(Radio Iowa) — A new report from the American Lung Association shows Iowa has one of the lowest survival rates for lung cancer in country. The association found 19 percent of lung cancer patients survived five years after their initial diagnosis. That’s more than three-and-a-half percent worse that the national average. Alyssa DePhillips is a spokeswoman for the American Lung Association. “Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of men and women, but it just doesn’t get the same attention as other cancers because other cancers may be more common, but they’re more curable.” Lung cancer is often diagnosed at later stages of the disease when surgery is not an option. “That’s usually the best way to get rid of the cancer,” DePhillips says.

The American Lung Association is recommending that Americans over the age of 55 who are current tobacco users or who have quit in the past 15 years get their lungs scanned to check for cancer. “Iowa has just a little bit higher smoking and tobacco rates than the rest of the national average of the US because Midwestern states have higher tobacco use rates,” she says. “Rural areas have higher tobacco use rates.”

Iowa’s lung cancer rate is impacted by radon levels, too. “Iowa has the highest radon levels across the US and radon counts for a little less than 10 percent of lung cancer cases,” DePhillips says. “so 90 percent of lung cancer cases in Iowa are due to smoking or being around second-hand smoke and the the majority of the rest of the cases are from radon.” Less than one percent of lung cancer cases in Iowa are linked to poor air quality or exposure to pollution. This is the second year the American Lung Association has issued its “State of Cancer” report.

Former Iowa 3rd District Republican Congressman David Young is stepping-up efforts to win re-election in November, 2020. Young launched his campaign in May to try and recapture the District in the U.S. House of Representatives from Democratic Representative Cindy Axne. He says he’ll run on his record of being a voice for southwest and parts of central Iowa. He says Axne’s record “has not been very good for Iowa.”

David Young at the KJAN Studios 11-14-19

Young says the nation is bogged down with partisan politics (the impeachment proceedings), and issues important to Iowans aren’t getting taken care of. For instance, the USMCA trade agreement, he says “Should have been done 6 months ago. It’s just sitting there gathering dust, and Iowa needs that.” The lack of an agreement with China, and the RFS, is also hurting Iowa’s economy. Young said he’s disappointed the Trump Administration “Isn’t quite yet understanding the need to fulfill the law of the 15-million gallons a year for ethanol to be blended.”

Young says “the Left…The Democrats…are fixated on overturning the 2016 elections, and impeaching this President.” He says “There are no Articles of Impeachment. It’s almost like they’re looking for them. Meanwhile, I think Iowans are saying ‘Hey, just trust us. We’ll figure it out in 2020. Young who was a two-term representative of the 3rd district, says if he’s elected next November, he’ll work to bridge the partisan divide, just as he did when he was in office before the 2018 election was held.

After his announcement in May, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) released a statement on Young’s decision to run. The DCCC said “Iowa voters rejected David Young because he broke his promise to lower heath care costs and protect coverage for Iowans with pre-existing conditions. Young can run for Congress, but he can’t run away from his Washington record of putting special interests ahead of the needs of hardworking Iowans.”

As for his opponent in the upcoming elections, Young says “There are high expectations for her, primarily set from herself, but very low deliverables.” Young said “I’m very principled, and I will fight for my principles and I will fight those who I represent.” Young, who resides in Van Meter, is a graduate of Johnston High School and Drake University. Before being elected to Congress, he served at the chief of staff for Sen. Chuck Grassley.

United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum today (Thursday), announced that on Tuesday, November 12th, 35 year-old Kentriss Thomas Rhodes, 33 year-old Ashley S. Fleming, and 45 year-old Antoine Sanders, all residents of Chicago, Illinois, were sentenced in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, for their role in a Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Oxycodone).

The investigation of Rhodes, Fleming and Sanders began on August 16, 2018, when the Council Bluffs Police Department responded to a call from the Madison Avenue Hy-Vee on a report of a fraudulent prescription being presented at the store’s pharmacy. Council Bluffs Police arrested two individuals who had presented the forged prescription, and then obtained assistance from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration determined that the two arrested persons were working for a Chicago organization that was sending out groups of people to obtain oxycodone by forging prescriptions and presenting them to area pharmacies.

Rhodes, Fleming, and Sanders used vulnerable adults from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to present forged prescriptions for the oxycodone. Using this method, Rhodes, Fleming, and Sanders obtained oxycodone from Council Bluffs, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and other locations in Iowa, in addition to pharmacies in Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, and South Dakota. Rhodes, Fleming, and Sanders had obtained, or attempted to obtain, over 6,500 oxycodone pills through the use of fraudulent prescriptions during a nine month period. As a result of their conduct, Rhodes was sentenced to 72 months in prison, Fleming was sentenced to 46 months in prison, and Sanders was sentenced to 110 months in prison. All three were also ordered to serve three years of Supervised Release once they are released from incarceration.

The case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Nebraska State Patrol; Council Bluffs, Iowa, Police Department; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Police Department; Iowa Division of Intelligence; Chicago, Illinois, Police Department; and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) — Due to the extreme demand for propane, an emergency declaration is being issued for Iowa and several other Midwestern states by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Deb Grooms, C-E-O of the Iowa Propane Gas Association, says part of the problem is that farmers across the region are trying to complete their harvest at the same time. Grooms says, “What I’m hearing from the farmers and my propane retailers is that it’s taking a lot more to dry the corn because it’s coming out so wet, so we’re using a lot more propane than anticipated for drying the corn this year.”

