ATLANTIC, IA – Cass County Public Health will host a new session of A Matter of Balance beginning Monday, September 16. This free class is designed to help decrease falls and help older adults manage their fears about falling. 

A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program to help older adults learn to manage their concerns about falling, make changes to reduce the risk of falling, and increase their physical activity. It includes 8 weekly two-hour sessions for a small group of 8-12 participants led by trained facilitators.  

Cass County Public Health has been offering this program since 2018 because falls among adults aged 65 and older are common, costly, and preventable. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older, with 1 in 4 older adults reporting falling every year. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older. The age-adjusted fall death rate increased by 41% from 2012 to 2021. Over 30% of older adult Iowans reported a fall in the past year, totaling over 157,000 individual older adult falls.

For more information, or to sign up, call Cass County Public Health at 712-243-7443.

(Radio Iowa) – Sarah Corkery, the Democratic candidate in Iowa’s second congressional district, says lowering prescription drug costs and promoting alternative medicine would be a priority if she’s elected to the U-S House.

Corkery is a breast cancer survivor. Her mother died of cancer and her sister, who had an auto immune disorder, died of a lung infection. She says that life experience gives her insight in how to make health insurance more affordable.

Corkery’s 15 year old son is legally blind and has epilepsy. Corkery, a Cedar Falls native, is a first time candidate — challenging Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson’s bid for a third term in the U-S House.

(Radio Iowa) – Work began this morning (Monday) to remove a railroad bridge in Sioux City that collapsed in June during flooding on the big Sioux River. Charges were set off on the span of the bridge that is on the South Dakota side of the river in North Sioux City.

Amy McBeth of the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad is overseeing the operation.

Crews started removing the span shortly after the explosive charges were set off. McBeth says they’ll set off charges on the span on the Iowa side of at a future date. They will then put up a new bridge.

McBeth says it will take crews around one week to remove the debris from the bridge span on the South Dakota side.

Explosive charges break up the collapsed bridge near Sioux City. (KSCJ photo)

(Radio Iowa) – Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is reminiscing about his long-time connection to President Joe Biden.

Vilsack, who has served as Biden’s U-S Secretary of Agriculture, spoke this (Monday) morning to the Minnesota delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Biden is to speak at the convention tonight (Monday).

Vilsack says he called the White House chief of staff the day after Biden’s announcement to suggest Tim Walz would be a good running mate for Kamala Harris.

Vilsack says Democrats a window of opportunity to remind voters that President Trump fumbled as a leader during the pandemic.

Vilsack discussed the stakes in races for Minnesota’s congressional seats and legislative races and closed with a reference to the political landscape in Iowa where Republicans control the legislative and executive branches of government and all six members of Iowa’s congressional delegation are Republicans.

Vilsack served two terms as Iowa’s governor and left office in early 2007, when Democrats controlled the Iowa House and Senate.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests took place over the past week. On Aug. 12th, 33-year-old Jennifer Renee Avey, and 35-year-old Andrew Gaston Nickum, both of Casey, were arrested in rural Casey, following a traffic Stop. Both were taken into custody Cass County warrants for Theft in the 5th Degree. Bonds were  set at $1,000 cash or surety, each. Avey and Nickum transferred to the custody of Cass County Deputies, from the location of the stop.

On August 13th, 30-year-old Shawn Douglas Shimer, of Greenfield, was cited for Driving While Barred, following a traffic stop on highway 92. Shimer was released with a citation to appear in court.

And, as we’ve mentioned, 52-year-old Bobby Glen Agan, III, of Stuart, was arrested at around 1:45-a.m. Saturday by Stuart Police. Agan faces charges that include:

• Unlawful possession of prescription drugs – 1st offense.
• Stalking – Possession of a dangerous weapon.
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS) – Meth/1st offense.
• PCS – Meth/2nd offense.
• PCS – Marijuana/1st & 2nd offense.
• Possession of drug paraphernalia.
• 2 counts Felon in Possession of a Firearm (guns and ammunition)

Bond at the Adair County Jail was set at $50,000.

ACSO charges for the week ending 8-18-24-compressed