Tag: Iowa

Healthcare, Iowa, Justice2 Comments

State-certified caregiver charged with sexual exploitation of a minor

Gary Dickson

A state-certified caregiver has been arrested and charged with sexually exploiting a minor while employed by an Iowa nursing home.

The most recent case, and the only one in which criminal charges have been filed, involves Guider’s employment at the Pleasantview Home in Kalona.

Over the past 12 months, Martell Guider, a 36-year-old male certified nursing assistant, has been the subject of complaints regarding a series of alleged incidents involving sexual impropriety at three Iowa nursing homes located in Audubon, Correctionville and Kalona. Continue reading State-certified caregiver charged with sexual exploitation of a minor

Crime, HealthcareLeave a comment

Nurse criminally charged in death of care facility resident

Gary Dickson

A nurse who allegedly failed to suction the airway of a U.S. Army veteran in an Iowa nursing home has been criminally charged in the man’s death.

Becky Sue Manning, 69, of Lake View, is charged with felony wanton neglect of a healthcare facility resident. According to prosecutors, Manning, a licensed practical nurse, refused repeated requests to provide physician-ordered care for a resident of the Fonda Specialty Care nursing home while working there in 2023 as an employee of the GrapeTree Medical Staffing temp agency.

In its written response to DIA’s findings, the facility’s owners, Care Initiatives of West Des Moines, said it does not admit to any statements, findings or conclusions by the state inspectors Continue reading Nurse criminally charged in death of care facility resident

Crime, Iowa, South Dakota, TransportationLeave a comment

Motor vehicle accident Monday leads to arrest for drug offenses

Gary Dickson

On Monday, March 18 at 3:52 p.m., The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office investigated a motor vehicle accident that occurred on Sioux County Road A54B, 14 miles northwest of Rock Valley, IA.

Sharon Kerschion, age 71, from Hudson, SD, was driving a 2002 Buick Century northbound on A54 when a 38-year-old male passenger, who was experiencing a mental health condition, distracted her by grabbing the steering wheel. Kerschion lost control of the vehicle and entered the west ditch where the vehicle came to rest on railroad tracks.

Simultaneously, while investigating the accident, the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office arrested Continue reading Motor vehicle accident Monday leads to arrest for drug offenses

Business, IowaLeave a comment

Sergeant Bluff entrepreneur wins SBA’s top state award

Gary Dickson

The owner of a catering business and event venue in northwest Iowa is being named the Iowa Small Business Person of the Year by the Iowa district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Cathy Bishop is the President of Aggies, Inc., a BBQ catering company in her hometown of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

A 1983 graduate of Texas A&M (the Aggies), Bishop spent ten years in Colorado as a bank examiner. She had always dreamed of being an entrepreneur though, and in 1994 she came home and opened Aggies. Aggies began as a restaurant with some catering, but in 2009 Aggies pivoted to catering full-time and turned the restaurant into an event venue.

Continue reading Sergeant Bluff entrepreneur wins SBA’s top state award

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

Agriculture, Environment, IowaLeave a comment

More than half of Iowa’s tested streams and lakes are ‘impaired’

Gary Dickson

There are at least 721 water body segments in Iowa that do not meet water quality standards for recreation, public water supplies and the protection of aquatic life, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR has drafted its latest list of “impaired” waters that it is required to submit to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency every two years. The list is based on data collected by the department and numerous other entities between 2020 and 2022, and it is used to guide restrictions for stream pollution for Continue reading More than half of Iowa’s tested streams and lakes are ‘impaired’

Commentary, Siouxland6 Comments

To whom it may concern

Gary Dickson

I’ve been wanting to write a multi-topic opinion column for some time. It’s not that I haven’t let my personal views seep into my reporting about various activities earlier. For example, you might want to look up one of my stories about the Union County Commission to see what I think about their workings. I admit that my writing isn’t always objective. So what? I own this site and I don’t get paid to write, photograph or post the stories that appear on it. So there.

You might consider this column in a similar light to Frank Costanza’s “Airing of the Grievances” on the classic Festivus episode during the Jerry Seinfeld Show. During that episode, many might remember, Frank — who was George Costanza’s father — stands up and shouts, “I’ve got a lot of problems with you people! Now you’re going to hear about them.” I loved Frank.

Continue reading To whom it may concern

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

Government, Iowa, PoliticsLeave a comment

House Democrats introduce proposals on collective bargaining, state retirement accounts

Gary Dickson

Iowa House Democrats laid out proposals Tuesday they say will help Iowa workers, including measures to add collective bargaining rights to the state constitution and raise the minimum wage.

Members of the minority party laid out five components of their proposal on workers’ pay. The bills introduced include House File 2293, which would gradually increase Iowa’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour by July 2026, House File 2300, extending the state’s sales tax-free holiday in August from two days to two weeks and House File 2338, extending state childcare assistance to children with parents or guardians employed at a childcare facility. Continue reading House Democrats introduce proposals on collective bargaining, state retirement accounts