COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (July 5, 2017) — The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives. Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.

Amy Brown, Donor Recruitment district manager, Midwest Blood Services Region, said in a press release, that “It’s crucial that people donate now to meet the needs of patients every day and to be prepared for emergencies that require significant volumes of donated blood. Every day, blood and platelet donors can help save lives, and right now these heroes are needed to give as soon as possible.”

New donors and those who haven’t given in a while are especially encouraged to roll up a sleeve and help save lives. To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Some upcoming blood donation opportunities July 5-25 (County/Town/date-times-place)

Adair: Orient 7/12/2017: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Methodist Church, 124 South Maple St.

Audubon: Exira 7/17/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Exira Rec Center, 106 N Jefferson

Cass: Atlantic 7/12/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital; 7/20/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA.

Montgomery: Red Oak 7/17/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1101 East Summit; Villisca 7/19/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community Center, 201 S. 3rd Ave

Pottawattamie: Avoca 7/15/2017: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., American Legion, 309 1/2 Elm; Council Bluffs (multiple dates, times and places beginning July 10th – see the Red Cross website)

Shelby: Earling 7/24/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Joseph’s Hall, 118 Main Street; Elk Horn 7/11/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street; Harlan 7/13/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Conductix, 1417 Industrial Parkway & 7/25/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Building, 1104 Morningview; Westphalia 7/19/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Boniface Parish Center, 305 Duren St.

The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – Police are investigating after a woman was shot by a stray bullet in the midst of an outdoor celebration of Independence Day. The Courier reports that the round was fire shortly after 10 p.m. amid a barrage of fireworks celebrating the holiday. It struck 47-year-old Rosa Diaz Sanguino in the shoulder. Police say at the time, she was outside at a gathering with family and friends. She suffered only minor injuries.

Police say the bullet was recovered at the scene. Authorities were unable to determine where the bullet originated as the sound of the shot was likely covered up by fireworks in the neighborhood.

HELENA, Mont. (AP) – FBI agents seized bomb-making materials, seven guns and ammunition from the Montana home of a man they suspect of carrying out bank robberies in five states, including Iowa.  An inventory of the property seized from Richard Gathercole’s home in Roundup shows that agents also took sheriff’s badges and patches, a sheriff’s vest and an ammunition vest, a military style helmet, an organic chemistry book and material to make identification badges.

The inventory list was filed with U.S. District Court in Billings on June 27.  Authorities believe Gathercole is the man they call “the AK-47 bandit” who held up at least six banks since 2012.  Gathercole is being held in Lexington, Nebraska, where he is accused of stealing a truck and guns and firing on a Kansas state trooper last month.

He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man who collected a Wisconsin Lottery jackpot that was rigged by his friend has admitted using the windfall for an investment scheme that produced another wave of undeserved government money. Court records show Robert Rhodes recently testified that he used the $783,000 payout to receive an additional $180,000 in bogus tax refunds.

The Texas businessman sent $450,000 to the Caribbean to buy an insurance policy for a corporation that never did any business – except receive the lottery prize. He claimed the policy as a tax-deductible “business expense,” receiving refunds from the U.S. government and Wisconsin.

The St. Lucia-based insurer where Rhodes sent his cash was later accused of duping investors. Rhodes says the company “absconded” with $150,000. Rhodes and former lottery contractor Eddie Tipton pleaded guilty to rigging the 2007 Megabucks drawing.

Police in Harlan, Sunday, arrested a woman for allegedly assaulting a peace officer, and other charges. 39-year old Kari Jean Elizabeth Nordby, of Harlan, was taken into custody for the assault charge, along with assault on a jailer, Public Intoxication/2nd offense, and disorderly conduct. Her arrest followed a report of an intoxicated female in the 1000 block of Chatburn Avenue.

Harlan Police say two other people were arrested over the past week, and two were cited for various offenses. 51-year old Timothy Evans, of Avoca, was arrested Sunday following a traffic stop in Harlan. Evans was charged with Driving While Revoked, and cited for having dark windows on his vehicle. And, 36-year old Chad Laverne Anderson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested June 30th, following a traffic stop. Anderson was charged with Driving While Suspended.

Two other people, 48-year old Clinton Joseph Scheffler, of Harlan, and 31-year old Terri Lynn Hallas, of Shelby, were cited June 28th and July 4th respectively, for Driving While Suspended.

OAKLAND, Iowa (AP) – Residents in a western Iowa city have gathered to dedicate a monument that honors fallen soldiers and veterans. The Daily Nonpareil reports that artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen painted the Pottawattamie County Freedom Rock in Oakland’s Chautauqua Park in March.

The 10-feet high, 13-feet long and 10-feet wide boulder features paintings of four Iowa veterans. The monument is one of a series the artist is working to complete in all 99 Iowa counties.

The Oakland Friday Coffee Ladies organized the project after viewing the original Freedom Rock in Greenfield. Grants from the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, donations from OSI Industries of Oakland and individual donations helped pay for the project.

The project included sidewalk, crushed rock, lighting, signage and a bronze statue of a soldier saluting.

A vintage, former Atlantic Fire Truck owned by a man from Minnesota will return to the City, this Sunday. The Atlantic Fire Department plan on honoring Leon Brewer of New Hope, Minnesota, and thank him for donating the 1936 Mack Fire Engine back to the department after possessing it for over 21 years. Brewer calls the vehicle “Grandpa Mack.”

The department will serve a summer picnic-style lunch prior to the ceremony starting at noon at the fire station. The program begins at around 12:45 pm, with a brief history of how the Mack left the dept. and how they only recently learned that it could be coming back to Atlantic.

Brewer will be presented with items of appreciation from the dept and city and take a few moments to address the crowd. The dept. will also conduct an engine ceremony, where they will push the engine into the station to officially receive it.

The Independence Day holiday has come and gone, and in most communities, it’s no longer legal to fire-off fireworks, depending on your respective city ordinance. Iowans can still purchase fireworks through July 8th, however. If you plan on storing those devices at home this summer, there are some precautions you need to take, to make sure they are stored and disposed properly.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says unused fireworks should be kept in a cool, dry place and out of the reach of children. Never place fireworks on top of an electrical appliance, like a refrigerator or freezer. The appliance could be damaged through extreme weather events, such as lightning or power surges, which could possibly ignite the fireworks.

Fireworks should not be put in the garbage without taking appropriate precautions, as they pose a fire and explosion hazard. To dispose unused, misfired or “dud” fireworks:

• Completely submerge fireworks in a large bucket of water and soak overnight.
• Double wrap the completely soaked fireworks in plastic wrap or two plastic bags so they do not dry out.
• Place the double-bagged fireworks in the household trash or take them to your local landfill.
• Residents can also contact their local fire department or landfill as other disposal options for fireworks may be available.

Additional information is available at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Land-Quality/Waste-Planning-Recycling/Recycling/Solid-Waste-Fact-Sheets.