(Radio Iowa) – A new report shows Iowans are continuing to pack on the pounds, with more than one in every three Iowa adults now being considered obese. Dr. Nadine Gracia, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, says the national report places Iowa tied for seventh with Indiana for the most overweight states. “Iowa, in the latest data shows that the rate of obesity among adults is at about 37%, not a significant difference from the previous year, but what’s more important is really that we look at trends,” Gracia says. “When we look at the state over the past five years, there has been a significant increase, demonstrating that there is a need to continue to really work on addressing adult and childhood obesity.”

The report shows Iowa’s young people are mirroring the adults in seeing elevated weights. “Rates of childhood obesity at the national level is at about nearly 20%,” Gracia says. “For children in the state of Iowa, between the ages of six to 17, that rate is about 15%, again, also seeing over time increases.” About ten years ago, the report found -zero- states with an adult obesity rating over 35-percent, while the new report puts Iowa — and almost half of all states — in that category.

“Now, 23 states have adult obesity rates at or above 35%,” Gracia says. “When we also look at the last five years, we’re seeing that actually about more than half of all the states in the country have experienced an increase in their adult obesity rate.” Obesity is a complicated issue to diagnose, and she calls it a national public health issue that goes far beyond individual behavior. “We also know how your environment, whether you have access to affordable, healthy, nutritious foods, living in a neighborhood where you can engage safely in physical activity,” Gracia says, “those types of structural factors are really important as it relates to risk for obesity.”

Trust for America’s Health graphic

Other factors may include medications, genetics, other health issues, and stress. The report shows West Virginia has the highest obesity rate at 41-percent, while Colorado ranked the lowest with 25-percent.

See the full State of Obesity 2024 report.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a woman was arrested Thursday afternoon for Driving While Barred. 38-year-old Sara Sue Batten, of Red Oak, was taken into custody in the 300 block of Alix Avenue at around 4:15-p.m. Batten was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says farmers should be wary of agricultural drones manufactured in China and sold in the U-S by a company called D-J-I. “Every farmer needs to be eyes wide open about the technology they are currently using on their farms,” Hinson says. There are nearly 10-thousand registered agricultural spray drones in the U.S. today and Hinson says many of those were made by D-J-I, which has ties to the Chinese military.

“They have sophisticated sensing technology designed to help monitor the health of crops and direct the spray to the appropriate area,” Hinson says, “but that also means that these drones are actively collecting granular level detail on our ag industry that can be weaponized by the CCP.” Hinson says that means the C-C-P — the Chinese Communist Party — could have leverage over the U-S food supply, making this a national security issue.

D-J-I says it has no ties to the Chinese military and any ban on its products would deprive U-S farmers of the benefits D-J-I spray drones offer. D-J-I is the world’s largest drone manufacturer and 80 percent of the consumer drones sold in the U-S were made by D-J-I. This week, the House passed a bill that would ban all *future* D-J-I drone models from operating in the United States.

“Communist China is the most significant threat to the United States’ security, economy and global leadership,” Hinson says. “For decades the U-S has taken, frankly, a delicate approach to our relationship with communist China, and hoping that if we bring them into the rules based international order that they would act accordingly.”

Hinson says appeasing China hasn’t worked and it’s time to change tactics. Hinson, a Republican from Marion, is a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

REDFIELD, Iowa [KCCI] – Incidents of credit card fraud are being reported at the Casey’s General Store in Redfield. ias happening right now in the town of Redfield. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office says at least four people claim they were scammed at the store.

The victims reported finding a skimmer at the particular store. But after investigating, officials say they were not able to find one there. Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said no skimmers were found at the gas pumps nor inside the store, so the incidents are being investigated by other means. He said  officials with Casey’s Corporate are aware of the situation.

If you’ve been scammed, the sheriff’s office recommends reporting it right away to protect your credit score and line of credit.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Neola man was sentenced today to a total term of 292 months in federal prison for transporting a minor for the purpose of engaging in sex acts and possessing firearms as a felon.

According to public court documents, Steven Earl Adkins, 56, communicated with a minor on Craigslist. He drove to a truck stop in Nebraska, picked up the minor, and brought the minor to his home. Adkins provided necessities to the minor in exchange for sex acts. During a search warrant at Adkins’s residence, law enforcement located 16 firearms and ammunition. In 2011, Adkins was convicted in Nebraska of the felony offense of strangulation, which prohibits Adkins from possessing firearms.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Adkins will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Adkins will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Omaha Police Department, and Colorado Springs Police Department.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Meyer & Gross Real Estate, will host a Drive-In Movie experience Saturday, October 5th. Chamber Programs Director Kelsey Beschorner says “Drive-In Movie Night has become an annual tradition that I look forward to every year. We are excited to bring this classic movie to the big screen this fall.”

Beschorner added, “The Drive-In is a fun, nostalgic experience for community members and those in the surrounding area to enjoy. This also gives us the opportunity to show off our town and encourage people to shop and eat before coming to the movie.”  The Drive-In Movie will be at the Cass County Fair Grounds in the grandstand area beginning around 8:30 PM with a showing of “Ghost Busters”.

