State Epidemiologist Patricia Quinlisk says Iowa and the rest of the country have been experiencing more cases of the mumps. “What we’ve seen in Iowa since last summer is about 550 cases of mumps reported to us. Now I’ll just tell you that number is probably under reported,” she says. Doctor Quinlisk says that’s way above past years.
“Typically in Iowa we’ve had maybe, five, ten, 15 cases of mumps reported each year,” according to Quinlisk. Part of the increase is linked to college towns.

“The highest rate of mumps that we’ve had is in Johnson County where the University of Iowa is located,” Quinlisk says. There were with 293 mumps cases in Johnson County. Black Hawk County, home to the University of Northern Iowa, has the second highest number of mumps cases at 98. “We are watching Black Hawk County very closely. Good news is — in Johnson County — the numbers do seem to be slowing, going down, so that seems to be resolving,” Quinlisk says.

She says it’s not surprising to see an increase in mumps in the two areas where there are colleges, because young adults’ mumps immunity from childhood shots is waning, and mumps spreads among those in close living conditions. Doctor Quinlisk says mumps outbreaks peak periodically — citing the year 2006 as an example — when Iowa reported two-thousand cases during a six-month period.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man in Villisca early this (Monday) morning, following a traffic stop. 40-year old Jason William McCollum, of Villisca, was arrested at around 3-a.m. for Driving While Revoked. McCollum was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

Authorities in Montgomery County report two arrests late Sunday evening. Sheriff’s deputies in Villisca, arrested 46-year old Matthew Kevin Miller, of Villisca, at around 7:30-p.m.  Miller was charged with Violation of a No Contact Order. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond.

And, Red Oak Police arrested 27-year old Jacob Nathaniel Forward, of Red Oak, at around 9:35-p.m. in Red Oak, on a charge of Trespass. Forward was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Sheriff’s deputies in Adams County arrested a Union County man on drug charges late Sunday night following a traffic stop. While a deputy was speaking with the driver, 21-year old Malik Rashad Lambert, of Creston, he detected the odor of marijuana. A consent search of the vehicle was obtained, the result of which was the discovery of a lock box inside the trunk.

The Sheriff’s K9 indicated the presence of narcotics inside the box, and when opened by Lambert, was found to have contained 158 grams of marijuana and a little more than $503 in cash. Lambert was arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Distribution of marijuana, and failure to affix a drug tax stamp. He was being held in the Adams County Jail on $17,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A Fort Dodge man wanted for questioning in a harassment case is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase through three Iowa counties. Police arrested 35-year-old Aaron L. Jones on Friday. Jones is charged with felony eluding, operating while under the influence and interference with official acts. Authorities say Jones drove off when an officer tried to question him about a harassment case.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Police say a Dubuque man was seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash pushed his vehicle into a home. David A. Gatena was taken to a local hospital after the wreck shortly before 9:30 p.m. Friday. Police say Jamie J. Birch of Dubuque was driving at a high rate of speed when his vehicle struck the passenger side of a vehicle driven by 55-year-old Anthony Gatena. David Getena was a passenger.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Employers in northern Iowa are trying to fill a bounty of agricultural jobs. Local economic development officials are touting a series of jobs that are directly and indirectly related to farming. The list includes work in cooperatives, ethanol plants and feed mills. Low unemployment rates in area counties can make it tough to find employees.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man is protesting a state law that requires him to financially support a child that’s not his. Joe Vandusen received a letter this month from the state telling him he would have to pay child support even though he is not the child’s father. The Forty-five-year-old Vandusen said he and his wife split up without filing an official divorce and have hardly talked in the last 15 years. The child Vandusen is expected to help support is about 1 year old, he said.