NEWS BRIEFS: Driver charged in pickup vs. train accident; Nominations due for Van Buren school board; Ledger replacing copies of Wednesday paper; more

Driver charged in pickup vs. train accident 

Shawn Michael Reges of Mount Pleasant has been cited in the pickup vs. train accident that occurred about 7:08 p.m. Monday east of Fairfield.

The 16-year-old was cited for having no insurance, having no driver?s license and failure to obey a yield sign.

 According to the Iowa State Patrol crash information report, Reges was driving a 1997 Ford F-150 pickup northbound on 213th Street and crossed the railroad tracks in front of a westbound Amtrak train.

 An Amtrak Media Relations-Chicago spokesman said the train struck the rear of the pickup on the passenger side.

The state patrol report states the pickup spun around and came to rest on its driver?s side facing southeast.

Reges and his passenger Brianna Ranae Ramirez were taken by Jefferson County Area Ambulance to the Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant. The hospital does not release information about patients due to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, known as HIPAA, which covers privacy and security rules.

The Amtrak spokesman said no one aboard the train was injured and there was no damage to the train, but the train was delayed for one hour and 26 minutes.

According to the state patrol report, there are no controls at the railroad crossing, and both Reges and Ramirez were wearing seat belts, and neither were ejected from or trapped in the pickup.

Nominations due for Van Buren school board

KEOSAUQUA ? The regular school board election for the Van Buren Community School District will be Sept. 13, with polls open from noon until 8 p.m.

Several director district terms are expiring this year, including:

? Director District 2, Jean McIntosh;

? Director District 4, Stan Whitten;

? Director District 5, Kirt Horn; and

? Director District at-large, Kara McEntee.

Those who would like to run for election to the school board should contact the superintendent?s office for a nomination packet.

At least 37 signatures are required on nomination papers in the Van Buren school district.

Nomination papers can be filed with the district?s school board secretary beginning Monday. The final day to file papers is Aug. 4.

Ledger replacing copies of Wednesday paper

A printing-quality issue in Wednesday?s edition of The Fairfield Ledger resulted in the distribution of many copies with two unreadable pages.

The Ledger circulation department has tried to identify the Fairfield routes that received the bad copies and will insert replacement copies in today?s issue of The Ledger.

Anyone who received a bad copy is welcome to come to The Ledger office at 112 E. Broadway Ave. or call 472-4129 for a good copy.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the cooperation of our readers, said Ledger publisher Jeff Wilson.

Program to help students finish two-year degree

IOWA CITY (AP) ? A new program will give Iowa community college students the ability to earn their associates degree even if they transfer to one of Iowa?s public universities.

The Board of Regents announced Wednesday that a new transfer application will allow students enrolling from community colleges to express their interest in applying future credits towards the completion of their two-year degrees.

The community colleges they come from will be responsible for evaluating credits and advising students on the requirements for completing their associates degrees.

In a news release, Iowa education officials say the program will help educate Iowa?s workforce by giving students a new pathway to complete their two-year degrees. Details about the program will be available at www.transferiniowa.org.

More Lyme disease cases showing up in Iowa

DES MOINES (AP) ? An Iowa health official says cases of Lyme disease are on the rise in the state.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried and spread by ticks that can result in fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic ?bulls-eye? skin rash. If left untreated, it can spread and damage the joints, the heart and nervous system.

Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, the Iowa Department of Public Health?s medical director, said Lyme disease appears to be far more prevalent in Iowa than it was in the 1980s.

The Des Moines Register reports that in 2000, the state recorded 34 cases. That number jumped to 97 in 2006, and topped 100 cases from 2007 to 2009. Last year, 87 cases were reported across the state.