The emergency declaration means truckers hauling the propane don’t have to count the time they sit in line at a terminal against the hours they’re on the road transporting it. Grooms says the urgent situation has prompted a cooperative spirit. “One of the big things we’re doing right now is taking trucks to Conway, Kansas. There is plenty of product there, so we are having a lot of trucks go there to bring propane back to the state,” Grooms says. “We have had trucks from a lot of the Southern states volunteer to come up and help transport and that is a big thing for us to have other people helping us do that.”

The other states covered under the declaration are Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Dakota. Grooms says some farmers have volunteered to delay drying their corn so deliveries can be made to homeowners and livestock producers who depend on the propane to keep themselves and their animals warm.

(Thanks to Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 15-year old male was arrested at around 9:20-a.m. Wednesday, following a disturbance in rural Honey Creek. The unidentified teen allegedly assaulted a 33-year old woman. He faces charges that include Assault with Intent to cause pain/injury, and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree (property damage ranging from $300-to $750). And, a man was arrested Wednesday night in Underwood, for Assault – Use or display of a weapon, and a felony charge of Harassment in the 1st Degree (by threatening the use of force).  23-year old Ozzie Lee Palen, of Council Bluffs, was also charged with Willful Injury resulting in bodily injury.

BURLINGTON, Iowa — The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has conducted the interviews of the  law enforcement officers involved in the November 7th, 2019, shooting which occurred in the 1100 block of Agency, in Burlington (IA). Law enforcement officers were dispatched to the area following reports of a male who was armed with a shotgun. The Burlington Police Department and Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office searched the area and upon arrival, the Des Moines County Sheriff and Deputies made contact with 18-year old Stone Thomas Graha, who immediately fired the shotgun at officers. The Deputies returned fire at Graham who suffered from one gunshot wound to the leg, and continued to flee the scene. Graham was later taken into custody without incident and was transported to the Great River Medical Center for medical treatment. The two deputies were:

Des Moines County Deputy Dilan Beaird
Des Moines County Sergeant Kevin Glendening

The deputies are cooperating with the investigation. The Des Moines County Attorney referred the review of the investigation to the Attorney General’s Office. The investigation continues and once completed, the findings will be submitted to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office for review. No additional information will be released at this time.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating what officials say is a threat posted on social media to three Iowa State students. Iowa State Police Chief Michael Newton said Wednesday that the university is trying to identify who posted it on Reddit. The university says the threat targeted three students who participated in a Land Acknowledgement statement made at a Students Against Racism meeting on Nov. 7. Such statements acknowledge the indigenous people who once inhabited the land.

The poster typed these words next to the photo: “We fought for this land and won, and will be more than willing to kill for it again if you try and take it.” Newton says police are working with Reddit to find information about the poster.

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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) — Loneliness is becoming a serious epidemic among senior citizens nationwide, especially in states like Iowa with much older populations. A retirement living company, with facilities in Iowa and Nebraska, is working to take a proactive approach. Jennifer Knecht, vice president of marketing and communications at Immanuel Communities, says loneliness can bring on all kinds of ailments. “We know that scientifically, loneliness has been linked to greater risk of heart disease,” Knecht says. “We know that being lonely on a regular basis is the equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We know that loneliness may speed the onset of dementia. We also know that loneliness shortens life.”

While the signs of loneliness can be concealed, they often come during a change of circumstance in a person’s life. Retiring from a career, health issues, or the death of a loved one can all lead to isolation.  “Forty-three percent of America’s seniors are lonely which is incredible, that’s a huge number of folks,” Knecht says. “Often, folks are suffering from loneliness and don’t even necessarily know how incredibly serious it is — or can be — for their health.”

Potential signs of loneliness may include: poor eating habits, loss of interest in personal hygiene or appearance, significant clutter in the home, a general lack of interest or withdrawal. Combating loneliness is a five-part process, she says, with the first steps being: learn about the epidemic, take an online loneliness assessment, discover what help is available, and then seeking out that help. “This is the hardest step in the process, actually identifying the fact that you’re lonely and then asking for a little help, some support,” Knecht says. “Step five, make the choice of which solution is best for you. There’s a lot of different options out there that can help you combat loneliness or a loved one combat loneliness.”

Raising awareness and fighting loneliness are priorities in their facilities, she says, as a sense of community can make a world of difference in seniors’ lives.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An ex-con found guilty in September of first-degree murder for killing an Omaha woman he had just met has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. KMTV reports that 40-year-old Jeremiah Connelly received the mandatory sentence Wednesday for killing 22-year-old Jeanna Wilcoxen, in September 2018. Wilcoxen, the mother of a 4-year old son, was a native of Council Bluffs.

Prosecutors say Connelly confessed to police that he had abducted Wilcoxen from an Omaha park near a laundromat where he’d met her a day earlier. He told police that he was angry she had backed out of plans to move in with him. He told police he forced her into his van, raped her and suffocated her. Her body was found in a ravine near Fremont, NE. Connelly carried out the killing about six weeks after he had been released from prison, where he served a term for attempted kidnapping, robbery and other crimes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()

Subscribe: RSS