More than a dozen house cleaning companies in Iowa are now affiliated with a program that offers free services to women who are fighting cancer. Debbie Sardone runs a residential cleaning service in Texas and in 2006, launched the non-profit venture called “Cleaning for a Reason” (CleaningForAReason.org.) which now has a nationwide reach.  “Several years ago, I took a call from a woman who was inquiring about service,” Sardone says. “I gave her the price and she said, ‘I can’t afford that right now, I’m battling cancer and I’m not working,’ and she hung up. I decided that day, the next time any woman called our office and said she had cancer, we’d give her the cleaning for free.”

Sardone’s idea of “paying it forward” now enlists more than 11-hundred maid services across the country in all 50 states and in Iowa communities like Ames, Clinton, Council Bluffs and Waterloo. “Cleaning for a Reason is for any woman battling any type of cancer, not just breast cancer,” Sardone says. “They can go to cleaningforareason.org, click on the ‘cancer patient’ tab and fill out the contact information either for themselves or for a loved one and we will match them with a local participating maid service.” That service will provide free monthly cleanings for four months.

The professionals who work for the cleaning services have said they truly enjoy being able to give back and use their skill to make the life of a woman a little bit easier,” she says. Since its launch eight years ago, the program has provided free services to more than 15-thousand women with cancer. “Battling cancer is difficult enough but sometimes pushing a broom or a mop or a vacuum cleaner is just out of the question,” Sardone says. “That’s when Cleaning for a Reason comes in with this very practical everyday help.” October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Locally, companies involved in the program include:

• Council Bluffs: Simply Cleaner;
• Red Oak: Missy’s Cleaning Service

(Radio Iowa)

State epidemiologist, Patricia Quinlisk, says the Legionella bacteria recently found in Iowa City’s Veteran’s Administration hospital is common in most water supplies and throughout the environment. The bacteria can lead to a type of pneumonia known as Legionaire’s Disease. Doctor Quinlisk says she’s not worried about the discovery. “In fact, we tell people not to look for it. Because if you look for it hard enough, you’re going to find it. It’s basically, probably in the water of my house and in the water of your house, etcetera,” she says.

Quinlisk says there’s no reason to worry about the bacteria being around. “Ninety-nine-point-nine-percent of the time when it’s out there it’s just living in our environment not causing anybody any harm. And that’s why we tell people don’t really test for this bacteria unless you have a reason why you need to test,” Quinlisk says. “And there are some places where they do do routine testing, for example, hospitals, but I would not anybody to test their own water in their house or places like that because there’s no reason to.”

Quinlisk says most people have immune system resistance. “Once in a while when it gets into the lungs of a susceptible person, it can actually cause that person to have a pneumonia,” according to Quinlisk. Quinlisk says the bacteria is spread by breathing a water mist into the respiratory system, and not from drinking the water. “What I would tell people to do in Iowa if they wanted to reduce their risk of getting Legionella, we know that hot tubs are one of the highest risks. And just make sure that your hot tub in good condition. Make sure that you keep it clean. Make sure you use the right kind of chlorine or other disinfectant system,” Quinlisk says, “and that’s probably going to lower your risk of getting Legionella more than anything else you do.”

Quinlisk says persons with compromised immune systems are at greatest risk for pneumonia caused by the bacteria. The bacteria first gained attention from an outbreak among those attending a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia in 1976. The cooling system in the hotel they were staying in caused the outbreak of Legionaire’s Disease.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The candidates running to succeed Secretary of State Matt Schultz are trying to distance themselves from his tenure, but for different reasons. Schultz, who is leaving office after serving one four-year term, ran on a platform of tougher voter identification and fighting what he argued was problematic voter fraud.

Democrat Brad Anderson called it a failed legacy that didn’t improve the system. Republican Paul Pate declined to comment on Schultz’s record, saying he preferred to look forward.

Schultz, who unsuccessfully sought to pass a Voter ID law and spent $250,000 in a two-year investigation of election fraud, decided not to seek for another term. He made a failed bid for the 3rd Congressional District Republican nomination. He has launched a campaign for Madison County attorney against the incumbent Democrat.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police say a suspect is in custody after the shooting of an officer earlier in the day. Lieutenant Mark Kirkpatrick says officers responding to a reported disturbance at a residence encountered a man Friday around 5:00 p.m. who fired at handgun at them. Kirkpatrick says 37-year-old Officer Jill Ohm was shot in the chin and was hospitalized. KTIV-TV says Kirkpatrick described Ohm’s condition as “OK” but would give no further details.

DEDHAM, Maine (AP) — Police say the former mayor of Des Moines was drunk and speeding when he caused a Dedham, Maine car crash that killed himself and two others in August. Maine state troopers report that Richard Olson and a man and his passenger in a pickup truck were killed instantly.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Bettendorf man has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for wire fraud. The Quad-City Times reports that 66-year-old Thomas Richard Jager was sentenced Thursday in Des Jager had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud as part of a federal investigation centering on him and his mortgage servicing company.

DAYTON, Iowa (AP) — An elderly grand marshal severely injured in a fall from a buggy in 2012’s Dayton Rodeo parade is suing the rodeo organization — a group he help found. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that Allen Porter, now 96, was the grand marshal of the parade when he fell from a horse-drawn buggy.