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Touring Atlantic
Health care law could spur new services
About 20 Crestonians viewed condominiums built by Don Sonntag during a two and a-half hour bus tour in Atlantic Saturday. ■
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
DES MOINES (MCT) — Elements of the nation’s new health care law have county public health departments looking at potential new roles. Des Moines County Public Health Director Barb Baker said the Affordable Care Act will penalize hospitals and physicians who too often release patients too soon, causing them to return the hospital for re-admittance within 30 days. She said she expects home care will be used to monitor patients after release from the hospital, in an effort to avoid a return trip for a hospital stay. “The reason we are appropriate for that is we have a sliding fee scale,” she said, noting patients pay what they can afford, regardless of insurance status. Henry County’s public health office already is offering follow-up care for people recently released from the hospital. Under a contract with the University of Iowa, Henry County Public Health started the Transitions in Care program in July The program has public health nurses follow patients for 30 days after they are released from the hospital. The follow-up care gives the nurses a chance to spot potential problems while making sure the patients have set needed appointments and understand their medications. It also gives patients a chance to ask questions before problems arise that could send them back to a hospital bed. The Transitions in Care program is funded through a federal grant from the university. Johnson also said public health offices are positioned uniquely to respond to elements of the Affordable Care Act that push preventative measures. He noted hospitals tend to react to health issues, while public health departments are looking at preventing future health concerns. Baker agreed, adding the trend toward prevention has been gaining speed. “Prevention is the way health insurance, and companies are going - the way the whole health care community is starting to think,” she said. ——— ©2014 The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa) Distributed by MCT Information Services
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TLANTIC — Crestonians received a thorough viewing of condominiums built by private developer Don Sonntag during a two and a-half hour bus tour all across Atlantic Saturday. Sonntag has built about 175 condominium units in the Atlantic area over the past 40 years. In January, he made a proposal to Creston City Council to build at least 14 condominium units in the Cottonwood Subdivision in Creston. The bus tour Saturday around Atlantic was organized by Creston Administrator Mike Taylor so that city council members, local real estate agents and interested Creston citizens could view Sonntag’s condominiums in person. The first stop on the tour was a 1,229 square-foot condominium on a slab with two bedrooms, two baths, large
CNA photo by KYLE WILSON
Following a bus tour Saturday, Don Sonntag — private developer from Atlantic — answers questions from interested Crestonians about the condominium area he’s proposing to build in the Cottonwood Subdivision in Creston. One of those interested Crestonians was local real estate agent Dennis Carter, pictured here sitting left of Sonntag.
one car garage with an estimated cost of $149,950. This is one of the two floor plans Sonntag proposed in January. What did they think? “You get what you pay for with that unit,” said local contractor John Kawa, one of about 20 Crestonians on the bus tour. “It had cheaper doors and trim. If you were car buying, this would be the economy car on the lot.” Paul Eckhoff, commercial and residential real estate
A 5 week financial course for everyone
agent, agreed the first condominium unit shown was generic, but said the $149,950 asking price for a new condominium — because of the rise in cost for building materials — is not out of line in today’s housing market. The unit shown did not have a storm shelter or safe room. Gay Lynn Owens, local real estate agent, recommended Sonntag include that in the proposed floor plan because having a safe place
to go during severe weather is a priority for potential buyers in Creston — especially with the EF2 tornado that ripped through town in April 2012 still fresh in their minds. Sonntag said adding a storm shelter or safe room would not be a problem, but there would an additional price. “It seemed to be a concern,” Sonntag said this morning. “Adding one wouldn’t be tough to do. I will get to work on that and get a number together for the cost.”
Second stop
After viewing the first unit, Sonntag came aboard the bus with the other passengers and provided an hour-long informational tour around Atlantic of almost all the condominium areas he’s developed over the past 40 years. “He showed us everything from his new condominiums to the ones he built in the ‘70s,” said Nancy Loudon, Please see TOUR, Page 2
Contributed photo
Above is the exterior of the larger condominium proposed by Don Sonntag.
Super senior:
Creston High School senior Sarah Waigand, who is an aspiring fashion designer, displays her creations at Creston:Arts gallery, 116 W. Adams St., this month. At an artists’ reception Friday, her grandmother Becky McNichols, left, Kate Coen and great aunt Sue Henderson examine the renaissance-inspired details of a costume Waigand created for the CHS musical “Once Upon a Mattress.”
CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
Greenfield unplugged: Carol Miller prepares to take her turn during a card game at Hotel Greenfield Saturday afternoon. The game was organized as part of the National Day of Unplugging (NDU) from sundown March 7 to sundown March 8. Individuals were encouraged to unplug from digital devices and connect with others. Events ranged from card games and photography classes to wine tasting and ballroom dance lessons. Greenfield and Chicago were the only two approved NDU events in the Midwest.
CNA photo by SARAH BROWN
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Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Deaths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
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