Cars may begin parking at 7-p.m. The screen is 60 feet long with a high definition projector. Speakers will be available next to the screen for people to utilize. A transmitter will be provided for those enjoying the movie from their car. Attendees will turn their radio to a certain station and the transmitter will play the audio through their car speakers.

Entry is $25 per vehicle and tickets can be purchased at www.atlanticiowa.com or day-of at the gate. People are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Inside parking for the Drive-In is limited, so pack a chair or blanket as precaution. Moviehouse & Event Center will have concessions available for purchase on the fairgrounds.

For more information, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The Drive-In is sponsored by Meyer & Gross Real Estate.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Audubon man was sentenced today to 25 years (300 months) in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to public court documents, William Roland Brubaker, 27, initiated a sexual relationship with a minor and produced videos of child sexual abuse material of the minor. The videos were recorded on a cell phone and shared with Brubaker through a social media application.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Brubaker will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Brubaker will be required to register as a sex offender.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Audubon County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation’s Cyber Crime Bureau, Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she’s pressing Mexican authorities to secure the safe return of a 51-year-old Des Moines woman who was kidnapped in northern Mexico a month ago.  “Seriously, this is Mexico. This is a partner with the United States, whether it’s trade and other types of economic endeavors. This is our neighbor to the south,” Ernst said. “They need to step up.”

Chris Leguisano went missing over a month ago. She was in Mexico to deliver a truck full of belongings to a brother-in-law and was last seen in Reynosa, Mexico — less than a hour’s drive from the U-S southern border. Ernst says this is the second high-profile assault of American citizens in that part of Mexico in the past two years.

Chris Leguisano of Des Moines was reported missing in early August. (Iowa Clearinghouse of Missing Persons photo)

“This is a woman who was kidnapped,” Ernst said. “We can’t tolerate this.” State Department officials have briefed the staff in Senator Chuck Grassley’s office and Ernst’s staff on outreach to Mexican authorities and how U-S law enforcement are involved in the case. In July, the State Department issued a warning advising Americans not to travel to or through the state in northern Mexico that sits along the Gulf of Mexico. “It just underscores the fact that having an open border, having cartels that are running these dangerous schemes of drug running, weapons trafficking, human trafficking,” Ernst said.

Leguisano’s son told W-O-I T-V he’s gotten text messages demanding a ransom.

(Radio Iowa) – An attorney for a Fairfield teen who pleaded guilty to killing his Spanish teacher in 2021, is asking the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider his current sentence. Willard Miller was sentenced last year to life with eligibility for parole after 35 years. His attorney Ella Newell claimed that sentencing a juvenile to a mandatory minimum amount of time in prison is cruel and unusual punishment if the judge does not consider testimony from an expert on child psychology.

“There is an inherent presumption both that juveniles are categorically immature but also that juveniles have a -even those that commit heinous crimes – are capable of rehabilitation, ” she says. Timothy Hau with the attorney general’s office represented the state. ““Experts aren’t perfect but they can be helpful and parties can choose to bring them. But certainly they’re not constitutionally required,” Hau says.

Miller was 16 at the time of the murder and 17 at the time of his sentencing. The Iowa Supreme Court will issue a ruling at a later date.

(Radio Iowa) – Thousands of Iowans in 19 communities statewide are taking part in Walks to End Alzheimer’s over the next few weeks.

Lauren Livingston, spokeswoman for the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says all of the walks are two miles in length and they’re part of an effort to raise awareness and money for families facing the disease, and for vital research to find more treatments and ultimately, a cure.

Promise Garden (Alzheimer’s Association photo)

“We’re expecting probably close to about 5,000 Iowans across the state in all 19 of our areas,” Livingston says. “The first one happened last week in Fort Dodge. Tonight is Ottumwa, so we’re looking forward to seeing all the walkers in that area, and of course, our biggest walk happens in Des Moines, and usually we see around 1,500 to 2,000 walkers just at that one alone.”

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In Iowa, more than 62,000 people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and there are nearly 100,000 family members and friends caring for their loved ones with the disease.

Livingston says one of the most meaningful events during the walks is the Promise Garden Ceremony, which signifies everyone’s solidarity in the fight against the disease.

“Purple flowers are if you’ve lost someone to the disease. Yellow flowers are if you are caring for someone right now with the disease. Orange flowers are if you are generally supporting the mission of the organization. And the blue flower is if you yourself are living with the disease,” Livingston says, “and everyone raises up their flowers during the Promise Garden Ceremony and then plants them in the garden.”

This year’s financial goal of the combined 19 walks statewide is $1-million, and Livingston says we’re at a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

“Treatments that have been approved by the FDA in the last few years, the diagnostic tests that are right on the horizon. All the research happening just shows how much these events are having an impact. They’re making a difference in people’s lives right now who are living with the disease, and we couldn’t have said that even five years ago, definitely not 10 years ago.”

There is no fee to register for the walks, but all participants are encouraged to raise funds. While the Fort Dodge walk was last week, tonight’s walk is in Ottumwa, with 17 more upcoming in: Moline/Quad Cities, Decorah, Mason City, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Panora, Harlan, Muscatine, Council Bluffs, Clinton, Des Moines, Iowa City, Sioux City, Dubuque, Storm Lake, Ames, and Burlington.

Find a Walk near you in Iowa HERE.