The American Red Cross is offering a free application for smart phones that makes it easier and faster for Iowans to find a nearby blood drive. The agency’s spokeswoman Katie Marshall says it’s a free app. You can track your donations, you can learn more about your specific blood type,” Marshall says, “and if there’s a shortage of your blood type, you’re going to get an alert saying, ‘Hey, we really need you to come in.'” The app is available for both i-Phone and Droid users.

“You can look for where the closest blood drives are in your area, you can make an appointment right there,” she says, while making blood donation goals for yourself. Marshall says the Red Cross is the nation’s single-largest supplier of blood and now that summer vacation is over, supplies are up.

“We’re seeing those high school and college drives start to pick up again,” she says. “We’re not looking at a shortage of any sort right now but the need is constant. That doesn’t mean anyone is off the hook. We need people to be donating constantly.” Iowans who want the new Blood Donor App can download it free at redcrossblood.org.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Retiring Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin’s final steak fry fundraiser may provide some much-needed sizzle for Democrat Bruce Braley, who is locked in a close race to replace the liberal lawmaker. Thousands of Democrats will gather Sunday at the hot-air balloon grounds outside Indianola, south of Des Moines, for Harkin’s 37th and final steak fry. The event will serve as an emotional commemoration of his service, capped with tributes from Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

While the former secretary of state’s potential presidential aspirations are likely to capture headlines, the event is also expected to rally activists for Braley. The four-term congressman is running against Republican state Sen. Joni Ernst in one of the year’s most competitive Senate races. Republicans need a six-seat gain to take control of the Senate.

A woman from Lewis suffered possible, unknown injuries during an accident Wednesday morning on Highway 6, in Cass County. The Iowa State Patrol, Friday, said 67-year old Linda Lou South, of Lewis, was traveling north on Highway 6 at around 8:45-a.m., when she saw a Cass County gravel truck slowing ahead of her due to engine trouble. She stopped behind the truck and turned on her flashers to warn traffic behind her.

A 2006 Pontiac Grand Am driven by 37-year old Craig Lantz, of Atlantic, was also traveling north. He saw the stalled dump truck and South’s  vehicle with its flashers on, but was unable to stop before hitting the rear of South’s car.

Lantz was cited for Failure to Maintain Control and for Violation of Financial Liability – accident related. Damage from the crash amounted to $13,000.

Medivac Ambulance along crews from Cumberland and Massena Fire and Rescue were called to the scene of a reported multi-vehicle accident Friday evening, in front of Schuler Manufacturing, west of Cumberland, at 63724 Richland Road. Crews were dispatched just before 6-p.m.

A medical chopper arrives as CCMH to transport an accident victim Friday evening.

There were injuries, with at least one person, the driver of one of the vehicles, being flown by helicopter late Friday evening to a hospital in Council Bluffs. The Iowa State Patrol was handling the accident investigation…additional details will be released later.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Council Bluffs on Friday said they were investigating the discovery of a body at a golf course, Friday. Police said they were called to the Council Bluffs Country Club near the intersection of Wright Road and Comanche, after a person on the golf course reported seeing a body in a pond.

Officials say the body was about75-feeet from the shore, and was retrieved by personnel with the Councl Bluffs Fire Department. The Iowa DCI was notified and began investigation into the matter. Authorities said the body was in a decomposed state and no positive identification could be made at the time of the initial investigation.

The subject was believed to be a man 30-to 40-years of age. There were no immediate indications of foul play. An autopsy is set to take place Sunday to try and determine the cause of death. The investigation continues.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — There is probable cause that a southwest Iowa school district violated the state’s open meetings law when it met privately to discuss the firing of a principal, according to a state investigation. The Iowa Public Information Board said the five-member board of the Red Oak Community School District failed to properly vote to close an April 10 meeting and broke the law on April 14 when it failed to appropriately apprise the public of an agenda item.

Each board member could face fines of up to $2,500 per violation, The Des Moines Register reported. The Iowa Public Information Board will make a decision on the issue when it meets on Sept. 18th. The school board voted earlier this year to consider terminating Red Oak High School principal Jedd Sherman’s contract. Sherman said at the time the board was trying to fire him in retaliation for his reporting of two cases of student bullying, among other things.

The school district later agreed to pay Sherman $100,000 in exchange for him resigning. The state’s open meetings law says a government body can hold professional competency discussions in private if the affected employee requests it. Sherman said he wanted the discussions open.

Greg Barntsen, an attorney representing Red Oak, said audio of the April 10th meeting will resolve some of the issues brought up by the information board. He added that he doesn’t expect the board members to be fined since they were acting on the advice of another attorney.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a reported home invasion. Bluffs Police Sgt. Chad Meyers said officers were called just before 10-a.m. Friday, to 1714 6th Avenue, for a report of a shot being fired. Officers arrived on scene and came into contact with the victim, Kyle Medearis. According to Medearis, someone knocked on his front door. When he opened the door, a black male and a Hispanic male forced their way into his home. Both suspects were described as being in their 20’s, average height and weight. The black male was wearing all black clothing and the Hispanic male was described as wearing a blue ball cap.

The black male was armed with a handgun and they ordered him to sit down. Medearis did not comply and ran to the back of the house. As he was exiting the rear door of the house, the black male fired a single shot in his direction. Medearis was not struck by the round and was able to escape. The two suspects exited out the same door and ran to a full sized white pickup that was parked on 6th Avenue. The white pickup then fled north on 18th Street.

The Council Bluffs Police are still investigating the incident and are asking that anyone with information on the crime call 328-STOP.

Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety report a northeast Iowa man was arrested without incident this (Friday) morning. 33-year old Abel Quijas, Jr., of Maynard,  was wanted in connection with the alleged attempted murder Thursday afternoon, of an Oelwin Peace Officer.

Abel Quijas, Jr.

Authorities say no further information will be released at this time.

Floodwaters at the Riverton Wildlife Management Area in Fremont County have receded enough for the boat ramp and access road at both ends of the area to reopen. The Iowa DNR says water is still higher in the main marsh than normal so hunters need to plan accordingly.

Floodwaters had caused a dike on the south side of the main tract to blow out, rapidly raising the water level in the marsh.

The Riverton Wildlife Management Area is a 4,000-acre public hunting and wildlife refuge area popular with waterfowl hunters. Iowa’s special September teal season is open through Sept. 21. The duck hunting season in the south zone is Oct. 4-8 and Oct. 18 to Dec. 11.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A legislative committee narrowly recommended allowing medical marijuana to be grown and sold in Iowa. The 10-member committee was formed to look at problems with a new law that was supposed to allow some epilepsy patients to get marijuana extract. On Thursday, the committee also backed changing state law to reclassify marijuana so it would be easier to get as medication, The Des Moines Register reported.

In May, lawmakers vote to allow people to possess marijuana extract, an oil that doesn’t contain the chemical that makes people high, to treat seizures. But the law didn’t provide any way for people to make or distribute the extract in Iowa.

Parents who pushed for the bill have said in the months since that it’s basically unworkable. Most states where medical marijuana is legal don’t allow people from other states to buy it. And people from Iowa would have to break the law to bring it back home.

State Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said he saw the original law as a giant step for families, but now it’s clear that it needs to be fixed. He and five other lawmakers voted to recommend the closely regulated production and distribution of medical marijuana for approved patients. It did not say what type of marijuana but did say it should not be taxed.

The committee voted 9-1 on a measure to recommend reclassifying marijuana in a way that would be a step toward making it legal for medical purposes.