DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Another health insurer has announced it will stop selling individual policies in Iowa, just days after Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield made a similar announcement. The Des Moines Register reports Aetna informed Iowa regulators Thursday that it would stop selling individual policies, which cover tens of thousands of Iowans who don’t have access to employer-provided coverage or government plans.

Like Wellmark, Aetna cited instability in the insurance market. Aetna had already had stopped selling such policies in most states for 2017, citing turmoil in the wake of the Affordable Care Act.

Aetna says it had not decided whether to pull out of the three remaining states where it sells individual policies: Nebraska, Delaware and Virginia.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the recent rain the county has received is great, but wind and abundant sunshine over the next few days will rapidly dry out dead grasses in the area, therefore, the County field and grassland Fire Danger index is being upgraded from “Low,” to “Moderate” until next Monday, (April 10th). Seivert advises businesses and local fire stations should placetheir fire danger signs in the Moderate category through the weekend.

Property owners considering a controlled burn should notify their local fire chiefs.

The Guthrie and Dallas County Sheriff’s Departments will hold an informational meeting on April 18^th, with regard to the Reserve Deputies Program. The meeting takes place in the Community room on the south side of the Dallas County Central Campus at 25747 North Avenue, in Adel, from 7-until 9p.m., April 18^th.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office is looking for persons over the age of 21, both male and female, who are interesting in applying for a Reserve Deputy position. The meeting is designed to inform applicants of the new standards implemented by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, including the testing procedure that’s required to be completed by a Reserve Deputy.

If you have any questions about the Reserve Deputy program, contact Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright or Chief Deputy Jeremy Bennett, at 641-747-2214.

Iowa-born astronaut Peggy Whitson will be getting more time in space, while adding another command title to her resume. Whitson was supposed to return from her latest mission aboard the International Space Station in June — but NASA has announced plans to let her stay in orbit an extra three months. The 57-year-old Beaconsfield native has already spent more time in space than any other woman and later this month, she’ll set a new duration record for all U-S astronauts.

It’s Whitson’s third mission to the station and on Sunday, she’ll be named station commander, the first woman to hold the command twice. In a NASA news release, Whitson is quoted saying: “This is great news. I love being up here. Living and working aboard the space station is where I feel like I make the greatest contribution, so I am constantly trying to squeeze every drop out of my time here. Having three more months to squeeze is just what I would wish for.”

Whitson’s two previous stays on the space station in 2002 and ’08 lasted six months each. This mission will now run nine months, with her return rescheduled for September. Just last month, Whitson set a new record for most spacewalks by a woman and her next EVA (extra-vehicular activity) should put her in third place for spacewalking among all astronauts.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Conservation Board is now taking Pre-orders for their Native Plant Sale! The order form and payment will be DUE May 1st 2017 at 4PM.  Forms can be found online http://www.atlanticiowa.com/county/county-departments/conservation-office/

Native Local Eco-type live Plants will be sold. Live plants from nursery will come as small plugs; cells are 5” deep x 2” wide at top or 4.5”deep x 2” Cone. 2 Species of Native grass, and 9 Native Forbs including many that benefit Pollinators!  All orders must be picked up during designated times at the Conservation offices in Lewis unless prior arrangements made.

Designated pick up times will be: Thursday May 25th, from 8-a.m. until 6-p.m., or Friday May 26th, from 8-a.m. until 4:30-p.m. Plants not picked up will be donated with NO REFUND.

The Atlantic Police Dept. reports a Harrison County man was arrested on two charges, Wednesday. 31-year old Matthew Kempston, of Dunlap, was charged with OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine. Kempston was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Iowa growers are getting ready for planting season as La Nina conditions fade in the Pacific Ocean and there’s no consensus on what may come next. A La Nina means sea surface temperatures are below long-term trends, bringing cooler weather to our region. Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, says there are signs an El Nino is developing.

“There are hints we’re heading back to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific,” Todey says. “I’m not as convinced about that as some people are. Even if it does go that way, I don’t think we’d be seeing El Nino conditions before the end of the growing season.”

An El Nino means ocean temperatures are averaging above-normal for an extended time, which can bring weather extremes to North America. Todey says an El Nino developing is not in the cards. “It really would be unprecedented,” Todey says. “Not completely unprecedented but unlikely where you go from a strong El Nino to a La Nina and then back to an El Nino in subsequent years. It’s only happened one time in the last century. It’s possible but it seems very unlikely.”

Current trends and long-range forecasts into early summer indicate temperatures and precipitation will be above-normal for much of the Midwest and Northern Plains. The Pacific was in a La Nina phase, or cooling, for the past year or so. That’s reverted to more neutral conditions.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports the driver of an SUV was injured early Wednesday morning, when he became confused and ran his vehicle into a building in Afton. 70-year old Larry Clayton, of Thayer, was driving a 2006 Jeep at around 2-a.m. Wednesday and drove onto private property before striking a building at 1780 Old Highway 34, causing extensive damage to the south side of the building.

Clayton suffered possible/unknown injuries and was transported by Law Enforcement to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. Damage to his SUV was estimated at $5,500, while the building, owned by Dave Larson, of Afton, sustained about $10,000 damage. No citations were issued.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man has been accused of biting his 7-week-old daughter on the face. Court records say 22-year-old Edward Valdez is charged with child endangerment resulting in injury.

A court document says the child was bitten on March 24, when Valdez was alone with her. He told an officer that the girl had been sick and wouldn’t stop crying. Valdez said he became frustrated and bit her right cheek. The document says the bite left a white mark that lasted several days.