This week’s elections in Iowa produced a number of interesting results, but what happened in Algona is especially unusual. Ray Morgan was the only registered candidate for mayor, but a majority of voters in the north-central Iowa town wrote-in the name Lynn Kueck. Kueck, who previously served as Algona’s mayor for more than a decade, collected 761 write-in votes out of over 1,200 ballots.

“I’m very humbled that many people in Algona would write me in and support me to come back to the mayor’s office,” Kueck told Radio Iowa. “It’s an overwhelming feeling of joy. It energizes me to want to get back in the office and get back to work again.” Kueck’s return to the office comes a year-and-a-half after he resigned with little explanation. Kueck says he felt like he was doing the right thing at the time.

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Three more H1N1 deaths reported in the state

by Dar Danielson 11/6/09 4:14 PM

The Iowa Department of Public Health today confirmed three more H1N1 deaths. The health department says two adults in Polk County and one adult in Woodbury County are the latest victims of H1N1.
The department say two of the three who died had known risk factors for complications from the disease. The latest three deaths bring [...]

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Keep an eye out for health trouble with older family members during holidays

by Pat Curtis 11/7/09 7:48 AM

With the holiday season approaching, many Iowans will be spending time with distant relatives. Unfortunately, some older family members may be starting to exhibit signs of trouble. Jody Ricklefs, spokeswoman for the Fort Dodge branch office of the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Iowa, says there are many indicators.
“The first warning sign is memory loss and [...]

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Some adults shy away from flu mist

by Dar Danielson 11/7/09 3:50 AM

While there is a shortage of flu shots in some areas, there are reports of some people passing up the flu mist. University of Iowa infectious diseases specialist, Patricia Winokur, tests vaccines –including the H1N1– for the National Institutes of Health. She says there is reluctance by some people overall about the H1N1 vaccine.
Winokur says [...]

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Hostage believes Iran’s president was one of her captors

by O. Kay Henderson 11/7/09 1:00 AM

An Iowan taken captive in Iran three decades ago believes one of her former captors is Iran’s current president.
Katheryn Koob was director of the Iran/America Society, based in Tehran, when she was taken hostage on November 4, 1979. Koob and 52 other Americans were held hostage for 444 days.
“President Ahmadinejad, I am convinced, was on [...]

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Shenandoah hotel fights bed bugs

by Radio Iowa Contributor 11/6/09 5:38 PM

The new management at Shenandoah’s Days Inn hotel is dealing with what one former employee says is an old issue — bed bugs. A former employee who wishes to remain anonymous says the bed bug issue is nothing new.
He said, “They had bed bugs for about 6 – 8 months and would never get rid [...]

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Harkin: enroll kids, along with seniors, in Medicare

by O. Kay Henderson 11/6/09 4:31 PM

Senator Tom Harkin says two new ideas are likely to be aired when the Senate debates health care reform legislation in November or December, although Harkin doesn’t expect either idea to win approval. One provision would enroll all American children in Medicare, through their 19th birthday. 
“We ought to debate it.  We ought to see, now, [...]

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Health official says don’t go overboard with hand sanitizers

by Pat Curtis 11/6/09 3:54 PM

The state’s medical director is warning users of hand sanitizers not to go overboard. During the flu season, the Iowa Department of Public Health has recommended using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available. But, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says it doesn’t much to do the trick.
“You don’t need to get a lot of this [...]

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Cities look to new budgets facing tough decisions

by Dar Danielson 11/6/09 3:50 PM

With local elections now completed, city governments will begin working on their budgets for next year. The budget picture for many communities does not appear as dire as the state budget situation, but it’s not going to be an easy year. The executive director of the Iowa League of Cities, Alan Kemp, says property tax [...]

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