With precinct polling places around the state opening at seven o’clock tomorrow (Tuesday) for the 2014 General Election, the two major party candidates for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat are embarking on a frenetic round of campaign activity. Republican Joni Ernst plans to make a dozen stops between now and Tuesday morning when she plans to vote in Red Oak.

“I am asking for your support November 4,” Ernst said in Ames this weekend. “I cannot do it along, folks. I do need your help in order to take this seat back so, please, grab a neighbor, grab a friend, grab a colleague and get them out to the polls on Tuesday.” Democrat Bruce Braley is embarking on a tour with stops in six eastern Iowa cities today (Monday). On Sunday, he campaigned in cities along the Mississippi River, starting in Decorah.

“We always knew it was going to be a very tight race and it’s going to be decided on who gets people out to the polls,” Braley says. “Democrats have always had an advantage when it comes to the ground game. I see that as I travel all across the state of Iowa. I see highly-motivate volunteers and campaign staff turning people out to vote and that’s how we’re going to win on Tuesday.”

A Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” released Saturday night showed Ernst with a seven-point lead over Braley. A C-N-N poll released Sunday showed Ernst two points ahead of Braley.

(Radio Iowa)

(Update 3:54-a.m – Escapee captured)

(In an update to our post at 3:30-a.m.) Authorities in southwest Iowa say a black male teenager who escaped from the Clarinda Academy early this morning has been caught. The 16-year old was on the lam for about an hour after he jumped out a window at around 2:50-a.m. Dispatch reports said the subject was seen allegedly trying to break into cars in the Academy parking lot at around 3-a.m.

He was apprehended at around 3:45-a.m., and return to the residential foster care facility that provides residential treatment and shelter care to at-risk and delinquent male and female youth from several states. 

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — More people have voted early in 10 states than in 2010, and Republicans and Democrats alike say the numbers show they have the advantage in key races for Senate and governor races heading into Election Day. Registered Democrats have a 1 point edge in Iowa, but that’s tighter than their usual advantage there. That leaves Republicans confident in the chances of their Senate nominee, Joni Ernst.

STACEYVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities are investigating a fish kill that was caused by manure from a hog confinement farm spilling into the Little Cedar River near Stacyville. The state Department of Natural Resources says about 5,000 gallons of manure flowed into the creek after a hose broke. The spill was reported around 11 p.m. Friday.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A deceased Iowa attorney is being accused of mishandling $64,000 before his death. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a claim was filed against David Alan Roth’s estate. The claim accuses Roth of taking $64,000 from a life insurance policy that he was supposed to invest.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The owner of cosmetology schools in Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska is asking a judge to dismiss a consumer fraud lawsuit filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office. State attorneys filed a petition August 28th alleging Cynthia Becher, owner of a company that operates La’ James International Colleges violated Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act. Miller alleges the schools failed to adequately staff classrooms and required students to perform janitorial duties.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A northwest Iowa restaurant is offering its customers an incentive to put away their cell phones and talk to each other. The Sioux City Journal reports Sneaky’s Chicken promises a 10 percent discount to customers who give up their cell phones while eating dinner at the restaurant on Wednesdays.

Owner Dave Ferris and his daughter, general manager Christy Wright, came up with the idea after they noticed a decline in conversation among customers who seemed preoccupied with their cell phones. Wright says nearly all their customers participate in the promotion by putting their phones in a box their server brings to the table.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The number of lawyers practicing in rural parts of Iowa is steadily declining because older lawyers are retiring but few young lawyers move to those areas. The Des Moines Register reports the lack of lawyers is increasingly forcing people who live in rural areas to drive significant distances to get legal help. A state database shows that 75 percent of Iowa’s attorneys work in 11 counties that all have sizeable cities.

At one extreme, Polk County – the state’s most populated county – has 2,517 attorneys. At the other end, Ringgold County in southern Iowa has only two attorneys. One of those Ringgold County lawyers, James Pedersen, wants to retire but he hasn’t been able to find anyone to buy his successful law firm.

Authorities in Audubon County said today (Monday), they are still looking for the driver of an SUV who eluded deputies and police following a traffic stop and pursuit early Sunday morning. Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson told KJAN News Sunday, that a deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop at around midnight Saturday on Highway 71, near Exira. The vehicle, a blue Dodge Durango with Nebraska plates, sped-off as the deputy approached.

The chase that ensued wound its way south to Brayton and then back north on Highway 71 to Exira. Audubon Police laid down stop sticks in an attempt to disable the SUV, but the unidentified driver took evasive action and drove into the east ditch before traveling on the T-Bone bike trail. The deputy stayed on Highway 71 until Exira, where he blocked the bike trail. When the SUV left the trail and veered into the ditch to avoid the deputy’s cruiser, it hit some debris (trees and brush) and became immobilized.

The driver took off on foot and made his way to the West Nishnabotna River. The passenger, 32-year old Aaron Charles Whitehill, of Omaha, was arrested at around 2:30-a.m., Sunday. Whitehill faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance -Methamphetamine, 3rd offense. Whitehill was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Cass County K-9 team of Deputy Kyle Quist and his partner “Vader” tracked the driver to the river’s edge, where the scent was lost. Sheriff Johnson says they believe the suspect entered the river, which was near full and very cold. While the k-9 team was tracking the suspect, “Vader” suffered a laceration to his paw and was treated near the scene by Quist, thanks to Med Kits provided to the County’s K-9 units by the Cass County Attorney’s Office.

Residents in the area where the suspect disappeared were warned by authorities to lock their vehicles, but Johnson says a vehicle that was reported stolen near Exira, may be been taken by the suspect. The vehicle was described as being a red, Ford F-350 regular cab pickup with Audubon County plates.

Agencies assisting the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office during the incident included the Audubon P-D, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources and the Cass County Sheriff’s Dept. k-9 unit.