A summertime fad that’s gaining ground through social media is known as “sunburn art,” and it makes an Iowa doctor who treats skin cancer cases cringe. People deliberately place stickers on their skin, go outside and get burned, then peel off the stickers and take selfies for Facebook to show off the contrasting red and white skin. Doctor Leslie Christenson, a dermatologist in Ames, calls the practice ridiculous.

“I think it’s very sad,” Dr. Christenson says. “We know that sunburns increase your risk of subsequent skin cancer. They advance aging and we can do so much to prevent skin cancer, so it’s hard for me to watch people promote it.” Damage to the skin by the sun’s harmful rays can add up. Christenson says if you get five sunburns early in life, it can raise the risk of developing skin cancer later by 80-percent.

“We know that 1 in 5 Americans will develop a skin cancer in their lifetime,” she says. “One in 65 will develop a melanoma, which is the most agressive form of skin cancer. We can prevent a lot of these skin cancers by just protecting ourselves from the sun.” Some “sunburn artists” use sunscreen in select locations to create the patterns while others may go so far as to cut out sections of their clothing. The melanoma form of skin cancer can be fatal. Christenson isn’t recommending you stay inside, but use your head when you go out.

“We do strongly recommend that you wear sun screen, not expose yourself to sunburns, but actually wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, blocking UVA and UVB rays,” Christenson says. “Wear protective clothing and a hat but that you do enjoy being outside. Just be smart about it.”

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A U.S. Air Force Boeing 757 has made an emergency landing at the Des Moines International Airport after a windshield cracked during the flight. Airport Director of Operations Alan Graff says the plane landed safety Friday morning and all nine people on board left the jet safely.

The white unmarked jet landed around 9:30 a.m. after making a distress call seeking to divert its flight plan to land at the airport. Airport officials referred further questions to the Air Force. A public affairs officer at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. couldn’t immediately provide further details on where the flight originated, where it was going or what caused the windshield to crack.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports Wildwood Road will be closed beginning Monday, Aug. 10th, for a bridge rebuilding project. The bridge, located over Indian Creek, is in the 700 Block of Wildwood Road, between Jackson Township Sections 35-36. Construction is expected to last approximately 8 to 10 weeks.

Residents in the area and emergency responders to plan to take alternative routes until the project is completed. If you have any questions about the project, call the Shelby County Engineer’s Office at 712-755-5954.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State education officials have approved new science standards and have taken a significant step toward replacing the Iowa Assessments with other tests. The Iowa State Board of Education unanimously voted on Thursday to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards, which sets learning expectations in classrooms for grades K-12.

Learning will focus less on memorization and put more emphasis on the scientific process, such as analyzing data, developing a model and constructing a logical argument. The board also voted to start the rule-making process that would allow for the adoption of the Smarter Balanced exams. The tests give students harder or easier questions based on if they answered previous correctly, which better pinpoints their ability.

Iowa and Nebraska, the nation’s two largest ethanol-producing states, are launching a joint effort to “rebrand” gasoline pumps nationwide with stickers promoting the American Ethanol brand. Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board, says the project stems from the past five years of partnership with NASCAR and the pro stock car racing circuit’s use of E-15 fuel.

“This American Ethanol brand has really started to stand out as a very recognizable brand within NASCAR,” Brunkhorst says. “As states work in partnership with NASCAR through this, we thought this was a great opportunity to continue that brand awareness, now on pumps.” The plan is for stickers with the red-white-blue and green logo to be placed on gas pumps nationwide that offer the ethanol blends. Brunkhorst says this initiative will help provide consumers with a consistent experience at the pumps, whether they choose E-10, E-15, E-30 or E-85.

“As consumers pull up to the pump, they can see that American Ethanol brand and that American Ethanol label and understand the value it brings to them,” he says. “As they travel across the United States, they’ll be able to consistently see this label on blends, especially in states that require labeling such as Nebraska and Iowa, and they’ll know the consistency of a home-grown, renewable-based biofuel that’s grown right here in Nebraska and Iowa.” Brunkhorst says the stickers are already going out to hundreds of retailers.

“For those retailers who haven’t submitted their requests for those new, updated American Ethanol labels, they can just go to Nebraska-Corn-dot-org,” he says, “and there’s a form they can fill out and submit to us and we’ll get them sent out.” Iowa is the nation’s leading ethanol maker, producing 3.8 billion gallons a year, while Nebraska is second with more than two-billion gallons a year. Iowa has 42 ethanol plants and Nebraska has 24.

