A regular meeting of the Adair County Board of Supervisors will be held 9-a.m. Friday, at the courthouse in Greenfield. On their agenda, is discussion on the following: Computer bids, with regard to the County Recorder’s Office; Two representatives from MATURA will talk about the Neighborhood Center; Representatives with Chamber Mainstreet and General Relief will discuss with the Board a Courtyard Use Permit; The Adair County Treasurer will present resolutions for property tax abatements; and Sheriff Jeff Vandewater will discuss County Law Enforcement matters.

The last part of the meeting features County Engineer Nick Kauffmann, who will present a materials bid for a Local Option Sales Tax funded bridge project. He’ll also discuss and/or act on Credit Card Agreements for Secondary Road Employees, the Fiscal Year 2017 Annual D.O.T report, and present his regular report on department maintenance and activities.

The Iowa Department of Public Health is alerting Iowans to marketing phone calls offering prescriptions for pain relief creams or braces/devices. According to Iowa Board of Pharmacy Director Andrew Funk, third-party marketing firms are calling Iowans and asking if they are experiencing any pain; for instance, joint or back pain. In some cases, the call is initiated based on an online survey completed by the consumer.

As the conversation goes on, the sales representative collects the patient’s date of birth, prescriber’s name and, in some instances, their city of birth (which, in-turn may be used to “guess” the patient’s social security number in an attempt to obtain the patient’s third-party insurance information). They are then informed that a prescription topical cream or prescription brace or device may help alleviate the pain/discomfort.

The patient agrees (but isn’t always sure what they’re agreeing to) and the marketing firm sends a prescription request to the prescriber to sign, which gets routed to a pharmacy with which the marketing company has a contract, and is likely completely unknown to the patient (historically, these have been pharmacies outside Iowa). In many cases, the prescription drug has been pre-selected by an employee of the marketing firm who likely is not a health care practitioner.

Typically, these prescriptions are submitted to the patient’s insurance and oftentimes amount to tens of thousands of dollars. IDPH wants Iowans to know about this tactic and reminds them to be wary of divulging any personal information over the internet or phone (including date and city of birth). Patients should speak directly with their prescribers about effective pain relief solutions. Additionally, prescribers need to be diligent when reviewing prescription requests, especially for topical pain creams, braces or devices that come in via fax from a pharmacy out of state or unknown to the prescriber.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet Friday at 8:30-a.m.  On the agenda for their session at the courthouse, is canvassing of the votes from Tuesday’s School Board Election. The Board will also discuss filling the vacancy position of County Attorney.

Cass County Attorney David Wiederstein resigned from his position in August, effective Jan. 1st. He did so after the Supervisors voted to make the position full-time. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman says whether a person is appointed or elected, the term will expire at the end of 2018. The position for the next four-year term beginning in January 2019, will appear on the 2018 Primary Election ballot.

If the Board chooses to appoint a county attorney, the public would have a 14-day window after appointment to submit a petition for a special election to fill the position. In other business, the Supervisors will act on approving a Resolution approving with Crow River Construction, contracts and bonds for a gray water transmission project, with regard to the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant project. And, a resolution approving an Easement Review and Purchase Agreement to acquire an easement for a gray water transmission pipe to cross railroad property of Hawkeye Land Company.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A judge won’t let a Des Moines woman use Iowa’s new “stand your ground” defense against charges that she killed her stepfather. The law says a person doesn’t have to retreat before using deadly force if the person thinks his or her life is being threatened.

Sera Alexander’s lawyer had argued that Alexander should be allowed to use the law although it took effect July 1, nearly two months after Anthony Hartmann was slain May 8. Alexander is accused of shooting to death Hartmann in the basement of her family’s Des Moines home.

Judge Robert Blink said in his ruling issued Tuesday that Alexander could not use the defense “because that law was prospective in nature.” Police have said Hartmann didn’t threaten or hurt Alexander immediately before he was shot.