AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State University is planning two events to replace what was the annual Veishea festival. University President Steven Leath said Monday that a February celebration will feature the sale of cherry pies as part of Valentine’s Day activities. A celebration of the arts will be held in April.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that plans for the next academic year include a community service project, a parade and college showcase and an event to welcome students back to campus for the start of spring semester. Leath ended the Veishea festival in August 2014, saying the alcohol-fueled party placed students at risk.

The American Red Cross says it has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations to prevent a shortage this winter. Busy holiday schedules in November and December contributed to about 1,700 fewer blood drives held across the country compared to the two previous months, which has resulted in about 50,000 fewer donations and reduced the blood supply. Donation appointments can be quickly and easily scheduled by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

In addition to winter bringing busy holiday schedules for many regular donors, severe winter weather can cancel blood drives, and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, may cause donors to be temporarily unable to give. Blood and platelet donors of all blood types are urged to make an appointment to donate.

Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities:

Adair County
Orient
Jan. 13: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Orient-Macksburg High School, 201 School St.
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Audubon County
Exira
Jan. 18: noon to 6 p.m., Exira Recreational Center, 106 N. Jefferson
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Carroll County
Halbur
Jan. 21: noon to 6 p.m., Community Center, 105 W. Second St.
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Cass County
Atlantic
Jan. 14: noon to 6 p.m., Atlantic Catholic Parish Center, 105 W. 5th St.
Jan. 19: noon to 4 p.m., MAHLE, 60428 Marne Road

Lewis
Jan. 28: noon to 5:30 p.m., Lewis Community Center, 400 W. Main St.
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Harrison County
Logan
Jan. 21: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Logan Magnolia High School, 1200 N. 2nd Ave.

Mondamin
Jan. 13: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., W. Harrison High School, 410 Pine St.
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Ida County
Galva
Jan. 22: 1 – 6 p.m., Methodist Church, 300 Crawford
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Mills County
Glenwood
Jan. 20: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Glenwood High School, 504 E. Sharp St.
Jan. 22: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Glenwood Resource Visitor’s Center, 711 S. Vine

Malvern
Jan. 27: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., E. Mills High School, 1505 E. 15th St.
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Monona County
Moorhead
Jan. 30: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Moorhead Community Center, 100 Oak St.
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Montgomery County
Red Oak
Jan. 25: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Faith Community Church, 2701 N. 8th St.

Villisca
Jan. 20: noon to 6 p.m., Community Center, 201 S. 3rd Ave.
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Page County
Clarinda
Jan. 15: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Clarinda Academy, 1820 N. 16th St.
Jan. 19: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 322 N. 16th

Shenandoah
Jan. 29: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Shenandoah Medical Center, 300 Pershing Ave.
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Pottawattamie County
Council Bluffs
Jan. 11: 12:30 – 6:15 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
Jan. 12: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
Jan. 17: 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Community of Christ, 140 Kanesville Blvd.
Jan. 18: 12:30 – 6:15 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
Jan. 19: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
Jan. 25: 12:30 – 6:15 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
Jan. 26: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., ConAgra Foods, 1023 S. 4th St.
Jan. 26: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., American Red Cross, 705 N. 16th St.
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Ringgold County
Mount Ayr
Jan. 19: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., First Christian Church, 201 W. Monroe
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Shelby County
Elk Horn
Jan. 12: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main St.

Westphalia
Jan. 14: noon to 6 p.m., St. Boniface Parish Center, 305 Duren St.
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Taylor County
Bedford
Jan. 13: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Bedford High School, 1006 Illinois St.
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How to donate blood
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), 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 have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a home or work computer prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

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

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The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold its regular, monthly meeting Wednesday evening in the Media Center at the High School, beginning at 5:30. During their session, the Board will hear a presentation from Larry Sigel, with the Iowa School Finance Information Services, with regard to the Certified Budget.

Afterward, the Board will act on various contracts and/or Letters of Assignment, and on accepting the resignations of several individuals. They include: Drew Duff, High School PE/Health teacher; Margo Magill, Junior Kindergarten teacher; Paulette Hansen, 4th Grade teacher; Rita McLaren, 1st Grade teacher; Rebecca Osborne, Early Childhood Special Education teacher; 6th Grade teacher Catherine Larsen; 5th Grade teacher Kathi Hansen; High School Science teacher Nancy Jenkins; High School Math/Science teacher Steve Baier; LmB Reading teacher Pam Tibken, and Head 7th Grade Football Coach, Mike McDermott.

Other Board action includes approval of: Early Retirement participants; Early Resignation incentives, and, the first reading of Series 300 Board Policies. Discussion items near the end of the meeting will include preliminary talks about the 2016-17 Budget, and an update on the Athletic Facilities Study from Activities Director Matt Alexander.

