(Radio Iowa) – A man shot by a Sioux City police officer Saturday has died. Sioux City Police say 30-year-old Vincente Manzo Hernandez of Hull was pulled over in an early morning traffic stop and officers learned he was wanted on felony criminal warrants. Officers say Hernandez resisted when they tried to take him into custody and an officer shot him. Hernandez was taken to the hospital where he later died.

Two Sioux City Police officers are on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation of the shooting by the Iowa D-C-I.

(Radio Iowa) – Legislators may launch a study of how weight loss drugs might reduce costs in the Iowa Medicaid program. Jeffrey Boeyink is a lobbyist for Eli Lilly the company which has proposed a bill on the topic.

“We’re not here to ask you to mandate drugs in the Medicaid program,” Boeyink said earlier today during a House subcommittee meeting. “What we are here to do is ask if we could direct Medicaid to do a study on what the cost-benefit analysis of the inclusion of these drugs in the state’s health care plan might have on both short and long term health care costs.”

Lilly produces Zepbound, a drug the FDA has approved for weight loss, as well as the diabetes drug Mounjaro, which has been shown to help weight loss. Boeyink cited a recent study by Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services. It found expanding coverage to the new class of weight loss drugs for obese Medicaid patients could save the State of Utah 20% in health care costs for those patients.

Carrie Malone of the Iowa Department of Human Services, which manages Iowa’s Medicaid program, spoke at the subcommittee meeting. “We think a more academic approach is needed, so we’re working through what that would cost,” Malone said, “because we don’t have the expertise to do this kind of a study.”

Legislators on the three-member House subcommittee gave initial approval to the bill, but say they’re interested in seeing if a university in the state could conduct the research. Brandon Geib, a lobbyist for Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, saod there are health benefits to the newly-available weight loss drugs, but he told lawmakers the study needs to consider the upfront costs. “The State of Iowa (Medicaid) Plan actually covered GLP-1 drugs for weight loss last year,” Geib said. “I think they covered them for around six months and then they shut it off due to the cost.”

At least a dozen states now cover GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound if they are prescribed to Medicaid patients. Boeyink, the Eli Lilly lobbyist, said it stands to reason health care risks — and health care costs — are reduced when obese Medicaid patients lose weight by taking these drugs.

(Radio Iowa) – The new Cancer in Iowa Report aims to raise awareness about how the state needs to immediately start planning for the future to care for the quickly-rising number of cancer survivors. Dr. Sarah Nash is research director of the Iowa Cancer Registry and an epidemiology professor at the University of Iowa. Nash says more than 21-thousand Iowans will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and as survival rates rise, there needs to be an increase in healthcare professionals to handle their unique needs.

“They may include screening for cancer recurrence, so, their cancer could come back and we need to make sure that we’re watching for that. Addressing late effects and delayed symptoms, so maybe they have delayed symptoms of their cancer treatments,” Nash says. “And we need to make sure that those folks have high quality of life through nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use cessation, and other mental health and support services.” Nash says Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the country, behind only Kentucky, and Iowa has the fastest-rising rate of new cancer cases.

The report says 171-thousand Iowans are now considered cancer survivors, or about one in every 20 Iowans, and they’ll need long-term medical attention. “These needs can really change over time. So, somebody who has just been diagnosed may have very different needs than somebody who was diagnosed 10 years ago,” Nash says. “It’s a really large span of things that we need to be considering when we’re considering the support services that we need to be providing to cancer survivors.” Nash says this edition of the annual Cancer in Iowa Report lays out projections for cancer incidence during 2025.

Graphic from the Cancer in Iowa Report

“We estimate that there will be 21,200 new cancer cases diagnosed among Iowans this year, that’s an increase of 200 from last year,” Nash says. “We know that breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers continue to make up roughly half of all our cancer cases.” The Iowa Cancer Registry has tracked cancer cases, survival rates, and deaths from cancer in the state since 1973. Last year’s report showed Iowa’s cancer mortality rate would fall by 100 cases, but this year’s projected rate of deaths rose.

“We estimate that there will be about 6,300 cancer deaths among Iowans, which is again an increase of 200 from last year,” she says. “Lung cancer continues to be the most common cause of cancer deaths in Iowa, accounting for about one out of every four cancer deaths.”

