Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — A small fire at a middle school in northeast Iowa has led to an early dismissal for students and staff. The Waterloo Community School District says the fire was reported yesterday morning at Bunger Middle School in Evansdale. No injuries were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa telephone cooperative is getting a guaranteed loan from the federal government to increase its fiber optics network and make system improvements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said North Liberty-based South Slope Cooperative Telephone Company is getting a loan of nearly $14.7 million from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program, which makes long-term direct and guaranteed loans. The company’s service area includes Amana, North Liberty, West and South Cedar Rapids, and parts of Coralville.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A statue of a farmer leaning on a spade has been selected among 20 other sculptures as the most popular in Mason City. The work called “The Farmer,” is this year’s winner of the People’s Choice award in the north Iowa city.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a popular Des Moines pharmacy will likely serve up to 37 months in prison for illegally selling tens of thousands of addictive painkillers to drug abusers. The Register reports an attorney representing Mark Graziano said Tuesday that his client plans to plead guilty to two of the 18 federal charges filed against him.

The Atlantic Police Department late this (Wednesday) evening, released the names of the persons involved in a fatal crash earlier in the evening. According to a Press Release, the driver of the car, 82-year-old Kenneth Dean Beymer, of Atlantic died in the crash. His passenger, 55-year-old Connie Beymer, also of Atlantic, was injured in the accident that happened at around 6:18-p.m. at the intersection of southwest 7th and 10th Streets. She was transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. A report on her condition was not available late Wed. night.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green said in an interview earlier with reporters, that Beymer had been trying to cross 7th Street when his 1999 Buick LeSabre was hit nearly broadside by an eastbound semi hauling a load of grain. The driver of the semi, 19-year-old Tucker Harvey Sager of Atlantic, was not injured.

The impact pushed the car an estimated 50-feet before it came to rest in the westbound lane of 7th Street. The semi came to a stop in the same lane. The roadway was blocked for several hours in both directions for a few blocks, while accident investigators with the Iowa State Patrol conducted their analysis of the scene and gathered evidence.

Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Officers with the Atlantic Police Department and personnel with Atlantic Fire and Rescue also on the scene.

Authorities in Adair County say two women, a mother and her daughter from Nebraska enroute to Bridgewater, were injured Wednesday afternoon during an accident that took place on Highway 92 at the Cass-Adair Avenue (the Cass-Adair County line).

Adair County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ron Hrubetz told KJAN News the accident happened at around 4:32-p.m., as the passenger vehicle went to pass a tractor that was towing a grain cart, and about to make a turn. The car went out of control and went down an embankment. About two-thirds of the way down the embankment, the front end of the car dug-in, causing it to flip onto its top.

The 57-year old driver and her 83-year old passenger were injured. Both were from Omaha. The passenger was flown by Mercy One helicopter to an undisclosed hospital. The driver was transported to the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield with what were described as non-life threatening injuries. The tractor operator, a 34-year old male from Massena, was not hurt.

The accident remains under investigation. No names have been released.

Authorities have confirmed a fatality accident occurred Wednesday evening in Atlantic. Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green said a passenger car left the intersection of southwest 7th Street and 10th Street and trying to cross 7th when it was hit by a semi hauling a load of grain that was traveling east on 7th Street.

The impact pushed the car an estimated 50-feet before it came to rest in the westbound lane of 7th Street. The semi came to a stop in the same lane. The driver of the car died at the scene. A passenger was seriously injured and transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital with unknown injuries.

Both east and westbound lanes remained blocked as of late Wednesday night, while accident investigators with the Iowa State Patrol conducted their analysis of the scene. No names were released, pending notification of family, but it’s believed the accident victim was from Atlantic. The driver of the semi was not injured.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue personnel, ambulance crews and law enforcement are on the scene of a serious, possibly fatal accident on the City’s west side. The accident happened at around 6:15-pm at the intersection of 10th and s.w. 7th streets. A semi collided with a car, pushing the vehicle at least 59-feet eastbound. Both vehicles came to rest  . The west bound lane of s.w. 7th, in front of the Casey’s store. The roadway is currently blocked in both directions.