The Iowa State Patrol is investigating a fatal crash west of Mount Ayr in Ringgold County early Sunday morning. 30-year old Nicholas Grose, of Mount Ayr, was east bound on Highway 2 west of Mount Ayr and lost control around 3 A-M Sunday. Grose left the roadway and began to slide down the embankment of the north ditch. During this action, the unit began to roll multiple times, and Grose was ejected from the vehicle. Grose was dead by the time law enforcement responded around 8 A-M Sunday.

(Radio Iowa)

(Update 7:30-a.m.)

Firefighters from as many as eight communities battled a stubborn house fire late Monday night into early this (Tuesday) morning, in Harrison County. A dispatcher with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office told KJAN News there were no injuries. The blaze, at 501 2nd Street in Persia, began around 11:40-p.m., Monday. The house was a total loss. Crews remained on the scene until 6:25-a.m. today (Tuesday).

Photo courtesy Dave Archibald

During the night, firefighters fought to contain the flames through stiff winds and temperatures in the upper teens.  No other details are currently available.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say a 23-year-old man has claimed a $1 million Powerball prize, after buying the ticket in Sioux City. Joel Dominguez is a pipefitter for Performance Contractors, the firm that is building a fertilizer plant south of Sioux City. His ticket numbers matched the first five drawn Saturday night but didn’t match the Powerball number. It was bought at a Hy-Vee grocery store. His ticket was one of 25 across the country that won the $1 million prize.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — After several years of preparation and fundraising, plans to build a mosque in Dubuque have finally moved forward into the construction stage. The city has recently given the Tri-State Islamic Center the required zoning approval and building permit for the project. Center President Tauseef Khan said his group has raised about 70 percent of the $500,000 needed to construct the 4,300-square-foot mosque and school.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — With up to $1.4 billion at stake in Wednesday’s Powerball, questions about the drawing seem to be as abundant as the convenience-store kiosks offering tickets for the record-breaking jackpot. Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association say one of the most frequent complaints is that all the winners seem to be from certain states. For example, in the past two years, Missouri and Tennessee have each been home to three Powerball jackpot winners. But lottery officials, backed by mathematicians, say probabilities equal out over time.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Clinton is escalating her attacks on Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders as polls show the race for the party’s nomination for president tightening in Iowa. Clinton is criticizing the Vermont senator’s opposition to a 2005 gun control bill. She is calling Sanders proposal for single payer health care system a “risky deal,” saying it would “hurt more than help” a lot of American families.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials say a 23-year-old man has claimed a $1 million Powerball prize, after buying the ticket in Sioux City. Joel Dominguez is a pipefitter for Performance Contractors, the firm that is building a fertilizer plant south of Sioux City. His ticket numbers matched the first five drawn Saturday night but didn’t match the Powerball number. It was bought at a Hy-Vee grocery store.

Dominguez claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Clive on Monday. His ticket was one of 25 across the country that won the $1 million prize. No one matched all six Powerball numbers, and lottery officials expect the Powerball jackpot to hit $1.4 billion by Wednesday’s drawing.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green has announced his intention to run for the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 1. The seat is currently held by Republican Duane McFadden. Green will also run as a Republican in the June 7th Primary.

In a memo to the news media Monday evening, Green said he has lived in Atlantic since he was two years old. He graduated from the Atlantic High School in 1977 and served three-years in the Marine Corps before beginning a career in law enforcement with the City of Harlan, in 1980. After working about 18 months, he took a job in Texas, working for the private sector.

Green returned to law enforcement in 1986, when he joined the Atlantic Police force. Since he joined the force, he has held many responsibilities, including being an investigator in drug and child abuse cases, and has held several leadership positions. He became Police Chief in 2008, and says he does not want to become a politician, but rather “A statesman.”  Green says “The voters who put me in office deserve to have their voice heard.”

Steve Green, candidate for Cass County Board of Supervisors, District 1

He acknowledged that “While [he] has probably made as many people upset [during his 30-years on the Atlantic Police force] as [he] has pleased, [he] always put the department’s integrity and [his] personal honor before any personal or political gain.” Green says he’s running as a Republican because he is “Most closely aligned with conservative values,” but at the same time “Will look at every issue as closely as I can by every constituents’ view point.”

To date, the only other person who has announced their candidacy for the June 7th Primary, is Wendy Richter, who intends to run for Cass County Auditor. Current Auditor Dale Sunderman, a Republican, has hinted that he will not be running for re-election.

Persons interested in running for County Office may circulate nomination papers prior to first date for filing as well as during the filing period. Nomination papers and candidate information are available at the office of the county auditor and from the secretary of state: http://www.sos.iowa.gov.

In addition to County Auditor and District 1 Supervisor, these County positions will appear on the Cass County ballot for the 2016 PRIMARY ELECTION: Sheriff; District 4 Supervisor, and District 5 Supervisor.