(Radio Iowa) – The government’s Medicaid program covers care for over half of the residents in Iowa nursing homes and the industry warns it cannot afford federal rules about staffing that are set to go into effect in 2026. The rules say at least one nurse should be on duty in a nursing home at all times and each resident must get about three and a half hours of daily attention from the home’s staff. Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and director Kelly Garcia says her agency is conducting its regular review of Medicaid reimbursement rates for Iowa nursing homes.

“Obviously these new requirements push additional costs,” Garcia says, “and so that will be accompanied in the analysis.” The legislature and governor set Medicaid reimbursement rates every other year, so 2025 is when that decision will be made. Garcia says there are significant changes in the need for nursing facilities. “And so we work with the association of health care providers, we work with individual nursing facilities on those transition plans as desires of what Iowans want shift, right?” Garcia said.

“Most Iowans are saying they want to stay at home and when we think about that rebalancing of home and community-based services along with institutional settings…we have to have a full continuum and all parts have to be strong.” Garcia made her comments during a recent appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. The state currently spends about three times as much on nursing home care as it does on in-home and community services for seniors. There are about 400 nursing homes in the state.

(Radio Iowa) – Residents are continuing to pick up the pieces two weeks after a tornado carved a deadly, destructive path through Greenfield and Adair County. Volunteers once again fanned across the community this past weekend to clear debris from the May 21st twister. Greenfield and Adair County Emergency Management spokesperson Maggie Armstrong says considerable progress has been made, but much more needs to be done.

“Cleanup has been consistent, but there’s a lot of damage, a lot of debris, and it’s going to be extensive for quite some time,” Armstrong says. Five people were killed and 35 people were injured when the E-F-4 tornado tore a one-mile path through the community. An assessment found 153 homes in the city and county were damaged or destroyed. Numerous businesses and Adair County Memorial Hospital were also hit, while the twister missed Greenfield City Hall and the city’s square, the Adair County Courthouse, and Nodaway Valley High School and Elementary School. Armstrong says volunteer support has been strong from the moment the tornado hit through the storm’s aftermath.

“Volunteer Iowa came in right away and started setting up their operation to check in to keep track and to credential volunteers. And really pretty much from the very beginning through even where we are now people from all over the state have called have shown up have asked how they can help and they are still taking volunteers really went from being in the city and helping with some of the cleanup there to going out into the rural areas to clean up some of the farm fields,” she says. She adds agencies like the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army continue to assist tornado victims, and donated materials are still available. Armstrong says they’ve gotten enough donated food and supplies to last them for awhile.

“We had to actually stop accepting donations, physical donations from individuals early on after the tornado because we had just such an overwhelming number of things and items that were donated,” Armstrong says. “In fact, we actually went up to Guthrie County and have used some of their fairgrounds as as a holding site for the donations. So we don’t need any anything else right now.”

Armstrong says they can still use money and gift cards. Anyone wishing to donate can log onto the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation’s website at: www.greenfieldiafoundation.org.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests:

Two women were arrested Monday (June 3rd). 34-year-old Ruth Evelyn Keller, of Council Bluffs, and 39-year-old Crystal Dawn Edison, of Malvern, were arrested at around 7:50-p.m. in the area of Levi Road and Highway 34, in Mills County. Both women were charged with Assault with Intent and Disorderly Conduct. Edison faces additional charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $3,600. Bond for Keller was set at $5,300.

Two men were arrested on separate charges last Saturday, in Mills County. 26-year-old Dustin Carl Lee Perry , of Shenandoah, was arrested for Driving While Barred, with bond set at $2,000. And, 46-year-old Samuel Joseph Norris, of Red Oak, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Community Foundation has established the Montgomery County Disaster Relief Fund to assist residents affected by the devastating tornadoes and flooding that hit our community on May 21, 2024. The Disaster Relief Fund, established in collaboration with the Montgomery Disaster Relief Committee, Emergency Management Services, city officials, and other local organizations, will be used to address urgent needs, including temporary housing, food, clothing, and medical expenses, as well as long-term recovery efforts.

Montgomery County Community Foundation Board Chair Kevin Britten says “We are deeply committed to helping our neighbors recover from this tragic event. The Montgomery County Disaster Relief Fund is a way for our community
to come together and provide much-needed support to those who have suffered significant losses.”

