DES MOINES, Iowa – As National Poison Prevention Week continues, local experts say some simple steps around the home can help reduce the chances of accidental poisoning, especially among children. Poisoning is the leading cause of death from injuries in the U.S. Tammy Noble, education coordinator with the Iowa Poison Control Center, says that while everyone is at risk, those most often affected are children under age six. Products that could be dangerous should be kept out of reach or locked up.

“Painkillers tended to be the top substance that people were getting into,” says Noble. “Second is cosmetics or personal care products. Third is sedative hypnotics and anti-psychotic medicine, and fourth is your household cleaning products.” Noble says among the newer concerns are e-cigarettes, with flavored liquid nicotine, and laundry pods, which often have bright colors and can be mistaken by young children for candy.

In the case of a poisoning, Noble says the person should not immediately drink water or milk or try to make themselves throw up, which can make things worse depending on what’s been ingested. Instead, she says, they should call the poison help line at 1-800-222-1222. “Most of our calls from the public can safely be managed at home,” she says. “We’ll give you recommendations on what you can do to help minimize any problems, but we’ll also tell you what to watch out for, just in case there’s a problem.”

More than two million poisonings are reported each year to the dozens of poison control centers in the U.S., with more than 90 percent occurring in the home.

(Iowa News Service)

Breast cancer would be eliminated by the end of the decade under legislation being introduced by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. It comes on the heels of a report released at the University of Iowa last week that names breast cancer as the number-one cancer to strike Iowa women and the number-two cancer killer. “The bill would establish a commission to accelerate the end of breast cancer,” Grassley says. “That’s the title of the commission, the Commission to Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer, to help end breast cancer by a target date of 2020.”

Grassley says there are many fine organizations, charities and research facilities that are pursuing a common goal but they need to be better assembled to work as a unit. His bill, which he says has bi-partisan support, will forge new relationships in the fight against the disease.  “It would encourage partnerships between the public and private sectors,” Grassley says, “and it would create opportunities for collaboration across disciplines that might advance the mission of ending breast cancer.” He notes, the commission would be subject to termination if it doesn’t show progress. Grassley says his legislation would not attempt to replace or revamp agencies like the American Cancer Society or the Susan G. Komen Foundation, but it aims to see them work together more closely.

Grassley says, “There is some redundancy but it brings attention to the issue and it brings together in one place all the research that’s going on to know that the research that’s going on is accomplishing the purpose, can it be better directed and emphasis upon the biggest breakthroughs in the fight against breast cancer.” Grassley’s wife, Barbara, is a 28-year breast cancer survivor. He says, “This issue is personal to me and really, it’s personal to all of us.” The “Cancer In Iowa” report estimates 22-hundred-50 breast cancer cases will be diagnosed in Iowa women this year and 390 women will die from it. It says breast cancer is the number-two cancer killer of Iowa women behind only lung cancer.

(Radio Iowa)

Link to UI Cancer report: http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/

The attorney for a Pottawattamie County man arrested by authorities in Cass County on 10 felony counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree, has entered a written plea for his client, of Not Guilty. Online court records show Jay Mez filed a written arraignment and Not Guilty plea on Monday, for 55-year old Roger Allen Ericksen, of Underwood.

Ericksen was arrested in connection with acts that allegedly happened with a minor child in 2011. He remains in the Cass County Jail on $25,000 cash bond. The next step in the process is a Pre-Trial Conference on April 6th, with Trial set for May 27th.

In December 2012, Ericksen pled guilty in a prior case in Cass County District Court to Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree.

The CAM School Board Monday evening, passed the district’s budget guarantee resolution, during the Board’s regular meeting. CAM Business Manager Linda Edwards says “Our tentative budget is set at 0% allowable growth (state supplemental aid) because the legislature hasn’t acted on this yet. At 0% we are eligible for the budget guarantee and our property tax rate is higher.” Edwards said a statement was added to the resolution in reference to the situation.

The levy (tax asking) for the CAM District is $9.26 per thousand dollars taxable valuation, which is about a penny less than last year’s rate. The FY 2016 Budget for CAM amounts to $11.75-million. A public hearing on the budget will take place 6:30-p.m. Tuesday, April 14th, just before the Board’s regular meeting.

In other news, Edwards said the Board accepted the retirement resignation of Becky Pelzer, who has been with the district for 38-years. She currently serves as the North Elementary Resource Room Instructor. And, the CAM Board approved a tennis sharing agreement with the Atlantic School District for two Foreign Exchange students, who wanted to become involved in the sport. The teens will be required to provide their own transportation, but a person with the Atlantic School District has offered to handle those arrangements.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated to the ANRC’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Fund spokesperson and Trevor’s mom, Melanie Petty, says “We are thankful for all of the hard work that the staff and residents of Atlantic Nursing and Rehab provide for this wonderful event for our community.”

Ann Smith with ANRC and Darrin Petty of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund. (Photo submitted by Melanie Petty)

Home prices and the number of homes sold across the state both rose last month compared to February of 2014, according to the Iowa Association of Realtors (IAR). A total of 1,971 homes were sold in February. That’s up from 1,877 homes in the same month one year ago. IAR president Jon Yocum, of Dubuque, says homes are selling quickly. “Our inventory is still very much behind where we would like it to be, but the sales prices are up and days on the market are down, so that means there are a lot of active buyers looking to make it good for an active seller to consider putting their home on the market,” Yocum says.

The median sale price last month was $128,916 compared to $119,900 last year. “The sellers are getting the price they’re asking for their home,” Yocum says. “For anybody thinking of selling their home right now, the market isn’t going to be any better than it is today.”

In February of last year, the average days on market was 103 days. Homes sold last month were on the market for an average of only 94 days. Yocum expects sales activity will continue to climb over the next few months. “The first two weeks of March have been very busy. A lot of agents and realtors across the state have been very busy marketing properties,” Yocum says.

A relatively new federal program — requiring a down payment of just three-percent for qualified buyers — is helping spur home sale activity in the state, according to Yocum.

(Radio Iowa)