Officials with the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Department report a Mt. Ayr woman missing since late Friday afternoon was found Saturday by a search party.  74-year old Shirley Martin, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was located at approximately  2:00-p.m., northwest of her residence. Chief Deputy Sheriff Rob Haley says Martin was found about three-quarters of a mile from her home in a shallow hole on the edge of a corn field, surrounded by brush and timber.  She was conscious and was transported to Ringgold County Hospital and then air lifted to Des Moines, where she was later reported to be in good condition.

Martin was reported missing after she left her home at 1984 270th Avenue sometime between the hours of 12:30-p.m. and 4:30-p.m. Friday. Deputy Haley says the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the nearly 600 people and law enforcement officers who participated in the search effort. The volunteers had began to gather at around 7-a.m. Saturday at a church north of Mt. Ayr, to coordinate their search efforts.     

Authorities in southwest Iowa’s Ringgold County are asking for the public’s help in finding a woman missing from her home in Mt. Ayr.

74-year-old Shirley Mae Martin

Sheriff’s Officials say 74-year-old Shirley Mae Martin, left her residence at 1894 270th Ave of Mt. Ayr sometime between the hours of 12:30 and 4:30pm on Friday had hasn’t been seen since.  The woman, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was last seen wearing a pair of blue jeans, t-shirt and a sweatshirt, color unknown.

Volunteers have banded together to aid in a search for the woman.If you have seen her, or know where she is,  contact the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office at 641-464-3921, or your local authorities.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa has set a record for early voting, reflecting a push by the major political parties to lock in votes from supporters. As of Friday, nearly 584,000 Iowans had voted, already exceeding the 2008 record of 545,000 early votes.  About 70 percent of the votes were absentee ballots sent by mail to the voter’s home. Another 20 percent were cast at county auditor’s offices and about 10 percent at satellite locations designated by local election officials.

A significant number of ballots remain in the hands of voters and could still be returned. Nearly 700,000 voters have requested ballots. They can be returned in person by 9 p.m. Tuesday. If they’re mailed, they must be postmarked by Monday.

State and local officials are investigating a structure fire that occurred this (Saturday) morning near Sidney, in Fremont County. The Sheriff’s Department says they received a call about the fire at 3061 170th Street, just before 2-a.m.  No one was in the home at the time. Firefighters from Sidney Fire and Rescue, were assisted in battling the blaze, by crews from Randolph, Tabor and Riverton. The home sustained extensive fire and smoke damage. No injuries were reported. Firefighters were on the scene for about 90-minutes. The fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s Office, with assistance from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

(9-a.m. News)

Events across Iowa this month aim to raise awareness about the thousands of Iowa kids in foster care and the hundreds who are eligible for adoption. Corinne Sills is a post-adoption support specialist in Mason City, part of Iowa Kids Net. Sills says more than 400-thousand children are in foster care nationwide due to abuse, neglect, abandonment and other family issues. “There are approximately 6,100 Iowa children in foster care and that includes those that are in foster homes, relative homes, group care institutions and pre-adoptive homes,” Sills says.

Also, some 750 children in Iowa are legally eligible for adoption. As part of National Adoption Month, she says there will be candlelight vigils held at a locations across Iowa. “It’s to raise awareness of the 104,000 children in the United States waiting to be adopted,” Sills says. “There’s about a dozen locations around the state to bring that awareness about. It represents a bright future and bright possibilities for every child who has a permanent connection to a caring adult.”

The candlelight vigils will be held in: Ames and Davenport on November 9th, Cedar Rapids on November 13th, Council Bluffs on November 8th, Creston and Des Moines on November 6th, Webster City on November 7th, Pella on November 10th, Sioux City on November 5th, Urbandale on November 20th, and Winterset on November 8th. Sills says one of this month’s moving ceremonies is the “Adoption Saturday,” which is set for November 17th, with events in several communities, including Webster City. At those events, judges sign off on multiple adoptions over several hours with photos taken with the new families, gifts for the adopted children and other special elements — she calls it “really an exciting day.”

Similar Adoption Saturday events will be held in Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Ottumwa. Learn more at: www.iowakidsnet.com

(Radio Iowa)