The report allows doctors and researchers to focus on how to prevent and treat cancer, she says, and it provides Iowans with the knowledge they need to get advance screening and improve survival rates across the board.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic High School will host “Sing & Swing,” this weekend, a high-energy show choir competition. The event takes place Saturday, March 1st. The event will bring together top show choirs from across the region, with over 750 students showcasing their talent on stage, and serves as a great fundraiser for the AHS choral program.(Photos submitted by Mikayla Stockhaus9-12 Choir Director -Atlantic High School)

Ambassadors 2025

Each participating school will receive a placement and trophy at the Preliminary Awards Ceremony at 5:00 PM. The top five highest-scoring groups of the day will then advance to the final round, competing for the Grand Champion title which will be handed out at the Final Awards Ceremony at 8:50 PM.

You can find the full schedule for the event here. Community members are encouraged to attend and may come and go as they please with the wristband provided upon ticket purchase. As the host school, Atlantic’s two show choirs will perform as exhibition groups, showcasing their talent but not competing. We’re looking forward to an exciting day of music, energy, and top-tier show choir performances!

Admission Prices:
Preliminary Admission (Daytime):  $12.00 (children 5 and under are free)
Finals Admission (Evening):  $8.00

Adrenaline 2025

All-Day Admission:  $17.00

Des Moines, IA – Today (Tuesday), the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) announced the intent to award seven individual contracts to entities that will serve as Disability Access Points (DAP) across the state. The full list of recipients can be found here. Included among them is Pottawattamie County (Districts 1 & 4).

Disability Access Points are district-level organizations that connect individuals with disabilities to providers who can provide the necessary services to meet their needs. DAPs provide information, assistance, person-centered planning, etc. to those who walk through their doors.

In May 2024, Governor Kim Reynolds signed into law HF2673, the historic behavioral health bill, which transfers the management of disability services from the local Mental Health Disability Services (MHDS) Regions to Iowa HHS’s Division of Aging and Disability Services (ADS).

The state’s overall management of this work allows for a streamlined focus on delivering systems of support, care and connection for all Iowans and families with disability needs. In addition, the state will build relationships and leverage opportunities to get additional providers and organizations on board to support the needs and develop a statewide Aging and Disability Resource Center Network.

“At Iowa HHS, we have been fully committed to reimagining and overhauling our systems to ensure they are entirely centered around the individuals we serve,” said Kelly Garcia, Iowa HHS Director. “While we’ve made great strides in many areas, one thing remains clear: Iowans want seamless, easy access to care, and they want to receive that care within their communities—and ultimately, in their homes. It’s equally important to make sure all aspects of our system—whether Medicaid, Public Health, or Behavioral Health—are interconnected and aligned.”

The Disability Access Points will serve the same seven districts outlined in the Behavioral Health System. Iowa HHS will work collaboratively with the DAPs to coordinate and oversee access to long-term services and supports and ensuring for well-defined access points.

“Iowans with disabilities, their families and caregivers will now have the same opportunity to access the care they need whether they are in northwest Iowa or eastern Iowa…and every point in between,” said Zach Rhein, Iowa HHS Aging and Disability Division Director. “We will work closely with our established network to enhance their reach and services, as well as our Technical Assistance and Call Center, so that any Iowan has every opportunity to reach out and be connected to the services they need.”

The new Disability Services System will begin July 1, 2025, in conjunction with the new Behavioral Health System Alignment.

To learn more about the Disability Services System and Disability Access Points, visit https://hhs.iowa.gov/initiatives/system-alignment/iowas-disability-services-system.

Atlantic, Iowa – The Cass County Democrats are hosting their annual caucus on March 1, 2025 from 9-until 11-a.m., in Heritage Hall at the Heritage House (1200 Brookridge Circle), in Atlantic. Registration starts at 8:30-a.m. During the caucus the Cass County Democrats will select committee persons to fill precinct representative vacancies, discuss priorities regarding platform resolutions, and plan activities to build community and affect legislation at the state and national level for the remainder of the year. The caucus is open to all Democrats in Cass county. Registration will be available at the caucus.

Following the caucus, and 11-a.m., Liz Garst will be the guest speaker covering the topic “Soil and Civilization”. Liz is manager of a commercial farm and director of family-owned banks. Prior to this, she worked at the World Bank and served as business manager of the Garst Seed Company. Ms. Garst is also an oral historian, serves on the Board of Directors of the Whiterock Conservancy and serves as an advisor for the Iowa Nature Conservancy.

Details:

Cass County Democrats Caucus

When: Saturday March 1, 2025 – Registration at 8:30 a.m.

