DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The Department of Corrections says an inmate has been put on escape status after he left a work release center in Davenport. The agency says 26-year-old Michael Christopher Lewis was listed as being an escape after failing to return to the center Thursday.

He was serving a 19-year sentence for intimidation with a dangerous weapon, going armed with intent, criminal mischief and operating a vehicle without owner consent. He began the sentence in March 2008.

He was transferred to the work release center Sept. 6.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Audubon County woman was arrested today (Friday), on numerous charges. 49-year old JB Schmidt, of Audubon, was taken into custody on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Burglary 3^rd Degree, Theft 2^nd Degree, two counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substance, and two counts of Drug Tax Stamp violation. Schmidt was taken to the Cass County Jail where she is being held on $25,000 bond.

And Thursday evening, Cass County deputies arrested 27-year old Tony Alan Pross, of Atlantic, on a charge of Eluding (A Serious misdemeanor). Pross was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $1,000 bond.

Senator Chuck Grassley said today (Friday), that spring internships for college-age Iowans are available, and applications are due Nov. 15th. Internships are available in Grassley’s Washington, D.C., office as well as his offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Sioux City and Waterloo.  The spring session will run from Jan. 13th to May 23rd.  Interns will be placed in one of three departments:  administrative, legislative or communications.  An internship allows for a wide range of learning experience and exposure for students on Capitol Hill.

Grassley said he encourages young Iowans who are interested in learning more about the government to apply.  “Interning in a congressional office is a good way for college students and new graduates to learn more about the legislative branch of the federal government while gaining valuable experience.  Internships in my offices are available to students in all areas of study,” he said.

Application forms are available on Grassley’s website and in Grassley’s offices  in Iowa.  Due to security-related delays in postal mail delivery to U.S. Senate office buildings, internship applications should be emailed to intern_applications@grassley.senate.gov or faxed to 202-224-5136.  For additional information, email intern_applications@grassley.senate.gov or call 202-224-3744.

The Atlantic Police Department reports no one was injured during an accident Wednesday afternoon near the intersection of Highways 6 and 71. Officials say Terrence Oathoudt, of Anita, was traveling west on Highway 6 and was proceeding through the intersection, when a vehicle driven by Phyllis Pierce, of Atlantic, attempted to turn north into a business drive. The vehicles collided when Pierce pulled in front of Oathoudt. Police cited her for Failure to Yield before making a left turn. Damage from the collision, which happened at around 2:25-p.m.,  amounted to $5,000.

(9-a.m. News)

w/ Ric Hanson

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Band members from around southwest Iowa will travel to Harlan this weekend. The Harlan Community High School is hosting All-State band contest starting around 7:30am Saturday. The band contest is different from other contests as it is based on individual performances as opposed to a group. The high school will welcome close to 800 musicians from 75 school districts around the area. Students will audition for band, chorus or orchestra.

This is the fifth time Harlan Community has been a audition site. Along with Harlan, All-State auditions will be held at Fairfield, Indianola, Storm Lake and West Delaware. The final All-State groups will feature 200 orchestra, 600 choir and 300 band members. The selected members for the All-State groups will perform at a musical festival in Ames from Thursday, November 21st through Saturday, November 23rd and finishing with a concert at the Hilton Coliseum at 7pm.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Officials with the Cass County Health System have announced a new logo design will be used throughout the health system.  The new logo was developed to better reflect the integrated care provided by all of the health system affiliates – Cass County Memorial Hospital, Atlantic Medical Center, Eye Associates, Southwest Iowa Surgery, and Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center.  The Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation will utilize the new logo as well.

The current hospital logo was designed by a long-time staff member, Bev Mendenhall in 1987.  Originally used in brown, the logo was updated to blue in 1992, with Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center and the CCMH Foundation using the same design in different colors.  Over the years, Atlantic Medical Center, Eye Associates and Southwest Iowa Surgery all developed individual business logos.  When Cass County Health System was formed in January, 2000, no changes were made to any of the logos. In 2006, a health system text logo was developed, but all the others remained in use, too.

Cass County Health System turned to the Des Moines based branding and marketing agency McLellan Marketing Group for the logo development.

w/ Ric Hanson

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An event scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) is designed to tackle Iowa’s fastest growing form of substance abuse. Dale Woolery, with the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy, says there will be around 80 sites in Iowa where people can safely dispose of their old or unwanted prescription medicines. Woolery says the “Take Back” events will keep pills from being flushed or dropped down a drain and potentially harming the environment. “And, we’re getting (these drugs) out of circulation to hopefully prevent the abuse of these medicines,” Woolery says.

The drop-off sites in Iowa are among thousands across the country as part of National Prescription Take Back Day. The event is sponsored twice each year by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Woolery says the drugs taken back in Iowa have been on the rise. “That may mean there’s increasing awareness and better understanding that there is a safer, better way to get rid of our medications. At least we hope so,” Woolery says.

During the last Take Back day in April, Iowans dropped off an all-time high amount of prescription drugs. “Nearly four tons of unused medicines were disposed of at around 100 sites around the state,” Woolery says. Most of the Take Back sites in Iowa will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Take Back locations can be found through a search on the website D-E-A dot gov (dea.gov).

Here are some locations in the KJAN listening area:

• The Audubon Police Dept. (410 N. Park Place)

• Manning Police Dept. (309 Elm St.)

• Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Red Oak

• Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office (200 N. 5th St.)

• Treynor Community Center (11 W. Main)

• Coon Rapids Police Dept. (123 3rd Ave. S.)

• Carroll Police Dept. (rear of the bldg. at 112 E. 5th St.)

• Walgreens in Council Bluffs (535 E. Broadway)

• Carter Lake City Hall (950 Locust St.)

• Medicap Pharmacy (1206 Locust St.) in Glenwood.

(story by Radio Iowa/Ric Hanson-KJAN)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Veteran Iowa Republicans are quietly working to wrest control of the state GOP from libertarian and Christian conservative factions they blame for alienating longtime donors. Led by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, these Republicans tell the Associated Press they want to grow the party by seeking pragmatic solutions over ideological purity. The Iowa GOP has experienced significant infighting since a supporter of then presidential candidate Ron Paul won the state party chairmanship following the 2012 election.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad is suspending the specific hours that drivers can transport propane in Iowa. Branstad announced the emergency declaration yesterday. It goes into effect today and ends November 7th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa business owners can begin applying for a new property tax credit that was part of a tax reform package approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor earlier this year. The property tax credit applies to certain commercial, industrial, and railroad properties. Applications for credit against 2013 property tax assessments must be received by the county or city assessor by January 15th.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City workers are hauling in dirt to historic Floyd Cemetery to fill in a gully and make sure erosion doesn’t expose any graves. City officials tell the Journal the ongoing project involves bringing in soil and extending drainage tubes. The work should eventually slow runoff and erosion.