More area and State news from Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – There’s a major blood shortage in the United States. A quarter of the blood centers in the Midwest have just a day’s supply or even less on hand. Emily Holley is a spokesperson for the American Red Cross in Iowa. “Our blood supply is at the lowest it has been this time of year in six years,” she says, “so it’s critical right now that folks give blood.” Many blood centers report they’re running critically low of O-negative blood. It’s the most common blood type used in emergencies when a patient’s blood type is unknown.

Holley says more donations are also needed for platelets.”Platelets often go to those battling cancer and other chronic illnesses,” she says. “It helps keep them healthy.” Platelets are the cells in blood that form clots and stop or prevent bleeding. Cancer patients often need platelet transfusions if their bone marrow cells aren’t producing enough platelets due to chemotherapy.

WATERLOO – Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Corrections, Tuesday, said an inmate, 39-year-old Andrew Lee Stephens, who was convicted of Robbery 1st Degree in Black Hawk County, failed to report back to the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility as required, Monday. Stephens is a White male, height 6’0″, and weighs 270 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on July 26, 2021.

Persons with information on Stephens’ whereabouts should contact local police.

Andrew Lee Stephens (IA-DOC photo)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Hy-Vee will join forces to pay tribute to Iowa’s military men and women on Veterans Day. On Thursday, November 11, Hy-Vee stores across the state will distribute a free breakfast to all veterans and active-duty military in gratitude of their service to our country. Hy-Vee will also circulate the Iowa Secretary of State’s “Honor A Veteran” postcards, encouraging customers to pay tribute to a loved one who served our country. Secretary Pate says  “Veterans Day is about saying thank you and recognizing the sacrifice of those who defended our freedoms. Since our statehood nearly 175 years ago, Iowans have risen to the task. I’m honored once again to work with Hy-Vee to pay tribute to these brave men and women.”

Approximately 30,000 “Honor A Veteran” postcards were sent to Hy-Vee stores across Iowa for use on Veterans Day. Tina Potthoff, senior vice president at Hy-Vee, says “Together with our customers we have the opportunity this Veterans Day to show our support to those who have served us. This program is one more way we can thank our veterans for serving our country and show our appreciation to these brave men and women.”

The veterans receiving the postcards at Hy-Vee can write a tribute to a fellow soldier, submit their own information to receive recognition from the State of Iowa, or give the card to a loved one to post an acknowledgement. The postcards will be returned to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and tributes will be posted online at HonorAVet.net and Facebook.com/HonorAVeteran.

The person making the tribute and the veteran being honored, if they are still with us, will both receive an ‘Honor a Veteran with Your Vote’ lapel pin in the mail. The lapel pins are in the shape of Iowa and contain the red, white, and blue colors within the Iowa Flag. Secretary Pate encourages those recipients to wear them while voting.

(Creston, Iowa) – The driver of a pickup was injured and transported by air ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, after the pickup struck a deer Tuesday night in Union County. Authorities say the accident happened in the Creston City Limits at around 7:22-p.m.   According to the report, 25-year-old Tyler Donald Miller, of Prescott, was traveling south on Highway 25, when the 2001 Dodge RAM pickup hit a deer. The vehicle went off the road to the right and entered the ditch before rolling over. The pickup came to rest on its passenger side. The vehicle was declared a total loss ($20,000 damage).

The Creston Police Department reports the arrest at around 3:45-a.m. Tuesday, of 42-year-old Juliann Marquis Edsall, from Creston. She was arrested at 809 W. Adams Street and charged with Possession of Controlled Substance – 3rd Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Edsall was taken to Union County Jail and then transferred to Adams County Jail, where her cash or surety bond was set at $5,000 cash.

Authorities say there were two vehicles reported stolen over the past couple of days, one of which was set on fire, the other of which was recovered in Ringgold County. Police said a red, 2003 Chevy S-10 pickup stolen from Eby’s Auto in Creston, was reported to be on fire at around 7:05-a.m. Tuesday, near the intersection of Cherry and Montgomery Streets, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $5,000.

And, a little 9-a.m. Monday, a woman reported to Police her 2009 Dodge Ram 4-door pickup had been stolen from outside a residence in the 100 block of E. Adams Street, in Creston. Also missing from inside the vehicle, was miscellaneous tools, personal property and medications. The loss was estimated at $13,781. Authorities say the pickup was recovered in Ringgold County later in the day.

The latest area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A woman from Red Oak was arrested on drug charges Tuesday evening. According to Red Oak Police, 26-year-old Veronica Interiano was taken into custody at around 6:10-p.m. in the 1800 block of N. 8th Street. Interiano was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense (Marijuana), and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. She was being held in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley and three other Senators say they have developed a compromise plan that give independent cattle producers more clues about what meatpackers are paying for cattle raised under private contracts. “One step closer, a big step closer to making that happen,” Grassley says. Grassley, along with a Republican senator from Nebraska and Democratic senators from Montana and Oregon are co-sponsors of the legislation. It would create a sort of library of sale contracts and require meat packers to disclose how many cattle they plan to buy for slaughter in each of the next 14 days.

Grassley says the aim now is to tack this proposal onto an already-existing livestock-related law that congress has to vote to reauthorize in December. “The next month will be critical as we talk to the leadership of the agriculture committees in both the House and Senate to get this bill included,” Grassley says. Grassley says a key senator who had blocked action on the issue in the past retired from the senate a year ago and leaders of the House and Senate ag committees appear open to negotiations.

“Producers across the country are counting on congress to make real reform to the cattle market,” Grassley says. Cattle producers have complained there’s a growing disparity between what they’re being paid for their livestock and what consumers are paying for beef at the grocery store.

(Radio Iowa) – Family and friends who spoke at the service honoring the Fairfield High School teacher who was murdered last week used words like sparkle and joy to describe Nohema Graber. Her oldest son, Christian, read a note his mother wrote to herself before this school year started. “I didn’t know what I was going to say in this moment,” he began, “but then I found this notebook in my mother’s study room and I thought I’d share a few words with you guys: ‘My plan is very simple and I think very powerful. My plan is to smile all the time. The reason is that I think a smile is contagious.'”

Graber, who was 66, wrote that by putting her intentions on paper, she would be aware of how others reacted to her smile. It took her son just over two minutes to read his mother’s words aloud. “When I come back to work and I have difficult students, I will try to see them as they are: just young children. I will be aware that this is only just a temporary thing,” Graber’s son read. “…We, the teachers, must be a positive role model for our students and even if the students forget about my Spanish classes, I hope they remember how and why to smile to life and to be honest.” A niece spoke next.

“She was a wonderful aunt by how she made life sparkle,” Sabrina said. “From her eyes literally sparkling when she’d give one of her full throated, full bodied laughs to way she would sparkle her words with such joyous inflection.” Others in the crowd stepped forward to pay tribute, including former students like Lorena Hucke. “Everything that I remember about Spanish and about Senora Graber is just surrounded in positivity and happiness,” Hucke said, “and this pure joy that she shared.” Mathew Johnson and Graber attended the same church in Fairfield.

“She was a wonderful soul that brought many different cultures together,” Johnson said, “and I am just absolutely blessed and honored to have known her.” Father Nick Adam of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fairfield led the service and concluded by expressing the community’s sympathy to Graber’s family.

“Nohema was deeply loved,” he said, “and she’s going to be deeply missed.” Last (Tuesday) night’s event was held at Fairfield High School, where Graber had been a teacher since 2012. She was reported missing a week ago. Her body was found in the park in Fairfield where she often went for walks. Two 16 year old Fairfield high school students have both been charged in adult court with first degree murder.