(Radio Iowa)

A man from Pottawattamie County was sentenced Thursday in U-S District Court to 75-months in prison for possession a firearm after a felony conviction. In addition to the nearly six a a-half year prison term, 50-year old Timothy Andrew Frieze, of Council Bluffs, was ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release when he completes his imprisonment.

On August 14th, 2014, Frieze pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon. The charge was the result of an investigation being done by the Southwest Iowa
Narcotics Task Force into drug trafficking in Council Bluffs. On October 11th, 2013, he was seen leaving a residence that was under law enforcement surveillance for suspicion of narcotics trafficking. Frieze was stopped by law enforcement and found to be carrying a Raven .25 caliber handgun. The man was prohibited from possession of the firearm based on several prior convictions for felony offenses.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, the
Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say no injuries were reported after two semis collided south of Malvern Wednesday morning. A 2014 Kenworth semi driven by Norman Bebout, of Thurman, was traveling north on 310th Street at around 11:10-a.m. and rounding a curve, when Bebout fell asleep at the wheel. The truck crossed the center line of the road on a curve, where the road becomes Mahr Avenue, and struck a 2002 Freightliner semi driven by Luann Kahl, of Hastings. Kahl told authorities she wasn’t able to move too far to the right and avoid the collision because her trailer was loaded with rock. Both rigs collided on their left front sides.

Following the collision, the Kenworth went into the north ditch off Marh Avenue. The Freightliner came to rest on the shoulder of the road near the intersection with 312th Street.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Friday) announced testing by the State Hygienic Lab (SHL) has confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in Iowa this year. The case is an adult female (18 to 40 years of age) from Ringgold County, who is recovering. IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says “This West Nile case should serve as notice that the virus is out there and Iowans should take precautions.”

West Nile virus is transmitted through mosquitoes. The best way to prevent the virus is to eliminate mosquito breeding areas and to use insect repellent when outdoors. Iowans should take the following steps to reduce the risk of exposure to West Nile virus:

Use insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Always read the repellent label and consult with a health care provider if you have questions when using these types of products for children. For example, DEET should not be used on infants less than 2 months old and oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years old.

Avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes, and socks whenever possible outdoors.
Eliminate standing water around the home because that’s where mosquitoes lay eggs. Empty water from buckets, cans, pool covers and pet water dishes. Change water in bird baths every three to four days.

Quinlisk notes that using an insect repellant containing DEET provides protection against both mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus and ticks, which can carry Lyme disease. So far this year, there have been 111 cases of Lyme disease in Iowa.

Approximately 20 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will have mild to moderate symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and vomiting. Less than one percent of people infected become seriously ill and rarely someone dies. Since West Nile first appeared in Iowa in 2002, it has been found in every county in Iowa, either in humans, horses, or birds. In 2014, there were 15 human cases of West Nile virus and zero deaths.

For more information about West Nile virus, visit http://bit.ly/1iTO2Vc. To learn about Lyme disease, go to http://bit.ly/1MSWe4G.

The 2015 Governor’s Charity Steer Show will take place 4-p.m. Sat., Aug. 15th, at the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. It’s the 33rd consecutive year the beef industry has raised funds to help families who utilize the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.

Celebrities will lead 25 steers around the ring, vying for the championship designation, as well as appealing to the crowd for a showmanship award. Among the steer being shown are those owned by….

• Hayden Van Meter, of Red Oak – shown by Mike Pearson, from IPTV’s Market-to-Market.
• Nick Pedersen, of Underwood – shown by Chris Edgington, President, Iowa Corn Promotion Board
• Sadie Graham, of Stanton – shown by Jim Miller, Wartburg Wrestling Coach Emeritus
• Mitch Holcomb, of Winterset – shown by Des Moines radio personalities
• Reagen Miller, of Charter Oak – shown by Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Immediately following the competition the steers will be sold at auction with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Both the show ring event and the auction are open to the general public.

Since the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association began the Governor’s Charity Steer Show in 1983, the effort has raised more than $2.5 million for the Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City Ronald McDonald House Charities. The houses provide a “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children being treated in area hospitals.

Youth participating in the 2015 Governor’s Charity Steer Show will also be learning additional information about the beef industry on Thursday and volunteer some time at the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Des Moines on Friday, Aug. 14th .Any individual or business interested in participating in future shows, can contact Doug Bear at IBIC, 515 296-2305.

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

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