Eerily reminiscent of a fire that occurred in Exira on July 14th, a large fire is affecting several adjoining buildings in the downtown of a northwest Iowa community. Fire departments from several area communities were requested this (Wednesday) morning to help the Newell Fire Department fight a major blaze in downtown Newell, in what’s described as a five-alarm fire.

Fire departments from Storm Lake, Fonda, Varina, Rembrandt and Albert City are assisting in efforts to control the fire, which is reported in several buildings on Main Street in downtown Newell, including a hardware store building and a bank.

(photos courtesy Bob Doonan via Radio Iowa)

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa prison officials don’t plan to reopen four prison facilities with room for hundreds of inmates that had been temporarily closed because of budget cuts. The Des Moines Register reports that the three satellite prison units in Harpers Ferry, Clarinda and Fort Madison as well as a community corrections facility in Sheldon won’t be considered for reopening in the state Department of Corrections’ 2018 budget request to the Legislature.

Corrections Director Jerry Bartruff ordered the closures in February to comply with a $5.5 million budget reduction. An Iowa prison spokesman says staff at those locations were offered positions elsewhere in the department.

Republican Sen. Michael Breitbach of Strawberry Point says the decision not to reopen was likely because of budget issues and a decrease in inmates in the prison system.

It didn’t happen yesterday (Tuesday), as originally planned, but it will happen today (Wednesday). The City of Audubon has approved the cutting of the T1 copper line that services the Audubon County Hospital at 3:00 PM today to complete a portion of the water and sewer project.

The copper line serves as the only phone line to the hospital, and the hospital will be operating under their “disaster protocol” while the phone line is disconnected, until splicing of the copper line has been completed. This time was chosen to limit the disruption to the critical functions of the hospital.

If you have an urgent need to contact the hospital during this time, please call the Audubon County Sheriff’s Dispatch at 712-563-2631 and they will relay the message to the hospital.  The Hospital will send out notification when the telephone service is operational again.

ATLANTIC – Calling all women in the Cass County area! A free Women’s Health Fair will be held on Saturday, September 16th from 8 to 10:30 am at Cass County Health System. Booths with information on mental health, heart health, breast health, nutrition, and more will be at the event. Women are also invited to tour in Diagnostic Imaging to see the new 3D mammography unit and our new DEXA scanner, which is used to detect osteoporosis.

In addition to the booths, women age 18 and over can also make an appointment for a low-cost blood draw. The blood draws are only $35 and include a lipid panel (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), glucose, complete blood count (CBC), liver function, kidney function, and thyroid screening. To make an appointment, call 712-250-8091.

The Women’s Health Fair will be held in the Healing Garden and cafeteria, and attendees are encouraged to park in Parking Lot D on 10th Street. All attendees will receive a door prize, and each woman will take home a women’s health passport to keep track of their personal health information.

For more information about the event, please call Cass County Public Health at 712-243-7546.

(Updated w/corrected phone number)

CRESTON – Veterans are invited to attend a free bus tour of the Freedom Rock sites in Creston, Diagonal and Blockton on Friday, Sept. 22nd. Attendees should meet at noon at Creston’s Freedom Rock, 636 New York Ave., Hwy. 34 West. A light lunch and beverages will be provided. Spouses are encouraged to attend.

The IowaWORKS Center in Creston is sponsoring the event. Call IowaWORKS at 641-782-2119 ext. 42 to reserve a spot or for more information.

(This article is another in a series from Healthy Cass County):

Healthy Cass County strives to improve the health of Cass County residents, which includes helping people move towards a more healthy weight.  Activity, including walking, is a method for helping control weight.  Some of the opportunities for an enjoyable walk in the county are:

• Walk the paths at Schildberg Recreation Area in Atlantic.  This can be an individual or family activity, even the dog can join.  An organized walk is planned at Schildberg’s on October 4, 2017 from 11:00- 1:30 as part of Iowa’s Healthiest State Walk. Area schools and businesses are encouraged to plan walking events on their campuses for this date as well.
• Enjoy the paths around Lake Anita or walk through the camping and picnic area at Cold Springs Park in Lewis.
• Follow the walking maps of downtown Atlantic.  Maps are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Atlantic City Hall.
• Walk the school tracks in the county.
• Enjoy the walking paths in Atlantic, including the outdoor fitness stations at the Heritage House Campus.
• Join Live Healthy Next Step Challenge that runs through October 20 (LiveHealthyIowa.org).
• Check out the 18 hole Frisbee golf course located at Sunnyside Park.
• Join Nishna Valley YMCA, Anita Wellness Center, Anytime Fitness in Atlantic or 712 Fitness in Griswold.

Having a walking buddy or making a set time for family walks help make this activity a reality by holding everyone accountable. Good Nutrition is also part of the equation for moving toward a healthy weight.

•  Plan a grocery list and meals ahead of shopping and stick to your list.
•  Set a goal of cooking more family meals at home. Make cooking a family event to teach your children important kitchen skills.
• Learn to read labels-following portion sizes and limiting added sugars.
• Enjoy the fresh produce which will be available at the county Farmers Markets through the end of September.  The markets offer a variety of fresh, local fruit and vegetables. All of which are low in fat and calories and high in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
• Watch for upcoming Farm to School activities in each of the school districts.

Many of the work places in the county have wellness programs, which help their employees engage in healthy lifestyles, see what your worksite is willing to do for you.  Cass County women have the opportunity to get a snapshot of their health by attending the Women’s Health Fair this Saturday, September 16 from 8:00-10:30am.  The fair is sponsored by Cass County Health System and will be located in the hospital cafeteria and Healing Garden.  Call Public Health for more information 712-243-7546.