How to Donate

Donations can be made easily and securely via credit card on the Montgomery County Community Foundation’s
website: https://bit.ly/MontgomeryCountyDisasterRelief.

Additionally, contributions via check can be made at the following locations:

Red Oak:
• Houghton State Bank
• First Interstate Bank
• Bank Iowa

Stanton:
• First Interstate Bank

Villisca:
• Bank Iowa

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a significant impact on the lives of those affected by this disaster. Once
$1,500 is raised, a $500 grant from the Iowa Council of Foundations will be provided to the fund through the Disaster
Recovery Matching Grants program.

For more information about the Montgomery County Disaster Relief Fund or the Montgomery County Community
Foundation, please visit the website (SWIowaFoundations.org) or contact Sarah Beth Ray at 402-704-7245 or
sarahbeth@omahafoundation.org

About the Montgomery County Community Foundation

The Montgomery County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, is dedicated to
improving the quality of life for all residents of Montgomery County through charitable giving, community leadership,
and strategic grantmaking. Our commitment to responding to community needs is unwavering, especially in times of
crisis.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce report AtlanticFest, presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust, will be held Saturday, August 10th rain or shine. AtlanticFest is an annual festival that serves as a fundraiser for the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, says “AtlanticFest is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Chamber. Our sponsors help cover a lot of the costs of the event, allowing us to raise funds through registration fees and pop stand sales. We use the funds from AtlanticFest to continue to grow community events while also supporting business-based programs. We love this partnership with First Whitney Bank and the experience AtlanticFest offers the community. It also gives us the chance to support local businesses and civic organizations.”

Smith says downtown Atlantic will be filled with fun activities for the whole family to enjoy! Come early and start your day with a pancake breakfast or enjoy a 5K run/2K walk in the Annual Road Race with chip timing. There will be crafters from all over the Southwest Iowa area to browse through, as well as some of the best food vendors around that offer a wide variety of menu choices. Kids can enjoy fun bounce houses and games throughout City Park.

The 26th Annual Car Show and 10th Annual Motorcycle Show will be taking place once again this year. Also returning is the bags tournament that will be held in City Park. And with free entertainment throughout the day, the activities are endless.

AtlanticFest 2023

Preregistration for the Car Show, Motorcycle Show, Road Race, and Bags Tournament is open now, with day-of registration accepted. Registration to be a craft or food vendor is also being accepted now through August 5th. To register for any activity, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call the Chamber office at 712-243-3017.

Bailey Smith thanks these AtlanticFest sponsors for their support: First Whitney Bank & Trust, A.M. Cohron & Son, Gregg Young of Atlantic, Atlantic Municipal Utilities, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Roland Funeral Home, Armour Insurance, Brocker Karns & Karns, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Salute Gymnastics, Camblin Plumbing & Heating, McAtee Tire, Rush CPA & Associates, Rolling Hills Bank & Trust, Atlantic Home Reality, The Downtowner, and Wiota Steakhouse.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s going to be at least three months before the tornado-damaged hospital in Greenfield is back open. The administrators of the Adair County Health System released an update that says the building itself did not take a direct hit and is structurally sound, but the entire roof was blown off in the May 21st tornado, and an assessment showed lots of internal damage. The update says their construction group tells them they will not be able to use the building for at least 90 days.

Hospital administrators say they are working on finding locations for all the services that they can provide, while also trying to narrow down a possible reopening date. The hospital has a rural health clinic available at the Nodaway Valley Elementary School for primary care services, and a walk-in clinic at the elementary school, and this is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The Stuart Clinic is also available and currently operating with normal hours.

Services Closed Temporarily: Cardiopulmonary Rehab;  Rock Valley – Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy & Speech Therapy; Outpatient Clinics; Specialty Clinics;Senior Life Solutions; Radiology Services; Med-Surg Inpatient Services; Emergency Department; Surgery Department.

Services Open: Walk-In Rural Health Clinic Located at the Nodaway Valley Elementary School Open Monday-Sunday from 8:00AM-8:00PM.; Stuart Clinic Tuesday-Friday 8:00AM-4:30PM ; Lab Available Monday-Sunday through the clinics; Public Health Working remotely by phone 641-743-6173;  EMS Operating 24/7 – You will be transferred to another Emergency Department as we cannot treat emergencies 911; Wound Care Temporarily at Madison County Hospital.