(Radio Iowa) – While the holidays are a time for family gatherings, some Iowans might notice changes in a loved ones’ cognitive abilities that warrant further investigation. Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says there are often clear signs a person may be developing one of the most common forms of dementia.  “The main one is memory loss that disrupts their daily life,” Livingston says. “Forgetting things they have known their whole life, like how to use the microwave or how to get home from the grocery store, things like that that would be very unusual for someone to forget.”

The association estimates 66-thousand Iowans are now living with Alzheimer’s and Livingston says many will show similar symptoms of a failing memory. “Challenges in solving problems like simple math, figuring out the tip on a bill, things like that,” Livingston says, “or difficulty just completing daily tasks like they would do normally, like getting dressed or taking a shower, having confusion with things they are normally familiar with.” They also many not recognize people with whom they’re ordinarily familiar. So how does one tell if a loved one’s memory loss is just typical forgetfulness or if it’s the harbinger of a real problem.

“One thing that’s kind of a key indicator would be seeing these signs over and over and over or every time you talk to a loved one on the phone and they’re forgetting the same thing that you shared multiple times,” Livingston says. “Seeing that pattern of forgetting things and things that they have done their whole lives or they’ve known their whole lives and they’re forgetting.”

The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline is a vital resource for concerns about cognitive changes affecting a loved one. The number, 800-272-3900, is staffed around the clock every day, even holidays. (More info. online at www.alz.org/iowa)

(Radio Iowa) – A lot of people are hitting the highways to see relatives this weekend and into next week for Christmas and New Year’s. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Kari Yaneff says there will be extra state and local officers on the roadways. Yaneff says there continues to be excessive speeding — and that combined with holiday drinking and possible winter weather — could lead to a deadly situation. Yaneff says we haven’t had much snow here yet, but it is a possibility. She says a trooper just recently stopped a driver going more than 90 miles an hour while also driving impaired. “Having that speed and the person being impaired at 2:30 in the afternoon is pretty scary,” Yaneff says.

She says if you take anything that is going to impact your driving — let someone else take the wheel. “I think everyone just needs to remind themselves if they are going to have a great time with family and friends, just making sure that they are responsible. If you are going to be drinking too much — please be sure you have a designated driver. If you are participating in some illegal controlled substances, making sure that we are also being responsible and not getting behind the wheel too,” she says.  Trooper Yaneff says driving too fast remains a key factor in accidents whether you are impaired or not. She says about 90 percent of crashes are caused by speeding, with distracted driving also contributing.

Yaneff says their goal was to get under 300 traffic death this year. “Unfortunately, we’ve already exceeded that, so I am praying that nobody else will get into any fatality crashes,” Yaneff says. She says you can avoid being a statistic by buckling up, putting down the phone, and refrain from driving and texting, slowing down, and driving defensively.

(Neola, Iowa) – The driver of a semi tractor trailer died during a crash Thursday afternoon, in Pottawattamie County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the 2006 Kenworth semi registered to a trucking company from Elkton, South Dakota and driven by 63-year-old Donald Roller, of Sioux City, Iowa, was negotiating the exit 27 curve on Interstate 80 eastbound to westbound I-880 at around 3:36-p.m., when the vehicle ran off the road to the right.

As the rig rolled down the embankment, Roller was ejected and died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. Both the semi and the driver came to rest in the ditch.

The man’s body was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Neola Rescue and Pott. County Sheriff’s Deputies.

At least three accidents in southwest Iowa Thursday morning, were primarily attributed to frost covered roads. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday, an accident at around 7:09-a.m. occurred on Highway 34, about one-quarter of a mile west of A Avenue (near the Mills County line).

A 1996 GMC Sonoma pickup driven 24-year-old Abraham Garcia, of Bellevue, Nebraska, was traveling eastbound, when the vehicle lost traction due to the frost, and went out of control. The pickup entered the south ditch and rolled over before coming to rest on its wheels. Garcia was checked-out by personnel from Emerson Fire/Rescue and Red Oak Rescue, but refused treatment.

The pickup, owned by Patricia Garcia, of Bellevue, sustained about $3,500 damage, was was considered a total loss. There were no citations were issued. And, as previously mentioned, an SUV rollover accident happened at around 7:20-a.m. Thursday on Highway 34 in Union County. The driver, 19-year-old Destiny Ashby, of Murray, was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Creston.

And, an accident on a frost/ice covered Olive Street north of Atlantic, caused a van driven by 20-year Avery Andersen, of rural Atlantic, to go out of control and roll into the west ditch, about one-half mile north of the Pymosa School/Atlantic Head Start building. Andersen died at the scene of the crash that took place at approximately 8:55-a.m.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Authorities in Cass County said there were four arrests this past week. Two people from Council Bluffs were arrested Monday: 20-year-old Deven Hatfield and 38-year-old Nichole Price were arrested on warrants for Failure to Appear. Both were booked into the Cass County Jail. Hatfield was later transferred to a different county on a separate warrant. Price was held until she was released for time served.

Last Sunday, 22-year-old Logan Russell, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, for Public Intoxication. He was later released on his Own Recognizance. And, on the 18th, 47-year-old Brimer Buliche, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/ 2nd Offense. Buliche was later released on his Own Recognizance.

Former classmates of Avery Andersen, who tragically passed away today in an automobile accident, are organizing a prayer vigil tonight. Anyone who wishes to attend may join at 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. The prayer vigil to support the family and remember Avery is open to all.

The Atlantic vs St. Albert girls basketball game that was to take place this evening at the high school has been postponed out of respect to the family as well. There are many connections from the program to the family, including head coach Dan Vargason who has held an annual Independence Day firework gathering at the Andersen’s home for several years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A frost covered road is being blamed for a rollover accident that claimed the life of a rural Atlantic man this (Thursday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Ford Econoline van driven by 20-year-old Avery Carl Andersen, of Atlantic, was traveling north on Olive Street, about one-quarter of a mile south of Dunbar Road, when the vehicle lost traction and began to fishtail. The van swerved off the road to the left and entered a ditch, where it rolled over and ended up on its top. Avery died at the scene.The accident happened at around 8:55-a.m. North Olive Street was closed for slightly over three hours during the accident investigation and clean-up.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Cass County Medical Examiner, and Atlantic Fire and Rescue.

Photo courtesy of Lori Glissman

(Radio Iowa) – It’s hoped a new blood test may help to identify people who are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease well before symptoms emerge. Researcher Godfrey Coker, with the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, says the blood test searches for a brain amyloid, a protein that’s a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s, which afflicts 66-thousand Iowans.  “This new research shows blood tests can identify specific brain amyloid proteins and help identify people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s symptoms,” Coker says. “This could greatly speed enrollment in clinical trials like the AHEAD Study and lead to important treatments.”

The AHEAD Study and is seeking volunteers from Iowa and across the U-S and Canada. Coker says it’s the first time such a test will be used in a clinical trial aiming to prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.  “The study is enrolling people between the ages of 55 and 80 to test whether removing amyloid plaques in the brain can delay or prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms,” Coker says. “We anticipate that the simplicity of a blood test will increase participation in clinical trials, especially among communities of color, which are historically underrepresented in Alzheimer’s trials.”

Iowans who want to participate in the study would need to be willing to travel. There are no test sites in the state, but there are locations in several neighboring states, including: Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Madison and Rochester. Learn more: aheadstudy.org or call 1-800-AHEAD-70.