IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Regulators have found serious safety violations at a state-run psychiatric hospital in Iowa where several combative patients have assaulted employees. An inspection found that employees at the Independence Mental Health Institute struggle to manage violent outbursts due to inadequate emergency plans, low staffing, poor communication and ineffective safety shields that staffers haven’t been trained to use.

The Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation in June after a series of attacks against staff members. A union representing employees said the hospital faced an urgent safety crisis. Inspectors found seven serious and three minor safety violations. They proposed a $72,770 fine against the Iowa Department of Human Services, which operates the facility, and ordered it to fix the problems.

The hospital treats patients with severe and complex psychiatric needs.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man burned in a fire at a northwest Iowa hog confinement has died. Le Mars Fire-Rescue says 38-year-old Jorge Orozco died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Burn Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. He’d been flown there after being taken in a private vehicle on Sept. 30 to Floyd Valley Healthcare in Le Mars. Officials say Orozco lived in Sioux City.

The hog operation sits about 5 miles (8 kilometers) northwest of Le Mars. Officials say Orozco and another man had been inside a building, using a power washer to clean it. Orozco left the building to refuel the power washer engine, and he spilled gas on himself and the machine. The vapors ignited, burning Orozco.

Officials with the Cass County Health System in Atlantic say they will temporarily close the Emergency Drive on Tuesday, November 12th from 10:30 am to noon. Patients who need access to the Emergency Department or Rehabilitation Services during this time are asked to please use the Main Entrance drive and circle around the building instead.

The drive is being closed while soil borings are being taken in preparation for repair work on CCHS parking lots and drives, and for the upcoming renovations outlined in the master facility plan. Additional soil borings will also be taken throughout the day, however, they should not cause any disruptions to patient traffic or parking

(Radio Iowa) — The backup in the propane supply in Iowa is not expected to end very quickly. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says it continues to be a demand issue with farmers needing propane to dry crops and others needing it to heat their homes. “It’s not that there’s not enough propane in the country — it has to do with the logistics of getting it where it needs to go,” Naig says. He says it doesn’t look like there will be a big change in the situation anytime soon. “The things that are going to help alleviate that are getting the harvest completed and warmer temperatures,” Naig says. “I don’t think we are going to see any of those two in the immediate future.”

Suppliers have had to send trucks long distances to get propane and Naig says that may show up in the price. “The price will rise to accommodate for transportation issues if there are any. We hear about some folks putting surcharges on — it’s logical — it needs to be reasonable. If a supplier is having to drive to Kansas to get the supply — they will have to pass some of that cost on to consumers,” according to Naig. “We will be watching that situation closely.”

He says they would take action if they see the price being raised just to take advantage of the delays in getting propane.

(Radio Iowa) — December 21st is -supposed- to be the first day of winter this year but a peek outside shows it’s already here. Heavy snowfall overnight dropped almost a half-foot of flakes on some areas of the state and near-record cold temperatures are expected tonight (Monday). Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg, at the National Weather Service, says much of the snowfall was concentrated between Highway 30 and Interstate 80. “The Des Moines metro, here at the office in Johnston, we had 4.4 inches of snow,” Kotenberg says. “There’s a place in Benton County with 4.8 inches, Cedar Rapids had 5.8 inches. Spreading outwards from there, one to two inches as you get toward Fort Dodge, Waterloo had three-and-a-half inches.”

(Click on the graphic to enlarge)

Some schools had late starts this morning due to the wintry weather, while many fender benders were reported across the state’s midsection as roads are very slick. Even where it’s stopped snowing, hazards remain. “We’ll continue to have winds going from north to south at around 15 to 25 miles per hour with gusts nearing 30 miles an hour here and there,” Kotenberg says. “That could cause blowing and drifting of snow, especially on untreated roadways, so definitely take it easy if you’re out there, if you’re traveling.”

The all-time record low temperature for this date at the Des Moines International Airport is four degrees, while the forecast for this evening calls for a low of three-degrees.  “We’re also going to have a little bit of wind speed so that’s going to bring the wind chills down to anywhere between zero and minus-ten degrees across much of Iowa,” Kotenberg says. “Towards the northern tier of counties, they’ll be in the minus-ten to minus-15 degree range. Not quite wind chill advisory but definitely hat and gloves and try to minimize the amount of time you spend outside.”

