For many patients facing emergency blood needs, type O blood is what medical teams reach for. But right now, the American Red Cross is facing a severe shortage of this critical blood type and urgently needs type O donors – as well as donors of all blood types – to give now. To encourage donations at this crucial time, the Red Cross has joined forces with Game of Thrones for an epic partnership that includes a sweepstakes and T-shirt promotion.

Type O blood is the most in-demand blood type, helping patients facing life-threatening conditions and emergencies every day. Type O negative blood can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what emergency room personnel reach for when there’s no time to determine a patient’s blood type. Type O positive blood is also especially needed because it is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types, and blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Recent snowstorms and severe weather in many parts of the country have forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing more than 20,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. Individuals of all blood types – especially type O – are asked to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

To celebrate the final season of Game of Thrones, HBO and the Red Cross have partnered to ask fans and blood donors to Bleed #ForTheThrone this March. This is the largest blood donation promotional effort by an entertainment company in Red Cross history – with six days of coordinated giving March 7-12 from fans and blood donors at blood drives in 43 states across the U.S., including an immersive blood drive experience at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. As part of the partnership, fans who come to donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross now through March 17 will automatically be entered for a chance to win one of five trips to the season 8 world premiere of Game of Thrones. The trip includes travel for two, up to two nights hotel accommodations and a $250 gift card for expenses. Terms and conditions apply and are available at RedCrossBlood.org/HBOGameofThrones.*

Additionally, those who come to donate March 7-12 will also receive exclusive Game of Thrones swag including a T-shirt, stickers to unlock a unique Snapchat filter and other items, while supplies last. Some Upcoming blood donation opportunities Feb. 25-March 31:

American Red Cross Blood Donation Center – Loess Hills Blood Donation Center, 705 N. 16th St. Council Bluffs,

Greenfield – 2/25/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Nodaway Valley High School, 410 NW 2nd Street

Orient – 3/6/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Orient-Macksburg High School, 201 School Street

Exira – 3/25/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Exira Recreational Center, 106 N Jefferson

Manning – 3/29/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., IKM Manning High School, 209 10th Street

Atlantic – 2/26/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital, 1501 E. 10th Street; 3/5/2019: 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Atlantic High School, 1201 East 14th Street; 3/14/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA, 1100 Maple Street

Griswold – 3/8/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Griswold High School, 20 Madison

Glenwood – 3/12/2019: 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Glenwood High School, 504 East Sharp Street; 3/15/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Meyer Building, 111 Lacey Meyer Complex

Red Oak – 2/25/2019: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Montgomery County Hospital, 2301 Eastern Ave; 3/25/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 1101 East Summit

Stanton – 3/15/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Viking Center, 501 Elliot

Villisca – 3/20/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community Center, 201 S. 3rd Ave

Clarinda – 3/12/2019: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Regional Health Center, 220 Essie Davison Drive; 3/19/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, 322 N 16th

College Springs – 3/22/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., South Page High School, 600 S Iowa

Shenandoah – 2/25/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 701 S. Fremont St., Hwy 59

Neola – 3/28/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Tri-Center High School, 33980 310th St

Oakland – 3/5/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Oakland Riverside High School, 18997 Hwy 59

Underwood – 3/13/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Underwood High School, 629 North Street

Elk Horn – 3/25/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Exira EHK Schools, 4114 Madison

Harlan – 2/25/2019: 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Harlan High School, 2102 Durant Street; 3/19/2019: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Veteran’s Memorial Building, 1104 Morningview

Panama – 2/27/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Mary’s Parish Center, 204 St. Mary Avenue

Westphalia – 3/27/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Boniface Parish Center, 305 Duren St.

Bedford – 3/13/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Bedford High School, 1006 Illinois St.

Creston – 3/13/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Creston High School, 601 W. Townline

Police in Creston, Saturday morning, arrested 22-year old Ryan Jason Parmenter, of Creston. He was taken into custody on an outside agency warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense. Parmenter was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting extradition to the Polk County Jail.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) — Sunday was the 50th anniversary of an historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling on student free speech rights that was sparked by three students from Iowa. In December,1965 Mary Beth and John Tinker, along with a friend, wore black armbands to school in Des Moines to protest the Vietnam War. John Tinker says black armbands have been worn as a symbol of mourning for centuries. “It’s a silent, non-disruptive symbol and so we thought it fit what we were trying to do very well,” Tinker said.

The Tinker siblings and their friend were sent home and threatened with expulsion for wearing the armbands. The parents of the three teens sued on their behalf and four years later the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a student’s right to free expression doesn’t end “at the schoolhouse gate.” Tinker says it’s a landmark case. “It declared that students in the public schools are persons under the law and are endowed with their First Amendment rights,” Tinker says. Tinker and his sister were featured in a day-long event at the State Historical Building on Friday. More than 200 Iowa students attended. There was a national livestream discussion with students in other states as well.

“Having stood up for what we believed way back then about the war in Vietnam and having the courts vindicate us — I think that helps the students today understand that if they’ve thought about an issue and if they feel strongly about it, that they do have the right to speak out about it,” Tinker said, “and I encourage them to do that.” Tinker and another high school student were 15 years old when they wore black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War. His younger sister, Mary Beth, also wore an armband to school. She was 13 and in junior high. John and Mary Beth Tinker will speak at Iowa State University this (Monday) evening; at the University of Iowa Tuesday night and at Drake University on Wednesday night.

