Cold Weather Closes Many Schools
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Many school districts in Iowa and Nebraska will remain closed Monday because of the dangerously cold weather.
Wind chills as cold as 55 degrees below zero are expected in parts of Iowa Monday morning, and Nebraska could see wind chills of 40 degrees below zero.
Many school officials decided that would be too cold to have students standing outside waiting for buses, so they cancelled. Listen to KLEM through out the day as we will update the list of school and business closings. KLEM will also place the closings on our website.
Pets Should Be Inside During Cold Weather
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Pet owners are being encouraged to bring their animals inside during the bitter cold snap.
Temperatures are predicted to fall to at least 15 degrees below zero Monday morning in Nebraska and Iowa. Then strong winds will make it feel 30-to-60 degrees below zero.
The Nebraska Humane Society says it’s best to bring pets inside during periods of extreme cold like this.
But if pets must remain outside, it’s important to make sure they have a solid structure to protect them with hay or straw inside for insulation.
Dogs also need constant access to water, so pet owners should use heated bowls during freezing weather.
A Boy Is The First Baby Born To Floyd Valley Hospital
(Le Mars) — A boy, named Ali Mohammed Muse, is the first baby born in the Floyd Valley Hospital for the new year of 2014. He was born on Friday, January 3rd at 11:34 a.m. The proud parents are Ibrahim Ahmed and Sadia Koronto. He weighed 6 lbs. 10 ounces and was 20 and a half inches in length. Dr. Aquino performed the delivery. Ali is being welcomed into the household by five sisters; Kowsar, Hawa, Qamar, Hanan, and Hayat.
Buena Vista Family Falls Victim To Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
(Storm Lake) — A Buena Vista County family suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning on Saturday. At about 4:30 a.m. a 911 call was received requesting an ambulance at a Lakeside residence. Upon arrival, it was discovered that there were six occupants in the residence, all requiring medical treatment due to dizziness and some occupants not being able to get up on their own. The family had been overcomed by carbon monoxide fumes in the residence. The father, mother, and children, ages 12, 7, 5, and 2 were all treated at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Alliant Energy has since repaired the malfunction in the furnace and determined that the home was safe to re-enter.
Trial To Begin On Baby Formula Causing Child’s Brain Damage
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Jury selection is expected to begin Monday in the lawsuit against the maker of an infant formula that’s being blamed for brain damage suffered by an Iowa girl.
5-year-old Jeanine Kunkel, of Sioux City, is unable to speak. She takes six medications a day and is given nourishment through a tube.
The lawsuit filed in February 2011 alleges that powdered Similac powder prepared by the girl’s mother led to Jeanine contracting bacterial meningitis that caused severe brain damage just days after Jeanine was born in April 2008.
Spokeswoman Tami Jones for Similac manufacturer Abbott Laboratories says all of Abbott’s powdered infant formula products are extensively tested before release to ensure they meet nutritional needs and to ensure the their safety.
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Snowmobile Accident Claims Life
MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) – A 31-year-old Mount Pleasant man has died after a snowmobile accident in southeast Iowa.
Authorities say Justin Smith was heading south along the Skunk River near the Ketchum Bridge campground in Henry County when the accident occurred a little after 9 p.m. Saturday.
Authorities say Smith was pronounced dead later at Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant.
Other details about the accident haven’t been released. The investigation is continuing.
Iowans Wonder If They Are Covered Under The Federal HealthCare Program
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The federal health care law is now in effect, but many Iowa residents are still trying to figure out their new insurance plans or are continuing to seek health coverage.
January 1st marked the first day for many provisions of the new law, including insurance coverage for those who signed up for private plans on the federal enrollment website. Iowa’s modified Medicaid expansion – which uses federal dollars to offer coverage to some low-income Iowans – also started that day.
Experts at insurance companies, health clinics and enrollment centers say they’ve been busy fielding questions from people who either have coverage or need it. And some Iowa residents who thought they might be getting Medicaid coverage remain in limbo due to processing delays by the federal government.
