ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a bill that provides increased state funding and coordination for an apprenticeship program to train workers in skilled jobs including those in construction and information technology.

Standing in front of the giant new data center under construction in Altoona in which Facebook is investing nearly $1 billion on Tuesday, Branstad said a skilled workforce is extremely important and in high demand in Iowa. Microsoft and Google also are building data centers in the state.

The bill provides over $3 million for the program which will be administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. A previous state apprenticeship program received about $1 million in funding.

The bill also provides about $3 million for other job training programs that will continue to be run through community colleges.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following an accident last Friday afternoon, in Braddyville. Officials say a 2007 Chevy Tahoe and a 1986 Toyota pickup collided at the intersection of Highway 71 and Mulberry Street at around 4:25-p.m.  The Tahoe, driven by 54-year old David Morgan, of Clarinda, was traveling south on Highway 71 and slowing to turn east onto Mulberry Street, when his vehicle was struck from behind by the Toyota, driven by 25-year old Trevor Allan Gray, of rural Blanchard.

Gray was cited for Following too close and No proof of Insurance.

A man dressed in camouflage and acting suspiciously was arrested last week in Page County.

Damon Dustin

Sheriff’ Lyle Palmer reports 40-year old Damon Curtis Dustin, of Braddyville, was charged Friday with Public intoxication, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct, after deputies investigated a report from Ross Park (east of Braddyville), about a man in the park armed with a crossbow and a machete. They found Dustin, who was in possession of a crossbow and several knives.

Dustin was brought to the Page County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa court reporters are expressing relief that a college in the state will offer a training program in the occupation this fall. The Sioux City Journal reports an estimated 60 percent of court reporters in Iowa are expected to retire within the next 10 years. Filling those vacancies was going to be difficult because the AIB College of Business in Des Moines ended a longtime court reporter program after the Iowa Supreme Court supported switching to digital audio reporting.

The courts changed course and decided court reporters were a better option, but with the business college ending its program, people had to travel to Minneapolis or St. Louis to take classes. Reporters say they’re pleased to hear Des Moines Area Community College will offer court reporting this fall.

A chase that began early this (Tuesday) morning following a traffic stop in Pottawattamie County, ended in Mills County with the suspect getting away. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy tried to stop a vehicle for speeding 84 in a 55-mile per hour zone near Macedonia at around 2-a.m., but the vehicle sped-off.

The chase ended with the vehicle crashing into a field off of Highway 34 near Emerson, in Mills County, but not before Mills County authorities deployed stop-sticks, which hit the vehicle but didn’t puncture the tires as intended. After the vehicle crashed, a Red Oak Police k-9 unit and Omaha Police helicopter Able 1 attempted to locate the driver of the vehicle, but were unable to do so.

The vehicle had Kansas license plates, but the VIN came back to a vehicle stolen out of Oklahoma. No other information is currently available.