(See update to this story posted later)

Rescue crews from Massena and Medivac ambulance from Atlantic were called to the scene of a two-vehicle personal injury accident this afternoon. The crash was reported just before 4:45-p.m. on Highway 92 right on the Cass/Adair County line. Two people have been injured. Additional details are currently not available.

Council Bluffs Fire Department officials, Wednesday, released more information about a residential fire Tuesday morning that resulted in one person being sent to the hospital. According to the Daily NonPareil, 31-year old Drema Lewis, a transient, suffered injuries from the fire and by a saw used by firefighters to gain access to the home. Council Bluffs Rescue transported Lewis to CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center, where she’s expected to fully recover.

Fire Marshal Larry Wohlers said when firefighters arrived on the scene, they cut through the front door to access the house. Crews didn’t know Lewis was inside – let alone against the door – and she was injured when they cut through the door with a saw.

A preliminary investigation into the incident that caused substantial damage to the house at 327 Ninth Avenue determined transient activity was consistent with the cause. The house had to be torn down by demolition after the fire, as the structure was deemed unsafe by the city building division.

Officials with UnityPoint at Home today (Wednesday), announced that seven of its locations – Atlantic, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, Storm Lake and Waterloo – have been named to the 2014 HomeCare Elite(tm), a compilation of the top-performing home health care providers in the United States. Now in its ninth year, HomeCare Elite identifies the top 25 percent of agencies based on performance measures in quality outcomes, process of care measures, and financial performance.

Monique Reese, UnityPoint at Home vice president and chief clinical officer, credits compassionate, knowledgeable staff and the organization’s ongoing commitment to innovation and care coordination with its ability to rank amongst the top home health care providers in the country.

Reese says UnityPoint at Home is committed to implementing innovative clinical strategies that improve patient care, decrease unnecessary hospitalizations and reduce costs. Clinicians are trained in integrated care management, with the knowledge and tools necessary to deliver interventional care in the home to patients with conditions such as heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Clinicians work collaboratively with patients and families, providing education and encouraging self-management techniques, while coordinating care with their physicians.

About Unity Point at Home:

UnityPoint at Home is an integrated home health services provider serving patients and communities in Iowa and Illinois. Part of UnityPoint Health, the nation’s fourth largest nondenominational health system, UnityPoint at Home works together with its affiliated physicians and hospitals to coordinate the services, support and education necessary for patients to continue their care at home. Services include adult and pediatric nursing care, rehabilitation therapy, personal care and home support, infusion therapy, respiratory therapy, palliative care, hospice and home medical equipment services.

Iowa Republican congressional candidate David Young announced plans Wednesday to bring his Whistle-Stop Tour with Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman Tom Latham, to Atlantic, Council Bluffs and Stuart. The rail tour of Iowa’s Third Congressional District will take place along the Iowa Interstate Railroad, Ltd. starting in Council Bluffs and ending in Des Moines on Saturday, October 25th.

All of the events are open to the public and will feature refreshments. The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, October 25, 2014

8:30 a.m.       David Young and Senator Grassley hold Whistle Stop Tour event

Railswest Museum

1512 S. Main St.

Council Bluffs, IA

11 a.m.          David Young, Senator Grassley and Congressman Latham hold Whistle Stop Tour event

Rock Island Depot

102 Chestnut St.

Atlantic, IA

12:30 p.m.     David Young, Senator Grassley and Congressman Latham hold Whistle Stop Tour event

Intersection of 350th St. & S. Division

Stuart, IA

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The state has launched a new emergency alert system to warn residents of tornadoes, chemical spills or other dangers. It’s called the Alert Iowa System, a program the Legislature approved earlier this year. According to Iowa officials, the annual cost of running the program is expected to be about $300,000.

On Tuesday, the system was used for the first time at the Iowa Homeland Security Conference with Gov. Terry Branstad sending out a practice message. A chorus of cellphones chiming was soon heard in the conference room.

The Des Moines Register reports about one-third of Iowa’s counties will initially be served by the notification system. All counties will be later able to access the program that provides local officials control of how and when to issue emergency and public safety notifications to residents.