Cedar Rapids native and NASCAR driver Joey Gase made a pit stop in Ankeny Thursday at the D-O-T Driver’s License station to encourage Iowans to sign up to be an organ donor. Gase got a quick education in organ donation as an 18-year-old when his mother Mary died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 2011 and he found out she wanted to donate her organs.

“I didn’t really know anything much at all about organ donation besides when you go to the D-M-V it’s just a quick yes or no question. And I feel like that’s how it is for a lot of people,” Gase says. “And at that time I honestly didn’t know if I was an organ donor and had to take out my license and see. And I was.” Gase says the toughest part was when doctors didn’t come out and tell him that his mom was going to get better. But he says the family takes comfort in the way the donation of her organs has helped others.

“We know now that she is very happy I am sure right now that she was able to help 66 people,” Gase says. He has a picture of his mother on the front of his car along with another picture of organ donor, Jessica Peine and the logo for the Iowa Organ Donor Network. Gase says his experience with his mom prompted him to continue supporting the organ donation cause.

“I learned how important it was and how many misconceptions there are out there and how many people are on the wait list, and I wanted to help all of that,” Gase explains. “One of the biggest misconceptions is — if I am an organ donor, the doctor is not going to do everything they can to save me — and I learned first-hand with my mom’s experience that’s not the case.” He says you should get the facts and make your choice about whether you would like to mark your driver’s license to be an organ donor.

“I really encourage everyone to donatelife.net and look up all the facts. Where a lot of people hear about donation is through movies and T-V shows and stuff like that, and that is where a lot of the misconceptions come from unfortunately,” Gase says. D-O-T Motor Vehicle Services Division director Mark Lowe says they are focusing on doing a better job of explaining how motorists can sign up to donate organs.

“We needed to make sure that our staff knew that was an important function of their job and when people come to the station they knew that they were not just being asked if they are an organ donor, but if they wanted to be one. As we’ve tracked that, we are continuing to see increases throughout the state,” Lowe says. The information about being an organ donor may be one of the last worries of people who are waiting in line to get a driver’s license or take a test.

“And that’s why one of the things we’ve coached our staff about is actually slow and make sure they understand the question and they have a chance to say yes to this,” Lowe explains. “And at the same time we want to make sure that the customers know that this is a decision that they can make, and it is easy to do just by saying yes.” He says a little more than half of drivers agree to mark their license indicating they want to donate their organs.

He says there are about two-point-one million licensed drivers and somewhere between 55 and 60 percent are organ donors. “Which really puts Iowa very well place nationally — but we just think we can do better every year,” Lowe says. Gase had his car at the event and people were encouraged to put their handprints in paint on the car and write a message in support of organ donation. He is set to run in the NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E-15 250 at the Iowa Speedway in Newton Sunday.

(Radio Iowa)

BOYDEN, Iowa (AP) – A former city clerk in northwest Iowa is accused of stealing from the city. Online court records say 53-year-old Beth Sipma is charged with theft in Sioux County. Authorities say more than $36,000 in improper and unsupported disbursements was discovered during a state audit requested by the city of Boyden. The report said nearly $31,000 of the total included payroll and reimbursement payments made to Sipma. Other disbursements included city credit card payments for more than $1,300 in airline tickets.

The audit said the city’s bank noted in April 2015 that Sipma received more than one electronic paycheck during several months. Sipma resigned after being asked about the payments, which she described as payroll advances.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The next “Healthy U” session this month at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, will be presented by Dr. Mark Johnson, MD and focus on “Summer Safety.” The educational session will be held at noon on Thursday, June 30^th in Conference Room 2 at CCMH.  Dr. Johnson will cover a wide variety of topics geared towards helping seniors have a safe, healthy summer. Dr. Johnson has worked at Cass County Health System for 29 years, and since 2012 has worked exclusively in the Emergency Department.

Johnson says “Summer presents a number of potential risks for older adults,” said Dr. Johnson. “We will talk about things like heat stroke, dehydration, and insect bites, but I’ll also cover general information about what to keep on hand for basic first aid.”

Healthy U is a free educational series offered by Cass County Health System that focuses on a different health topic each month. All registered attendees receive a healthy boxed meal in addition to the educational program presented by medical professionals.

For more information, or to make a reservation for Healthy U, call 712-243-7479.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says she wants to be sure that any proposal that would block those on a terror watch list from buying a gun has safeguards to protect the person’s rights. “There are things that we will be discussing when it comes to Second Amendment rights, are there additional things that can be done,” Ernst says. “We do have to ensure that there is due process with any American citizen that is being denied their rights.”

