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

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GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man was burned by a fire that spread across his business site in central Iowa. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that firetrucks were dispatched around 1 p.m. Tuesday to Morrison Repair in Grinnell. An outbuilding with tractors and farm equipment, a semitrailer full of tires and several piles of tires were aflame when firefighters arrived.

Investigators say people at a nearby business had been burning items at the rear of that property, but strong winds spread the flames to Morrison Repair. Authorities say owner Ron Morrison suffered burns to his face while trying to get tractors out of the outbuilding.

Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s confident there will be a “seamless” switch after another change in the state-run Medicaid program. One of the three private companies that began managing care for Medicaid patients in 2016 is pulling out of the program this Thursday. State officials originally said 215-thousand Iowans in the Medicaid program would be automatically enrolled with UnitedHealth, but could choose to switch to Amerigroup. Amerigroup is the other remaining carrier. Monday, though, about 10-thousand Iowans found out they cannot make that choice. State officials will step in to manage their care instead. “The Department of Human Services has put together a transition plan and they’re monitoring it very closely every single day,” Reynolds says. “Our goal is to make it as seamless as possible, to make sure that we continue to offer continuity of service, again, to Iowans who really need a coordinated care and need that extra help and to really do everything we can to eliminate as much disruption as possible.”

Iowa’s switch the privately-managed care was approved by the federal government as a way to manage costs and provide choice to Medicaid patients. Iowa Democrats have opposed what they call “privatizing” the Medicaid program and this week the Iowa Democratic Party chairman called the system “ReynoldsCare”. The governor says it’s a “partnership” to ensure the program is sustainable for taxpayers and serving poor, elderly and disabled Iowans who cannot afford health care insurance on their own. “It’s not perfect. I’ve never said it was perfect, but I am willing to put the time and the effort into making sure that Iowans get the care that they deserve in a managed and coordinated and more modern delivery system,” Reynolds said. “I’m not going back.”

Reynold says she has “full faith and confidence” in the people managing the Medicaid program for 600-thousand Iowans. Health care providers say they’re not getting paid and Democrats say it’s time to revert back to a standard fee system with state-paid employees manage Medicaid. “When you have fee-for-service that was on an average increasing at 10/7 percent, that’s not sustainable,” Reynolds says. “I hope you would ask them: ‘How are they going to pay for it?…Are they not going to fund education? Are they not going to fund health care?'”

Reynolds made her comments late Tuesday morning, during a brief news conference in Boone. Iowa officials are seeking a deal with another private company to manage care for Medicaid patients, but that contract won’t be signed until the summer of 2019.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowans may be pulling more green out of their pockets to purchase a Christmas tree this year, especially if that tree was grown out of state. Iowa Christmas tree grower Rod Heintz, says there’s an undersupply of some popular evergreens nationwide due to wildfires and drought. “Right now there’s a shortage of Christmas trees because of that,” Heintz says. “Everything is up three to five dollars a tree this year.”

Heintz manages Strautman Tree Farm near Cambridge. He says Iowans can likely save a few dollars this year if they get a tree grown within the state’s borders. Heintz did NOT raise his prices from last year. “We sell ’em from three feet tall to 15 foot…so, they range anywhere from $30 to $250 a (tree),” Heintz says.

There are around 100 Christmas tree farms in Iowa, growing on a total of about 1,500 acres. Heintz says he was pleasantly surprised with the strength of his Christmas tree crop this year. “We had absolutely no rain this growing season, but they look tremendous,” Heintz told Radio Iowa. “I can’t believe how well they look.”

Heintz says many of his customers return year after year because they enjoy the experience of buying a tree direct from a farm, rather than from a big box store.

