FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – Prison officials say a staff member has been hospitalized after being assaulted by an inmate at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. The Iowa Corrections Department says the penitentiary restricted inmates’ movement Wednesday after the assault. A news release says the inmate used a weapon to strike the staff member several times. Other staffers helped their injured colleague subdue the inmate.

The staffer was taken to Fort Madison Community Hospital and then to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The staffer’s name hasn’t been released. Online court records don’t yet show the inmate has been formally charged.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 34-year old Kristin Jan Gross, of Des Moines, was arrested Monday evening at the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office. Gross was arrested on four Union County warrants for failure to appear on drug violation charges.  She was being held for Union County in the Ringgold County Jail on $27,300 bond.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, of Nebraska, is seeking answers from the Department of Veterans of Affairs following reports that VA employees kept a secret waiting list of patients from Nebraska and Iowa that obscured the actual wait times for veterans who sought appointments. Sasse sent a letter to the department Tuesday after the Omaha World-Herald reported that an audit included whistleblower complaints about unauthorized lists for appointments at the VA’s mental health psychotherapy clinic in Omaha.

VA officials acknowledged the audit’s conclusions but wouldn’t say how many Nebraska or western Iowa veterans were affected. They also declined to say who kept the unauthorized list and why, or say how many employees were involved. Sasse says the agency’s refusal to answer questions is “unacceptable and must be remedied immediately.”

You’re invited to join the Iowa Department on Aging in Creston on Oct. 25th for the final session in its 2017 Dialogue on Aging Series. The topic for this event is “Technology in Aging: Improving the Quality of Life and Care for Older Adults” and will include thought-provoking presentations by speakers representing the University of Iowa Barbara and Richard Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence and the Iowa State University Gerontology Program/Human Development and Family Studies Department.

Lunch is included and will feature the recognition of Iowa’s centenarians – those who will be 100 years or older by Dec. 31, 2017! Cost is $25 per person. To securely register, go to: https://www.iowaaging.gov/content/2017-dialogue-aging-event-registration?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Sponsored by: AARP Iowa ; University of Iowa Barbara and Richard Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence; & Iowa State University Gerontology Program.

If you use tobacco, it has probably crossed your mind once or twice to quit. About 82% of Iowans who use tobacco, want to quit. The older you become the less you may think quitting will make any difference to your health. By quitting, tobacco users are taking an important step towards a healthier quality of life. The first benefits of quitting will begin in as little as 20 minutes, when your heart rate and blood pressure lower. The longer you quit, the more benefits you receive, even lowering your risk of heart disease to half that of someone who is still using tobacco products.

Some may consider tobacco use a thing of the past, but tobacco companies come out with new products every year trying to hook new users, especially youth. Cass County Iowa Youth Survey results show that 18% of our youth admit to trying electronic cigarettes.  You can influence your children’s decision about whether to use e-cigarettes. Even if you have used tobacco yourself, your children will listen if you discuss your struggles with nicotine addiction. Be clear that you don’t approve of them smoking or using e-cigarettes, and that you expect them to live tobacco-free. No matter how it’s delivered, nicotine is harmful for youth and young adults. E-cigarettes typically contain nicotine as well as other chemicals that are known to damage health. Tobacco use and secondhand smoke account for an estimated 6 million deaths per year nationally.

You may also find it more difficult to quit for good the older you become due to the strong nicotine addiction that has built up. Here are a few tips to get you started:

·        Set a quit date, recommended 30 days out.

·        Write down reasons why you want to quit and keep them handy.

·        Talk to your physician about options on how to quit.

·        Build a positive support group of friends, family, and other who are quitting.

·        Take it one minute/day at a time.

·        Celebrate the little achievements – each day without tobacco is a celebration!

There are many great resources out there to help tobacco users quit. A local option for Iowans is the free statewide resource Quitline Iowa, available to all Iowans age 13 years old and older. Trained quit coaches help every participant develop a personalized, easy-to-follow quit plan. You can either call Quitline Iowa at 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) or by accessing their website at www.quitlineiowa.org. This article is brought to you by Healthy Cass County.

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson reports an incident that allegedly took place Tuesday in the 100 block of East South Street, in Exira, resulted in the arrest of 56-year old David Scott Porter, of Exira. Porter was charged with Harassment and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. He was booked into the Audubon County Jail and later released on bond, with a court appearance set for Oct. 19th.

And, a 15-year old was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center Tuesday, on a charge of Criminal Mischief. The youth was charged in connection with damage done to a school-issued laptop computer. The device was valued at over $900. The incident remains under investigation.

(9-a.m. News)