DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lawmakers say a delay in privatization of Iowa’s Medicaid program means that most of the 37,000 children enrolled in a special health care program must transition to a new insurance carrier by the new year. The Des Moines Register reports that Iowa terminated its contract with two companies that managed the hawk-i program, anticipating that the state’s Medicaid program would be almost completely privatized by Jan. 1.

Last week, the federal government rejected that target date, saying Iowa was not ready for the transition. Iowa asked UnitedHealthcare and Wellmark to extend their contracts, but Wellmark declined. Iowa Medicaid Director Mikki Stier said Monday about 75 percent of the program’s children are currently insured through Wellmark.

Board members for hawk-i said they would help Iowa persuade Wellmark to extend its contract.

Farm fertilizer retailers in Iowa and nationwide were spared expensive new OHSA regulations by Congressional action in the big budget bill that was passed last week. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the bill included a rider that blocked OSHA from implementing new safety rules on all retailers that sell anhydrous ammonia. Compliance could have cost some retailers up to 60-thousand dollars and forced many of them to stop selling the popular fertilizer.

Grassley says, “That would’ve applied to great big facilities right now but it got down to a point where it would apply to your local co-op and drive up the cost of operating, the cost of product, all that sort of stuff.” The proposed rules from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were sparked by an explosion in 2013 at a fertilizer storage and distribution facility in Texas that killed 15 people and injured more than 160.

“That was a great big facility and it would’ve applied changes of rules to apply to them,” Grassley says. “It would have affected every small retailer around the country.” Officials with the Ag Retailers Association called OSHA a “runaway federal agency” due to the new safety rules it wanted to enforce. Grassley says the regulations OSHA demanded were simply too restrictive and too expensive.

“It just figured that the safety effects weren’t as realistic to challenge, that a regulation was justified,” Grassley says, “and that’s why it was stalled.” Under the legislation, the ban on OSHA requiring higher safety rules for anhydrous retailers lasts until the end of calendar year 2016.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Creston man was arrested Monday night on a warrant. Ryan Patrick Dukleth was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County bench warrant for failure to appear on child support matters/Contempt of Court. Dukleth was being held in the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

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

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• Non-stick cooking spray
• 8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into1″ pieces
• 3 cups chopped carrots (6 medium)
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.  Coat a medium non-stick skillet with cooking spray.  Heat over medium-high heat; add chicken.  Cook and stir about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.  Drain off fat.
2.  In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker layer carrots, chicken, onions, garlic and ginger.
3.  In a medium bowl whisk together broth, coconut milk, curry powder and salt.  Pour over the mixture in cooker.
4.  Cover and cook on low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.  To serve, stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Authorities in western Iowa are on the lookout for a vehicle and driver possibly involved in a road rage incident this morning, with shots allegedly fired. According to the State Patrol Communications Center near Lewis, the incident happened on Interstate 80 eastbound at the 25 mile marker, at around 5:20-a.m.

The vehicle was described as being gray, with Wisconsin plates, inside back window full of debris and bumper stickers all over the rear of the vehicle. A partial, possible description of the plates may include the numbers 337.

If you see this vehicle, call 9-1-1 or your local law enforcement agency.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reported Monday, one person suffered possible/minor injuries during a single-vehicle accident that took place Friday night. Authorities say 22-year old Rebecca A. Holbrook, of Lenox, was driving a 2000 Dodge Intrepid north on Iowa Highway 25 at around 9:20-p.m., when a deer ran across the road. When Holbrook  swerved to avoid hitting the animal, her car entered a ditch on the east side of the road.

The woman complained of possible injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Creston. Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $100 or less.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office said Monday a woman from Thayer reported a theft had occurred Friday afternoon. The woman said sometime during the night, someone broke into her house located on the 300 block of 3rd Avenue, in Thayer. A door was damaged and the items were taken from inside the home, including a 36-inch Sony flat screen tv, a jar of loose change, and two table lamps. The loss was estimated at $610.

A Council Bluffs man accused of injuring a 5-month-old baby faces felony charges of assault and child endangerment. The Omaha World-Herald reports 23-year old Rodney Weatherwax was arrested Saturday. Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Martha Heinicke said Weatherwax allegedly injured the baby on at least three occasions. According to court documents, the infant had at least 20 fractures. Heinicke said varied stages of healing indicate that the injuries happened at different times.