COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (July 29, 2019) — To help address the current emergency blood shortage, all who come to give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross July 29 through Aug. 29 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types available and less than a two-day supply of type O blood. Individuals can schedule an appointment to give now by activating Amazon’s Alexa Red Cross Blood Skill by saying, “Alexa, find a blood drive,” or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). 

With the help of a generous $1 million donation from Amazon, the Red Cross hopes to motivate donors to roll up a sleeve and alleviate the blood shortage across the country. Amazon’s partnership with the Red Cross is part of their commitment to “Right Now Needs” to help increase blood donations to ensure patient needs are met.

The Red Cross urges individuals across the country to roll up a sleeve today to ensure blood is available for patients across the country. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes. Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

Some area upcoming blood donation opportunities July 29-Aug. 15:

Adair County: Greenfield, 8/14/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Methodist Church, 108  SW 5th Street

Adams County: Corning, 8/8/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Community Center, 601 6th Street

Audubon County: Audubon, 8/7/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 2050 Hwy 71 N

Cass County: Anita, 8/7/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Community Center, 805 Main Street; Atlantic: 7/31/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital, 1501 E. 10th Street; 8/2/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Walmart Supercenter, 1905 E. 7th Street

Montgomery County: Stanton, 8/11/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Viking Center, 501 Elliot

Page County: Clarinda, 8/2/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Lied Center, 1140 E Main

Pottawattamie County: Council Bluffs, 8/9/2019: 6 a.m. – 12 p.m., Ameristar, 2200 River Road, and from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ameristar, 2200 River Road; Crescent, 8/10/2019: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Fire Station, 102 West Florence.

Shelby County: 8/3/2019: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Shelby Community Building, 500 East Street; Elk Horn, 7/30/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street; Harlan, 8/13/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., CDS, 3107 Shelby Street; Irwin, 7/31/2019: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Irwin Community Building, 504  Ann Street.

Union County: Creston, 8/6/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Homestead of Creston, 1709 W. Prairie St

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say firefighters rescued a 4-year-old girl from a Waterloo apartment fire. Firefighters who responded to a report around 7:50 p.m. Saturday found the girl inside the smoke-filled apartment. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that she was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Her name hasn’t been released. Fire officials say the blaze started after food was left unattended while being cooked.

Officials with the Stuart Police Department posted a message on their social media page, Sunday, with regard to vandalism. The message said “Crime can happen to anyone, including police departments.” Authorities said early Sunday morning, a patrol car was vandalized. Images posted along with the message show a broken side-view mirror and a tire that was either slashed or the air was let out of, causing it to go flat.

Pictures from the Stuart PD Facebook page

Officials ask residents in Stuart to “Please keep an eye out for not only your own property, but the property of those around you. If you see something, say something.”  The true victims of this vandalism are the citizens of Stuart.”  If you have any information about the incident, you’re asked to call Guthrie County dispatch at 641-747-2214 or send a private message to Stuart IOwa Police Department, on their Facebook page.

Two women from Cass County were arrested Sunday night in Montgomery County. The Sheriff’s Department reports 20-year old Sydney Jo Redler, of Atlantic, was arrested at around 9:30-p.m. on a charge of Simple Assault. And, at around 9:40-p.m., 19-year old Marie Edna Amos, of Griswold, was arrested for Possession of Alcohol under the legal age. Both arrests were the result of an incident at 91 Main Street, in Elliot. Redler was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond, while Amos was released on a citation with a future court date. Red Oak Police assisted in making the arrests.

And, at around 6-p.m., Sunday, 37-year old William James Bartlett, of Brown Summit, North Carolina, was arrested on two valid Montgomery County warrants: Violation of Probation, and Violation of a No Contact Order. Bartlett was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Hundreds of communities line the Mississippi River, but Davenport, Iowa, is among the few where people can dip their toes into the water without scaling a flood wall or levee. It’s a point of pride in Davenport but after historic flooding this spring inundated some of the city’s trendiest restaurants and shops, residents are confronting a painful question: Can they remain connected with the river without being overwhelmed by it? The mayor has formed a task force to consider options.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials who want to profit off their government experience and connections after leaving office face virtually no obstacles in becoming lobbyists, unlike most states that bar them from switching roles. A report by consumer-rights group Public Citizen says Nebraska is one of seven states with no restrictions on former lawmakers, governors or other elected officials. Nebraska stands in contrast to Iowa, which the group praises for having tough “revolving door” laws.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an Iowa child care provider left a 1-year-old alone for nearly two hours in a portable crib in a downstairs furnace room before discovering that the child was cold to the touch. The Des Moines Register reports that a Department of Human Services revoked the license of provider Jenna Dale, of Indianola, last week, following the death in April of Nash Bloem.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police in northeastern Iowa say a Waterloo woman wounded in an accidental shooting is expected to recover. The Courier reports that the woman was taken to a hospital following the shooting Thursday night. Police say first responders were called to a home around 10:15 p.m. Thursday and found the woman with a single gunshot wound to the torso. Officers say a man at the house was handling a handgun when it accidentally fired.