DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A decision by Iowa’s dominant health insurance company to stop selling individual policies could leave thousands of residents scrambling to get new policies. The Des Moines Register reports Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield announced Monday it would stop selling the individual policies because of instability in the insurance market due to the Affordable Care Act and congressional Republicans’ failed effort to replace the law.

The decision means more than 21,000 Iowa residents who bought health insurance policies since Jan. 1, 2014, will need to find another provider. The change won’t affect those who have Wellmark insurance through an employer or those who bought individual policies that took effect before Jan. 1, 2014.

The carriers Aetna and Medica also sell individual policies but haven’t committed to doing so for 2018.

One of the planet’s largest robotics competitions for students in grades K-through-12 will be held this week in southwest Iowa. Jim Schulte is president of the CREATE Foundation which will stage its U-S Open Robotics Championship in Council Bluffs. There will be around 500 teams and many thousands of contestants.

“We have teams coming from China, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Canada, from around the world,” Schulte says. “There are 40 different states registered to compete and, of course, the international flavor gives a great experience to all the participants.” Teams from all areas of Iowa are taking part in the competition as robots designed and built by students are piloted through a series of obstacles and tasks.

“We’re starting to see Iowa really grow, in part, because of the U.S. Open and they’re also very supportive, as all of the teams are,” Schulte says. “They come in with volunteers and the quality of the teams in Iowa are really expectional.” The CREATE Foundation is based in Omaha and its name stands for Competitive Robotics Enhancing and Advancing Technology Education. Schulte says it’ll be a challenging, rewarding week for the students.

“With judged events, they’ll go through interviews as well as on-field competitions where they do go back and forth,” Schulte says. “Of course, our objective is to get as many kids as we can interested in science and technology.” The tournament is free and open to the public. It runs Tuesday through Saturday at the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa)

ATLANTIC – Cass County Health System (CCHS) is honoring the many volunteers who share their time and talents throughout the health system by hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Open House on Wednesday, April 12th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm in the cafeteria.

More than 250 individuals volunteer each year at CCHS. Volunteers work in a variety of roles including the Auxiliary, CCMH Board of Trustees, CCHS Foundation Board, Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, Meals on Wheels, IPOST, Mentoring, SHIIP, Lifeline, and through other programs and events.

Carole Schuler, Volunteer Coordinator, says “We are so grateful to all of the people who volunteer to help us make CCHS the best it can be. We’re lucky to have a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and expertise in our volunteer pool, and the work they do is so important to the people they serve. Really, volunteering is a win-win. It’s good for the volunteer, too!”

The Volunteer Appreciation Open House theme this year is “Volunteers Make the World a Brighter Place.”

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some Sioux City residents are getting anxious about a rash of sinkholes, typically caused by broken water mains or storm sewers that cause the surface to collapse. The Sioux City Journal reports that residents worry the sinkholes could cause motor accidents or impact their property.

City utilities director Mark Simms says the city is taking a more proactive approach to fixing sinkhole problems as they arise. He says the city has begun responding to all resident reports of sinkholes as if they’re a result of city utilities.

Officials say the city has worked on at least three sinkholes in public areas so far in 2017, while also fielding several reports of sinkholes on private property. Simms says he doesn’t believe the city has an exorbitant number of sinkholes for its scale.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Civil rights groups, media advocates and some lawmakers are opposing an Iowa bill that would end public access to many 911 calls. The bill would declare that 911 calls involving emergencies in which people are injured are confidential “medical records” and exempt from Iowa’s open records law.

The measure says the secrecy would not be limited to 911 call recordings themselves — a clause that critics fear could apply to videos documenting the aftermath of officer-involved shootings. All calls made by minors or about minors would also become secret.

The bill passed the Iowa House with little debate, with backers saying it would protect medical privacy and the privacy of children. But a chorus of opposition has emerged as the Republican-controlled Senate considers whether to schedule it for a vote.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he’ll have private meetings with members of Congress this week to discuss his consideration as U.S. ambassador to China. The Republican governor is scheduled to be in Washington between Monday and Thursday.

Branstad says he’ll meet with members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and officials at the State Department. A spokesman for the governor says no formal hearings are scheduled.

