Tag: Health

Business, Government, HealthLeave a comment

Restaurant inspection update for April: Undated food, dirty carts, bare hands

Gary Dickson

State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa and South Dakota restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in recent weeks, including unsourced beef, lack of food thermometers, unclean equipment, handling food with bare hands, repeat violations and dirty kitchens.

The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. South Dakota food establishment inspections are handled by the South Dakota Department of Health. Listed below are some of the findings that stem from inspections at Siouxland restaurants and convenience stores over the past four weeks or so.

Continue reading Restaurant inspection update for April: Undated food, dirty carts, bare hands

Environment, South Dakota2 Comments

EPA data: South Dakota industrial chemical releases rise amid national decline

Gary Dickson

Most mountain and plains states have seen reductions in pollutants released to the air, water and soil since 2013 at a rate of decline more than double the national average.

In South Dakota, though, toxic releases increased by 16%.

That’s according to recently published 2022 data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxics Release Inventory. Continue reading EPA data: South Dakota industrial chemical releases rise amid national decline

Health, Iowa, SiouxlandLeave a comment

Board: Acupuncture patient was abandoned, called sheriff’s office for help

Gary Dickson

An Iowa man had to call the sheriff’s office for assistance after his acupuncturist inserted needles into his body, then went home and fell asleep, according to the State Board of Medicine.

Board records and a report from the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office indicate that on June 12, 2023, a male patient went to the Rock Rapids office of XiaoDong “Dave” Wang, a state-licensed acupuncturist. According to the board, Wang inserted acupuncture needles into the man’s body, left the Wang Acupuncture Clinic, went home and fell asleep. Continue reading Board: Acupuncture patient was abandoned, called sheriff’s office for help

Business, Health, SiouxlandLeave a comment

Marching through restaurant inspections in Siouxland – Update for Iowa and S.D.

Gary Dickson

State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa and South Dakota restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in recent weeks, including poorly cooked beef, lack of food thermometers, unclean equipment, handling food with bare hands, repeat violations and dirty kitchens.

The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. South Dakota food establishment inspections are handled by the South Dakota Department of Health. Listed below are some of the findings that stem from inspections at Siouxland restaurants and convenience stores over the past five weeks.

Dig in to the details. Continue reading Marching through restaurant inspections in Siouxland – Update for Iowa and S.D.

Health, South DakotaLeave a comment

South Dakota’s high healthcare costs causing many to skip treatments

Gary Dickson

The high cost of obtaining health care in South Dakota – ranked second most expensive in the nation – is prompting some residents to forgo necessary medical care over worries they cannot afford it, according to a recent national data analysis.

South Dakota is followed only by North Carolina in a new national ranking of healthcare expenses based on the cost of medical care and insurance. At nearly $12,500 per year, the state has the highest per-capita healthcare spending rate among all Great Plains states, the data show. Continue reading South Dakota’s high healthcare costs causing many to skip treatments

HealthLeave a comment

Spencer Hospital nurse charged with overdosing patients

Gary Dickson

An Iowa hospital nurse has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that she deliberately overdosed patients with medications.

Rachel Faith Martinez, 36, of Peterson, is charged with six criminal violations related to her work at Clay County’s Spencer Hospital in late 2022.

The charges include two felony counts of obtaining a prescription drug by deceit and four counts of wanton neglect of a dependent adult by a caretaker, a serious misdemeanor. Continue reading Spencer Hospital nurse charged with overdosing patients

Health, SiouxlandLeave a comment

Sioux City pharmacy fined for life-threatening medication error

Gary Dickson

A Sioux City pharmacy with a history of regulatory violations has been fined for a medication error that led to a life-threatening situation for a customer.

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy alleges that on Oct. 4, 2023, Greenville Pharmacy in Sioux City incorrectly filled a prescription for a customer who then began taking the drug.

Three weeks later, the customer was treated in the emergency room of a hospital and was then admitted for what the board says was a “life-threatening condition resulting from this medication error.”

Greenville Pharmacy was charged Continue reading Sioux City pharmacy fined for life-threatening medication error

Health, Siouxland1 Comment

Restaurant inspection update for February

Gary Dickson

State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in recent weeks, including poorly cooked chicken, lack of food thermometers, unclean equipment, handling crab meat with bare hands and dirty kitchens.

The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are some of the findings that stem from inspections at Siouxland restaurants and convenience stores over the past four weeks. Continue reading Restaurant inspection update for February

Humor, Pondering and WanderingLeave a comment

If this is Grape Nuts, it must be Thursday

Gary Dickson

The late, great singer-songwriter John Prine wrote that he tried to stare down a bowl of oatmeal — and lost. I try to stare down an entire shelf full of different kinds of cereal each and every day. I usually win. But sometimes I lose.

And for the record, I don’t care much for oatmeal, so it doesn’t get any consideration here, except in its connection to John Prine, who I miss, a lot.

Anyway, I need my cereal. Why? Because it helps me keep the days of the week straight. Continue reading If this is Grape Nuts, it must be Thursday

Health, IowaLeave a comment

Iowa nurses sanctioned for drug theft, fraud and being drunk on the job

Gary Dickson

The Iowa Board of Nursing has revoked the license of a Cedar Rapids hospital nurse accused of repeatedly showing up for work while intoxicated.

Other Iowa-licensed nurses recently sanctioned by the board included two nurses from Sioux City: Theresa Hofmeister and Marcia Naberhaus. Continue reading Iowa nurses sanctioned for drug theft, fraud and being drunk on the job