Information from the U-S Census shows the dramatic impact Latinos have had on Iowa’s population in the last 10 years. Gary Krob is the coordinator of the state data center.  “Since 2000, the Latino population has increased by 91-point-six percent, which is quite dramatic if you look at the population change in the state of Iowa being right around four-percent,” Krob says. “So, while Iowa’s population is growing fairly slowly, but growing, the Latino population in Iowa is booming if you will.” The data show the Latino population increased by over 75-thousand in the 10 years and there were 158-thousand in the state on July first of 2011.

“It’s a much younger population than the state. The state is generally a little older than the Latino population — actually probably not a little older, considerably older. I believe the median age for the state of Iowa is 38-point-one and the Latino population is 22-point-two, so that’s a pretty significant difference,” Krob says. The data show a majority of the Latinos work in the construction and service industries.  “I wasn’t really that surprised on the occupation groupings for the Latino population,” he says, “you hear where the Latinos are moving to, what communities they are moving into. Generally a lot of meatpacking plants a lot of production areas, and so when you see the occupation numbers, that kind of verifies what you’re hearing.”

There appears to be some correlation with the occupations and income of Latinos. He says the median income rate for Latinos is 10-thousand dollars different from the median income rate of Iowa as wholes, a difference of 37-thousand dollars compared to 47-thousand dollars. The poverty rate is a little higher too at 27-point-two-percent compare to 12-point six percent as a whole for the state. Krob says the Latino population is projected to continue to grow. “If you look at the Latino population, it’s going to drive the population growth in the state of Iowa, at least for the foreseeable future, unless something changes that’s where the population growth is going to occur,” Krob says.

The majority of the Latinos in Iowa have come from Mexico. You can see more about the Latino report on the State Data Center website at: www.iowadatacenter.org.

Iowa communities can now apply for grants to help them start putting fluoride in their water supplies or to upgrade their current fluoridation systems. Dr. Bob Russell, the state dental director for the Iowa Department of Public Health, says ten communities a year are chosen for grants of six-thousand dollars each. “Usually, especially in rural, small communities that don’t have large populations, that’s relatively enough,” Dr. Russell says. “It covers all of the basic hardware they’re going to need to add to existing systems. Those dollars were not arbitrarily created. They were actually based on studies we did.”

About 83-percent of all Iowans have access to sufficient fluoridated water now, but he says there’s still work to do. “We’ve been hearing from a lot of our local components in the communities that fluoridation equipment breaks down over time,” Russell says. “We’ve been fluoridating since 1954, roughly, and a lot of equipment is aging and needs to be upgraded and there are new communities that are seeking to get fluoridation into their community for the first time.”

Some people oppose fluoridation in water and Russell says the decision is left up to each Iowa community. He says water fluoridation is vital to a community’s oral health and to its overall health. Russell says federal studies clearly show that the life expectancy of Iowans has risen, remarkably, over the past several decades. “If you go back to the days before fluoride where people were dying of acute infections, people were averaging life spans between the late 40s and the late 60s,” Russell says. “Now, we’re seeing ages in the mid-70s up to the middle 80s. Life expectancy continues to increase even though there’s a fear that somehow quality of life is hampered by fluoride.”

Russell says for most cities, every dollar invested in water fluoridation saves 38-dollars in dental treatment costs. The Iowa Department of Public Health collaborated with the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation to create the Community Fluoridation Award. To learn more, visit: “www.deltadentalia.com” and click on the “Public Benefit Program” tab.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Christmas trees in Iowa and other Midwestern states could become the newest victims of this year’s drought. The hot and dry summer took a harsh toll on tree seedlings. When the newly planted trees are ready for harvest by 2019, the selection could be sickly and sagging. Growers have also reported losses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Boone County tree farmer Jesse Randall told The Des Moines Register, that the supply will tighten in upcoming years. But growers and foresters say this year’s crop, planted in 2005, will be as diverse as usual. Randall says the drought was especially hard on fir trees, which are popular among buyers because of their silvery evergreen hues and rich aromas.

The City Council in Audubon this evening, is expected to act on approving the purchase of General Obligation loan notes totaling $1.585-million. The combination G.O. Capital loan and G.O. Refunding Capital loans will be used to improve the swimming pool, and for airport resurfacing and water tower/water treatment plant repair projects.

The Council will also act on approving the route for the September 28th Homecoming Parade, and other matters. The meeting begins at 7-p.m. in the Audubon City Hall.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was seriously injured Sunday afternoon, after a car rear-ended a pickup pulling a trailer. Officials says the driver of the car, 35-year old Chad Newberg, of New Market, was transported by LifeNet helicopter to the Nebraska Medical Center following the crash. A report on his condition is not currently available.

The accident happened at around 4-p.m. west of Highway 2 near J Avenue, northwest of Yorktown. Authorities say 63-year old Terry James Dammann, of Clarinda, was legally parked on the shoulder of Highway 2, sitting his vehicle and making a phone call, when a 2000 Mercury Cougar car driven by Newberg plowed into a trailer being pulled by Damman’s 2012 Ford F-150. The trailer was hauling a golf cart, which was destroyed in the crash.

Dammann suffered non-life threatening injuries during the accident. He was transported by Shenandoah EMS to the Shenandoah Medical Center. Newberg’s car was totaled in the crash. The damage to Damman’s vehicle, trailer and golf cart amounted to $8,500. The accident remains under investigation, and charges are pending.