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Possible poisoning? Don’t trust Google. Call the 800#

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Poison Control Center took more than 26-thousand calls last year, that’s more than 70 calls from Iowans per day. Tammy Noble, a registered nurse and spokeswoman for the Sioux City-based facility, says Iowa’s numbers are staying fairly constant and they come from all 99 counties, but calls to poison centers nationwide are gradually falling.  “The numbers are going down and I think it’s largely because there’s a lot more people using their computers and looking online to get the information,” Noble says, “which can be a little complicated.”

While the internet is a vast source of information, there’s also a lot of misinformation, so Noble says relying on Google in a potential life-and-death situation isn’t the wisest idea, especially when experts are a free phone call away. “Don’t guess, just call us and we’ll give you the recommendations that are needed and let you know if you have to go to the hospital,” Noble says. “Please know, the majority of the time for most poisonings, we can give you advice over the phone and tell you what to watch out for.” In recent years, there’s been a slight shift in the people about whom calls to the poison center are being made. “We used to be over 50% of our calls were kids under the age of six, so, zero-to-five year olds,” Noble says. “Now, our numbers for 2017, it’s only about 44% of the calls are about those little ones.”

While there’s an upturn in calls about adult poisonings, there’s also been an increase in calls about senior citizens. Calls regarding youngsters tend to come after a curious tyke has gotten into something they shouldn’t. “Things you use every day that you don’t lock up, deodorant, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste, cosmetics and personal care products,” Noble says. “The good thing is, those products tend to be a little less dangerous and if a child gets into those, we can give you advice over the phone and tell you what to do.”

Calls about Iowa teens chomping those colorful — and potentially toxic — laundry pods spiked back in January when viral videos began circulating online. Noble says they’re continuing to get two or three calls a week about laundry pods. “We are still seeing kids that are unintentionally getting into it,” Noble says. “The product may be left out and mom is doing laundry and has the product out on the counter and the kids are getting into it, biting into it or they’re squeezing it and it gets into the kid’s eyes.”

Calls to the ’round-the-clock hotline are free, confidential and always answered by a toxicology expert. The number is 800-222-1222.

(Radio Iowa)

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 3/19/2018

News, Podcasts

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Man’s body found in southwest Cedar Rapids

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a man’s body has been found on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids. The body was found around 2:45 p.m. Sunday outside an empty commercial building that is used to handle overflows from a homeless shelter. Officials are investigating what they say is an unattended death. The man’s name hasn’t been released.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 3/19/2018

News, Podcasts

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Creston Police arrest report (3/19/18)

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Creston Police report several arrests took place over the weekend. At around 6-p.m. Saturday, 27-year old Scott Draman, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was subsequently cited and released on a Promise to Appear in court. 20-year old Natalie Eslinger, of Creston, was arrested at around 12:35-a.m. Saturday, on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. She was transported to the Adams County Jail and later released on $3,300 bond.

At around 6:30-p.m. Friday, 68-year old Richard Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was subsequently cited and released on a Promise to Appear in court. A little after 3-p.m., Friday, Creston Police arrested 26-year old Joshua Jones, of Shenandoah, for Domestic Abuse. Jones was later released on a $1,000 bond. Creston Police arrested 26-year old Anthony Cross, of Creston, at around 10:30-a.m. Friday. Cross was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of a Controlled Substance Violation. His bond was set at $10,000.

And, at around 9-a.m. Friday, 33-year old Maxine Burton, of Thayer, was arrested in Creston for Driving While Suspended. She was later released from the Adams County Jail on a $300 bond.

Police issue warrants in search for Mason City woman, missing since 1995

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A group that operates a website about the Jodi Huisentruit case says they’ve discovered search warrants were recently executed tied to the case of the missing Mason City television anchor. John Vansice has claimed he was the last person to see Huisentruit alive, saying that she stopped at his house the night before her disappearance in 1995. Vansice moved to Arizona more than 20 years ago. The website “FindJodi.com” says that search warrants were issued on March 20th of last year for two vehicles belonging to Vansice.

Jodi Huisentruit

The warrants were sealed the next day and were resealed in October of last year for an additional year. Mason City police say the search warrants are part of their ongoing investigation in the case. Huisentruit disappeared from the parking lot of her Mason City apartment building on June 27th, 1995.

(Radio Iowa)

Sioux City considering $12M-plus in aid to hotel project

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The City Council in Sioux City is considering more than $12 million in assistance for a $56 million project to convert two historic downtown buildings into luxury apartments and a nearly 150-room hotel. Developer Lew Weinberg and St. Louis-based developer Restoration St. Louis plan to turn the former Warrior Hotel and Davidson buildings into a Marriott brand hotel.

The Sioux City Journal reports that the financial package would include a partially forgivable $5 million loan, a portion of the city’s share of hotel-motel taxes generated by the facility, property tax incentives, and reduced rates for city ramp parking.

The council could vote on the package today (Monday).

Iowa’s state climatologist retiring

News, Weather

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Harry Hillaker, Iowa’s state climatologist for the past three decades, is stepping down this week. “March 22 will be my last day in the office and basically it’s been, gosh, almost 37 years I’ve been working in this office,” Hillaker said. The state climatologist monitors weather activity to compile monthly and annual reports about precipitation totals, shifts in temperatures, and other climate-related data. Iowa’s only other state climatologist, Paul Waite, hired Hillaker. “He hired me to do a little, three-month long research grant,” Hillaker said. “It’s almost 37 years later and I’m still here. That research grant led to one thing and then another, and then another, and I’ve been here all that time.”

Harry Hillaker

Waite was Iowa’s state climatologist from 1976 to 1988, when Hillaker took the job. Hillaker plans to do some traveling, but will keep Iowa as his home in retirement. He’s looking forward to digging deeper into the state’s historical weather data. “There is still a lot of work to be done with that,” Hillaker said. “There’s a lot of stuff I’d like to do that I never had time to do with the regular job, so I’m hoping to do some of that with retirement.”  The state climatologist’s office is part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

(Radio Iowa)

Villisca man arrested Sunday night

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop at around 10:30-p.m. Sunday, resulted in the arrest of a Villisca man. 31-year old Jerome Powell Burch was charged with Driving While License Suspended, and Interference with Official Acts. Burch was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

Ivanka Trump to be in Iowa today, touring suburban Des Moines education center

News

March 19th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

First Daughter Ivanka Trump, a senior advisor to President Trump, is scheduled to visit Iowa today (Monday). Ivanka Trump and Governor Kim Reynolds will visit a center in Waukee where high school students gain professional experience by working on high-tech projects for local businesses. It’s the same center Apple C-E-O Tim Cook visited last August.

Last Friday, Ivanka Trump said in a written statement she and Reynolds “have worked closely on a number of workforce development initiatives.” Trump said her visit to Iowa is meant to “highlight how important” workforce development and the president’s infrastructure plan are to “unleashing the economy and promoting…prosperity.”

Ivanka Trump and Iowa’s governor will host a roundtable discussion today (Monday) with some of the students working on high-tech projects for local Iowa businesses. Educators and state officials will also be part of the discussion.

(Radio Iowa)