WASHINGTON (AP) — Arthritis isn’t always from the wear and tear of getting older — younger adults too often get it after suffering knee or ankle injuries. New research suggests it might one day be possible to stave off that painful legacy.

University of Iowa scientists used pigs to mimic what happens with a broken ankle. They found joint injuries make the energy factories inside cartilage cells go haywire — and that injecting certain drugs right after the injury blocked the damage and preserved the animals’ cartilage.

More research is needed to test if such an approach might work in people. For now, doctors say the best advice is to guard an old injury against more wear and tear by strengthening the muscles that support that joint.

The Iowa research was published Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some school superintendents in Iowa say a K-12 education spending plan moving through the Legislature will not keep up with rising annual costs for their districts and will lead to budget cuts.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled chambers scheduled floor votes Wednesday to approve $32 million in new funding. That’s a 1 percent increase to Iowa’s $3.2 billion K-12 education budget, the largest expenditure in a roughly $7.2 billion state budget.

Officials in the Des Moines school district, the state’s largest, say it will lead to more than $11 million in cuts. In more rural school districts, superintendents warned financial obligations like putting new money toward employee retirement plans will eat up a lot of the new appropriations.

Republicans say public education is a priority at the Capitol amid budget constraints.

Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, was just named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. CCMH CEO Brett Altman said “This is the second year in a row that we have received this recognition, and it is a tribute to the outstanding work our employees do every day to create a superior experience for our patients.

Altman said also, “We are very proud of this accomplishment, which achieves one of our overarching goals for 2018.” Cass County Memorial Hospital scored in the top 100 of Critical Access Hospitals on iVantage Health Analytics’ Hospital Strength INDEX®. The INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural provider performance and its results are the basis for many of rural healthcare’s most prominent awards, advocacy efforts and legislative initiatives.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop Tuesday afternoon resulted in a pursuit. A Deputy had attempted to stop a Porsche Cayenne at around 1:35 p.m., for having no front license plate. When the vehicle failed to yield, a pursuit ensued for about eight-miles. The driver, 26-year-old Dylan Hoffman, of Council Bluffs, eventually crashed the expensive SUV into a marked Pott. County Sheriff’s cruiser near Macedonia, at 370^th and Pioneer Trail and was placed into custody. Hoffman was charged with Eluding, Driving While License Under Suspension, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, and OWI 1^st Offense. He also had two outstanding warrants for Probation Violation out of Council Bluffs. Deputies seized a baggy of meth, and a glass pipe with a white residue inside.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, 41-year old Brandy Michelle Portrey, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 4-p.m. Tuesday, on a warrant for Contempt of Court/Failure to Appear. She was located at the Pott. County Courthouse and transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail. Also arrested at the Courthouse was 37-year old Melson Antonio Arevalo, of Council Bluffs. He was arrested on a warrant for Domestic Assault/1st offense.

And, 42-year old David Lee Frazier, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 11:15-p.m. Tuesday, on a warrant for Compulsory Education Violation/1st Offense. The man was taken into custody after he returned to the scene of a scene of a property damage accident that resulted in $1,500 damage to his vehicle, which slid off the road at Big Lake Park. Frazier was also cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Authorities say alcohol was a factor in the accident, but because he tested within the legal limit, no charge was filed.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Procter & Gamble has announced it will cut 500 jobs over nearly two years at an Iowa City plant as it shifts production to a new factory in West Virginia. The Press-Citizen reports that the Iowa City plant’s production of shampoos, conditioners and body washes will be transferred to the new plant at Tabler Station, West Virginia, by late 2020. Production of mouthwashes and toothbrushes will remain in Iowa City.

The company says about 700 workers will remain in Iowa City, where P&G operates three facilities. The company said in a news release that it is also closing its plant in Kansas City, Kansas — which produces dishwashing detergents and related chemicals — as part of the production change.

(*Clarification)

Cass County Landfill Director Brandi Mericle today (Wednesday) spoke about the issues concerning long-term financing the facility is working to resolve. In speaking with KJAN’s Jim Field during our “Heartbeat Today” program, Mericle said the tipping fees are insufficient to meet their needs if they are to remain a viable. She said they’re about to construct a slightly less than one-acre cell with a liner to protect the groundwater, for about $400,000. That doesn’t take into account the regulations and rules coming down the road from the DNR and EPA.

All of the communities in Cass County and the unincorporated areas are part of a 28-E cost sharing agreement to support the landfill as necessary. *The Landfill’s Board set the fee at $12 per person per year. The City of Atlantic will assess 38-cents per thousand dollars of valuation to pay its share. Not all cities in the County are using property taxes.

