Decorah High School is the highest-ranking IOWA school in a national publication’s list of the nation’s “gold, silver and bronze medal” schools. U-S News and World Report evaluated test scores and graduate rates from the nation’s 28-thousand high schools. Decorah ranked first in Iowa and 847th on the national list. The other top ten high schools WITHIN IOWA were Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Ames, West Liberty, Cedar Rapids Washington, West Des Moines Valley, Waukee, Cedar Falls and Ankeny Centennial. Locally, Shenandoah cracked the Top 25, coming in at 24th.

Other area schools recognized in the National Rankings and having earned a bronze medal include:

• The Audubon Middle-High School
• Bedford High School
• CAM High School
• Carroll High School
• Denison High School
• Essex Junior-Senior High School
• Griswold Middle/High School
• Guthrie Center
• Harlan
• Lenox
• Mt. Ayr
• Red Oak,
• Riverside
• Shenandoah
• Sidney
• Tri-Center
• Underwood.

Schools are ranked based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college.For more go to: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state judge has ruled that the Iowa Department of Transportation has the authority to order cities to remove automated traffic-enforcement cameras from highways and interstates.

The Des Moines Register reports the ruling Thursday is in response to a request for judicial review filed by Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Muscatine in 2015. The cities made the request after the DOT ordered some speed cameras turned off because they did not make interstate highways safer.

The three cities had argued that the DOT was infringing on cities’ ability to self-govern. But Judge Scott Rosenberg wrote that the DOT has the power to apply safety regulations on primary highways, and that the right doesn’t interfere with cities’ ability to enforce speed regulations.

A Des Moines official says the city will appeal.

Saturday, April 29th, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, a chance for you to get rid of unused, expired or unused prescription medications, no questions asked. Drop off your pills or patches between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The service is free and anonymous, but take note: Needles, sharps and liquids will not be accepted.

In the KJAN listening area, here are some of the drop-off sites:

Atlantic – the Atlantic Police Department at 23 E. 4th Street (inside drop box)

Council Bluffs – Walgreens (535 E. Broadway St.)

Lenox – Nucara #30 Pharmacy (107 N. Main)

Shenandoah – Shenandoah Police Dept. (400 W. Sheridan Ave.)

Carter Lake – Carter Lake City Hall (950 Locust St.)

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office (1400 Big Lake Road)

Glenwood – Glenwood Police Dept. (3 N. Vine St.)

Adel – Sumpter Pharmacy (628 Nike Kinnick Dr.)

Mt. Ayr – Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office (801 W. South St.)

(additional sites can be found at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html )

Last fall, more than 730,000 pounds of prescription drugs were turned in at about 5,200 Take Back Day sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,000 state and local law enforcement partners. The DEA says in the 12 previous Take Back events, more than 7.1 million pounds of pills were turned in.

Proper disposal of unwanted medicines is important. Most abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. They can lead to overdoses and accidental poisonings. Authorities say once-common methods of disposal, such as flushing medicines down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, pose potential safety and health hazards, so take this opportunity to get rid of those old prescription meds the safe way, by dropping them off at a site near you.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man found guilty last month of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of another man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. Sioux City television station KTIV reports 48-year-old Elias Wanatee was sentenced Thursday in Pottawattamie County for the February 2016 death of 50-year-old Vernon Mace, his girlfriend’s uncle. Officials say Wanatee will be eligible for parole in 35 years.

The sentence followed the second trial for Wanatee in the case. His first ended in a mistrial in December after Woodbury County jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Wanatee’s second trial was moved to Council Bluffs to avoid pretrial publicity.

Wanatee had argued that he acted in self-defense, saying Mace had threatened him with a gun weeks before.

An accident late this (Thursday) morning in Mills County resulted in two people being injured. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2017 Ford pickup driven by 62-year old Allan J. Garrow, of Broughton, IL., was eastbound on Highway 34 at around 11:10-a.m., just east of 330th Street, when for reasons unknown, the vehicle crossed the centerline and struck a 2006 Freightliner semi driven by 29-year old Michael William Stamp, of Neola.

After the impact, the pickup continued into the south ditch, while the semi rolled onto its side and blocked the road. Garrow, who was not wearing a seat belt, was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha. Stamp, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported by private vehicle to Mercy Hospital.

The accident remains under investigation. The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by Malvern Rescue and LifeNet.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports an Exira man, 28-year old Juston Phillip Travis, was arrested Thursday morning on a felony charge. Travis was taken into custody at around 8:30-a.m. for Failure to Comply with Iowa Sex Offender Registry requirements/2nd offense. The charge is the result of an investigation into where Travis was reportedly residing.

Travis was booked into the Audubon County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond. The incident remains under investigation, with additional charges pending.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa City man has claimed the $2 million Powerball prize he won during a drawing in July. Iowa Lottery officials say Jeff Wolf turned in his winning ticket Thursday morning at lottery headquarters in Clive. He’d bought the ticket at a Hawkeye convenience store in Cedar Rapids. The ticket matched five of the numbers drawn July 16 but missed the Powerball number. Because Wolf also bought the Power Play option, the $1 million prize was multiplied to $2 million.

He told lottery officials that he knew shortly after the drawing that he’d won, but he waited to claim the money while working through estate issues following the death of his parents.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Former ‘Bachelor’ Chris Soules has hired a high-profile law firm to defend him after he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident that killed another Iowa farmer. Alfredo Parrish and two colleagues from Parrish’s Des Moines firm informed the court Thursday they are representing the reality TV star. The firm plans to issue a statement later Thursday, which would be the first word from Soules’ defense since the crash Monday night in northern Iowa.

Authorities say Soules’ truck rear-ended a tractor driven by 66-year-old Kenneth Mosher on a road near Aurora, causing Mosher’s death. They say Soules called 911 to report the accident and seek help for Mosher before leaving the scene in another vehicle. Soules was arrested at his Arlington home hours later.

A Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy was injured during an attempt to arrest a man Wednesday evening. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Ryan Johnson suffered minor injuries when he attempted to subdue 41-year old Jeremy Ronald Peterson, of Lewis. Dispatch reports had indicated Peterson was attempting to break into a home in Lewis and may have been intoxicated or under the influence. Deputy Johnson deployed his Taser before arresting Peterson for felony Assault on a Peace Officer, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Interference with Official Acts CAUSING BODILY INJURY. The latter charges are serious misdemeanors. Peterson remained in the Cass County Jail today (Thursday), on $5,000 bond.

And, on Tuesday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 59-year old Raymond Richard Frost,  of Altoona, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. Frost was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,000 bond.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say a rural Cass County woman was cited for “Disorderly House,” following a disturbance Wednesday morning. Deputies were dispatched to a home southwest of Griswold a little after 6:30-a.m. following a complaint. Before they arrived on the scene, the incident turned into a “disturbance.” 48-year old Katherine Eden, of Griswold, was cited for the offense.

Authorities said also, a traffic stop Wednesday morning on vehicle whose registered owner had an arrest warrant, resulted in 23-year old Destiny Fredette, of Council Bluffs being taken into custody for Making a False Report. Bond was set at $600.

And, a man from Tennessee was arrested Wednesday night following a traffic stop in Pottawattamie County. A back seat passenger in the vehicle, 25-year old Andrew James Carr, of Cowan, TN., was arrested for carrying/concealing an automatic handgun.