Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker has announced the placement of a permanent Medication Drop box (Iowa Take Back drop box) located in the Jail lobby of the Sheriff’s Office located at 1400 Big Lake Road. Sheriff Danker said the drop box is made possible through a small grant from the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy to address the increasing problem of prescription drug abuse. The drop box will be accessible to the public during normal business hours or Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Citizens wishing to utilize the medication drop box are asked to place all medications in sealed nonbreakable containers and are requested to not include any “sharps” (syringes or lancets) or any other item that could cause injury to the Sheriff’s Office staff servicing the drop box. Remove all personal identification from your unneeded “controlled prescription drugs,” seal the medicines in vials and/or bags, take them to your nearest Iowa Take Back drop box site, and anonymously place your medicines in the secure drop box.

Find additional Iowa Take Back sites at: http://www.iowa.gov/odcp/drug_information/takebacks.html. Most prescription drug drop boxes are located a short distance inside the main public entrance of local law enforcement centers. If you have questions, call ahead to the law enforcement agency.

A semi truck driver in Iowa who suffered a medical condition might not be alive today if not for the fact that an ambulance happened to pass by shortly after the driver left a highway. It happened Sunday evening, not far from the Des Moines airport. Bob Soukup, spokesperson for the Indianola Fire Department, says two medics from Indianola were returning home from a Des Moines hospital following an EMS call when they came upon the semi truck in the median of Highway 5. They stopped and found the driver was unresponsive and without a pulse.

“They pulled the driver onto the ground and began CPR,” Soukup said. “They retrieved equipment from the ambulance and started rescue breathing and chest compressions, with the aid of bystanders.” The victim was in cardiac arrest and paramedic Jason Kling and EMT Kayla Schark used a defibrillator. “They were able to resuscitate the patient successfully and as they were preparing to transport him in the ambulance, he was regaining consciousness and speaking to them,” Soukup said.

Information about the semi truck driver, such as his name and age, were not released. But, Soukup said it’s expected the man will make a full recovery.

(Radio Iowa)

Two people were injured when a car collided with a pickup truck Monday afternoon, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office says the driver of a VW Jetta, 16-year old Christian Oscar Ramirez, of Afton, and his 18-year old passenger, Juanita Ramirez, of Afton, suffered possible/non-incapacitating injuries and were transported by Medic 1 ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. The driver of the pickup, 23-year old Roberto Hernandez Cruz, of Afton, was not injured. All three individuals were wearing their seat belts.

Officials say Cruz was traveling west on 167th Street at around 4:25-p.m., Monday, and stopped at the intersection with Highway 169. He didn’t see the approaching car, and proceeded into the intersection. The VW struck the pickup on the right side, causing $10,000 damage, altogether.

Cruz was cited for Driving with a Suspended license, Failure to Yield, and No Insurance-Accident related. Ramirez was also cited for Failure to have Insurance-Accident related.

An investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred Feb. 18th, in Exira, has resulted in the arrest of a woman on Child Endangerment charges. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says 35-year old Tammy Lynn Holloway, of Exira, was charged with two counts of Child Endangerment. Holloway was arrested at around 4:30-p.m. Monday and transported to the Audubon County Jail. She later posted bond and was released.

Also arrested in connection with the incident, was 36-year old Erik James Goldberg, of Exira. He was taken into custody last Thursday night (Feb. 18th). Goldberg posted a $2,000 Recognizance bond and was released on Friday.

Members of the Adair, and Cass County Boards of Supervisors will hold their regular, weekly meetings Wednesday morning. In Adair County, the Board will gather in the Boardroom at the courthouse in Greenfield, beginning at 9-a.m. During the meeting, the Board will discuss, and/or act on: Township Clerk wages; A Union Township Grant Application; Taxable Meals; and, a Child Abuse Prevention Grant. They’ll also receive a Manure Management Plan (MMP) update, and an IMWCA Workers’ Compensation Coverage Salary Worksheet.

At around 9:10-a.m., Wednesday, Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater will discuss a new hire and deputy probation. And, at around 9:20-a.m., County Engineer Nick Kaufman will present his regular report, which includes discussion with regard to the purchase of a snow plow truck for Fiscal Year 2017, and the awarding of contracts for rural county bridge projects.

In Atlantic, the Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet in their Boardroom at the Courthouse, beginning at 8:30-a.m. On their agenda is action on a Resolution setting the number of assistants in the County Attorney’s Office, the acceptance of bids and contract(s) for stock pipe and project pipe, and, a review of the Cass County/ISAC health insurance renewal with a representative from Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

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

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Iowa State University Theatre has announced that for the first time, it is accepting applications for freshman scholarships. The dollar amount of scholarships awarded will total $14,000, including two $2,000 scholarships. The scholarship are available through the generosity of Frank Ferguson, an Iowa State University alum.

Any student with a 3.0 high school G.P.A. who has been admitted and accepted to Iowa State University, majoring in Performing Arts with an emphasis in either
Acting/Directing or Theatrical Design and Technology is eligible. Applicants will need to complete a scholarship application form which can be found at http://tinyurl.com/h69zfum and e-mail a resume and two letters of reference to ISUTheatre@iastate.edu. Upon completing the application process, candidates will be
contacted to schedule an audition/interview time.

Scholarship auditions and interviews will be held on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at
Fisher Theater on the Iowa State University Campus in Ames. Actors will present a
three-minute audition consisting of two contrasting monologues. Design/technical
students will present a portfolio of their work, including a ten-minute presentation.

The audition/interview day will also include an interview with the Theatre
faculty scholarship committee, an informal discussion with ISU Theatre students, and
include a tour of the Fisher Theater facilities. Questions can be addressed to Associate Professor of Theatre Brad Dell at dellbrad@iastate.edu or by calling 515-294-0184.

Bill Menner, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa announced Monday, the availability of $232 million in guarantee home loan funding and more than $9 million in direct home loan funding to qualified rural Iowa households for the remainder of 2016.

With guaranteed lending a loan is made to a borrower by the lender following the same basic steps as a conventional loan. USDA Rural Development provides up to a 90 percent guarantee to the lender on qualifying loans, reducing the lender’s risk in the event of a default by the borrower. Direct home loans through USDA Rural Development feature 33-year loan terms and payment assistance is available.

USDA Rural Development’s guaranteed home loan and direct home loan programs offer competitive interest rates, fixed terms and require no down payment to help eligible families living in rural communities and areas purchase new or existing homes. Loans, and some grants, are also available to help families make needed repairs to their homes.

Typical income limits for a household of four are $75,650 for the guaranteed loan program and $49,450 for the direct loan program. Income limits vary by county and household size, so applicants are encouraged to contact USDA Rural Development staff for limits in their specific area. Eligible homes must be located in a rural area and/or a community of generally less than 20,000 residents.

Further information about housing programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by calling (515) 284-4444, or by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/ia, or emailing DirectIA@ia.usda.gov or rd-grhia@ia.usda.gov.

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

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Officials with the Trevor Frederickson Foundation have announced applications are currently being accepted for the 7th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship. Applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School Guidance Office at 1201 E 14th Street or the Atlantic High School website: www.atlanticschools.org

Two $750 scholarships are available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2016. Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain academic achievement of 2.5 or better. The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May.

Trevor Frederickson

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006. He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College in Creston where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans. Two additional $750 scholarships will be available for Southwestern Community College Students this fall.

Trevor, who passed away in 2009 had plans of pursuing a career in law enforcement and returning to his hometown of Atlantic. Fund for the scholarships are raised at our annual golf tournament. Plans are already in the works for the 8th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, August 13, 2016. Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.