Presumed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump says he would ban those on the watch list from buying guns. Iowa’s other U-S Senator, Chuck Grassley says he would not because of concerns that the lists are not accurate. Ernst says she has some of the same concerns as Grassley. “There are many people who exist on these lists who shouldn’t be on these lists,” Ernst says, “mistaken names, maybe a typo. Many people have the same name across the nation. And so to deny them a right to purchase a firearm when they are not a criminal, just the average Joe out on the street — that’s wrong.”

Ernst says she voted against a measure last year to ban those on watch lists from obtaining guns for that very reason. “I did support another amendment that would block suspected terrorists from obtaining a gun for up to 72 hours. And during that time, the F-B-I is able to investigate the individual to either confirm or rule out the identity and the suspected connection to terrorism of that individual,” Ernst says. She says the measure she supported is better than simply instituting a ban.

“This one provides due process, it delays the transfer of the firearm. And if the F-B-I did find out something, then they would be able to put a motion into the court system to stop that transfer. That’s common sense,” according to Ernst. Ernst also reiterated what she said earlier this week, that she does not support an outright ban on Muslims into the U-S. She says she does favor properly vetting all those who are coming into the country to ensure they do not have terrorist ties.

(Radio Iowa)

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

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Indiana man has been sentenced to life in prison under a federal “three strikes” law after he was convicted of robbing a Muscatine bank. Thomas Alexander Davis III was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Davenport.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque police officer has been ticketed after causing a minor two-vehicle crash. The Telegraph Herald reports that 32-year-old Officer Ann Dauderman was cited Wednesday with failure to maintain control of her squad vehicle. According to a crash report, Dauderman was westbound in her squad car just before 2 a.m. Wednesday when she turned and collided with a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old Dubuque man.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — A proposal to build a psychiatric hospital in the Quad Cities has been paused for the third time by a state board’s inability to gather its members for a meeting. The Des Moines Register reports that the $14 million project in Bettendorf would add 72 psychiatric beds to Iowa. But developers haven’t been able to have a hearing with the full Iowa Health Facilities Council, the body that allows such projects to move forward.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A 33-year-old Davenport woman is being held in the Scott County Jail after police say she sexually abused a 13-year-old boy. The Quad-City Times reports that the woman is being held on $10,000 bail. She’s been charged with third-degree sexual abuse and lascivious acts with a child. Each charge is a felony and punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports an Emerson man was arrested Tuesday afternoon on drug charges. 49-year old Scott Timothy Hall faces a Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of drug paraphernalia charge, following his arrest at around 3:30-p.m. His bond was set at $1,300. And, 43-year old Michael James Beveridge, of Omaha, was arrested late Tuesday night for: Possession of a controlled substance, interference with official acts, eluding, speeding, no proof of insurance, no valid drivers license, failure to use seat belts, and fraudulent use of registration. His bond was set at $4,400.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 22-year old Ebon Hackett, of Glenwood, suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, after the 2003 Pontiac he was driving left the road and entered a yard at 57890 Hilman Road. The car hit a pine tree, spun around and came to rest next to a large cottonwood tree. The accident happened at around 9:40-a.m., Tuesday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A sweltering heat wave is expanding as temperatures in the Midwest and South approach near record-setting levels in the waning days of spring. The National Weather Service says the number of states under heat advisories nearly doubled Thursday to 12. The affected states are Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. A Heat Advisory remains in effect from 1-p.m until 7-p.m. today for southwest Iowa (counties along and south of I-80)

Temperatures are forecast in the 90s across much of those states, but the humidity is expected to make them feel much hotter. Heat indexes are expected to hit 115 degrees in central Oklahoma and northeastern Arkansas.

The weather service in Little Rock said on Twitter: “It’s DISGUSTING out there!” In central Kansas’ Salina, the thermometer hit 106 degrees on Wednesday, tying the record for that date. Some relief is expected this weekend as the humidity decreases.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly survey of bankers suggests there’s been a slight improvement in the weak economic outlook for rural areas of 10 Western and Plains states.

A report issued Thursday on the Rural Mainstreet Index says it rose to 43.9 this month from 40.9 in May. Survey officials say any score below 50 on any of the survey’s indexes suggests that factor will decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the overall index has remained below growth neutral for 10 months. He says that over the past 12 months, farm prices are down 9.5 percent, grain prices are off 4 percent and livestock prices are down 15 percent.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.