DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Early voting by absentee ballot will begin in Iowa on Thursday, and the secretary of state is encouraging all eligible voters to participate. Iowa allows absentee voting by mail and offers early in-person voting at the offices of county auditors beginning the 40th day before Election Day.

Residents have increasingly opted for voting by absentee ballot in recent elections for the convenience and in response to increasing pressure from political parties striving to get as many votes as possible cast by Election Day.

Secretary of State Matt Schultz announced earlier this week that the number of absentee ballots requested by Iowa voters this year is nearly double the number sought 43 days before the 2010 election.

Democrats have in recent election cycles excelled at the strategy but the numbers released Monday show Republican absentee ballot requests are up nearly 145 percent from 2010 to just over 31,000. Democratic requests have climbed nearly 67 percent to nearly 58,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Turning the Creighton University Medical Center into a veterans hospital has surfaced as a new option for replacing Omaha’s aging federal facility. Rep. Lee Terry, an Omaha Republican, says the option was one of three discussed Tuesday during a meeting between the Nebraska delegation and the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Robert McDonald.

Local financing to build the replacement and lease it back to the federal government also was discussed. Officials say renovating the Creighton hospital would cost about $250 million, compared with the $560 million estimated for a new, replacement facility. Federal funding for the replacement facility remains mired on a list of VA construction projects.

The Omaha hospital serves more than 160,000 veterans in the VA’s Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System.

The Exira-EHK School board is set to meet on Friday, September 26th at 7:30am at the Superintendent’s Office in Elk Horn.  The short agenda includes discussion and action on approving a resolution to set a public hearing for the sale of Exira Elementary School land.

The Atlantic Police Department investigated a single vehicle accident in the Wal-Mart parking lot Tuesday afternoon. Mary Smith of Lewis was driving east in the parking lot and started to turn down a parking aisle to park. Smith struck a concrete post with the left front corner of her vehicle. Smith was taken to Cass County Hospital by Medivac and a passenger complained of injuries but refused transport. Damage to the Smith vehicle listed at 6-thousand dollars. No citations were issued.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors visit Atlantic Motor Supply (NAPA) to celebrate 50 years in business. Atlantic Motor Supply has been in business for 50 years but has over 100 years of experience. The business expanded in 1995 after a downtown fire. Atlantic Motor Supply is one of the largest downtown stores in Iowa.
“When we expanded in 1995, we decided to be bigger, better and cleaner than the other automotive stores,” owner, Kelly Schlake said.
The store prides themselves on great customer service and encourages customers to come and ask questions with over 100 years of experience they will have the solution for you.

Pictured are: Gary Clausen, Greg Hawkins, Preston Harter, Randy Eden, Sheena Hagen , Carol Schlake, Kelly Schlake, Gary Christensen, Janet Cappel, Tara Jennerjohn, Nedra Perry, Connie Wailes, Sue Muri, Debbie Leistad, Lana Westphalen, Dolly Bergmann, Carole Schuler, Julie May, Tammy Waters, Arlene Drennan, JoAnn Runyan, Dr. Mitch Peerbolte, Jolene Roecker, Dr. Haley Kickland, Bill Saluk, Dr. Keith Leonard, Donnie Drennan, Diane Harris, Kerry Jepsen, Melanie Petty, Rich Perry, Dr. Jim Kickland, Chip Hansen, Tyler Mosier, and David Schwab.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is investigating an armed robbery of a convenience store this morning. The lone suspect entered the Casey’s located at 510 23rd Avenue armed with a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded money. After his demand was not met he fled the store on foot going east. The suspect is described as a white male, 5 feet ten inches tall, weighing 150-160 pounds. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black shoes, and a grey ski mask. No injuries were reported to the nine people in the store at the time of the robbery. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-S-T-O-P.

An Emerson teen was injured in a single vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon. 15 year old Cody D. Parker was injured when the car he was driving went off the roadway in the 19-hundred block of 200th street. Deputies report Parker was out of his vehicle when they arrived and had visible bruising to his right eye and a minor abrasion on his lower left abdomen from the seatbelt. Parker told authorities he had been driving east on 200th street coming to a school function when he was adjusting his radio and nearly went off the roadway. When he noticed his vehicle drifting towards the ditch he yanked the steering wheel to the left causing it to cross the center line and leave the north shoulder. The vehicle continued east on the shoulder of the roadway until he struck a driveway causing the vehicle to become airborne for a short period of time. The vehicle then traveled into a yard where he struck a light pole owned by David and Wayne Bailey, shearing it off. Parker indicated he did lose consciousness briefly, and when he came to he contacted his parents.

No citations were issued in the accident. Damage to the Parker vehicle was listed at 7-thousand dollars and 15-hundred dollars to the light pole. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Red Oak Police Department as well as the Red Oak Fire and Rescue.

w/ Mark Saylor

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new study confirms what anyone watching Iowa television probably knows already — Gov. Terry Branstad is massively outspending his Democratic opponent Jack Hatch in the Republican incumbent’s drive for re-election.

The data compiled by the non-partisan Center for Public Integrity shows that $2.9 million has been spent on television advertising in Iowa state level races — such as governor or the state legislature — through Sept. 8.

Nearly all the money has been spent on the governor’s race, with $2.2 million coming from Branstad’s campaign, and just $129,200 from the Hatch campaign.

Three people were injured Tuesday evening when a semi struck an SUV in Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2000 Freightliner semi driven by 24-year old Eric Almanza, of Lenox, was traveling west on Ashworth Road at around 6:15-p.m., when the rig failed to stop at the intersection with Ute Avenue. The semi hit a southbound 2002 Chevy Blazer, driven by 29-year old Nicholas Gordan, of Winterset.

Gordan, and an unidentified minor female in the SUV, also from Winterset, were transported by Dallas County EMS to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Almanza, was transported by Dallas County EMS to Mercy West Lakes Hospital.

The accident remains under investigation.