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Women urged to resolve to take better care of themselves

December 31, 2007 By

It’s the time for making New Year’s resolutions and Iowa women are being encouraged to take better care of themselves and to take charge of their families’ wellbeing ,too.

Dr. Joann Shaffer, a disease prevention specialist, says she’s trying to get a message out to women in the state about an increasing problem. Shaffer says obesity is up among women and children and since women direct the family in many ways, making many of the health care decisions, it’s important they get the message and take care of themselves. Women also tend to buy much of the food and do the cooking.

She says the process starts with eating healthy and physical activity. Shaffer says, "We’re below the national average for deaths from heart disease but it’s still the number-one killer of women," while cancer is a close second.

Shaffer says one in-depth study finds that since 1994, Iowa women are 27-percent more overweight. She says obesity effects diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and can bring a higher risk of cancer. Healthy lifestyles are a must, as is weight control, but Shaffer says we tend to ignore the good advice and the warning signs while continuing to pack on pounds.

She says there are misconceptions about nutrition, portion sizes are terrible, we don’t practice moderation like we should and the things we eat aren’t good for us.

 

Filed Under: Health & Medicine

Iowa Ag Sec proposes state aid to combat livestock odor

December 31, 2007 By

The Iowa Secretary of Agriculture is calling for improved odor controls and conservation efforts in 2008.

Republican Bill Northey says he hopes lawmakers will support a five year, $22 million initiative to battle livestock odors. Critics of the plan say livestock operations should foot the entire bill, rather than receive aid from Iowa taxpayers. But Northey says other industries receive help through state economic development programs and farmers deserve the same treatment. "Generally, ag production or farmers don’t qualify for those," Northey says, "but we have an industry that’s very important. It’s a very important question – how can we do a better job managing those facilities? I think it’s the right kind of investment to make sure we have the science for them to be better neighbors and to have profitable operations."

Northey, who is a farmer from Spirit Lake, says conservation efforts will also be a top priority in 2008.  "We have a very productive state and very productive farmland," Northey explains, "so we’ve got to make sure we’re doing the right things on that land and the right things for the water."

One ag project that will continue in 2008 is the effort to boost ethanol use. Northey says the use of "blender pumps" or other marketing tools might push motorists to use higher blends of ethanol, rather than the dominant E-10. Blender pumps are designed to let consumers choose the amount of ethanol that will be mixed with gasoline.

During his campaign for the office, Northey vowed to visit and hold town meetings in all 99 Iowa counties. He completed that mission this month.

 

Filed Under: Agriculture

Traffic death tally for 2007 near 10-year average

December 31, 2007 By

A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Transportation says it looks like traffic deaths in the state will be right around the 10-year average once all the information is in.

Scott Falb monitors the information in the DOT’s Office of Driver Services. Falb says it looks like we’ll finish very close to last year at 439, which he says is near the 10-year average of 442.

Falb says there is something encouraging in looking at the fatality numbers from the past two years. In 2005 we went up to 450 traffic deaths and if there are a couple of years below that, and then a drop next year, then you can say we’re in a small trend.

July was the worst month in 2007 with 51 people losing their lives. Falb says that’s probably due to good weather and travel conditions as there were a lot of people on the road — including more motorcycles — and the number of motorcycle deaths were also up in that month. He says overall motorcycle deaths hit 62, the highest total since 1982, and he says the jump in July is part of the reason.

Falb says the jump in motorcyle deaths in the last 11 years is dramatic.  In 1996 Iowa recorded 6 motorcycle deaths and Falb says,"to have the numbers tansposed and have 61 now is a very significant increase" that far outstrips the increase in motorcycle registrations.

Falb says part of the increase in motorcycle deaths is likely due to older riders getting back on bikes as he says a lot of the riders are "middle aged" men who gae up riding when they had families and are getting back on bigger bikes and they haven’t taken safety courses. He says they’re on bigger bike with reflexes and vision that’s not as good as it used to be.

Falb says all the the traffic deaths for this year won’t be know for several months into the new year as it takes some time for reports to be completed sent into the department.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

Sunday no day of rest for candidates

December 30, 2007 By

The intensity of the race for the White House was seen across Iowa this weekend as candidates zipped around the state by bus, plane, van and car — hoping to lock in supporters who’ll turn out on Caucus Night. Each of the three Democrats locked in a tight battle here began their Sundays with interviews on nationally broadcast television shows, then fanned out across the state.

John Edwards made stops in five Iowa cities on Sunday. "Iowa Caucus-goers are looking for someone who will fight for them, who will stand up to the corporate greed that’s killing health care reform and energy transformation and a tax and trade policy that works for Americans," Edwards said during a telephone interview with Radio Iowa. "That’s what I will do. I will fight for them with everything I’ve got."

Barack Obama made stops in four Iowa cities on Sunday. "Just great crowds. Tons of people who are first-time Caucus-goers as well as previous Caucus-goers. The energy in the room is great. Our organization looks great on the ground," Obama said during an interview with Radio Iowa. "So, you know this is going to be a very close election but if we go into caucus with the same enthusiasm and energy we’re seeing out here then we think we’re going to do really well."

