(Radio Iowa) – Vaccination rates in Iowa for both the flu and COVID-19 are lagging behind recent years, and health professionals are referring to the trend as “vaccine fatigue,” as some people would like to forget the whole pandemic happened. Infection preventionist Megan Meller, with Gundersen Health System, says when the COVID vaccine was first released, people in so-called “essential” jobs got first dibs, there were waiting lists, and long lines of socially-distanced people clamoring to get the shot.

“But since then, we’ve really seen a decrease in overall vaccination rates,” Meller says. “This is not just like influenza and COVID vaccines, but in a lot of other vaccines as well. I think a lot of that is playing into what we’re seeing this year in terms of people not opting to get the flu shot, and the same with the COVID vaccine.” Many of us have heard of instances where someone who was vaccinated got sick anyway, which can be a deterrent to others. Meller says vaccines are -not- meant to prevent illness, but rather to prevent -serious- illness.

“One of the reasons why it’s important to get the COVID shot, and it’s just like the flu shot, is that the goal of those vaccines is really to reduce hospitalizations,” Meller says. “If someone’s hospitalized because of that respiratory infection, that means they’re really, really sick, and the vaccines, sure, you can still come down with COVID or the flu, but you’re going to recover a lot faster.” The flu and COVID shots have been available for months, yet some people are holding off. Meller says it’s never too late to get vaccinated, noting, even if you’ve been sick, you can get the shot after you recover to be inoculated against -other- strains.

“We’ve seen with the flu where previously healthy people get the flu and then end up needing hospitalization,” Meller says. “This is where, again, I just always say, ‘Would you rather be sick for a day or two and bounce back really fast or be down for the count for a week?'” A recent report found about 45-percent of Iowa nursing home residents and just eight-percent of staff members are up-to-date on their COVID vaccines. A year or two ago, those rates would have been much closer to 100-percent.

“There was such a big push to getting the vaccine and trying to get it every year that people are just kind of exhausted and they would like to forget,” Meller says. “We just have to gently remind them that COVID is here to stay and these vaccines, they really are important.”

While Iowa’s numbers for nursing home residents getting vaccinated for COVID are low at 45-percent, a C-D-C report shows the national average is only 27-percent. State health officials say the number of new COVID cases in the general population is on the rise. The Gundersen Health System includes a hospital in West Union, and clinics in Fayette, Decorah, Waukon, Lansing, Postville and Calmar.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says it’s time for a comprehensive review of Iowa’s nine Area Education Agencies that mainly provide services to children with disabilities. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says the A-E-As are a bureaucracy that’s been in place for 50 years. “It really hasn’t had a lot of oversight or kind of reevaluating,” Whitver says. “We want to make sure we’re getting the best bang for the buck that we have in those services and so taking a look at that is the job of the legislature.”

The governor says changes are necessary in Area Education Agencies after statewide tests found students with disabilities scored up to 50 points lower on math than the statewide average. Whitver says the per pupil cost of A-E-A services is above the national average. “We need to figure out why that is and what we can do to make it better,” Whitver says. “We need to probably need to focus more on the original mission of the AEAs and make sure that the AEAs are set up for success going forward.”

About 70 percent of the work at A-E-As supports children with disabilities, but the A-E-As provide other services like speech therapy for students and curriculum advice for teachers. House Speaker Pat Grassley expects the governor to make a proposal that refocuses the A-E-As on the core mission of special education services. “We need to make sure that there’s accountability for the students,” Grassley says, “but also for the taxpayer as well.”

Senate Democratic Leader Pam Jochum says reducing A-E-A services would be a hit to rural school districts. “In Dubuque or Des Moines or some of the urban centers, we do have services locally that might be able to fill in some of those gaps,” Jochum says. “Rural Iowa does not.” The A-E-As provide serves to children with disabilities from birth until the age of 21. Jochum’s daughter, Sarah, was born in 1977 with a unique intellectual disability and Jochum says she benefited from A-E-A guidance when Sarah was a toddler.