Forecasters says another wintry blast is predicted to arrive late Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday morning with the potential to drop another one-to-three inches of snow. Kotenberg says they’re still watching that developing storm to see exactly where the snow will fall and how much.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Cass County Health System are now accepting nominations for the 2019 Angel(s) of Christmas. The Angel of Christmas is a tradition in Atlantic recognizing and thanking area residents who symbolize the true meaning of the season. Angels exemplify the true holiday spirit all year long – putting others first, spreading generosity and sharing the holiday spirit with everyone they meet. Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said “Sometimes we forget the true meaning of the season and I think celebrating people who put others first and spread holiday cheer all year long deserve to be recognized.”

In 2018, Lt. Devin Hogue was named the Angel of Christmas, demonstrating the true meaning of the season serving as a dedicated public servant on the Police Department but also offering his time as a tireless volunteer to the community. Devin plans many events for local youth including the annual Youth Weekend Campout, Henry Doorly Zoo trip, school food drives, family dream Christmas, Shop with A Cop and Family Night Out.

Nominate a Christmas Angel you know, to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce by November 22nd. This year’s angel will be announced at the Holiday Concert on December 8th at 3 PM at the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic. Nominate by submitting brief comments about the person to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. You can find a nomination form on www.christmasinatlantic.com.

Pick up your Christmas Brochure from area retails businesses, “like” the Chamber on Facebook, or follow on Twitter to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities at www.christmasinatlantic.com. Capture the Christmas magic with #MyAtlanticIA and post to the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook or Instagram (@AtlanticIowaFan) page. Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber with any questions at 712-243-3017.

(Radio Iowa) — Four former Iowa State University students who were killed while serving in World War Two and Vietnam will be honored on this Veterans Day (Monday) during I-S-U’s annual Gold Star Hall ceremony. Kristin Erdman, spokeswoman for the I-S-U Memorial Union, says family members of each of the four servicemen will be at the ceremony. “We include as many Iowa State students as we can to help us tell the stories,” Erdman says. “We have ROTC students who present the colors through the flags in the ceremony, we have buglers and singers from the ROTC program who help us start off the ceremony, and then we invite members of the Iowa State community to help us tell the narratives.”

Gold Star Hall includes the names of nearly 600 Iowa Staters who have died in war: in World War One, World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, and in the Global War on Terrorism. The ceremony is held every year on the Ames campus on the Monday of Veterans’ Week. “We tell the stories of three or four individuals from the day they were born, though their upbringing and then how they got involved in military service and what happened while they were serving,” Erdman says. “We also have memorabilia from the families of each of those individuals on tables there so they can get even more information about who these people were and what their lives were like.”

Former students’ names are engraved on the Gold Star Hall walls if they attended I-S-U full-time for one or more semesters and died while in military service in a war zone. As more names become known, they are added to the wall. Current students are urged to attend the ceremony so they can see just how much in common they have with these fallen heroes. “These students were maybe not doing well in their classes just like them, or they were fraternity brothers. Maybe they had a crush on a girl they saw in the MU commons,” Erdman says. “We just want students to really understand that the people who died and whose names are on the wall are just like they are today.”

The 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge will also be recognized this afternoon. The Gold Star Hall ceremony is free and open to the public. It will be held at 3:15 p-m at Memorial Union Great Hall. This year’s honorees are:
Schuyler (SKY-lur) Wheeler, of Boone, who studied dairy industry at Iowa State from 1939 to 1941. He joined the U.S. Army on July 12, 1942. Wheeler was killed December 15, 1944, while trying to help liberate Ensdorf, Germany.
John Fuller, of Milford, who studied general engineering at Iowa State from 1938 to 1941. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on January 15, 1942. He was killed during the Battle of the Bulge near Bastogne, Belgium, on December 23, 1944.
Meredith DeRoy Winter, of Dysart, studied chemistry at Iowa State from 1938 to 1943. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in September 1943. Winter was killed February 28, 1945, during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Kennith Tapscott, of Charleston, South Carolina, studied political science at Iowa State from 1963 to 1967. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve in the Vietnam War. Tapscott died August 6, 1970, in Song Ong Doc, South Vietnam.

The former attorney for Adair County has died. A notice from Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield said 61-year old Clint Hight, who resigned late last June, died Sunday, at his home. Hight, who was also a private practice attorney, was in his second term as Adair County Attorney when he submitted his resignation to the Adair County Board of Supervisors. He cited a recent medical diagnosis as his reason for stepping-down.

The Iowa DOT reports the right-hand lane of Interstate 80 westbound, just east of the Highway 173 interchange (Exit 54), will be closed from 9-a.m. until Noon today (Monday), due to a crash and removal of the vehicle or vehicles involved.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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