According to the Iowa Christmas Tree Grower’s Association, it can take up to 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height (6 feet), but the average growing time is seven years. The top selling Christmas trees in Iowa are Scotch Pine and White Pine.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s Officials in eastern Iowa’s Grundy County are asking for your help in locating a missing man. Officials say 28-year old Michael Bruce Johns, of Grundy Center, was reported as a missing person by the Grundy Center Police Department, on Oct. 26th. Johns is described as 5-feet 7-inches tall and weighing 180-lbs.  During the subsequent investigation, information was developed which led law enforcement to believe that at the time of his disappearance, Johns was wearing a white baseball cap, a green or dark colored Under Armor hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and white and gray tennis shoes.  The investigation also developed information that indicated that Johns was last seen in an area between Greene, Iowa and Charles City, Iowa, during the early morning hours of October 25th, 2017, at around 6:00 am.  Past that time, Johns has not been seen or heard from.  Investigators believe that foul play is suspected in Johns’ disappearance.

Michael Johns

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are asking for the public’s assistance in providing any information about having contact with or sightings of Johns in the area mapped out below, during the early morning of October 25th, 2017.  The public is also encouraged to be vigilant to be looking for anything that would indicate a current location for Johns based off the clothing that he is believed to be wearing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office at 319-824-6933, or contact Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers at 855-300-TIPS (8477).  Tips may also be left at WWW.CVCRIMESTOP.COM  Tips may also be sent with TipSoft or by texting the word CEDAR plus the information to CRIMES (274637).  Message and data rates may apply.  Text STOP to opt out at any time.  Text HELP for more information.

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — An 19-year-old woman whose twins were seen wandering naked near a busy state highway in central Iowa has pleaded not guilty. Jasmine Teed entered the plea Monday in Dallas County. Teed’s charged with two counts of child endangerment. Officers were sent to a house along U.S. Highway 6 in Adel around 9 a.m. Nov. 2. Police say witnesses reported seeing someone herd the unclothed 2-year-olds back in the house after they were spotted near the highway. An officer entered the house and called out but received no answer. The officer reports finding Teed asleep in a bedroom.

Police say the outdoor temperature at the time was 43 degrees.

Red Oak Police, Tuesday night, arrested a woman wanted on a warrant, and for drug-related charges. 20-year old Savanna Rachelle Abraham, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9:45-p.m. on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation, along with new charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Contraband in a Jail Facility, which is felony offense.

Abraham was being held in the jail on bond amounting to $7,000.

A traffic stop at around 9:25-p.m. Tuesday in Adams County resulted in a man’s arrest on drug charges. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports 49-year old Martin Andrade, of Columbus, NE., was pulled over for speeding. A continued investigation determined Andrade was allegedly in possession of drug paraphernalia and about 10-grams of Meth. He was arrested on those charges, cited for speeding, and operating without a driver’s license.

(In an update to our earlier post) — A spokesman for MidAmerican Energy said Tuesday evening in a statement to KJAN, that “A third-party contractor was injured while performing work at the Rolling Hills wind farm this [Tuesday] afternoon.”

Adam Jacobi, Public Relations Representative said also, “An ambulance was dispatched and he [the worker] was taken to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.”

Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon told KJAN News the accident happened at around 1:45-p.m. at Rolling Hills turbine #144 located near 720th and Yankton Road, southwest of Massena. Dispatch reports indicated the man suffered from broken ribs, and other, possible injuries.

The turbine was designed, and is operated by, MidAmerican Energy. Cumberland and Massena Rescue, Medivac Ambulance and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa agency will license a newly created company to manufacture medical marijuana in the state by the end of 2018. The Iowa Department of Public Health says it intends to license MedPharm Iowa to manufacture cannabis oil. The company is owned by Chris Nelson, president and CEO of Kemin Industries, a Des Moines-based global ingredient company.

A company press release Tuesday says MedPharm Iowa will have an agreement with Kemin to contract for a range of services. A manufacturing facility will be located on the Kemin campus.

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature passed legislation this year expanding Iowa’s existing cannabis oil program to allow the sale and manufacturing of such oil within the state. It requires the oil to be supplied to the public by Dec. 1, 2018. Smoking marijuana remains prohibited.