Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Monday), said 10 Iowa communities have been awarded fluoride certificates by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Dental Association (ADA). Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in the water to an optimal level for preventing tooth decay.

Denison and Winterset were among the communities receiving a 50-year award for maintaining continuous community water fluoridation from 1964-2014.

Today, approximately 75 percent of Americans served by public water systems drink optimally-fluoridated water. Fluoridated water safely and inexpensively reduces tooth decay by 25 percent in children and adults. The CDC has recognized community water fluoridation as one of the ten great public health achievements of the 20th Century and recommends water fluoridation as a safe, effective, and inexpensive method of preventing tooth decay.

To see the fluoridation status of Iowa counties and towns, visit https://nccd.cdc.gov/DOH_MWF/Default/Default.aspx.

We all forget our keys or phone occasionally, and many of us have wondered if our frequent forgetfulness could be a sign of a bigger problem. “When Should I Worry?” is the topic of Cass County Health System’s next Healthy U session. The program will be presented on Thursday, July 30th at noon in CCHS Conference Room 2.

Stacey Bean, PA-C

Stacey Bean, Physician Assistant at the Atlantic Medical Center, will present information about dementia with a focus on Alzheimer’s. Stacey Bean has been a Physician Assistant at Atlantic Medical Center since 2006. She provides a broad range of family medicine services, and is board certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Dementia is a broad category of brain diseases that cause a decrease in the ability to think and remember to the point that a person’s daily functioning is affected. Dementia will affect 1 in 8 people—up to 35 million people worldwide. Approximately 50-70% of dementia patients have Alzheimer’s.

Healthy U is a free educational series that focuses on a different health topic each month. Attendees receive a healthy sack lunch in addition to an educational program presented by medical professionals. Future topics will include joint health, mental illness, and diabetes.

For more information, or to make a reservation for the July 30th Healthy U, call 712-243-7479.

Police in Creston say a man who was arrested early Sunday morning was arrested again late Sunday night, on drug and other charges. 19-year old Adam Drake, of Creston, was arrested at around 2:30-a.m. Sunday for Public Intoxication/3rd offense, and Interference with Officials Acts. Drake was released from the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond, but arrested again at around 11:35-p.m. on charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Disorderly Conduct, and Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Union County Jail, on $2,000 bond.

Also arrested Sunday, was 19-year old Audreyanna Marks, of Creston. Marks, who resides in the same home as Adam Drake, was arrested on charge of Disorderly Conduct at around 6:15-a.m.  She was later released from the Ringgold County Jail on $300 bond.

And on Friday, 38-year old Roger Straw, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center for allegedly Violating a Protection Order. Straw was later released on $300 bond.