WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man in southeast Iowa whose death has prompted an investigation. He was identified as 70-year-old Ed Jones, who lived in Washington.
The Washington Police Department sent officers just before 8 a.m. Wednesday to check a call about a suspicious death at an apartment complex. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was soon called in to help. No arrests have been reported. An autopsy has been ordered.

A recent report by U-S News and World Report places the Atlantic High School tops in the Hawkeye 10 Conference and it placed high among the best in Iowa. Superintendent Steve Barber spoke of the honor during Wednesday’s School Board meeting, in Atlantic.  Barber said the magazine uses criteria that focuses on how our students perform on State-level tests, how well the school prepares students for college, and other factors. Barber said he was happy and excited to report the Atlantic High School was ranked 26th Best in the State of Iowa, and is nationally recognized. He congratulated the staff and students for their efforts.

The High School earned a bronze medal as part of the recognition.  (For more information: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa/districts/atlantic-comm-school-district/atlantic-high-school-7506)

A hospital in Eastern Iowa is the first in the state to add a staff member to address human trafficking. Teresa Davidson, already a nurse practitioner at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, is now working part-time as Mercy’s anti-human trafficking coordinator. She says only a handful of hospitals in the COUNTRY have such a position, but Davidson expects it will soon become a more common practice. “I do know that the federal government has recently accepted applications for grants to do this in more hospitals, because they recognize the extreme need,” Davidson says.

Calling it a “modern-day form of slavery,” Davidson says human trafficking is a growing problem and hospitals need to do more to identify and help victims. “The initial goal will be to create a specific human trafficking protocol for our hospital which addresses and screens people for this crime happening to them,” Davidson says. “Then, we will create a response team to then be able to assist people.” Davidson has worked closely with officials at a Wichita, Kansas hospital which was the first in the nation to develop a human trafficking program. “Prior to hiring an anti-human trafficking coordinator and creating the protocol and response team, the emergency room in the hospital had identified zero victims of human trafficking. Within the first month of this protocol going into place, they identified a victim immediately and in the first year had 82 identified,” Davidson said.

While her initial goal is to create specific protocols for Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Davidson plans to eventually offer human trafficking education to other hospitals and clinics across the state.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man from Clarinda early this (Thursday) morning. 58-year old Larry Michael Smith was taken into custody at around 2:10-a.m. in the 2700 block of O Avenue. He was arrested on a valid Adams County warrant for Contempt of Court. Smith was turned over to Adams County authorities and booked into the Adams County Jail, where his cash-only bond was set at $750.

The funeral for former Governor Robert Ray is Friday, but Iowans who wish to pay their respects in person are being encouraged to go to the Iowa capitol today (Thursday) as Ray lies in state there this evening. “There’s a balance between the public observance of an individual who is legendary in his legacy of impact and also allowing a family the private time to grieve their husband, father and grandfather.”

That’s Scott Raecker, director of the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University Ray’s casket will be borne into the capitol late this (Thursday) afternoon by members of the Iowa National Guard, the Iowa Highway Patrol and the Des Moines Police Department. He will lie in state and the public may file by Ray’s casket starting at 5:30 p.m. Raecker offers this, on behalf of the late governor’s family.

“Just a very sincere thank you to all of the Iowans, those across the country and, in fact, the world who have shown just such a demonstrable outpouring of love and support for their family at this time,” Raecker said, “and they’re very appreciative of that.”

David Oman served as Ray’s chief of staff. He says Iowans who were 18-year-old voters during Ray’s last campaign are now 58, so there are generations of Iowans who were not familiar with Ray’s accomplishments as governor. “Some Iowans have learned for the first time all of the things that he did and other Iowans have been reminded or relearned his record, which has triggered an outpouring of support and appreciation on social media,” Oman said.

Governor Ray died Sunday. He was 89. Former Iowa Governors Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver will join Governor Kim Reynolds in the statehouse rotunda tonight (Thursday) as the Ray family assembles for the public ceremony honoring the man who served 14 years as governor.

Former Governor Terry Branstad is flying back to Iowa from China, where he is serving as U.S. Ambassador, to attend events honoring Ray. Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Timothy Orr has flown back early from meetings in Washington, D.C. to be Mrs. Ray’s official escort in events over the next two days.

(Radio Iowa)

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

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa are looking for members of a mob of up to 40 people that swarmed into a Cedar Rapids convenience store, stealing items and destroying property in just seconds. The Des Moines Register reports that the incident happened around 10:30 July 3. Police say surveillance video of the Casey’s General Store shows a large group of young people entering the store, grabbing items and rushing back out of the store’s doors _ knocking over displays on the way out.

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Iowa say they are investigating a person’s death described as suspicious. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news release that police in Washington, Iowa, were called to an apartment complex just before 8 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a person found dead. Police have not released the name of the person found dead, and no additional details about the death have been released.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Court records say a mistrial was declared before testimony began in a Davenport murder trial. The Quad-City Times reports that a judge Tuesday granted a motion from the lawyer for Tremayne Thomas. Thomas is accused in the May 30, 2017, death of 35-year-old Brandon Brooks. The request for a mistrial cited a comment made during jury selection, but the online court records don’t detail what was said by whom.

Cass County Secondary Roads crews were busy Wednesday evening repairing a section of Highland Road (G-30), near the Cass-Pottawattamie County line, after a pavement blow-up occurred. The road was re-opened to traffic by 10-p.m., Wednesday

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon sent KJAN News  pictures of the damage and the repair work (Click on the images to enlarge)

G-30/Highland Road 7-11-18 (Courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County EMA)