As the 2013-2014 school year winds down, the staff at the Atlantic Medical Center (AMC) is starting to prepare for the 2014-2015 school year. If your child will be entering preschool or kindergarten in any of the area schools and is still in need of their immunizations, make the call now to avoid last minute appointments and schedule conflicts. “Not only do immunizations protect your child, but the community at large,” explained Jeri Orstad, RN, AMC Immunization Nurse. “Plan now to be sure your child is ready to attend school this fall.” All immunizations given at AMC are entered into the state immunization database, so records are current and easily accessed. If you are unsure if your child needs immunizations before starting school call AMC and ask for the Immunization Room. Jeri or one of the other immunization nurses will be happy to check your child’s immunization record.

If your child is entering the 7th grade, be sure they have an updated Tdap vaccine. Due to recent pertussis (whooping cough) outbreaks the Iowa Department of Public Health has mandated that everyone entering the 7th grade and above who was born on or after September 15th, 2000, mustl receive a one-time dose of Tdap vaccine. Pertussis (whooping cough) is very contagious, and is one of the most commonly occurring vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. In 2012, there were approximately 417% more people with pertussis disease compared to the average of the past five years. The majority of cases occur in children ages 10-14 years.

Year                     2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Reported cases  152    255    239    705   232   1647

For older children, AMC will be offering vaccine updates again at the sport physical exams this year. Parents must be present at the time of exam in order for their child to receive any immunizations. Sport physicals will be offered every Tuesday from July 8th through August 5th from 5:15 pm – 7 pm. Appointments are necessary and can be made by calling Atlantic Medical Center at at 712-243-2850. Cost for a sport physical is $12, which is payable at the appointment, with no insurance submission provided.

Walk-in hours for receiving immunizations are 8:30am-11:00 am Monday through Saturday, and 1:30pm-4:00pm Monday through Friday. If you have any questions about immunizations for people of any age, contact the Atlantic Medical Center Immunization Room, 712-243-2850.

(Press Release)

Two men were injured, one was transported to the hospital, following a crash near the intersection of Highway 71 and Interstate 80 in Cass County,Wednesday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol says 83-year old Paul Lundgren, of Clarinda, was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance, after the 2012 Buick Lacrosse he was driving failed to stop as it was coming off the exit from from I-80 westbound to the intersection with Highway 71.

As Lundgren’s car was crossing 71, it was hit broadside by a northbound 1992 Ford F-250 pickup, driven by 61-year old Steven Christensen, of Audubon. Christensen complained of pain but refused medical assistance. Both men were wearing their seat belts. The accident happened at around 2:40-p.m. Following the crash, the pickup came to rest in the median, while the car came to rest in the ditch on the northeast side of the intersection. Lundgren was trapped in his car until being freed by mechanical means.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue and deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene.

Many residents of southwest and south-central Iowa are cleaning up their properties following Tuesday night’s severe storms and for at least one family, it marks the second time they’ve faced such a major disaster in just a few years. Kara Kelly, a spokesperson for the Red Cross in Des Moines, says volunteers are helping the family after the roof was blown off their home just east of Lewis, in Cass County. “Three years ago, the family’s home was destroyed by fire and the Red Cross assisted them at that time as well,” Kelly said. The two adults and two children were not injured in the storm, which packed wind gusts of 70 to 85 miles an hour and large hail.

“The family is okay, everybody is doing well…they’re just trying to figure out what their next steps are,” Kelly said. Red Cross workers are meeting with the family to help them find a place to stay and any other needs they have, according to Kelly. Red Cross disaster workers also responded to house fires this morning in three Iowa towns: Centerville, Fort Dodge, and Fairfield.

Kelly did not know many details about those fires, but said the families would be provided with food, clothing, shelter and emergency items, as needed. You can help the Red Cross by making donations at redcross.org or 1-800-RED-CROSS.

