GRISWOLD — Anna Kelley, a Junior at Griswold CSD of Elliott was nominated as a Delegate to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. The event takes place November 21st and November 22nd, 2020. The Congress is an honors-only program for high school students who want to become physicians or go into medical research fields. The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country interested in these careers, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal.

Anna Kelley

Anna’s nomination was signed by Dr. Mario Capecchi, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and the Science Director of the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists to represent Griswold High School based on her academic achievement, leadership potential and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine. During the two-day Congress, Anna Kelley will join students from across the country and hear Nobel Laureates and National Medal of Science Winners talk about leading medical research; be given advice from Ivy League and top medical school deans on what to expect in medical school; witness stories told by patients who are living medical miracles; be inspired by fellow teen medical science prodigies; and
learn about cutting-edge advances and the future in medicine and medical technology.

Experts say this is a crucial time in America when we need more doctors and medical scientists who are even better prepared for a future that is changing exponentially. Focused, bright and determined students like Anna Kelley are our future and she deserves all the mentoring and guidance we can give her. The Academy offers free services and programs to students who want to become physicians or go into medical science. Some of the services and programs the Academy offers are online social networks through which future doctors and medical scientists can communicate; opportunities for students to be guided and mentored by physicians and medical students; and communications for parents and students on college acceptance and finances, skills acquisition, internships, career guidance and much more.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists was founded on the belief that we must identify prospective medical talent at the earliest possible age and help these students acquire the necessary experience and skills to take them to the doorstep of this vital career. Based in Washington, D.C. and with offices in Boston, MA, the Academy was chartered as a nonpartisan, taxpaying institution to help address this crisis by working to identify, encourage and mentor students who wish to devote their lives to the service of humanity as physicians, medical scientists.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Monday (Today), said an Atlantic man was being held in the Adair County Jail on $250,000 bond, on an Adair County Class-D Felony warrant for Willful Injury-Bodily Injury. A criminal complaint states against 53-year old Rex Dean McDermott states that on Oct. 30th at around 11:07-p.m., Adair County Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from a woman residing in the 1800 block of Highway 92, Fontanelle. The call was with regard to someone beating on her door, saying “help me, help me.” A deputy arrived on the scene to discover a female on the edge of the road, flagging him down. The Deputy observed a woman from Massena was covered in blood.

The woman told the Deputy the man she was with pulled her out of a pickup truck and began to punch her and hit her with a wooden object. A further investigation determined the victim had been with McDermott, and that he had been with him and another man two nights prior, when McDermott was arrested by Cass County deputies. The woman identified McDermott as the man who allegedly struck her. The victim suffered a laceration above her right eye, bruising and swelling of the face and pain in areas where she was struck by the wooden object.

A warrant was issued Oct. 30th, and McDermott was arrested on Nov. 4th.  He made his initial appearance in court on Nov. 5th, during which the judge issued a No Contact Order. His preliminary hearing was set for Nov. 12th.   Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says the standard Class-D Felony bond according to the Iowa Supreme Court is $5,000. The Sheriff was uncertain why the Judge chose to set McDermott’s bond as high as he did.

On Nov. 3rd, 49-year old Gary Alan Victor, of Bridgewater, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. He was released the next day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. Also arrested Nov. 3rd, was 38-year old Michael Gail Steward, of Fontanelle. He was taken into custody at the Adair County Sheriff’s Office for Violating a No Contact Order at his parent’s residence. He was released the same day on a $1,000 cash/surety bond. And, as previously mentioned, 19-year old Brooklyn Leon King, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested on charges of Eluding and Interference with Official Acts. His cash or surety bond was set at $2,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has announced new restrictions requiring masks in some circumstances to slow the spread of the coronavirus, but he still rejects the idea of a statewide mask mandate. Ricketts said Monday that masks will be required at businesses where employees have close contact with customers for more than 15 minutes, such as salons and massage parlors. At bars, masks will be required when people aren’t drinking or eating. The state set another record Sunday when 794 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19, a more than doubling of virus-related hospitalizations in three weeks.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Hy-Vee are honoring Iowa’s veterans and active duty military members this Wednesday. Hy-Vee stores celebrate Veterans Day each year by offering a free breakfast to all veterans and active-duty military members as a way of thanking them for their service. The breakfasts will be served curbside at Iowa Hy-Vee stores this year. Hy-Vee will also distribute the Secretary of State’s “Honor a Veteran” postcards with each breakfast, encouraging customers to pay tribute to a friend or loved one.