President Donald Trump announced last year that he would nominate Branstad as ambassador to China. Branstad says the process requires extensive paperwork, and he hasn’t given details about when the Senate will hold confirmation hearings and vote on his nomination. If confirmed by the Senate, Branstad will resign as governor and is expected to be replaced by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

GRAETTINGER, Iowa (AP) – An official says investigators have yet to determine what caused a fiery derailment in northwest Iowa. The Union Pacific train derailed early March 10 on a trestle bridge spanning a creek near Graettinger. The National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report Thursday that 14 of the 20 derailed tankers released 322,000 gallons of ethanol. The fire burned itself out more than 2 1/2 days later. No injuries were reported.

The report said the train was moving 30 mph at the time, the maximum for that stretch. Rail samples and video from the lead locomotive’s recorder will be analyzed. Board spokesman Peter Knudson said Monday that the derailment cause likely won’t be determined for least a year.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency has lowered the County grassland and field Fire Danger rating to “Low,” this week, due to the recent and on-going rain. The rating was “Moderate” last week.

Even though the fire danger rating is Low, you are asked to call-in and report your burning projects to Shelby County Dispatch at 712-755-2124, and, notify your local Fire Chief.

Cass County Public Health is celebrating National Public Health Week April 3-9, 2017. Public health impacts every aspect of our lives, and National Public Health Week (NPHW) shines a spotlight on how far we have come, as well as acknowledging how much more we need to do to make healthy living easier where people live, learn, work, and play.

The national theme is Create the Healthiest Nation in One Generation. As part of this goal, Public Health works to build safe, healthy communities; provide quality healthcare for all; encourage healthy behaviors and choices; create healthy environments; increase economic mobility; and give everyone access to safe, healthy food. Currently, the U.S. is globally ranked 34th in life expectancy, and Public Health teams across the country are making it their mission to improve that statistic.

“As residents in Cass County, if we each take one small step towards a healthier life every day, together we can make a difference in our national goal,” said Beth Olsen, Director of Cass County Public Health.

In Cass County, Public Health has resources to help residents of all ages and stages of life. From car seats and immunizations to mammograms and emergency preparedness—the team at Public Health has a wide background of skills and a large network of resources to help the people of Cass County lead healthier lives.

To learn more about Cass County Public Health, or to ask questions about their programs, call 712-243-7546.

Lewis, Iowa – Palmer amaranth, a new weed to Iowa and a serious threat to production agriculture, has now been discovered in at least 48 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Farmers, crop consultants, landowners, and those interested in learning to identify and manage this new threat will want to attend the “Keep Palmer Amaranth Off Your Farm” workshop this Friday, April 7 from 2-4 PM. The workshop is being hosted by the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach Field Agronomist Aaron Saeugling and East Pottawattamie County Extension. The two-hour workshop will be held on April 7 at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm, 53020 Hitchcock Ave, Lewis.

“With Palmer amaranth discoveries quickly increasing across the state, proper identification is key to controlling infestations and preventing movement to crop fields,” said Saeugling. This workshop will discuss new discoveries of Palmer amaranth across the state, key traits to differentiate the common amaranth species in Iowa from Palmer amaranth, and management in both crop and non-crop areas. Handouts about Palmer amaranth identification will be provided.

Palmer amaranth

Palmer amaranth is one of several pigweed species found across Iowa. Other pigweed species found in the state include waterhemp, redroot pigweed, Powell amaranth, and spiny amaranth. “At a quick glance there are many similarities among the weedy pigweeds, but knowledge of what specifically to look for simplifies differentiating Palmer amaranth from the other pigweeds species in the state,” said Saeugling.

Farmers and scouts should be observing high-risk areas for Palmer amaranth, including areas with significant equipment movement, suspicious-looking waterhemp infestations, newly-seeded conservation plantings, and areas near animal agriculture operations, Saeugling said.

This meeting is free and open to the public. Certified Crop Advisors CEUs will also be offered with the meeting.  Please re-register for the workshop by noon on April 6, by calling the East Pottawattamie County Extension office at (712) 482-6449.  For more information, please contact Aaron Saeugling at 641-344-5704 or clonz@iastate.edu.