OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Drought conditions in some areas and weak grain prices are among factors weighing heavily on the rural economy in parts of 10 Plains and Western states. The overall Rural Mainstreet Index for the region plummeted to 40.7 in July from June’s index of 50. The index ranges between 0 and 100, with any number under 50 indicating a shrinking economy.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says July’s was the largest one-month decline recorded in the index since November 2008, which was in the middle of the Great Recession. The confidence index, which reflects bankers’ expectations for the economy six months out, slumped to 38.4 this month from 48.9 in June.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reported Thursday, that a Braddyville man was arrested Tuesday evening following a traffic stop four-miles east of Clarinda. 47-year old John David Stone, of Braddyville, was arrested for driving while license is barred, an Aggravated Misdemeanor. He was transported to the Page County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond, pending an appearance before a Magistrate Judge.

Officials with the Cass County Health System say the next session of “Healthy U” is scheduled for noon on Thursday, July 27th at Cass County Health System. Presenting will be CCMH Laboratory Director Mitch Whiley, who says “A hospital lab is a behind-the-scenes area, but the information that we are able to provide is critical to our providers and patients.”

The presentation will cover background information about the lab, including services offered and staff. Mitch will also present a general overview about routine lab tests and results.

Mitch Whiley, MLS (ASCP)

Whiley says “We really want all of our patients to have information about their overall health including things like their cholesterol, blood sugar, and organ function. But understanding your results and reading the reports can be confusing. We will go over the reports and [MW1] provide a brief explanation on our most common lab tests, however, we always encourage patients to talk with their providers directly about what their personal results mean.”

Healthy U is a free educational lunch series at Cass County Health System held monthly in Conference Room 2. The public is invited and welcome to attend, but reservations are required as lunch is provided for all attendees. Call 712-243-7479 to reserve your seat.

Police and animal welfare officials across the state are reporting an uptick in calls about dogs being left in hot vehicles. Josh Colvin, with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, says dogs should just be left at home when temperatures rise to the level they’re at this week. “I know we keep harping on this throughout the summer months, but this is going to be a hot spell and we just have to remind people,” Colvin said. “We’re talking heat indexes of 110…a spell like this, it’s probably best for dogs to be in the air conditioning and keep them safe.”

In Des Moines on Wednesday, police and ARL staff were called four times to shopping center parking lots to rescue dogs that were left alone in cars. Temperatures in the capital city climbed into the upper 90s.  “Luckily, we found the owners and we weren’t having to impound those animals,” Colvin said. “We had to talk it through with the owners, you can’t do this because it could be tragic.” All four dogs survived.    

It takes a very short period of time for a dog to suffer heat stress or even stroke on days such as this – when temperatures across Iowa are in the 90s to around 100. “We always advocate for us to be with our pets. They’re part of our family, we get that. But, as being part of the family, people just have to realize when it’s too hot, it’s too hot. A very short time in a vehicle, just running into a store, could be tragic for your dog,” Colvin said.

“We just can’t emphasize that enough. You know, short-nosed dogs…just taking them for a walk in this weather could be tragic. They could be in distress very quickly.” Three dogs died of heat exposure after they were found locked in a vehicle on July 10th outside of a dog show in Ottumwa.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 25-year-old man suspected of killing an Omaha man last September. The body of 30-year-old Ernesto Saavedra was discovered Sept. 7 behind a building in northeast Omaha. Authorities haven’t said how he died.

Police say the suspect, Marquez Sanders, was taken to Omaha on Wednesday from the Pottawattamie County Jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he’d been in custody. Nebraska court records say Sanders is charged with second-degree murder.

Griswold Fire and Rescue and Medivac Ambulance crews were called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident early this (Thursday) afternoon just across the Cass/Pottawattamie County line, at 490th and Highway 6. The call went out at around 12:15-p.m. According to reports, a vehicle went out of control and entered the north ditch. The female driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, was transported by ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. No other details are currently available.

(Photo credit Tamara Wiley)