Lung cancer remains Iowa’s top cancer killer, but there’s a new type of lung cancer screening for people considered high-risk. The low-dose C-T scan can detect lung cancer in the early stages, before symptoms arise. Harold Wimmer, national president and C-E-O of the American Lung Association, calls the scan groundbreaking and a potential lifesaver. Wimmer says, “The high-risk category profile is individuals who are current smokers or former smokers that have a 30-pack year history of smoking and are between the ages of 55 to 80.”

The term “30-pack year history” means they’ve smoked an average of one pack a day for 30 years, or two packs a day for 15 years. Studies find 84-percent of lung cancer cases are detected in the late stage when it’s very difficult to treat. When detected earlier, the survival rate is increased by more than five times. Wimmer says anyone can get lung cancer, especially people who smoke and those around them.

“There’s also other risk factors, such as radon exposure, family history, other environmental impacts that can be a risk factor,” Wimmer says, “but the use of tobacco products is still the number-one risk factor for lung cancer.”  In Iowa, 42-percent of the population is considered “ever smokers,” meaning they’re either current or former smokers, and they may benefit from the scan.

“Individuals can go to SavedByTheScan.org to take a quiz to see if they may fit into that high-risk category,” Wimmer says. “We also encourage individuals to talk to their doctor about having this scan done.” The scan is typically a covered benefit under most insurance plans, according to Wimmer. There were more than 24-hundred new lung cancer cases diagnosed in Iowa last year and nearly 18-hundred deaths.

Nationwide, lung cancer kills an average of 421 people daily, that’s about 18 deaths each hour, or one death every three-and-a-half minutes.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to discuss changing the County Attorney status from part-time county officer to a full-time county officer, and then act on Resolution providing that the County Attorney IS a Full-time County Officer. Dave Wiederstein, is the Cass County Attorney. He also serves as a private practice attorney,  Acting Audubon County Attorney, and provides services to the City of Atlantic, through the his partner law firm, Otto-Lorence-Wiederstein, P.L.L.C.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman says according to Iowa Code (331.752), that “A full-time county attorney shall refrain from the private practice of law,” which mean Wiederstein would have to give-up his private practice and work full-time for the County. The Code states also, that the Board of Supervisors may provide by resolution, that the county attorney shall be a full-time county officer. Further, that “If the county attorney objects to the full-time status, the effective date of change to a full-time status shall be delayed until January 1[st] of the year following the next general election, at which a county attorney is elected.” In Wiederstein’s case, that won’t be until Jan. 2019, since his four-year term will be on the ballot in Nov. 2018.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors will discuss and then act on changing the status of the current part-time courthouse custodian to full-time custodian. The meeting takes place 8:30-a.m. Tuesday at the courthouse, in Atlantic.

Iowa’s top politicians are responding to this weekend’s events in Charlottesville, Virginia. Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann was the first to issue a statement via Twitter. Kaufmann said the “racism and bigotry on display in Charlottesville is stupid, shameful and destructive.” Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was next, saying what “white nationalists” were doing in Charlottesville was “homegrown terrorism.” Iowa Senator Joni Ernst also called it “terrorism” that was “fueled by racist hatred” that “has no place in our society.”

Governor Kim Reynolds said her prayers are with the victims and she condemned “ugly, vile, racist hate.” By early this (Monday) morning, all but one member of Iowa’s congressional delegation had tweeted on the situation. Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, said on Saturday that the “vile hatred displayed by white supremacists in Charlottesville is unacceptable and un-American.”

Congressman David Young, a Republican from Van Meter, tweeted on Sunday from Israel, where he’s on a congressional trip. Young condemned the “hatred” on display in Charlottesville and tweeted a few Bible verses. Congressman Rod Blum, a Republican from Dubuque, posted a message on Facebook. Blum quoted Gandi and said there was no place in a “civil society” for “racist supremacy groups.” Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron has not Tweeted since July 27th and has not issued a statement on Charlottesville.

The Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman released a written statement Sunday, denouncing the “senseless acts by white supremacists and neo-nazis in Charlottesville.”

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak, Sunday evening, arrested 21-year old Weston Price Jespersen, of Red Oak, for Interference with Official Acts. Jespersen was taken into custody at around 6:30-p.m. at the Red Oak City Burn Yard. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 cash bond. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police in making the arrest.

An investigation into the damage of a mailbox in rural Montgomery County, Sunday, resulted in the arrest of 47-year old Mark D. Berggren, of rural Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office charged Berggren with Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree following the incident, which happened on 230th Street. Berggren was taken into custody at his home, at around 8:50-a.m., Sunday, His bond was set at $1,000. Sheriff’s Deputies were assisted in their investigation by Red Oak Police.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The gubernatorial campaign for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has declined to provide more information about blocks of time in her day-to-day calendar that she used to work on campaign-related events, arguing that releasing the information could give away strategy. Phil Valenziano, Reynolds’ campaign manager, offered that explanation in response to questions about 10 items listed on Reynolds’ June calendar _ her first full month in office _ that reference the campaign but are blacked out.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Data from the University of Iowa shows that more than half of undergraduate student workers at the university were paid less than $10.10 per hour this year. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the Johnson County Board of Supervisors set the local minimum wage level at $10.10 for 2017. However, the Iowa Legislature stripped local governments of the ability to set minimum wage higher than the state’s level this year. The state’s minimum wage has been $7.25 for the last decade.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — With only days to go until the new school year starts, the Johnston Community School District says it’s still scrambling to hire enough elementary school teachers. School officials tell Des Moines television station KCCI that the district will welcome its biggest classes yet as it works to overhaul several of its school buildings. District spokeswoman Laura Sprague says district officials were taken by surprise by the large number of new families enrolling their children for the new school year.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities are investigating the death of an inmate in the Clinton County jail. The Clinton County sheriff says a male inmate was found unresponsive in the jail shortly before 3 a.m.