WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State and local officials announced that Microsoft will begin construction on a new data center in West Des Moines, increasing the company’s investment in Iowa to nearly $2 billion and becoming the largest investment in the state to date.

Gov. Terry Branstad joined with local officials Friday to announce Microsoft’s investment in so-called “Project Alluvion,” which is expected to total more than $1.1 billion. A data center completed in 2010 resulted in about a $900 million investment from the company.

Branstad says Iowa’s central location makes it an attractive location for Microsoft and other companies that have recently opened data centers.  Google opened a data center in Council Bluffs in 2009, and Facebook is building a data center in Altoona that should open early next year.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a prisoner who escaped in suburban Des Moines may no longer be in the area.  The Urbandale Police Department said Friday it has suspended an active search of the immediate area for 37-year-old Kenny Bevard. They believe he has received aid from others following his escape Thursday in Clive.

Authorities say Bevard was being driven to Adel in adjacent Dallas County for a court hearing in a burglary case. He was handcuffed when he got out and ran as the Dallas County sheriff’s vehicle stopped in traffic. He reached a nearby wooded area.

Dallas and Polk County sheriff’s offices will continue the investigation and search for Bevard.   Authorities say Bevard has served prison time for burglary and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate climbed to 4.5 percent in March as more people entered the labor force. Iowa Workforce Development announced Friday the rate was up from 4.4 percent in February. It compared to a 4.8 percent unemployment rate in March 2013.    Despite the higher rate, agency director Teresa Wahlert says total employment reached a record high of 1.6 million people.

The number of unemployed people also increased, from 74,200 in February to 76,000 in March. Just over 7,000 additional people joined the labor force. Iowa’s rate compares to a national unemployment rate of 6.7 percent.

In a follow-up to our story last month about efforts to organize a “Freedom Flight” for veterans to Washington, D-C., event coordinator Steve Livengood, a retired veteran, says the date for the flight has been set, and there are still plenty of seats available. The event begins at 5:30-p.m. Mon., June 16^th with an Honor Dinner at the Atlantic Community Center. A bus will leave Atlantic at around 7:30-p.m. and arrive in Des Moines for an overnight stay in a motel.

Wake-up is bright and early Tuesday June 17^th at 0300 hours (3-a.m.), followed by a continental breakfast and a trip to the Des Moines International Airport with the Boeing 737 flight becoming airborne at around 6-a.m.  The flight will land in Washington, D-C at around 9-a.m., local time. Veterans will tour all of the monuments during the day.

Wheels-up for the flight home is at around 7:30-p.m. Eastern Time, with arrival in Des Moines at 10:30-p.m. Central Time. A bus will then bring the vet’s straight home to Atlantic. Two successful businessmen Roger Underwood and Jeff Becker, both of whom are natives of Atlantic, are funding the entire trip for up to 150 veterans of southwest Iowa. The Freedom Flight is open to any veteran, not just World War Two or Korean War Vet’s as is the case with the “Honor Flights.”                                                               

He says Afghanistan War Vet’s in the 20’s will be alongside World War 2 Vet’s in their 80’s and veterans of all ages in-between. About a dozen “Guardians” with special skills will be on the trip to help veterans get around once the plane lands in D-C. Some of the guardians will be younger veterans who are taking the trip and serving as a helper to their older comrades.              

Livengood says the Vet’s “Will do what they do best, which is take care of each other.” Veterans interested in taking the trip and/or those interested in helping prepare for the event, should contact Steve Livengood at 712-243-5445.