Hillary Clinton made four campaign appearances in Iowa on Sunday. "We want to talk about the positive changes I have brought in people’s lives and the ones that I will bring as president," Clinton said during an interview with Radio Iowa. "We want to run a campaign that really reaches to as many people as possible, answers their questions, provides them the support they need to make this important decision."

On the Republican side of the equation, polls show the race between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee to be too close to call.

Romney visited five Iowa cities Sunday. "I think it was very important for me very early on to make the decision to be fully engaged in the Iowa process…to win the White House, our nominee has to be able to win in Iowa and if the nominee of our party has just not put in the effort to try to win in Iowa, then the likelihood of being able to win in the fall against a Democrat is not very high," Romney said during an interview with Radio Iowa.

Mike Huckabee spoke with reporters after emerging from a church service Sunday morning in Des Moines. "I prayed for strength for the weak," Huckabee said. No one asked for clarification, so Huckabee could have been praying for strength for the days ahead — the week, instead of strength for the weak of heart, mind, body and soul.

The sermon Huckabee and his wife heard was about running the race. "It’s a lot like our church at home in Little Rock," Huckabee said, "so it felt very much at home."

Huckabee was a Baptist minister before entering politics.

 

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Polls show races too close to call

December 30, 2007 By

The three leading Democratic presidential candidates in Iowa and two of the Republicans appeared on the Sunday TV political talk shows. Democrat John Edwards on "Face the Nation" on CBS struck out at his two chief rivals. "Senator Clinton defends the system in Washington," Edwards said. "…I also don’t think this…sort of academic theory that you can be nice to people…will ever work."

Democrat Hillary Clinton on ABC’s "The Week" brought up the experience issue again. "Voters are trying to weigh each and every one of us. What people know about me is that I’ve been vetted and I’ve been tested," Clinton said. "…I don’t think there’s much doubt that I’m ready to go the distance."

Democrat Barack Obama on NBC’s "Meet the Press" suggested he, too, had been tested. "Look, I have been written about. I have been scrubbed. I have been vetted over the last year," Obama said. "…The people of Iowa…at this point know what I stand for."

Republican Mike Huckabee told "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert on NBC that no one has a clue who will win the GOP race on Thursday. "People in Iowa have been bombarded…not only on commercials, but also the mail," Huckabee said. "…I don’t know what kind of effect it has."

And during an appearance on "FOX News Sunday" Republican Fred Thompson, again, responded to a question about whether he has the "fire in the belly" to be president. "I’ve said that I don’t like every aspect of the way that people have to campaign nowadays in terms of process taking precedence over substance, but I’m in the middle of a 50 town tour in the state of Iowa, working day and night," Thompson said. "I think that pretty much speaks for itself."

Polls released on Sunday showed the Republican race between Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee too close to call.  Polls show Democrats Obama, Clinton and Edwards knotted in a sort of three-way tie heading in the January 3rd Caucuses.

 

AUDIO: Henderson report (mp3 runs 3 min)

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Ag Secretary wants improved odor controls in 2008

December 29, 2007 By

The Iowa Secretary of Agriculture is calling for improved odor controls and conservation efforts in 2008. Republican Bill Northey says he hopes lawmakers will support a five year, $22 million initiative to battle livestock odors. Critics of the plan say livestock operations should foot the entire bill, rather than receive aid from Iowa taxpayers.

But Northey says other industries receive help through state economic development programs and farmers deserve the same treatment. "Generally, ag production or farmers don’t qualify for those," Northey says, "but we have an industry that’s very important. It’s a very important question – how can we do a better job managing those facilities? I think it’s the right kind of investment to make sure we have the science for them to be better neighbors and to have profitable operations."

Northey, who is a farmer from Spirit Lake, says conservation efforts will also be a top priority in 2008.  "We have a very productive state and very productive farmland," Northey explains, "so we’ve got to make sure we’re doing the right things on that land and the right things for the water." One ag project that will continue in 2008 is the effort to boost ethanol use.

Northey says the use of "blender pumps" or other marketing tools might push motorists to use higher blends of ethanol, rather than the dominant E-10. Blender pumps are designed to let consumers choose the amount of ethanol that will be mixed with gasoline. During his campaign for the office, Northey vowed to visit and hold town meetings in all 99 Iowa counties. He completed that mission this month.

Filed Under: Agriculture

Pubilc Safety Director says alcohol and young drivers don’t mix

December 29, 2007 By

New Year’s Eve can be a dangerous night on Iowa roads, especially because of motorists who have been drinking alcohol. Iowa Department of Public Safety Director Gene Meyer says young people represent a large percentage of the people killed every year in crashes involving drunk drivers.

"Tragically, nearly 30 percent of all victims who died in alcohol related crashes in Iowa from 1997 to 2006, were 25 year old or younger," Meyer says. Meyer is encouraging Iowans who are out tonight celebrating the new year, to designate a sober driver or to call a cab. He says more than 50 people are charged with OWI everyday in Iowa.

The Christmas and New Year’s holiday period is one of the more dangerous times of the year related to drunk driving. Last December and January, nearly 2,800 Americans were killed in alcohol-related crashes.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:
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