(Radio Iowa)

Trial in the case of a former Council Bluffs pediatrician facing a charge of second-degree sexual abuse has once again been delayed The Daily NonPareil reports the attorney for 69-year old Dennis Seaborn Jones has filed a motion to delay the trial. Jones, who is alleged to have sexually abused a 5-year old girl, agreed to waive his right to a jury trial. A trial scheduling conference in his case is set for 3-p.m. June 24th, at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse. The charge is a Class B felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison.

Two people were injured during a collision this (Wednesday) afternoon, near the Interstate 80/Highway 71 interchange. According to dispatch reports, one person suffered minor injuries but was trapped in their vehicle, a Buick, which was in the ditch at the I-80 westbound exit at the end of the off-ramp. A person in the other vehicle complained of neck pain. Authorities said the second vehicle was a Ford F-250 pickup pulling a trailer.

Authorities were using mechanical means to free the person in the car. The accident happened at around 2:43-p.m.  A Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy, the Iowa State Patrol, Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Medivac ambulance all responded to the scene.

No other details are currently available.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republicans will choose a candidate for the 3rd Congressional District at a nominating convention June 21 in Creston. Iowa Republican Party Chairman Danny Carroll announced Wednesday that 513 delegates will gather at Creston High School to select a nominee.

The task is required because none of the six people who sought the GOP nomination topped the 35 percent threshold for votes required by state law. State Sen. Brad Zaun received the most votes but only 25 percent of all votes cast. The nominee will face Democrat Staci Appel, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

The 3rd District covers much of southwest Iowa, stretching from Des Moines to Council Bluffs.

The Atlantic Police Department reports a Cass County woman was arrested Tuesday. 18-year old Bailey Powers, of Griswold, was arrested in Atlantic on a Cass County warrant for a Probation Violation. Powers was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.

Attorney General Tom Miller Wednesday (today) advised Iowans who were impacted by storm and flood damage to watch for possible scams. “Storm chasers may try to target Iowans who sustained hail, wind or water damage,” Miller said. “If your home or property is damaged, you may be desperate for quick help. Scam artists know that, and may try to take advantage of your misfortune.”

In an April consumer advisory, (“Home Repairs & Home Improvements”), Miller offers tips for consumers who must repair or rebuild their home or business:

Watch for contracting scams. Don’t fall for the contractor who shows up in an unmarked vehicle—particularly with an out of state license plate—claiming you need new shingles or siding, and they “just happen to have materials” at a big discount.

Check references. Before you sign a contract or pay any money, ask around and also take time to talk with the contractor. Ask people you know and trust who they have hired for their projects and whether they were satisfied. Request local references from the contractor and contact them! Check on complaints with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division (515-281-5926, or 888-777-4590) and check the Better Business Bureau’s complaint database at www.bbb.org. Be wary of a person or company not listed in the local telephone directory, and be wary of contractor who provides only a post office box address and not a street address. Write down the license plate number on the contractor’s vehicle.

To see if a contractor has been sued or filed a lawsuit (in Iowa’s state courts), go to: www.iowacourts.state.ia.us. To verify a contractor’s registration and bonding (which doesn’t guarantee quality of work or payment of damages if a dispute arises with the contractor), go to: www.iowaworkforce.org/labor. Ask the contractor for a copy of their liability insurance certificate.

Get several written estimates, or bids. Be sure the written estimates include everything you want done, and not more than you want. While low bids are often what people look for, sometimes they can raise red flags. Is the low bidder really qualified for the job? Is the contractor cutting corners through materials or workmanship? Is there a risk the contractor will come back to you later with a story about “unforeseen circumstances” and demand more money?

When you’ve selected a contractor, get the contract in writing, and read it before you sign it. Before work begins, agree on a written contract detailing terms including the work to be done, the brand and/or the specifications of the materials to be used, the price, who is responsible for obtaining permits and scheduling inspections, that all change orders must be in writing, and establish who is responsible for cleanup. Put start and completion dates in writing, and the remedies if the contractor fails to meet them. (Example: the contract could be nullified if the contractor doesn’t start on time.) If you’re filing an insurance claim to cover the costs of damages, negotiate the details with your insurance company directly and not through a contractor. If you sign a contract somewhere other than the contractor’s regular place of business, such as at your home, you have three business days to cancel the contract without penalty.