The Iowa DOT reports Highway 92 between Pottawattamie County Road L-43 and Interstate 29/U-S 275, is blocked due to a crash.  Travel is NOT ADVISED on:

• Highway 92, west of Treynor
• I680, I-80, I-29 (west of the 80/29 split).
• Highway 191 from Earling to Council Bluffs
• Highway 30 from Carroll to Missouri Valley/I-29
• Most roads in Harrison and Monona County
• Highway 141 from Hwy 59 to Coon Rapids.
• Highway 59 from Denison to Harlan.
• Hwy 44 from Panora to Dallas Center.

Other roads are partially covered with snow/drifted snow. Highway 6 from the Griswold turn to I-80 is completely covered with ice, snow/blowing snow.Highway 59 from Oakland to Shenandoah is also completely covered with ice/snow and or blowing snow. The latest road conditions can be found on the web at 511ia.org, or by calling 5-1-1.

The Iowa Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the Iowa State Patrol, reports also, that Interstate 35 north of the U.S. 30 interchange at Ames will likely remain closed through this morning’s commute. Crews are diligently working to reopen the roadway which is still experiencing extensive drifting in many areas. Interstate 35 is also closed across the Minnesota border. Officials in both states are coordinating operations and the opening to ensure the safety and mobility of drivers moving between the two states. The Iowa DOT will issue a notification when I-35 will be safely reopened. Once the interstate does open, winter conditions on the roadway will still make traffic difficult. Please slow down and use caution. Truck parking at the Northbound Elkhart Rest Area and on the Dayton exit is at capacity. If you need parking, you are encouraged to use the Hilton Coliseum parking lot.

Classes at CAM are cancelled for today, but the CAM School Board is still slated to meet this evening in the High School Media Center. During the 6:30-p.m. meeting, the Board will consider: approval of early retirement applications; A Vocational Rehab Service Delivery Plan; Granting permission to request bids for mowing services for Summer 2019 and consider granting permission to request bids for a school vehicle.

The Board will also set the date for a Public Hearing on the 2019-2020 School Calendar, changes to the 2019-20 Calendar, and take action on open enrollment applications, resignations and contracts. After the CAM School Board adjourns, they’ll hold an exempt session for the purpose of contract negotiations.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republican lawmakers are moving forward with bills to limit or even eliminate abortions despite recent court rulings. A Senate panel approved a bill that would ban virtually all abortions by declaring a human being’s life begins at conception and is due all rights of the state and federal constitutions. Other bills would elevate prison sentences for anyone convicted of terminating a human pregnancy and deny federal funds for sex education conducted by organizations that perform abortions.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police say they’re investigating the shooting of a 20-year-old man in Cedar Rapids as a homicide. Police spokesman Greg Buelow says in a news release that Tenacious Harris died Sunday morning at a Cedar Rapids hospital. Harris was found wounded Tuesday evening in a vehicle near Franklin Middle School. No arrests have been reported.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Iowa officials are still urging people to stay off the roads in most of the state because of blowing and drifting snow. Interstate 35 remained closed in northern Iowa because of the conditions. In Nebraska, officials were able to reopen Interstate 80 on Sunday after clearing the road.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A national fight between for-profit banks and nonprofit credit unions is spilling into Nebraska, and state lawmakers could get caught in the middle. Nebraska’s banking industry is supporting a bill that would require state regulators to notify them anytime a credit union seeks approval to expand its membership, giving bankers the opportunity to challenge it. Credit unions say the bill is intended to stifle competition. Bankers note that credit unions enjoy tax breaks that banks don’t get.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police say they’re investigating the shooting of a 20-year-old man in Cedar Rapids as a homicide. Police spokesman Greg Buelow says in a news release that Tenacious Harris died Sunday morning at a Cedar Rapids hospital. Harris was found wounded Tuesday evening in a vehicle near Franklin Middle School. No arrests have been reported.

(Radio Iowa/KJAN weather date) — A blizzard and treacherous travel conditions struck much of the state this weekend. Snow plows were pulled from areas of northern Iowa Saturday night. The Iowa D-O-T closed Interstate-35 from the Ames exit all the way to the Minnesota border on Sunday morning. Rescue crews struggled to reach stranded motorists. Wright County Emergency Management director Jim Lester says road crews in his county will set out this (Monday) morning after the winds subside. “It’s going to be a chore for them,” he said. “Several of the roads are (drifted) completely shut.”

Hamilton County engineer Nikki Stinn said snow plows went out at noon Sunday to help clear paths to rescue motorists, but the plows were pulled off the roads after all rescues were completed. “It’s just too much (blowing snow), too unsafe to be out there trying to clear roads,” she said.

Buffalo Center seems to have had the most snow from this weekend’s storm — 15 inches. The National Weather Service announced early Sunday morning this is the snowiest February on record at the Des Moines Airport. There’s been more than 24 inches — that’s two feet — of snow in the capital city. Here in Atlantic, we’ve received 30.3 inches of snow since the beginning of the month. At Eppley Airport in Omaha, there’s been more than 44 inches of snow since December 1st. That shatters a record set during the winter of 2003 and 2004. If Omaha gets another two-tenths of snow this week, it will set the all-time snowiest February record as well.