Cass County Health System is continuing their health career scholarship again this year.  Officials say a $1000 award is available for a student studying to become a healthcare professional.  Applicants must be accepted to or currently enrolled in a health career educational program leading to at least a bachelor’s degree.  Applications are available at area high school guidance offices, the human resources office at Cass County Memorial Hospital and on the hospital’s website, www.casshealth.org.

Applications for the scholarship are due April 1, 2013.  For further information, contact Sara Nelson, CCMH Public Relations Director, at 712-243-7408.

Officials with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau are advising motorists about the next Special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP). Law enforcement agencies throughout the state will be out in force the week of March 14th through the 17th, looking for motorists who are violating traffic laws during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The theme is “Don’t Press Your luck. Buckle up day and night.”

The sTEP program consists of five high-visibility enforcement waves throughout the year, meant to get motorists to change their driving behavior by buckling up, slowing down, driving sober, and obeying all traffic laws, in order to reduce the number of vehicle crashes and save lives.

During last year’s St. Patricks weekend sTEP wave, there were more than 16,279 traffic violations reported by 234 law enforcement agencies that together, had more than 1,600 officers working the enforcement effort. After the St. Patrick’s weekend sTEP, law enforcement will be gearing up for the same effort May 20th through June 2nd…during the Memorial Day Holiday.

State officials want new penalties targeting bomb-makers. Representative Mark Brandenburg, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says the move is a priority for the Iowa Department of Public Safety and Brandenburg urged legislators to pass a bill on the subject. “This bill adds four chemicals to the current list of 14 chemicals that cannot be possessed with the intent to manufacture a controlled substance,” Brandenburg says. “Possession of these substances is a Class D felony.”

It means law enforcement can charge someone with possession of these four chemical ingredients for a bomb as well as for possession of the final product. The four new chemical that would be added to the illegal list are ammonia nitrate, ammonia sulfate, sodium hydroxide — which is also known as lye — and a distilled petroleum known by the slang term “white gas.” The Iowa House passed the bill unanimously. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

There are more than 60 subcommittee meetings today (Thursday) at the statehouse, as lawmakers face a deadline next week. Policy-related bills must win approval from a House or Senate Committee next week — by Friday, March 8th — or they’re declared ineligible for consideration. Bills that deal with taxes or spending are eligible for debate at any time during the legislative session.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation is offering $10,000 in scholarships to students who are enrolled and have been accepted into a nursing or medical doctor training program.  The scholarships were established by a bequest from Louis and Elsie Hansen.  John Molgaard, CCMH Foundation board member, says “The Hansens believed strongly in the importance of education, and the need for well-trained healthcare professionals, and (the Foundation is) very proud to provide this scholarship in their memory.”

The Louis and Elsie Hansen Memorial Scholarship was established to benefit Cass County high school graduates who are enrolled in a college of nursing or medicine, leading to an LPN, RN or MD degree.  Two $5000 awards will be presented.    Consideration will be given to applicants’ scholarship, citizenship and leadership abilities.  Applications are available at area high school guidance offices and the CCMH Foundation office at Cass County Memorial Hospital.  Applications are also available to download through a link on the hospital website, www.casshealth.org.

Applications for the scholarship are due April 1, 2013.  For further information, contact Dawn Marnin, CCMH Foundation Development Director, at 712-243-7409 or mardd@casshealth.org.

An Atlantic man was arrested this (Thursday) morning on an assault charge. According to the Police Department, 57-year old Andy Housman has been charged with Domestic Assault, in connection with an incident which allegedly occurred Wednesday in Atlantic, and involved a woman in her 40’s. Housman was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an initial court appearance.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday) issued a warning to the public about not believing advertisements or telemarketer claims that debt relief is an easy fix which will result in smaller payments and lower debt. All consumer advisories are available to the public at www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov under “Protecting Consumers.” The email address is consumer@iowa.gov.

The Sheriff’s Office cited a Consumer Advisory Bulletin issued by Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, which stated “Debt Relief Scams are more of  a headache, than a relief. ” You can read more about those types of scams, in the bulletin below…

Got debt?  If you’re making payments on a mortgage, a car, an education or credit card bills, you’re in good company.  While manageable debt doesn’t keep most people up at night, getting behind on monthly bills and mounting debt can be overwhelming. But, when advertisements or telemarketers claim there are easy fixes that will result in smaller payments and lower debt, don’t believe them!  Debt relief can be complicated, in certain cases can’t happen without you declaring bankruptcy, and the consequences can impact your credit rating and your finances for many years.

If you’re behind on your bills, start a conversation with your creditors before you talk to anyone offering debt relief.  Ask if you can work out a payment plan. If the answer is no or you can’t seem to reach an agreeable payment plan, call an expert for help. Non-profit credit counseling services will seek reasonable solutions based on your circumstances.  Credit counseling services have trained counselors who work on your behalf with creditors.  These non-profit agencies may charge small fees, but will charge much less than for-profit debt relief companies.  You can find National Foundation for Credit Counseling local member agencies at www.nfcc.org, or call 1-800-388-2227.

For-profit debt relief companies may claim that there are simple solutions for everyone, and often charge pricey advance and hidden fees that don’t go toward reducing your debt.  Those fees can include initial fees, monthly service fees, and a closing fee.  Some firms may do little or nothing but collect fees.  (For-profit debt relief companies that sell their services over the telephone may no longer charge a fee before they settle or reduce a consumer’s credit card or other unsecured debt, but this federal rule does not apply to debt relief agreements made through the Internet or in-person.)

When contacting anyone who provides debt relief services, ask questions up front before agreeing to any services.  Ask about all fees and costs, and request a written copy of the fees they charge.  Don’t do business with anyone who tells you to stop communicating with your creditors.  It’s not only bad advice—it’s illegal to give that advice.

Stopping payments to creditors can increase your debt amount, can hurt your legal standing, and can negatively affect your long-term financial situation.  A debt relief service must explain the consequences of stopping payments to creditors.  Those consequences could include losing your home if it’s a mortgage, increased debt because of penalties and interest, significant damage to your credit rating, exposure to debt collectors, and legal trouble.

If you are considering bankruptcy, do so carefully.  Bankruptcy, depending on the type, can eliminate unsecured debts and stop foreclosures, repossessions, utility shut-offs, certain debt collections and garnishments.  But bankruptcy can also result in unintended and long-term consequences.  You should consult with a lawyer to talk about bankruptcy options.  You’ll find a basic bankruptcy information sheet at www.justice.gov/ust.

To file a complaint or for more information, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Hoover Bldg., Des Moines, IA 50319.  Call 515-281-5926, or (toll-free) 888-777-4590.  The website is: www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Officials with the National Weather Service in Des Moines say it appears that central Iowa will not get a break in the action. We will still see light snow or flurries over mainly Eastern Iowa today from the Tuesday system. After a brief break over the weekend another storm system will be taking shape and will affect the upper Midwest and Northern plains beginning Sunday night and ending early Tuesday. This system will have the potential to produce moderate to even locally heavy snowfall and it passes Iowa but it is too early to determine exactly where the heaviest snow will fall.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest Wednesday night of a man wanted on a Red Oak P.D. warrant for Threat of Terrorism. 53-year old Ronald Lee Hall, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 9-p.m.   Additional details on the circumstances surrounding the warrant are currently not available. Hall’s bond was set at $5,000.

The Red Oak P.D. reports also, the arrest at around 11-p.m. Wednesday, of 23-year old Jacob Loran Johnson, of Red Oak. Johnson faces a Driving While Revoked charge. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.