A man wanted a Nodaway County Missouri warrant was arrested on Thursday in Montgomery County. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year old Jessie Bruce Fitzwater of Villisca was arrested for possession of methamphetamine 3rd Offense, driving while barred, and a valid Nodaway County warrant. Fitzwater was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was booked and held on full bond.

Early Saturday morning, deputies of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested 42-year old Jeffrey Malling Brockman of Elliot for Obstruction of Emergency Communications. Brockman was transported to the Montgomery County Jail where he was booked and held on $300 cash bond.

Plenty of Iowans are coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses as we’re approaching the heart of cold and flu season. How many of them are going to work while they’re sick? Far too many, according to a new study. Dr. Mark Rupp, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, says some people will call in sick at the drop of a hat, but many others should stay home when they’re sick, yet they go in anyway. “This is a pretty common practice and actually a phrase has been termed to cover it,” Dr. Rupp says. “It’s called presenteeism. So, rather than abusing your sick time, you’re actually abusing time where you come into work where you probably should be staying at home.”

The survey of Iowans and Nebraskans finds four out of five people questioned say they’ve gone to work sick. You’re not doing anyone any favors, Rupp says, if you’re taking your bug to work and exposing the whole office. “Folks who are coughing and sneezing and hacking and running fevers really should be staying at home and anybody who has a vomitting or diahreal illness, likewise, should stay at home until they’re feeling better and they’re back to good health,” Rupp says. “When they come to work, clearly they can be spreading these bugs to their co-workers and that’s not a nice thing to do.”

If you really must go to work, it’s best to isolate yourself as much as possible from others, use hand sanitizer and cover your mouth with your sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Rupp says our great Midwestern work ethic can sometimes backfire in these situations. “Most people are doing this from a sense of being indispensible, that the task they’re doing is just so important that nobody else can do it,” Rupp says. “They also have a sense that they don’t want to let their co-workers down. If they’re not there doing the job, this is going to roll to somebody else.”

The survey showed nearly half of those who go to work sick take -no- precautions to avoid direct contact with others.

(Radio Iowa)

A report issued late Friday shows the state government’s payroll has shrunk since Terry Branstad became governor. Branstad took office in January of 2011 and the Legislative Services Agency analysis covers the first 18 months of his governorship. The report shows state payroll expenses were down nearly five percent compared to when Chet Culver left the governor’s office. More than 900 employees left state government during Branstad’s first 18 months in office. Some were replaced. Some were temporary or part-time employees.

At the start of August, the total number of full-time positions in state executive branch agencies had shrunk by 641. The average salary for a state worker who is not a supervisor is $51,700. The payroll and staffing at the three state universities in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City are not included in this analysis. The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa operate a separate payroll system.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

An Adams County man was arrested on Thursday for breaking into Carbon Bar on 1008 8th St in Corning. According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office Dale Anson was arrested on a warrant for breaking into Carbon Bar and charged with Burglary/3rd Degree and Theft/5th Degree. Anson is being held on $5,000 bond.

Officials at the Atlantic Medical Center (AMC)  announced Friday that they no longer have any flu vaccine available for people over 2 years of age.  Jeri Orstad, RN, AMC Immunization Nurse, checked with Cass County Public Health and the Hy-Vee Pharmacy, and confirmed they have also used all of their vaccine supply. The  AMC does have limited doses available for children ages 6 months to two years.

Officials say some children in that age group will require two doses of vaccine. Your personal healthcare provider will advise you of your child’s needs.  For those who do need two doses parents are reminded to bring them back for the second dose, to ensure they receive the full vaccine benefit.

According to the Centers for Disease Control Website, everyone should utilize the following good health habits to avoid spreading flu and other infectious diseases:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.

The Trustee for a Portsmouth granary which closed January 1st, has issued an update on the status of bankruptcy proceedings.  Deborah L. Petersen, Trustee for the G & R Feed and Grain Co., Inc., case, said Friday that the USDA is still finalizing their calculations, however, they have determined that they will begin taking bids for sale of all stored grain on Monday, January 14th, 2013. Once the stored grain is all sold by the USDA, each producer with a warehouse receipt for stored grain will receive a letter from the USDA. Producers can expect to receive a check for their stored grain within 4 – 6 weeks after all grain is sold and delivered. At this point, there is no action for producers to take with the USDA. The USDA will announce further details as they become available.

G & R Feed and Grain filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy case on January 1st, 2013. The Iowa Department of Agriculture is in the process of reviewing all deferred price contracts. They are sending letters to producers who sold grain to G & R. The letter indicates that holders of signed credit-sale contracts do not qualify for payment from the Iowa Depositors and Seller Indemnity Fund, but you may qualify for other partial payments. Producers who sold grain for cash or who sold grain on an unsigned contract, who were not paid, may qualify for the Indemnity Fund and may receive up to 90% of their claim, with certain limits. These producers may proceed to file their claims with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, as well as with the Bankruptcy Court.

Petersen says G & R intends to have complete schedules filed in the Bankruptcy Court soon. Once filed and completed, everyone listed will receive a notice from the Bankruptcy Court. The Notice contains information on how to file a claim with the Bankruptcy Court. If you have a claim for a deferred price contract, or other amount due you, you should take action to timely file a claim. If you have a contract for future delivery of grain, you will soon receive notice of rejection of that contract, as the Trustee will not be fulfilling those contracts. Once the Rejection is finalized, then the Trustee has no further interest in the contract and the producer will not be required to fulfill the contract and can sell or otherwise dispose of the grain as the producer desires.

Petersen says as the Trustee, she has taken possession of all assets, other than the stored grain, and is taking action to liquidate as soon as possible. There are many other matters still in the information gathering stage. Petersen says if you have legal questions, including how to file a claim, you shoudl contact an attorney of your choice.

A woman wanted on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County was arrested Thursday in Audubon. According to a police report,  19-year- old Christina Miller, of Audubon was arrested on warrant for Failure to Appear on Assault Causing Injury to Peace Officers or others, and Interference with Official Acts resulting in bodily injury. The Aggravated Serious Misdemeanor charges stem from an April 2012 incident.

After being taken into custody, Miller was turned over to deputies with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. She was released later in the day Thursday, on pre-trial supervision. She’s scheduled to appear for her trial in Pottawattamie County District Court, on February 15th.