“Even though I was the oldest of six and watched a lot of children when you have a child with a disability there are some new techniques that you simply wouldn’t know that they help teach you as a parent to help your child,” Jochum says, “and for that, I will always be grateful.”Jochum says that assistance is critical for a child with disabilities who will be entering their local school system in a few years.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs have identified the driver of a vehicle which struck a man standing on a street near a vehicle, Sunday morning. Authorities say 47-year-old Angela H. Thurman, of Pacific Junction, was driving the vehicle that struck 74-year-old Juan Avalos outside of his home, at around 3:21-a.m, Sunday. Avalos died at the scene.

The accident occurred near the intersection of Poplar Dr. and Birch St. in Council Bluffs. Police haven’t said what led up to Thurman hitting Avalos. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed at this time.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports four recent arrests. On Tuesday, 34-year-old Ashley Flint, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Failure To Appear. She posted a $1,000 cash-only bond and was released.

On Sunday, 51-year-old Shanon Ballinger, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Ballinger posted a $1,000 bond and was released.

There were two arrests last Saturday, in Glenwood: 21-year-old Nicholas Jenkins, of Glenwood, was arrested for Reckless Use of a Firearm. He was released on a $300 bond; And, 24-year-old Morgan Hamling, of Glenwood, was arrested on two-counts of Theft in the 5th Degree. Bond was set at $600. She was released on her Own Recognizance.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says a man wanted since he posted bond and absconded from the County, has been seen in Kentucky. 40-year-old Jonathan Antrim has been on the run from law enforcement since his release on November 1, 2023, after being allowed to post 10% of $2,000 on his arrest for Theft 1st Degree in Fremont County. Theft 1st Degree is a Class C Felony, with a bond schedule of $10,000.

Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Law Enforcement agencies have been notified of an attempt to locate Antrim, who was allegedly involved in a situation Saturday morning in Central City, which resulted in a foot pursuit of a female subject who was taken into custody.

Jonathan Antrim

Antrim – a white male – is believed to be driving a 2006 Chrysler 300, silver in color, with Nebraska plate ALI-163. He’s described as being 6-feet 3-inches, about 210 pounds, with Blue eyes.

The 2006 Chrysler 300 Jonathan Antrim is thought to be driving, courtesy of Muhlenberg Co. Dispatch

(Radio Iowa) – Cabin fever may already be setting in with kids home from school for the holiday break, but a developmental psychologist recommends Iowa parents avoid giving them rewards and bribes. Dr. Christi Bergin says if you want your children to have positive social behavior and self-esteem, don’t pay them for being good. Bergin says kids don’t learn to govern their own behavior if they’re given treats.

“Over time, they need bigger and bigger rewards. Pretty soon, they start saying, ‘Well, what do I get if I do that,’ so they’re weighing whether they’re even going to do something based on how big the reward is,” Bergin says. “The other problem with it is, it often devolves into punishment, whether you intend it to or not.” Bergin says giving a reward or bribe highlights the power you have over the child.

“You’re giving the child an overjustified reason for behaving in that way, whereas if you just praised them or just give them a nod or just a smile for their behavior, that’s underjustified so the child can’t say they did that just to get the reward,” Bergin says. “So they tend to interpret it as ‘I’m a good person and I did that because I’m someone who likes to help others.'”

Bergin says if you want your kids to have good social graces, don’t pay them for being good. She says giving your kids an allowance is okay if it’s a specific amount of money each week or month for certain expenses, like gas for a car or their own clothing. She says being compensated for doing routine chores is not a good idea because they need to learn to contribute to a team without always asking “What’s in it for me?”

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa National Guard report 33 Soldiers with Detachment 1, Company C (Medevac), 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, will deploy this Friday to Kosovo for a 9-month tour. Their mission is in support of a NATO peacekeeping operation. Their primary mission will be to conduct live aerial medevac operations, refueling and maintenance support to U.S., coalition, and Kosovo Security forces. The NATO led international peace keeping mission is an enduring one that’s focused on local and regional stability within the country and Eastern Europe.

Charlie Company 2/211th GSAB Valkyrie Dustoff (Photo from Facebook)

The community send-off ceremony will be held at the Waterloo Airport Army Aviation Support Facility (2245 W Big Rock Rd, Waterloo, IA 50703) on Dec. 29, 2023 at 9 a.m. and is open to the public. The unit will depart on military aircraft immediately following the ceremony as the unit heads to Fort Cavasos, Texas to complete their pre-mobilization training.