Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart has announced that beginning tomorrow, March 7, 2015, the Iowa and Nebraska Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations will begin paying health care providers more than $80 million in outstanding eligible claims for health care services provided to CoOportunity Health members in Iowa and Nebraska.

“We’re pleased that providers in Iowa and Nebraska will be paid for the health care services they provided to CoOportunity policyholders,” Gerhart said. “As we have stated previously, these guaranty funds are in place to protect impacted Iowans and Nebraskans. All providers under contract with CoOportunity that offered health care services will be paid up to $500,000 per individual for claims submitted to CoOportunity.”

The Iowa Insurance Division continues to work to transition people in Iowa and Nebraska out of CoOportunity Health. Nebraska has 11,135 remaining CoOportunity Health members while Iowa has 2,619 remaining members as of March 5, 2015. The Iowa Insurance Division is projecting that money recouped from the federal reinsurance, risk corridor and risk adjustment program on behalf of CoOportunity Health will be used to help pay back the Iowa and Nebraska Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations and other outstanding creditors.

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled a lawsuit against a tire manufacturer in China over a an accident that happened in 2009 can proceed in state court. A lower state court had tossed out the case, saying it had no jurisdiction over Doublestar, the foreign company, but the Iowa Supreme Court now says otherwise. The lawsuit involves a 17-year-old boy working at his dad’s tire shop in Adel.

The teen was inflating a tire in 2009 when it exploded, seriously injuring him. He was blinded in one eye and has only partial use of his left hand and arm. His mother filed a lawsuit against the Chinese company that made the “Treadstone” brand tire, alleging it was badly designed and prone to explode when it was being inflated. The Iowa Supreme Court is citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision involving a tire manufacturer in a foreign country and has ruled the case can proceed in state court.

(Radio Iowa)

The Walnut City Council met Thursday evening, and held a public hearing on the Fiscal year 2015-16 City Budget. Deputy City Clerk Shannon Wood told KJAN News the Budget was adopted by the Council, following the hearing. Wood said also, no action was taken with regard to the possible acquisition of the Walnut Community School Building. A committee will meet the first week of April to discuss what, if anything, should be done with the building.

Last month, the City was offered the chance by Walnut Superintendent Jesse Ulrich to acquire the building. At that time, a decision was then made to form a committee comprised of the Mayor and two Council people, School Board members, and members of the public, to decide what they want the facility to become. They also discussed the possibility of hiring a consultant or an architect to conduct a feasibility study and facility study on the building.

The Walnut City Council also gave the go ahead for intern Marye Bierbaum to develop a Community Garden. Wood says Bierbaum will be applying for some grants to help with the raised flower and/or vegetable garden beds.

ROGER SANDHORST, 65, of Atlantic, died Thu., March 5th, at home. A Celebration of Life Service for ROGER SANDHORST will be held Wednesday, March 11th at 11:00am at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with family will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.  Open visitation will be held Saturday, March 7th from 9am-11am. Sunday, March 8th from Noon-3pm.  Monday March 9th and Tuesday March 10th from 8am-5:30pm.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

ROGER SANDHORST is survived by:

His wife – Sharon.

Daughter: Angela (John) Kay of Atlantic.

Son: Matthew (Jayme Farver) Sandhorst of Atlantic.

Sisters: Donnis (Wayne) Kessler of Atlantic.  Janet (Gene) Larsen of Walnut.

Brother: Eugene Sandhorst of Atlantic.

6 Grandchildren.

More area, and State news, w/Ric Hanson.

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The 7:06-a.m. report from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a 5-month-old boy is being treated for a fractured skull and his parents are facing charges in Sioux City. Court records say 25-year-old Kara Jackson and Aaron Tucker were arrested Wednesday and are charged with felony child endangerment. The records say Tucker will turn 24 on Saturday.

A criminal complaint says the tiny boy was taken to a Sioux City hospital on Feb. 26. The complaint says his parents accused each other of dropping the child on different occasions. The state has taken custody of the baby.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say the Sioux City parents of a 5-month-old boy have been arrested and charged after the baby suffered a skull fracture. The Sioux City Journal reports 23-year-old Aaron Bernard Tucker and 25-year-old Kara Danielle Jackson are both charged with felony child endangerment.

According to a criminal complaint, the baby was admitted to a Sioux City hospital’s emergency room last Thursday and was diagnosed with a fractured skull on his head’s right side. Both Tucker and Jackson accused the other of dropping the child on separate occasions.  The child has been taken into custody by Child Protective Services.

Red Oak Police arrested a local teen Thursday evening for Providing False Information to Police, a simple misdemeanor. 17-year old Jason Lee Sarabia, Jr., of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 7-p.m. He was cited into Juvenile Court and released to his parents.

Two Montgomery County men were arrested on drug charges Thursday night after deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at  210 East Market Street, in Red Oak. Authorities say 35-year old Travis Lynn Sickels and 33-year old Ryan Michael McDougall, both of Red Oak, were taken into custody at around 9:35-p.m.

Officials say Sickles was faces felony charges that include: 4 counts of Delivery of Methamphetamine/3rd offense, and Possession of Meth/3rd offense. He also faces misdemeanor charges of Possession of Marijuana/3rd offense, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. In addition, Sickles was wanted on a warrant out of Cass County for Failure to serve a jail sentence. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $50,000 cash bond.

McDougall was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,000. Deputies were assisted at the scene by officers with the Red Oak P-D and Montgomery County K9 Unit.