(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest today (Wednesday), of 43-year old Daniel Thomas, of Glenwood. He was taken into custody for Violation of Probation with regard to an original Felony charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree in July 2022. Thomas’ bond was set at $10,000.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), held a regular weekly meeting in Greenfield. During their session, the Board acknowledged receipt of the FY23 Landfill Audit. The report noted nothing unusual, just the normal recommendation for separation of duties. They also approved the appointment of Mandy Dolan, Recorder’s Office Deputy Recorder, and Joni Raper, Recorder’s Office Clerk.

Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg requested, and the Board approved, a copier lease with Access Systems.

The Board also approved a six-month raise for Election Deputy Nathan Reed.

And, they received a report from Jess Petter, Prevention Specialist with Crossroads Behavioral Health, with regard to how their Opioid Settlement funded programs are going in the schools.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board, Tuesday evening, held a Public Hearing on a proposed 2024-2025 District Calendar. Superintendent Trevor Milller says later on in the meeting, the Board approved the Calendar as presented.

The Board discussed and acted on a Weight Room/Fitness Facility Project.

Like many other superintendents, Trevor Miller is hoping the Iowa Legislature takes action on SSA, teacher pay and other matters that affect school budgets.

In other business, the Exira-EHK Board approved the hiring of:

Cody Parmley – for the school Musical
Kristen Borkowski – Trapshooting Program (sharing with the Audubon CSD)
and Tony Santisteban – Asst. Boys Track Coach.

The Board also approved the following:

A Bond Counsel Engagement letter with Ahlers & Cooney
A 2024-25 AEA Purchasing Agreement
A MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Family Connections,Inc.
A Cooperative Agreement with the Univ. of Northern Iowa for the 2024-25 school year.
The adoption of certain policies, following the second & final reading.
A review of other polices with the second & final reading.

The Board also discussed a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA).

(Radio Iowa) – As part of colon cancer awareness month, Iowans are being reminded of the importance of early screenings for one of the state’s biggest cancer killers. Dr. Steve Schlack-Haerer, a gastroenterologist at Gundersen Health System, says colon cancer is the third-leading cause of death in both men and women. He recommends screenings starting at age 45, and then every ten years. “The time it takes to grow from a small polyp to a colon cancer is actually a very long, slow process, we think on the order of about eight to 10 years,” Schlack-Haerer says, “which gives us about as wide of a window to find these precancerous lesions before they have a chance to ever develop into cancer.”

There are several ways to test for colon cancer, but he says colonoscopies are the best and most accurate. While everyone should get screened, some people may be at greater risk. “We say if there’s a family history of colon cancer, that increases your risk, and we go by first-degree relatives as well as second-degree relatives,” Schlack-Haerer says. “Anybody with a first-degree relative who has either precancerous polyps or colon cancer before the age of 60, we actually start their colon cancer screening at age 40.”

While colon cancer is the number-three cancer killer, he says significant progress is being made through screenings, as a decade ago, it was the second-leading cause of cancer death.  “A lot of times people say, ‘Well, I’m not having any problems or I’m not having any symptoms. I don’t need to do this,'” Schlack-Haerer says, “and the reality is that simply having colon polyps itself — and many times colon cancer as well — is below the radar.”

A few years back, colonoscopies were recommended at age 50, but that’s been pushed up five years due to a rising number of earlier cases. He says people with a family history of colon cancer should consider getting screened even sooner. “There is a higher incidence of colon cancer in our African American population, but really the reality is, it’s a risk for males, females and really can happen at any age,” Schlack-Haerer says. “We occasionally, unfortunately, will find colon cancer in people with no risk factors whatsoever and as early as 20s and 30s.”

When found early, he says the five-year survival rate for colon cancer can be well above 90-percent.

Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Des Moines, Iowa; KCCI) – A Mississippi man charged with a hate crime after destroying a display put up by the Satanic Temple of Iowa wants that charge dismissed. The display was put up in the Statehouse during the holidays. The Satanic Temple of Iowa says it was meant to symbolize freedom of religion. A custom statue and other parts of the display were destroyed days after it was put up.

Michael Cassidy argues the Satanic Temple of Iowa is not a real religion and that the hate crime enhancement violates his First Amendment rights. Prosecutors have offered a deal that would involve Cassidy pleading guilty to fifth-degree criminal mischief. As of right now, Cassidy has not accepted that offer.

His trial is currently set for May.

SPENCER, Iowa (KCAU) — A former nurse who worked in northwest Iowa, is accused of overdosing patients at the Spencer Hospital and illegally obtaining prescription drugs. 36-year-old Rachel Martinez, of Sioux Falls, S.D., is charged with one count of prohibited act – prescription drug violation (Schedule I, II, III) obtain by deceit, a class C felony; one count of prohibited act – prescription drug violation (Schedule IV or V) obtain by deceit, an aggravated misdemeanor; and four counts of wanton neglect of a dependent person, a serious misdemeanor.

According to court documents, Martinez was working at the Spencer Hospital and was assigned to care for four separate patients on four different days in late 2022:

1. On Nov. 9, 2022, Martinez was meant to administer hydrocodone to a patient every four hours but instead administered it three times over a five hour period, overdosing the patient. She was also meant to administer tramadol once every six hours, but did so four times over six and a half hours. Documents state Martinez again overdosed a patient on Nov. 19, 2022. A doctor ordered a patient to be given 3mg of melatonin, but Martinez allegedly gave 6mg.
2. On Nov. 21, 2022, documents stated that Martinez administered hydrocodone twice to another patient in a three hour period when the doctor ordered it for only once every four hours. She also allegedly gave zofran, morphine and tramadol over the same three houses, with documents saying “all of these extra narcotics with the Hydrocodone would have further overdosed” the patient.
3. Martinez was assigned to care for a patient on Dec. 7, 2022. The patient was in the hospital due to having an allergic reaction while getting cancer treatment. The doctor ordered that the patient could have IV Benadryl if they had another allergic reaction. Martinez allegedly gave the patient the drug to sleep, telling another nurse that the patient was “being annoying with the call light” and not sleeping.
4. Additionally, Martinez allegedly withdrew a hydrocodone and tramadol pill under a patient’s name on Nov. 9, 2022. Documents state she obtained the pills by “fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or subterfuge,” and kept the pills for herself.

Martinez was arrested on Dec. 1, 2023, and bonded out a day later. She pleaded not guilty to the charges on Jan. 2 in a written arraignment. A pretrial conference for the case is scheduled for April 16, with the trial set for May 21.