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

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The latest America’s Health Rankings report released last week showed Iowa moved up two spots to 22nd among the 50 states. One area of improvement was a decrease in adults who smoke. Health consultant, Garin Buttermore, from the Department of Public Health, says the smoking rate dropped by one percent. It was at 19-and-half percent in 2014 and then in 2015 it was at 18-and-a-half percent. Now that puts up from 28th to 26th in the nation as far as the ranking of adults who smoke — so we are almost on the good side of halfway,” Buttermore says.

While it wasn’t a huge drop, the number of adult smokers did drop. “It just shows improvement and it’s a trend that Iowa is moving in the rankings. Adult smoking rates just in general all over America are going down and we are excited that that’s happening,” Buttermore says. He says there are a lot of resources put into helping people quit smoking.

“Call 800-QUITNOW to receive free services there and in all 99 counties we have contracts with local providers to do tobacco control and prevention,” Buttermore explains. “Whether that’s helping to establish smoke-free policies or talking with people in schools about not using tobacco. It just helps that our work is paying off and the state is getting healthier.”

Buttermore says the numbers also show that more people are seeing the downside to smoking. “The money, the health, the smell, the inconvenience, there’s just every reason to quit using traditional tobacco, and no reason to start,” according to Buttermore. The results are for smokers who are 18 years and older, and does not include the use of electronic cigarettes.

(Radio Iowa)

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES…-
603 AM CST MON DEC 14 2015

…SLIPPERY ROADS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE…

A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW AT TIMES THROUGH ABOUT 9 OR 10 AM. BRIEF BOUTS OF MODERATE SNOW WITH BIG FLAKES COULD PILE UP TO AN INCH ON SOME ROADWAYS BEFORE MELTING. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN MOSTLY ABOVE FREEZING THIS MORNING…SO SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR MORNING DESTINATION. USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SLIPPERY ROADS…AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN SNOW OR FROM ROAD SPRAY.

There are “help wanted” signs in the windows of many Iowa businesses lately as the year-end holidays approach. Many employers say there is a possibility those temporary jobs will become permanent after the Christmas rush is over, but Creighton University economist Ernie Goss is something of a Grinch on the topic. Goss predicts few employers will keep holiday workers on the payrolls very far into January.

“Not many, particularly with health care reform now staring down the face of many of the employers,” Goss says. “When the hours go above 30, they have to provide some sort of health care and that means they’re less likely to do that now than they have been in previous years.” Early indicators show this may be a weak holiday season for retailers in Iowa and across the Midwest. Goss says that doesn’t mean people aren’t spending money.

“One of the reasons we’re not seeing the growth in retail sales we’re normally seeing is, a lot of consumers are buying products we don’t include in retail sales,” Goss says. “That trip to Aruba, those vacations are not included in retail sales and a lot of consumers are spending that way.” On the job front, there are about two-million more people working nationwide now compared to a year ago but Goss says many of those jobs are part-time and most of those jobs are not in the Midwest.

(Radio Iowa)

A Council Bluffs woman who was struck by a car Sunday night, suffered from a fractured leg, ribs, lacerations and other, non-life threatening injuries. Bluffs Police said 64-year old Charlotte Meyer was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center following the accident that occurred at around 6:50-p.m., near the Pilot Truck Stop at 2647 S. 24th Street, in Council Bluffs.

The driver of the vehicle, 66-year old Cheryl Larson, of Omaha, told police
she was traveling North on South 24th Street, and had stopped at the traffic lights of South 24th and 27th Avenue. A male pedestrian and Meyer, were wearing dark clothing. That, along with the rain and limited visibility she said, made it difficult to see both pedestrians. Larson swerved to avoid hitting the unidentified male, but was unable to avoid hitting Meyer.

Following the collision, Larson remained at the scene until Police arrived and could interview her. Officers indicated in their report neither speed nor alcohol were factors in the accident. No charges have been filed.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Several flood warnings have been issued in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa after prolonged steady rain in the area. Heavy rain fell in the area where Nebraska and Iowa meet Saturday night. More than two inches of rain was recorded in some places between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa GovernorTerry Branstad — a graying little man who relies on Midwestern stick-to-itiveness rather than personal flair — is about to enter the political record books as the longest serving governor in American history, dating all the way back to colonial times. On December 14th, the six-term Republican will mark his 7,642nd day of service as governor.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old man who called police to report an attempted burglary wound up being arrested himself. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports the man called police to his apartment around 10:40 p.m. to report that someone had tried to break in. The officers who responded asked if they could look around for a suspect. While doing that, the officers saw marijuana stems and seeds in plain view and later found two grams of the drug.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Crews have begun mapping the bottom of the Cedar River as part of an effort to develop a $2.6 million whitewater park and kayak course near downtown Waterloo. The Courier reports a few people were out on the river Saturday in a boat equipped with expensive sonar equipment.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Several flood warnings have been issued in southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa after prolonged steady rain in the area. The National Weather Service issued the flood warnings for several areas around the Missouri River in southeast Nebraska and around the Nishnabotna River in western Iowa.

Heavy rain fell in the area where Nebraska and Iowa meet Saturday night. More than two inches of rain was recorded in some places between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, and the rain was continuing. The Weather Service says moderate flooding is possible over the next couple days along those rivers.

A Marshalltown man suffered a self-inflicted injury to his hand from a shotgun slug while deer hunting Sunday in Palo Alto County. The Iowa DNR says 70-year old David William Clark was sitting on a log with his loaded shotgun when it discharged as he was changing position striking him in the hand at approximately 7:45 a.m. Sunday at Basswood Recreation Area approximately one mile west of Emmetsburg.

Clark was taken to Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg where he was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury. The incident remains under investigated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The Iowa DNR says a man from Worthington was injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while trapping Sunday in Delaware County. 51-year old Carey Ahlers, Jr., was attempting to load his .22 caliber handgun while checking traps when it discharged striking him in the leg.

He was transported to Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque where he was being treated for what is believed to be a non-life-threatening injury. The incident occurred at approximately 9 a.m. approximately four miles north of Hopkinton.

The incident remains under investigated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.