The American Red Cross is asking you to roll-up your sleeve and give blood…the gift of life. Midwest Region Red Cross spokesperson April Oppliger, says blood donations were way down in May and June not only locally, but across the country. She says during those months, the American Red Cross saw 6 percent fewer donors than during the same period in past years.

April donations in the Midwest Region of the American Red Cross weren’t down as far as in other parts of the country, and the area is a little better off, because there is a dedicated corps of donors. She says the thing to remember is that the blood inventory is a national issue. The Midwest Region serves more than 80 hospitals in Nebraska, southwest Iowa and parts of Kansas and Colorado.

Oppliger says blood-donation numbers typically dip everywhere in the summer, because schools are out, and people are on vacation or enjoying other activities. This summer’s Missouri River flooding also has caused some complications for the Red Cross, because their blood mobiles couldn’t get to some of the places where they would normally would hold blood drives.

She says the need for blood knows no end. Every two seconds, someone in America needs a blood transfusion. That adds up to 5 million patients every year. The Red Cross must recruit enough donors each day to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients, people undergoing surgery, children with blood disorders and others. That amounts to more than 22,000 blood donations each weekday and about 15,000 each weekend. Yet less than 38 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood.

Oppliger said that if the downward trend in donor numbers continues, they‘re going to be in a bad situation.” Eligible blood donors are asked to call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org to find a blood drive and make an appointment.

The Red Cross Blood Mobile will be: in Atlantic Thursday, July 21^st, from Noon until 6-p.m., at the Catholic Parish Center; in Avoca on July 30^th, from 8:30-a.m. to 1:30-p.m. at the American Legion Building; On August 10th, at Mahle components in Atlantic, from Noon to 4-p.m.; and in Harlan on August 11^th, from 8am-2pm, at Myrtue Medical Center.

A Council Bluffs man is expected to appear in court later this month for sentencing, in connection with the alcohol-related death of a Harlan teen. 27-year old Dustin Thomas pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of supplying alcohol to an underage person.

Thomas had been accused of supplying booze to minors at a party in Harlan last October, that lead to the death of 17-year old Julio Caceres. Caceres died at an Omaha hospital on October 11^th, after he was found unconscious at a home in Harlan. Thomas admitted to investigators he brought a bottle of whiskey Caceres consumed, to the party.

He was arrested in February, following an investigation conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and faces up to 5 years in prison. He remains free on $5000 bond until he‘s sentenced in Shelby County District Court, on July 29^th.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a Lake City woman died and two passengers in her vehicle were injured, during a rollover accident early Monday morning in Carroll County. 19-year old Janelle Marie Woods died when she was ejected from the 1999 Ford Expedition she was driving, as it rolled several times in a high speed crash. The Patrol says she was wearing her seatbelt.

Officials say the SUV was westbound on 170^th Street at around 12:34-a.m. Monday, and traveling at a high rate of speed, when the vehicle went off onto the right shoulder of the road. When Woods steered hard to the left, the Expedition went out of control and rolled over. Woods died from her injuries.

The passengers in her vehicle, 28-year old Roger Hickerson, and 27-year old Ashley Hahn, were injured. The Patrol’s report didn’t indicate where they were from. Hickerson was also ejected, and suffered serious, incapacitating injuries. He was flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. A report on his condition was not available. Hickerson was not wearing a seatbelt. Hahn was also not wearing a seatbelt. She suffered serious, non-incapacitating injuries, and was transported by ambulance to the Carroll Hospital.

Officials at the hospital administered a blood test on Woods to test for alcohol or drugs, but the results of those tests are not yet available. The SUV sustained $8,000 damage during the crash.