U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley has closed the gap with Republican State Sen. Joni Ernst, leaving the Iowa U.S. Senate race a 47 – 47 percent dead heat, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today (Monday). Four percent remain undecided. That as compared to results of an October 29 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, showing Sen. Ernst at 49 percent and Rep. Braley at 45 percent.

The latest results show independent voters divided 44 – 44 percent. Republicans back Ernst 95 – 2 percent. Democrats back Braley 94 – 5 percent. Men and women still are locked in a reverse gender gap as women back the Democratic man 51 – 42 percent, while men back the Republican woman 52 – 44 percent. Braley leads 56 – 36 percent among those who already have voted.

One day before Election Day, 95 percent of Iowa likely voters who name a Senate candidate say their mind is made up, while 5 percent say they might change their mind. Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll, says “Iowa’s U.S. Senate race is a dead heat. The candidate who best gets his or her folks to the polls is going to win.”

Iowa likely voters remain divided on their feelings about the candidates:
• Ernst gets a 47 – 45 percent favorability;
• Braley gets a 43 – 45 percent likability score.

In the Iowa Governor’s Race, State Sen. Jack Hatch, the Democratic challenger in the governor’s race, inches up on long-time Republican Gov. Terry Branstad and now trails 52 – 41 percent among likely voters. This compares to Gov. Branstad’s 56 – 37 percent likely voter lead in an October 29 Quinnipiac University poll.

Men, women, Republicans and independent voters all back the long-time governor, while Democrats back Hatch 82 – 12 percent. Hatch leads 52 – 37 percent among those who already have voted.
Only 5 percent of voters who name a candidate say they might change their mind by tomorrow, while 95 percent say their mind is made up, Branstad gets a 57 – 35 percent favorability rating, compared to Hatch’s 36 – 27 percent score, with 34 percent who still don’t know enough about him to form an opinion.

From October 28 – November 2, Quinnipiac University surveyed 778 likely voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.

Two people were arrested recently on separate charges, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Dept. says 31-year old Jason Michael Eppenbaugh, of Red Oak, was arrested Friday on a Warrant for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. Eppenbaugh was taken into custody at around 8:15-p.m. near the intersection of Highways 34 and 59.

And at around 2-p.m. Sunday, 30-year old Robyn Leigh Salmons, of Independence, Mo., was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of  Burglary in the 3rd degree.

With Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston report the arrest on Sunday of 23-year old Joshua Lee Jones, of Creston. Jones was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on two warrants for Probation Violation and Failure to Appear. Jones was being held in the jail without bond, while awaiting an appearance before the magistrate.

And on Oct. 29th, the Creston P-D took a report about a theft. Jason Keller said someone entered his vehicle as it was parked in the 800 block of west Mills Street, and took a .357 Ruger, a ,380 gun, and a Bow Tech Destroyer bow. The theft occurred sometime between 3:25-p.m. Oct. 27th, and 3:30-p.m. Oct. 29th.

The loss was estimated at $1,100.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The arrival of November means it is American Diabetes Month. It comes as the prevalence of the disease continues to rise across the state and nation. The latest numbers show about 250,000 people in Iowa have diabetes, and for the U.S. as a whole, it’s 29 million.

The toll on their health can be great, says Daphne Haselhuhn, event coordinator of the Iowa chapter of the American Diabetes Association. “Your kidneys, eyesight, cardiovascular, gum disease,” she points out. “All those things are things that play into a role as far as living with diabetes or having those blood sugars that might be a little high and having pre-diabetes and not managing it.”

About 95 percent of those people who have diabetes have Type 2, which healthier lifestyle choices with nutrition and physical activity can help prevent. Haselhuhn notes that even some simple, small changes with healthy eating and regular exercise can greatly reduce the risk. “We recommend exercise at least 30 minutes a day and that can even be parking at the very end of the parking lot, instead of up close to your door, just simple things like that,” she stresses.

If the current trends don’t change, it’s estimated that by 2050, 30 percent of all Americans will have diabetes.

(Iowa News Service)

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Police in Red Oak arrested 24-year old Eric Alan Vannausdale, Sunday afternoon. The Red Oak man was taken into custody at around 2:30-p.m., in the 1000 block of E. Valley Street, in Red Oak. Vannausdle was charged with operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

The man was booked into the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on $2,000 bond.

With precinct polling places around the state opening at seven o’clock tomorrow (Tuesday) for the 2014 General Election, the two major party candidates for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat are embarking on a frenetic round of campaign activity. Republican Joni Ernst plans to make a dozen stops between now and Tuesday morning when she plans to vote in Red Oak.

“I am asking for your support November 4,” Ernst said in Ames this weekend. “I cannot do it along, folks. I do need your help in order to take this seat back so, please, grab a neighbor, grab a friend, grab a colleague and get them out to the polls on Tuesday.” Democrat Bruce Braley is embarking on a tour with stops in six eastern Iowa cities today (Monday). On Sunday, he campaigned in cities along the Mississippi River, starting in Decorah.

“We always knew it was going to be a very tight race and it’s going to be decided on who gets people out to the polls,” Braley says. “Democrats have always had an advantage when it comes to the ground game. I see that as I travel all across the state of Iowa. I see highly-motivate volunteers and campaign staff turning people out to vote and that’s how we’re going to win on Tuesday.”

A Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” released Saturday night showed Ernst with a seven-point lead over Braley. A C-N-N poll released Sunday showed Ernst two points ahead of Braley.

(Radio Iowa)

(Update 3:54-a.m – Escapee captured)

(In an update to our post at 3:30-a.m.) Authorities in southwest Iowa say a black male teenager who escaped from the Clarinda Academy early this morning has been caught. The 16-year old was on the lam for about an hour after he jumped out a window at around 2:50-a.m. Dispatch reports said the subject was seen allegedly trying to break into cars in the Academy parking lot at around 3-a.m.

He was apprehended at around 3:45-a.m., and return to the residential foster care facility that provides residential treatment and shelter care to at-risk and delinquent male and female youth from several states. 

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — More people have voted early in 10 states than in 2010, and Republicans and Democrats alike say the numbers show they have the advantage in key races for Senate and governor races heading into Election Day. Registered Democrats have a 1 point edge in Iowa, but that’s tighter than their usual advantage there. That leaves Republicans confident in the chances of their Senate nominee, Joni Ernst.

STACEYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities are investigating a fish kill that was caused by manure from a hog confinement farm spilling into the Little Cedar River near Stacyville. The state Department of Natural Resources says about 5,000 gallons of manure flowed into the creek after a hose broke. The spill was reported around 11 p.m. Friday.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A deceased Iowa attorney is being accused of mishandling $64,000 before his death. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a claim was filed against David Alan Roth’s estate. The claim accuses Roth of taking $64,000 from a life insurance policy that he was supposed to invest.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of cosmetology schools in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska is asking a judge to dismiss a consumer fraud lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office. State attorneys filed a petition August 28th alleging Cynthia Becher, owner of a company that operates La’ James International Colleges violated Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act. Miller alleges the schools failed to adequately staff classrooms and required students to perform janitorial duties.