Avoid paying large sums or the entire job up-front. If you need to make a partial advance payment for materials, make your check out to the supplier and the contractor. Insist on a “mechanic’s lien waiver” in case the contractor fails to pay others for materials or labor. You can search to see who may have claimed the right to place a lien on your house through the Iowa Secretary of State website at: www.sos.iowa.gov/mnlr or by calling (515) 281-5204. Do not pay the contractor in full until you verify that all the parties listed on the website have been paid in full. Try to limit the amount you pay up-front.

Compare your financing options. It’s usually safer and a better deal to obtain financing through your local bank or credit union, rather than a contractor. Do some loan shopping and compare loan terms, and don’t let anyone pressure you into signing a loan document. Don’t deed your property to anyone.

Price Gouging

Now that the Governor has issued a disaster declaration for Pottawattamie County, price gouging rules are in effect in that county. Price gouging is charging very high prices that are not justified, and taking unfair advantage of disaster victims. Go to www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov for more tips on preventing scams, and for more information on hiring contractors, price gouging and donation scams.

Complaints

If you think someone has broken the law, contact local law enforcement. To file complaints or to ask questions, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Des Moines, IA 50319. Call 888-777-4590 (toll-free outside of the Des Moines area) or 515-281-5926.

Chainsaws are buzzing across southwest and south-central Iowa as residents cut apart some of the hundreds of trees that fell in Tuesday’s severe storms. Some areas report wind gusts of 80 to 90 miles an hour along with heavy rain, flash flooding and large hail. Tornado sirens sounded in several counties last night and at least one twister reportedly touched down about 5:15 near Oakland. Longtime school administrator Jan Harris lives near Oakland and described the moment the storm hit his home.

“During the hail, thank goodness we were all down in the basement when this happened and we came upstairs and an evergreen tree that’s probably between 35 and 40 feet tall and stood in front of our house was totally uprooted,” Harris says. “It wasn’t even splintered. It was completely uprooted completely in one piece and laid across the driveway.”

Joyce Isaacson lives in the small town of Wheeler Grove, between Carson and Griswold. Isaacson says a house of worship in town took some heavy hits. “There’s a country church out here and they have tons of great big cedar trees and at least six of those trees that are really huge have toppled over,” Isaacson says, along with a shed and an air conditioning unit that were flipped over. She says there’s plenty of damage in Wheeler Grove.  “Some neighbors had a grain bin go down and a big camper is flipped upsidedown and a shed was destroyed,” Isaacson says. “We drove around the square and there’s trees down everywhere.”

Late Tuesday, Governor Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster for Pottawattamie County as a result of storm damage. The declaration allows the county to utilize state resources to respond to and recover from the storm’s impact. Donnie Willet, the emergency management coordinator for Adams County, says damage spans the entire county. “Lots of tree limbs down, several homes and outbuildings have had tree limbs fall on them,” Willet says. “We’ve had county roads blocked, streets blocked, got power lines down several places in Adams County, also, down around Lenox, we’ve got major power lines down.”

Brian Hamman, Montgomery County’s emergency management coordinator, says the wicked winds caused extensive tree damage. “We have reports of trees on houses in Emerson and Hastings and numerous trees across roads and blockages,” Hamman says. “Also, north in the county, at Brothers and 380th Street, we had water crossing the road, just a deluge of water which made it very dangerous for people on that roadway.”

Flooded roads were also a big concern in Montgomery and Mills counties. Heavy wind damage is reported in Ringgold and Taylor counties. In Fremont County, a semi was reportedly blown off Interstate 29 near the Hamburg exit. In Page County, heavy rain was the main problem. Street flooding was extensive in Shenandoah.

(Mike Peterson/Radio Iowa)