American Red Cross blood and platelet donors can now help save lives in less time by using the new Red Cross RapidPass online health history system. Officials say RapidPass streamlines the donation experience by allowing donors to complete pre-donation reading and health history questions online from the convenience of a computer at home or work. It became available to donors locally on Oct. 26 and is expected to reduce the time donors with a RapidPass spend at blood drives by up to 15 minutes.

Katie Marshall, External Communications Manager for the Midwest Blood Services Region, says “When people come to donate, they are giving more than blood or platelets – they are also generously giving their time. RapidPass is a simple, convenient way for Red Cross donors to make the most of their time while helping save lives.”

To get a RapidPass on the day of a blood donation, donors should visit redcrossblood.org/rapidpass, complete all of the questions, then print their RapidPass or show it on a mobile device when they come to donate. Though an appointment isn’t needed to use RapidPass, donors are encouraged to make an appointment by using the Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS to further expedite their donation.

Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported following a collision Tuesday afternoon, at the intersection of 3rd and Corning Streets. Officials say a 1990 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by 65-year old Francis Nicholson, of Red Oak, stopped at the controlled intersection heading south on 3rd Street at around 3:35-p.m., but left too soon to turn east. The front end of his car sideswiped a 2005 Nissan sedan driven by 25-year old Maricela Ramos De Vera, of Red Oak, causing about $2,000 damage to her vehicle. Nicholson’s car sustained about $300 damage. There were no citations issued.

Iowa, compared to other states, has a high percentage of old homes that were painted with lead-based paint. That puts children in Iowa at a much greater risk for lead poisoning and a variety of health problems. There are programs around the state to help homeowners reduce lead hazards. Jennifer and Bryan Minney, of Cedar Rapids, learned their home, built in the 1950s, had lead paint. Their own children and some foster children were put at risk.

“Most kids, you know, they like to be out playing in the grass with their shoes off. They could get really sick just by having the paint chips touching their feet,” Jennifer said. The Minney’s learned about a local “Hazard Hunters” grant program and had the lead paint removed from the exterior of their home. “They covered the whole cost and because the window wells had lead paint as well, they replaced our windows that were affected by lead paint too,” Jennifer said.

The Linn County Hazard Hunters program is federally funded. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports the prevalence of lead poisoning among children in Iowa under the age of six is seven-percent. That’s more than four times the national average. Lead poisoning is usually caused by lead-based paint found in homes built before 1960. About 45-percent of the homes in Iowa were built before 1960.

This week is designated as National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she isn’t too swayed by a report from the World Health Organization (W-H-O) that claims people raise their risk of getting colorectal cancer by eating processed meats, such as hot dogs, ham. “There are a number of other products too — they have said that bacon is a cancer-causing agent, baby powder is a cancer-causing agent. If you are a carpenter or if you a barber, evidently according to the same organization, it causes cancer,” Ernst says. Ernst says she still loves bacon.

“I had it this morning for breakfast and probably will continue to eat bacon,” Ernst says. Ernst is a Republican from Red Oak.

(Radio Iowa)