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DES MOINES, Iowa – It is completely preventable, but based on historic rates, there will be tens of thousands of babies born in the United States this year, including hundreds in Iowa, with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

The severity of the health issues related to maternal alcohol use depends on the timing and frequency of consumption, which should be not a single drop, says Stephanie Trusty, a nurse clinician with the Iowa Department of Public Health.

“Research has shown that of all the substances of abuse, including cocaine, heroin and marijuana, alcohol produces by far the most serious neuro-behavior effects in the fetus and I think that’s under recognized by the public,” she stresses.

The effects can include abnormal facial features, growth deficiencies and permanent brain damage. According to estimates from the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, the disorder affects some 40,000 infants each year. Some cases happen when women drink before they realize they’ve become pregnant, while others believe it won’t harm their babies.

Then there are those mothers-to-be who struggle with addiction, and Trusty notes that alcohol abuse is a serious issue locally. “According to the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which is a survey that’s done in Iowa, 21.7 percent of adults in Iowa reported that they had done binge drinking, which is significantly higher than the national rate of 16.9 percent,” she points out.

(Iowa News Service)

Two people were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, in Union County. The Creston Police Dept. reports 28-year old Sean Cody Stauffer, of Creston, was arrested Wed. morning at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a warrant for Probation Violation. Stauffer was being held in the jail on $2,000 bond.

And at around 7:30-p.m., 30-year old Tara Anne Squibbs, of Corning, was arrested near the Union/Adair County line, on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. Squibbs was being held in the Ringgold County Jail, on $2,000 bond.

CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) – A city worker has helped a woman and her infant daughter escape a fire that damaged their home in Carter Lake. Authorities say Ronnie Fisher and Mark Murray were driving by the home a little before 1 p.m. on Tuesday when they saw smoke billowing from the back of the residence. Murray called 911 while Fisher went to the front door and pounded on it. He told Tiffany Peck her house was on fire when she answered the door.

Peck grabbed her daughter, Fisher helped corral Peck’s dog and they all fled the house. No injuries have been reported. An electrical problem is suspected as the fire cause.

(7-a.m. News)

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A spokesperson for a blood center that serves three states says the winter storm hit them at the worst possible time. LifeServe Blood Center’s Beth Phillips, says they had to cancel blood drives as the snow moved in. “This severe weather came right after the holidays, which is already a difficult time for use to collect because people are busy with fun activities with their friends and family,” Phillips says, “So this storm really couldn’t have come at a worse time for us and our collection efforts.” A surge in the flu has sent people to the hospital and added another hurdle in efforts to collect blood.

“If you have a cold or the flu, we ask that you wait for all of those symptoms have passed before you come in to donate with us,” Phillips says. She estimates they lost nearly 200 units of donated blood alone form storm cancellations. “Because we plan so far in advance because we have to get staff and resources to a site — if we cancel a blood drive or close early — we can’t make up for those units the very next day unless we see more people turning out for our events. We can’t host more events because we are limited in our resources,” according to Phillips. Phillips hopes people will bundle up and take some time to donate yet this week as the temperatures warm up a bit.

She says it takes less to an hour to donate, especially now with low wait times. Phillips says the actual donation takes only five to 10 minutes to complete. And while donating blood won’t cause the temperature outside to warm up, she guarantees it will give you a warm feeling. “You’ll know that you saved three lives of people in your community, there’s really not better feeling than that,” Phillips says. She encourages you to go to www.lifeservebloodcenter.org to find a place to donate.

Phillips says you will find a green button that says “donate now” and you can type in your zip code. “And you can see local blood drives near you, or you can call us at 1-800-287-4903,” Phillips says. The center which serves 100 hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, normally has a three-to-five-day supply of blood on hand, but Phillips says they are down to less than a one-day supply of most types of blood.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad and lawmakers say they want to work on roads funding during the 2015 legislative session, but no one is committing to a specific plan. The Republican governor and legislative leaders spoke yesterday during an Associated Press Legislative Forum.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A fired manager at an Iowa-based halal food supplier accused of fraud agreed to cooperate with prosecutors months ago under a plea deal. A plea agreement released Tuesday shows Phillip Payne agreed in May to “fully and completely cooperate” in the investigation of the Midamar Corporation. The document shows that Payne worked as Midamar’s operations manager, but was fired in 2012 after telling the Cedar Rapids-based company he intended to seek employment elsewhere.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A February 23rd sentencing has been scheduled for an Illinois man convicted of leaving the scene of a fatal accident in a Burlington motel parking lot. The Hawk Eye newspaper reports 35-year-old Phillip Evans of Wood River, Illinois pleaded guilty on Monday as the prosecutor told a judge that a vehicular homicide charge would be dropped for lack of evidence.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled later this month for a Mason City man accused of vehicular homicide and other crimes. The Mason City Globe Gazette says 47-year-old Victor Rivera pleaded not guilty on Monday. His trial is set to begin on January 27th.