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded yesterday to a call that an employee had fallen into a vat of chemical cleaner at Chemorse, Limited in Des Moines.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 30-year-old Davenport man has been sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and other crimes. The Quad-City Times reports that Devyn Fix was sentenced Thursday for the shooting death of 18-year-old Thomas Taylor in September.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa assistant coach Brian Ferentz has been named the program’s running game coordinator. Ferentz, the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz and a former three-year starter for the Hawkeyes, has served as Iowa’s offensive line coach for the past three seasons. He’ll continue to coach the linemen.

Firefighters from Anita and Wiota were called to the scene of a house fire this (Thursday) afternoon, on the east side of Wiota. The call about flames and smoke visible from the roof at 69424 White Pole Road, came in at around 3-p.m. Anita Fire Chief Josh Peach told KJAN News when they arrived there was just smoke visible from a wood stove chimney that caught an external decorative rooftop box on fire. The flames had been extinguished before the bulk of the firefighters arrived.

Peach said the fire never entered the house, and there was minimal structural damage from the water and firefighting efforts. The home’s owners…Jim and Kathie Mailander…were outside and safe when crews arrived. Firefighters were quick to get the situation under control. Peach said they remained on the scene for about one-half hour.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Manager Mike Kennon were also at the scene for the event.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Democrats have introduced a bill that would raise Iowa’s minimum wage to a level they say is lower than they’d like, but maybe one that would garner more Republican support. Democratic leaders said Thursday the bill would raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75. It would increase gradually by 2016.

Some Democrats had expressed support earlier in the session for a bill that would have raised the minimum wage gradually to $10.10. Senate President Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, said the new bill will still address people who work minimum wage jobs and have families to support.

House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, a Hiawatha Republican, declined to comment on the bill’s chances. Paulsen said he wants to focus on training for higher-paying jobs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A House panel has approved a bill that would increase Iowa’s fuel tax, a move that mirrors action in the Senate. Members of a transportation subcommittee approved the bill Thursday. It now moves to a full committee for consideration. The bill would raise the state fuel tax by 10 cents. A Senate transportation subcommittee approved similar legislation Wednesday. A full committee can now review that bill.

Iowa’s current fuel tax is 22 cents per gallon for gasoline, including fees. Diesel fuel has a slightly higher tax and ethanol blends are a bit lower. The tax hasn’t been raised since 1989. Gov. Terry Branstad and lawmakers have been vocal about raising money to help fix the state’s network of bridges and roads, many of which are in disrepair.