The tipping fees themselves will remain unchanged at $10 minimum depending on the size of the pickup load, or $100 per ton. She said that they “Are always evaluating our operations to make the landfill as efficient as possible and keep it viable for the future.”

Atlantic City Administrator John Lund said last week, people should notice the change on the property tax bill in January, 2019. Mayor Jones said the City of Atlantic will contribute about $85,000, rural county $42,000. Atlantic will receive its first bill and the end of the 1st Quarter, which is in Sept., 2018.

(Listen to the full interview with Brandi Mericle on our podcasts page found under Heartbeat Today, at kjan.com)

DES MOINES, Iowa – An Iowa Senate committee hears a bill today (Wednesday) that would ensure family caregivers have training to perform some types of medical needs when their loved ones are discharged from a hospital or rehabilitation center. The Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act would allow a patient to designate a person to carry out medical and physical tasks, such as giving medication or injections and safely moving the patient when needed.

Anthony Carroll, associate state director of advocacy for AARP Iowa, says on any given day, 317,000 Iowans are providing care for older parents, spouses and others who need help. “Medical care, helping with groceries – a variety of tasks that family caregivers do to provide care for the loved one so they can continue to stay at home, rather than having to receive care in a nursing home, or assisted living, some other kind of institution,” he explains. Similar legislation has passed in more than three-dozen states.

AARP research shows that hospital readmission is reduced when caregivers receive more thorough instructions. However, some hospitals object to CARE laws because of staff time constraints, and their concerns that a family caregiver could mishandle medical treatment. Carroll says even when readmission occurs requiring another overnight stay, many caregivers still report receiving little – if any – training from health professionals when they leave. “About 50 percent of the time, it’s not happening as a practice,” he points out. “So, it’s no cost to the Iowa taxpayers, but we believe it’s the right thing to do. We’re only one of 14 states who has not passed a similar type of legislation.”

And as the number of older Americans with chronic conditions grows, Carroll says family caregivers have taken on medical tasks once provided only in hospitals, nursing homes or by homecare professionals.
“And this is really that next step to make sure, again, all Iowans have the option to designate a caregiver – and then if they designate a caregiver, that caregiver gets instructions at the hospital before they’re sent home,” he states. An AARP study also confirms that caregiving can take its toll. When asked to rate their own health, almost 20 percent of caregivers described it as “fair to poor,” which is double the rate of non-caregivers.

(Iowa News Service)

The Decorah and North Winneshiek school districts in northeast Iowa will merge. Voters in both districts overwhelmingly approved the merger in a special election Tuesday. The two districts have been in a whole grade sharing agreement for grades nine through 12 since the 2001-2002 school year. Beginning this year, the sharing agreement was extended to include seventh and eighth grades as well. After the approval, plans are in place for the merger of the two districts to become official starting July 1st of 2019.

(Radio Iowa)

Voters across nine counties in northwest and north-central Iowa approved a 25-and-a-half million dollar bond issue Tuesday for improvements at Iowa Central Community College. It has campuses in Fort Dodge, Webster City and Storm Lake, with a career academy in Eagle Grove. Iowa Central president Dan Kinney says he’s thrilled. “I really have to thank the voters out there for their confidence in Iowa Central Community College and getting out the vote,” Kinney says. “It was a lot of hard work and I think we did a better job of getting out and selling it.”

Voters in December of 2016 narrowly defeated a $29.5 million bond issue for Iowa Central. This latest bond issue needed at least 60-percent approval to pass and got 67-point-5 percent. “A special shout-out has to go to our faculty and staff,” Kinney says. “They did a wonderful job of getting out there and helping us sell it and talk about it.” Projects that will be funded include a student center on the Fort Dodge campus, an industrial training facility in Storm Lake, upgrades to science facilities, a biofuels testing lab and safety improvements.

Kinney says, “We’re excited for a bright future for Iowa Central Community College and more importantly, a bright future for the service area that we serve as we move forward into the next 50 years.”  Enrollment for the three campuses is over 5,000 students.

(Radio Iowa)

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports the arrest on Tuesday, of 39-year old Joshua Robert Saunders, of Audubon.  Saunders was arrested and charged with Possession of Marijuana – 3rd or more offenses, Possession of Marijuana within 1000 feet of a school, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He was transported to the Audubon County Jail and held on a $2000 bond.  The incident remains under investigation,  and further charges are pending.

And, on Monday, 24-year old Jordan Thomas Best, of Audubon, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Failure to Appear.  Best appeared before a magistrate, pled guilty, and was released with a fine.