More than a dozen tenants of the Council Bluffs apartment complex who were displaced by a fire early Monday morning, have received assistance in the form of food, clothing and shelter, from the American Red Cross. The Fire at 215 South 10th Street happened at around 1:15-a.m., Monday.  The blaze destroyed 7 units and displacing 17 residents.The cause remains under investigation. No injuries were reported.

Residents of the apartment complex were provided with the necessities, along with comfort and care, based on need. A team of five volunteers from the Red Cross Metro Disaster Action Team responded to the fire to assist the affected families.

The Red Cross depends on the generous support of Omaha metro residents to respond to its neighbors who are affected by home fires. Officials say you can help the Red Cross continue to be ready to respond and help fire victims by making a financial contribution to Nebraska/SW Iowa Region today.

To make a financial donation, visit www.redcross.org, call 712.322.4017, or mail a check to 705 N. 16th St. Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501.

 OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An American Airlines flight to Dallas had to return to Omaha shortly after takeoff because of a mechanical problem with the right engine.  American Airlines flight 1349 landed safely in Omaha Tuesday morning shortly after it took off from Eppley Airfield around 8:20 a.m. 
 
American Airlines spokesman Ed Martelle says 123 passengers and five crew members were aboard the MD-80. The passengers are being rebooked on other flights, so they can reach their destinations.  Martelle says the plane has been taken out of service until the problem can be identified and repairs made.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A proposed constitutional amendment making it harder for government officials to limit who can get a gun and where they can carry firearms could come up in a House committee as early as this week.  Rep. Clel Baudler, a Greenfield Republican and chairman of the Public Safety Committee, says he’s planning to bring the amendment forward for discussion in his committee soon. He expects it to get enough support to move to the House floor.

The amendment declares the right of individuals to get and carry firearms shall not be denied. It also prohibits fees related to guns and limits restrictions that can be imposed. Polk County Attorney John Sarcone says the measure would be a regression to the wild west, and could create major problems, especially in urban areas.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman says due to the recent precipitation and current snow cover, Montgomery County Fire officials have agreed to lift the Open Burn Ban which was put in place last week. The ban was established due to abnormally dry conditions throughout all of Montgomery County.

As a reminder to all area residents Hamman asks you to call the Montgomery County Communications Center at 712-623-5107 to report any open burns in Montgomery County that are taking place, in order to prevent any unnecessary fire department responses. Hamman says all area fire departments thank you for your consideration of not open burning while the burn ban was in place during the abnormally warm and dry conditions that were present in the previous week.

The first day of Spring is still well over a month away, but it’s time to start thinking about the first flower of Spring, and what it represents.

Am. Cancer Society's "Daffodil Days" 2012

 With the American Cancer Society’s “Daffodil Days” set to take place March 12th through the 16th, orders are being taken now through February 17th, to raise funds for cancer research. Purchasing daffodils offers you a chance to show your support for cancer patients, and the hope cancer will be beaten. The daffodil is a symbol of hope.

Denise Coder, Board member of the Cass County Unit of the ACS, says the latest statistics indicate a decline in cancer mortality for the second year in a row, and Daffodil Days serves to continue as a means to fight cancer. Bouquets of 10 daffodils are available for your $10 donation. In addition, the ACS is once again offering the Boyd’s “Bear and a Bunch” selection, made up of a bunch of daffodils, along with a specially-commissioned Boyd’s bear with the American Cancer Society logo on one paw, and a bunch of daffodils on the other. The bear edition is being made available for a $25 donation.

For $15, donors can order “Dainty Daffodils,” in a pot, which can be replanted outside, to bloom year-after-year. And, the “Gift of hope” can be purchased for $25. It will be delivered anonymously to a cancer survivor. Atlantic residents can call Meyer & Gross Real Estate at 243-4100 to place your orders.

Donations collected through the sale of daffodils will be used for cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient services. For more information, call Denise Coder at 243-7475, or log on to www.cancer.org.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Jason Wickizer says a course for experienced firefighters and other personnel exposed to fire, heat or toxic atmospheres, is being offered in Defiance next month. The Advanced Breathing Apparatus Course is designed to provide experienced fire service personnel with advanced knowledge and skills development involving the use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), for the purpose of increasing the chance of survival, in an emergency situation.

Wickizer says a Mobile Breathing Apparatus Trailer (MBAT) will be in Defiance from March 5th through the 17th. Among the topics to be covered during the ABA Class are: fire fighter deaths and injuries; respiratory hazards; maintenance of SCBA; limitations of SCBA’s; tight space maneuvering, and, emergency survival techniques.

For more information, or to schedule a time, call Jason Wickizer at 712-755-2124 or e-mail jwickizer@shco.org.