Approximately 30,000 “Honor a Veteran” postcards were sent to Hy-Vee stores across Iowa for use on Veterans Day, which is this Wednesday, November 11. Cards will also be available at customer service counters at Hy-Vee stores. The veterans receiving the postcards at Hy-Vee can write a tribute to a fellow soldier, submit their own information to receive recognition from the State of Iowa, or give the card to a loved one to post an acknowledgement. The postcards will be returned to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and tributes will be posted online at HonorAVet.net and Facebook.com/HonorAVeteran.

The person making the tribute and the veteran being honored, if they are still with us, will both receive an ‘Honor a Veteran with Your Vote’ lapel pin in the mail. The lapel pins are red, white and blue, and in the shape of the state of Iowa. Secretary Pate encourages recipients to wear them while voting.

Des Moines – Since August 10, 2020, Iowans, insurance companies, agents and contractors have worked together to help Iowa recover from this devastating weather event. As of November 2, 2020, more than 200,000 claims have been reported.  Of those claims, nearly 160,000 claims totaling more than $1.6 billion have been paid already.  Insurance companies are holding more than a billion in reserves to be used for the remaining claims. Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said “The Iowa Insurance Division has been monitoring the insurance industry’s response to the Derecho and the industry’s role in Iowans’ recovery efforts.”

“As policyholders pursue claims under their insurance contracts,” Ommen says “We encourage property owners to continue to work diligently with their insurance company and agent as they obtain the necessary repairs.  Adjustments can take time, but we have seen other challenges, including early cold, snow and some shortages of materials and contractors.  Delays in replacement of grain bins have garnered attention. Further weather concerns with winter inching closer places concern on whether to wait until spring to make repairs to the roof, siding, etc.”

He said also, “If a consumer believes the insurance company is providing less than what is promised in their insurance contract, they can file a complaint with us at the Iowa Insurance Division.  We will review the contract and claim details.” The claims process includes work by each party, the policyholder and the company, reviewing the insurance contract and working together to come to a resolution ensuring that the terms of the contract are adhered to.  These discussions are opportunities for the policyholders to share information, pictures, estimates, statements for the company to consider as they make a determination on what will be covered as per the contract.  Contractors are prohibited by law from negotiating the insurance claim on behalf of the policyholder.  It’s important to keep the lines of communication open with your carrier to continue to work through the differences or the disparate views on the restoration of your property.

“Given the extremely large number of claims, our office has received just over 90 complaints overall related to the derecho,” Ommen said.  “Complaints filed with our office can range quite broadly but some of the primary areas we are seeing are what is covered under the insurance contract, what the payment amount should be, and what the process is for handling additional or supplemental damage.” Unique complaint areas generated from the derecho are delays in the inspection process, delays in actually getting the repairs made, delays in communication.

Ommen said. “The Iowa Insurance Division is here for consumers if they need to file a complaint.” Iowans needing to file a complaint with the Iowa Insurance Division can do so at https://iid.iowa.gov/insurance-consumer-complaint.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Des Moines school district has requested a waiver to move completely to online learning as state figures show coronavirus infections and hospitalizations remain high. The Des Moines school board approved the waiver late Sunday. It’s up to the state Department of Education to grant a waiver. Superintendent Tom Ahart notes Polk County’s average virus positivity rate has topped a state-mandated 15% threshold for districts seeking to shift to online instruction. The state on Monday reported 4,212 new confirmed COVID-19 cases. Three more people have died, bringing the state’s virus death toll to 1,845. A record 1,034 virus patients are being treated in hospitals.