Iowa astronaut Peggy Whitson is on her third long-duration mission onboard the International Space Station and it’ll be her second Christmas in orbit. In an interview with Radio Iowa from the station, the Beaconsfield native says the six-member crew is planning for a traditional American holiday meal on Sunday that will include turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, fruit salad and cornbread stuffing.

“The one other special thing that we have is, we brought up some frosting and we’re going to try to make some Christmas cookies. We have little cookies in packages and we’re going to try to decorate them,” Whitson says. “I think we should have a contest but the guys don’t seem too game on the contest idea.” The astronauts’ Christmas meal is still dehydrated and sealed in clear plastic bags, but Whitson assures it’ll be a tasty holiday treat. There is a small, artificial Christmas tree aboard the space station and Whitson says they will be exchanging gifts.

Astronaut Peggy Whitson

“Actually, we’ve got a few surprises planned for each other. We don’t yet know what they are,” Whitson says. “I had some stuff I brought up with me in my crew preference bag so I’m looking forward to giving some gifts on Christmas.” One of several additions to the station since Whitson’s previous missions in 2002 and 2008 is the cupola, a large domed viewing port that provides a stunning view of the planet below. Floating on the football field-sized facility and being able to gaze down at the oceans, clouds and continents rushing past, Whitson says it brings new meaning to the phrase “Peace on Earth.”

“I think the perspective of our planet here is very special and it does provide you with the sense that there are no boundaries, that we’re a planet, we are a people,” Whitson says. “It reinforces the fact that we should be together and at peace.” While it’s a tradition for many of us to pop open a bottle of champagne on New Year’s Eve, that’s not an option in the weightless environment of the space station. Still, Whitson says they will celebrate on December 31st.

“No champagne corks. I don’t know if we’ll have any New Year’s resolutions or not, we might,” Whitson says, laughing. “I’m not sure whether people are going to be worried about gaining weight or losing weight.” Whitson arrived on the station on November 17th via a Russian rocket and is scheduled to remain aloft there through May. In February, she’ll celebrate her 57th birthday and is already the oldest woman ever in space. Among her many accomplishments, Whitson will be the first woman to command the station twice. She’ll take command likely in February with the next planned crew rotation.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The companies running Iowa’s newly privatized Medicaid system are complaining of drastic underfunding of the program in documents obtained by The Des Moines Register. Gov. Terry Branstad ordered the shift to private Medicaid management last year, and it went into effect April 1.

The Des Moines Register reports Amerigroup, AmeriHealth Caritas and UnitedHealthcare told state officials their reimbursement rates were based on deeply flawed cost estimates provided to them before the program began. According to reports filed last month with regulators, the companies have lost hundreds of dollars on the program.

Branstad says he remains confident the state will save over $110 million with private Medicaid management. Branstad announced in October that the state would pay the companies an additional $33.2 million this fiscal year for unexpected cost increases.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said today (Thursday), that  on Monday, December 19^th at approximately 5:15 p.m., officers were summoned to the Clarinda High School to investigate an incident during which was alleged that two CHS students were in possession of firearms while on school property and threatened a third CHS student with the weapons. The incident is alleged to have occurred in the parking lot immediately north of the high school.

The victim, a 16-year old from Clarinda, said he was allegedly threatened by a 17-year old male from Clarinda. The threat involved the younger teen being struck with the stock portion of a long gun. He was also allegedly threatened with a pistol by a second, 17-year old male from Clarinda.

Complaints alleging juvenile delinquency for prohibited possession of firearms and assault have been forwarded to Page County Juvenile Court Services for review and additional action by juvenile court authorities. The victim did not suffer any injuries during the incident.

Brothers said the matter is an isolated incident that occurred strictly between the three students involved and there was no danger to the public or administration, faculty, staff and students at Clarinda High School.

Harlan Police Chief Frank Clark, today (Thursday), issued a statement to thank members of the public for their outpouring of support to the law enforcement community. Chief Clark says “This past year, for us in law enforcement, has been a trying one. The public opinion and respect has dropped drastically for our profession across the Country.”

The Chief went on to say “The officers and staff of the Harlan Police Department would like to take just a minute to say ‘THANK YOU!'”  He said also, “In this smaller town atmosphere, the out-pouring of support shown to us has been overwhelming! The cards of thanks, the goodies dropped-off at our office, and just the simple ‘thank you for what you do’ while we’re out and about in public, has certainly not gone unnoticed by our officers.”

Chief Clark said in closing, “We strive to serve this community with dignity and respect, and your support is greatly appreciated.”

A new analysis concludes Iowans have the second-lowest amount of credit card debt in the country. The new study finds the average American household with credit card debt has racked up more than 16-thousand dollars worth of charges this year. The analysis compared average credit card debt with the median income of each state. It found North Dakotans carried the least amount of credit card debt, followed closely by Iowans.

Experts recommend using 15 percent of your income to pay off credit card debt. According to creditcard.com, the “typical Iowa resident would get out of debt in 13 months” using that formula. The average Iowa household is carrying about 44-hundred dollars in charges on their credit cards.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say a Deputy dispatched to a business parking lot in Underwood Wednesday afternoon to check on a man sleeping in a car, arrested the subject on drug and alcohol charges. 26-year old Kyle Jordan Lanoha, of Avoca, was arrested at around 3:45-p.m., for Possession of Meth and Marijuana with the Intent to Deliver, OWI/2nd offense, Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Following his arrest, authorities seized separate plastic bags containing about 43-ounces of Meth and 2.6-ounces of Marijuana, a pill bottle with different pills, and two syringes. Lanoha was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

And, a man from Carson was arrested Wednesday afternoon at his place of employment in Council Bluffs, when a Pott. County Deputy served civil papers. A records check showed 23-year old Tyler Allan Dittus, of Carson, was wanted on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County for Failure to Appear on a Driving While Revoked charge, and a warrant out of Mills County, for Driving While Barred. Dittus was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Pott. County Jail.