Where: Heritage Hall in the Heritage House at 1200 Brookridge Circle

Who: Registered Democrats or others interested who live in Cass County

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports no there were no injuries following three separate accidents over the past five days. Authorities said a Dallas County man – 61-year-old Edgar Benedict, of Dawson – was cited for Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability (insurance), after the 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan he was driving struck a parked vehicle in Jamaica (IA).

The accident happened at around 6:40-p.m., Friday. Authorities received a call from Curt Radebaugh, of Jamaica, who said he heard a loud noise outside of his residence. When he went to investigate, Radebaugh noticed a gray van driving away and saw his 2014 Chevy Impala had been hit on the rear driver’s side. The vehicle showed evidence of a silver-gray paint transfer from the suspect vehicle that struck it, and a dent. A broken taillight not belonging to the Chevy was found at the scene. The impact caused $2,000 damage to the car.

A neighbor mentioned to the investigating deputy that his uncle – Edgar Benedict – was staying at the residence, and drove a gray mini-van. The suspect vehicle was located later that evening by Perry Police. During questioning, Benedict admitted that he was driving, but thought he had struck a rock. Damage to his van amounted to $1,000.

Late Sunday morning (Feb. 23rd), a Guthrie County Deputy was dispatched to Juniper Avenue and 310th Road, following a crash notification from a cell phone to the Guthrie County dispatch center, about a possible collision. When he arrived on the scene, the deputy spoke with 49-year-old Kirk Roccholz, of Casey, who said the 2010 Chevy Cobalt he was driving, went off the road and struck Guthrie County Secondary Roads Department “Stop Sign Ahead,” posted sign. The car also struck a culvert at a field entrance, went over the culvert, and came to rest in the brush/shrubbery. The report said Roccholz showed no signs of impairment or intoxication. His vehicle sustained $8,000 damage. Damage to the road sign was estimated at $500. No citations were issued.

And, at around 6:45-p.m., Sunday, a 2024 Chevy Suburban driven by 40-year-old David Reha, of Stuart, struck a deer on Wagon Road in rural Guthrie County. The vehicle sustained an estimated $10,000 damage.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Assessor, Shana Platt, today (Tuesday), announced that door-to-door inspections of all residential properties in Cass County will begin approximately March 3rd, 2025. A reappraisal project was approved by the Conference Board in February, 2021. The purpose of the reappraisal project is to equalize property assessments so that each taxpayer is responsible for paying only his/her fair share of the property tax burden. Periodic inspections and reappraisal of properties is necessary as all types of properties do not increase or decrease in value at the same rate. Some properties physically deteriorate faster than others, and in many instances similar homes located in different areas of the county will differ greatly in value due to economic factors.

Data collectors with photo ID signed by the assessor will make interior and exterior inspections of all properties. They will be compiling information to be used to estimate the fair market value of each property. Information to be collected includes type of construction, type of interior finish, physical condition of the property, age of structures and exterior measurements. A complete sales analysis, local construction costs, and economic conditions are also considered. No estimate of value will be given at the time of inspection.

Property owners are asked to cooperate by allowing a complete inspection of their property and providing accurate information so that a fair and equitable assessment may be determined for each property.
The preliminary data collection process will begin in March, 2025. The project is scheduled for completion December 31st, 2026.

Notice of final value estimates will be mailed to each property owner after January 1, 2027. The property owners will have an opportunity to meet informally to discuss their revaluation in the spring of 2027.
The new assessed values will be effective for January 1, 2027 for taxes payable in fiscal 2028-2029.

Representatives of Vanguard Appraisals, Inc. in conjunction with the Cass County Assessor’s Office will be conducting this project. All law enforcement agencies as well as the Cass County Assessor’s Office will be apprised of the areas where data collectors are working. They will also have a listing of all names and license plate numbers of anyone involved in the project.

If any property owner has questions regarding the reappraisal project, they are urged to contact the Cass County Assessor’s at 712-243-2005 or email: stplatt@casscoia.us

DES MOINES, Iowa – More than 3,100 acres of Iowa land in 24 counties with an estimated value of more than $7.6 million was permanently protected through donations for conservation. The donors associated with 23 donations of land or land value will be recognized during a ceremony on March 13, from 2 to 3 p.m., in the first floor rotunda, at the State Capitol, in Des Moines.

Landowners who are in attendance will be honored individually for their donation. For more information about individual donations, visit the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/landdonors.