w/ Ric Hanson

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A business services company has announced plans to fill 135 new positions in Iowa. The Des Moines Register says CDS Global intends to add 50 of the jobs at its Des Moines operation and 85 at its Boone site.  The Des Moines-based company says the new workers are needed to handle the needs of a new, unnamed client. CDS provides mailing and other services for businesses in several industries.

CDS Global currently has 900 workers in Des Moines, 330 in Boone and has other Iowa offices in Council Bluffs, Harlan, Tipton, West Des Moines and Wilton. CDS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Corp.

The Chair of the Cass County Endowment Foundation has announced the latest rounds of grants to non-profit agencies within the County. Nicholas Hunt said the grant recipients had submitted applications to the CCEF by the Feb. 1^st deadline, and were awarded grants by the Cass County Board of Directors.

Only those organizations providing services in Cass County were eligible for the funds, the checks for which were received by representatives of those agencies, on April 18^th. The following nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions is the areas of civic, cultural, health, education and social services received grants:

Authorities in Missouri Valley say a local man was arrested earlier this week following a pursuit and three-hour long search while he tried to elude law enforcement in Harrison County. Officials who spoke with The DailyNonPareil said 37-year old Rick A. Erwin, of Missouri Valley, was taken into custody at around 9 p.m. Tuesday near Old Lincoln Highway. Authorities say Erwin was arrested for suspicion of eluding, interference with official acts, reckless driving, driving without a driver’s license, careless driving and a number of other traffic violations. He remains at the Harrison County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

The deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas is prompting questions about regulatory oversight there. In Iowa, officials say fertilizer is only produced at a handful of sites across the state, but many others store fertilizer. Workplace safety in Iowa is overseen by Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement. Administrator Steve Slater says annual inspections aren’t required at most sites that handle fertilizer. “If we have a complaint or a serious injury, they’d certainly fall under our inspection list. But they’re not on a general scheduled inspection list as being a high-hazard industry unless there’s an issue like I just mentioned,” Slater says.

Depending on the circumstances, Slater says the rules may be tighter for plants that process fertilizer. Slater says Iowa has a mostly good track record with fertilizer plants, but the incident in Texas is likely to prompt reviews of regulations nationwide. “This is like the occurrence that just happened in Boston – you can’t predict this stuff – when it does happen, it makes big news and big headlines and provides good opportunities (to discuss) whether we’re doing enough and how we can do things better,” Slater says. Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials say there are at least two existing fertilizer plants in Iowa, located in Fort Dodge and Sergeant Bluff. A third facility has just begun construction in southeast Iowa’s Lee County.

The state Department of Agriculture’s website lists more than 3,000 companies licensed to store, sell or distribute fertilizer in Iowa. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates 700 retail facilities in Iowa that store more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Four people died and 15 more were injured when ammonium nitrate exploded at a plant near Sioux City in 1994.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa says a mudslide behind a residence hall has damaged several vehicles in its parking lot. The university said yesterday that heavy rains caused the mudslide behind Mayflower Residence Hall late Wednesday night. No one was injured, but the parking lot behind Mayflower became inundated with several feet of mud and debris.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s state treasury has received an annual payment from tobacco companies totaling more than $65 million. The payment is the result of a 1998 settlement agreement between tobacco companies and states over tobacco-related health care costs.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa program geared at helping people avoid foreclosure has received a federal grant for more than $600,000. The Iowa Mortgage Help foreclosure prevention initiative received the grant from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. State officials announced the award yesterday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of Midwest bankers says that strong farm income continues to boost the economy in Iowa, Nebraska and other Plains states. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey from Omaha, Nebraska. He says agricultural businesses and energy-producing firms continue to thrive in the region.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union is seeking an order stopping the enforcement of Iowa laws that make it a crime to abuse the American flag. ACLU filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., whose members are known for protesting outside soldiers’ funerals with anti-gay messages. The lawsuit says police in Red Oak and Council Bluffs threatened to enforce Iowa’s flag abuse statutes against during protests between 2010 and 2012.

The lawsuit argues the laws are unconstitutional, and were invalidated by a federal judge’s ruling in 2007. Lawmakers amended one of the laws after that ruling, but ACLU attorney Randall Wilson says they remain an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. Church members drag, stand and spit on flags during protests.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of bankers says that strong farm income continues to boost the economy in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Plains states. The overall economic index for the region grew to 58.3 in April from March’s 56.9. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says agricultural businesses and energy-producing firms continue to thrive in the region.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest this (Thursday) afternoon of  a Red Oak woman. Twenty-four year old Amanda Kate Carlson of Red Oak was arrested on a Page County Warrant for Burglary/3rd degree and unauthorized use of a credit card. She was turned over to the Page County Sheriff’s Office and her bond has been set at $4,000.

On Wednesday, April 24th the Atlantic Community School District will be conducting its bi-annual Career Day at Atlantic High School. Students from Atlantic High School and 8th grade middle school students will have an opportunity to listen to speakers throughout the day that will discuss topics related to careers in the area. Students participating in this event will gain a better understanding of expectations, needed level of education, training, and day to day operations in their field of interest. There will be 110 different careers areas that the students can choose from. Speakers from Omaha, Des Moines, Ames and SW Iowa will present to the students. The day will be kicked-off by keynote speaker, Mr. Roger Underwood, a 1976 graduate of Atlantic High School. The day will begin at 8:15 a.m. with the keynote speaker and will include four different “breakout” sessions for the students.