(Radio Iowa) – Advocates who help refugees resettle in the state of Iowa say there’s a critical need for health care providers. Nick Wuertz is the Director of Immigrant & Refugee Community Services for Lutheran Services in Iowa and says eleven agencies are helping resettle 25-hundred people across the state, which is more than last year.“We do see additional challenges for newcomers, who don’t speak the language and are learning how to navigate insurance and all of these things,” Wuertz says. He says most refugees are coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, and Burma. Wuertz says there is a shortage of physicians, dentists, and especially mental health workers who can treat refugees.

Fatiya Adam is a native of Ethiopia who came to the United States 20 years after spending a decade in a refugee camp in Kenya. She now is a case worker and knows the challenges first-hand. “It changed my life because I put myself in their shoes. Coming from a different country and then now help those people. I understand what they are going through because we all go through a different trauma,” she says. Adam says there are a couple of issue that seem to be the same for all refugees. “Language and than culture shock, just because we look different, and people just don’t understand. Everybody who comes has a different experience,” Adam says.

Adams and several dozen others attended a conference at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City Friday on how to help achieve cultural awareness in health care.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision in Creston Friday evening caused $500 damage to a box van and $1,500 damage to a car, but no one was injured. The Creston Police Department reports the Isuzu van driven by 40-year-old Maria Fuentes-Rodriguez, of Creston, pulled out from a stop sign at Highway 34 and Abell Street at around 6:20-p.m., in an attempt to turn east.

A 2015 Mercedes C300 driven by 40-year-old Carles Rivera, of Creston, was in the outside lane traveling east, when the van pulled out in front of the car and struck the vehicle. Rivera told police he was going to a convenience store to get some food, and did not have his turn signal on, but Rodriguez said Rivera’s turn signal was on, but that she though he was going to turn east onto Abell Street, which is why she pulled out onto the highway.

There were no citations issued.

(Creston, Iowa) – Three teens were injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident in Union County, Sunday afternoon. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, a 2002 Ford Ranger pickup driven by 15-year-old Candyn Lee Danielson, of Creston, had stopped at the intersection of Clover Avenue and 170th Street. Danielson admitted to deputies that he attempted to slide the corner turning west, and that he and two passengers were “messing around.”

When he attempted to slide around the corner, the pickup went out of control and entered the ditch. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m., Sunday.

Danielson, who was not wearing a seat belt, recalled being ejected out the side window of the vehicle. The teen, and his passengers, 15-year-old’s Gauge Osborne, of Orient, and Kaydon Delong, both of whom were wearing seat belts, were transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston.

Danielson was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. The pickup, valued at $4,000, was a total loss.

(Marne, Iowa) – Several area fire departments were dispatched to a large structure fire this (Sunday) afternoon, near westbound Interstate 80 at mile marker 51 (Marne Exit). The call about the blaze on the Steve Skow property north of the Interstate, at 50391 560th Street, went out at 12:30-p.m. Responding crews included those from Marne, Atlantic, Avoca, Walnut, Harlan, Elk Horn and Kimballton.

According to Marne Fire Chief Josh Krause, the building housed farm equipment, chemicals, seed, and vehicles, along with an office. The structure and its contents were a total loss. The cause of the fire was deemed accidental, as trash that was being burned near building started a few pallets on fire. The flames then spread into the building.

Photo courtesy Cass County Emergency Management Director Mike Kennon.

No injuries were reported. A second, separate fire which began as a controlled burn in Audubon County, spread to a field/grassy area at 3328 Pheasant Avenue, at around 2:40 p.m., Sunday. Crews from Exira, Anita and Wiota responded to the scene.