Officials with SWITA (Southwest Iowa Transit Agency), based in Atlantic, have announced their summer bus service will once again be open to all kindergarten through 12th grade students living within two-miles of the Atlantic City limits. Students may be taken to any parent pre-approved location, such as: The library; Swimming pool; YMCA; Piano lessons; Vacation bible school; grandma’s house; band lessons, and so on. Rides are available from 8-a.m. until 5-p.m. Monday through Friday. Call the SWITA office at 1-800-842-8065.

SWITA says it was able to dramatically reduce transportation rate this year, thanks to a new sponsorship program with donations from local businesses and organizations. Parents may purchase a whole, unlimited summer pass (May 27th-Aug.22nd), for just $40, or One-dollar per ride.

Registration is required for kids to ride the SWITA bus. Stop into the SWITA office at 1501 S.W. 7th Street between 6-a.m. and 5-p.m. M-F, fill out a registration form and prepay for the rides. Registration is also available on the SWITA website at www.swipco.org, and fares may be paid online. Families must have a registration form filled out with contact information and allowable destinations, before a child is allowed to ride.

For more information on the “Summer Fun Bus,” call Kristen Templeton at 1-800-842-8065. All rides are also open to the non-student public for $5 per ride.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CDT

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — About 180 Army Reserve Soldiers based in Sioux City are preparing to be deployed to the Middle East. Maj. William Geddes says soldiers in the 960th Quartermaster Company will deploy to Kuwait and Iraq on Sunday. A send-off ceremony is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at East High School in Sioux City. The company’s mission will be to supply ammunition, fuel and portable water purification.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has suspended prison sentences for two women who pleaded guilty in connection to a staged Sioux City bank robbery. Nineteen-year-old Heaven Zevenbergen and 19-year-old Angelica Perez had been sentenced to five years in prison in February after pleading guilty to second-degree theft as part of a plea agreement. District Judge Jeffrey Neary suspended the remainder of their sentences Tuesday, and placed them on five years of probation. Neary said the original prison terms were meant to be “shock sentencing,” which is used to deter offenders from future criminal behavior. He said he always intended to reconsider the women’s sentences.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque man is charged with child endangerment after authorities say he let his 7-year-old son drive a car that later crashed into a utility pole. The vehicle had left the scene of the crash in Dubuque by the time authorities arrived Saturday afternoon. Court documents say when police later located the damaged car in an alley, 28-old Wesley Rainer told police his son wanted to drive the car.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The City Council again has effectively rejected a plan to seek a National Park Service grant to help fund a $2.6 million white-water park and kayak course near downtown Waterloo. The council voted 3-2 Monday to seek the $750,000 grant, but the resolution required four votes to pass. The council first voted 3-1 last week to seek the grant, with Councilman Jerome Amos Jr. absent. He requested the reconsideration.

A man wanted on several arrest warrants led Council Bluffs Police on a foot pursuit that eventually led to the suspect jumping into the Missouri River. According to Bluffs Police, at around 9:42-p.m. Tuesday, officers noticed a man walking in the area of 901 N. 35th Street. They recognized him as 22-year old Devon Hunt, of Council Bluffs, who had several warrants out for his arrest. Officers approached Hunt, ordered him to stop and advised him that he was under arrest.

Devon Hunt

Hunt disregarded their orders and attempted to elude Officers on foot. Hunt climbed a fence and ran across I-29 into the tree line on the south side of the Missouri river. Officers set up a perimeter and began to search the area. Council Bluffs Officers were assisted by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa State Patrol.
Officers located Hunt in the area and as they approached him he ran into the Missouri River.

He then swam out about forty yards and grabbed onto a log refusing Officers commands to come back to shore. The Council Bluffs Fire Department deployed their water rescue boat and with the assistance of CBPD officers were able to pull Hunt from the water. Officers took Hunt into custody and transported him to Mercy Hospital where he was treated and released for possible hyperthermia.

He was then transported to Pottawattamie County Jail and charged with; Eluding a Police Officer, and for the following warrants: Harassment 1st degree, Criminal Mischief 3rd degree, Eluding a Police Officer, and Harassment 3rd degree.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — About 180 Army Reserve soldiers based in Sioux City are preparing to be deployed to the Middle East. Maj. William Geddes says soldiers in the 960th Quartermaster Company will deploy to Kuwait and Iraq on Sunday. A send-off ceremony is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at East High School in Sioux City.

The company’s mission will be to supply ammunition, fuel and portable water purification. Geddes says the soldiers are expected to stay for about nine months.