Several hundreds of  riders on horseback from across the state are saddling up for the journey to Camp Sunnyside near Ankeny this Easter weekend. For 47 years, the riders have traveled to the Easter Seals facility, bringing with them money from dances, toll roads and other fundraising activities. Tim Allen of Whittemore is the president-elect of the Pony Express Riders of Iowa.

“We start in different towns and we all end up at the John Deere plant in Ankeny,” Allen says. “We relay it, mile for mile, on horseback along the side of the road with pilot cars and escorts.” More than 280-thousand dollars was raised last year by the Pony Express Riders to help with the camp that has been in operation for 80 years. After the ride to the camp, Allen says there’s a celebratory dance.

“It’s just a big thank you to all of the volunteers,” he says, “because everything that the Pony Express Riders do, everybody that’s part of that is a volunteer. There’s no kickback. Their time, their fuel, everything is volunteered.” Allen expects between 200 to 300 people will be riding their horses as part of the event this weekend. The ride has been held every year since 1968. Allen has some advice for motorists this holiday weekend.

“If you see a horse out on the highway, respect it,” Allen says. “There are going to be a lot of horses throughout the whole state. They’re going to try to be as safe as they can be but they’ll also appreciate it” if motorists use extra caution. Learn more at: www.ponyexpressridersofiowa.org.

(Radio Iowa)

Two people from Pottawattamie County were arrested early this (Saturday) morning on drug charges, in Montgomery County. The Sheriff’s Office says 18-year old Kacie Christina Karbowski and 19-year old Adam Cleary Poff, both of Council Bluffs, were taken into custody at around 1:45-a.m., following a traffic stop near Highway34 and Ironwood Avenue. Karbowski was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond. Poff was wanted on two Pott. County warrants for Probation violation and a Controlled Substance violation. His bond was set at $11,000.

Authorities say the pair were traveling in a 2000 Ford Explorer that was pulled over for a traffic violation. During an investigation, the Montgomery County K9 unit was deployed to conduct a free-air sniff around the SUV. K9 “Rex” alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle. A subsequent search of the SUV resulted in the confiscation of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. The Sheriff’s Dept. was assisted at the scene by officers with the Red Oak Police Dept.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, that at around 2:50-p.m. Friday, 31-year old Matthew Wayne Echternach, of Pipecreek, TX, turned himself into the sheriff’s office on a bench warrant for Violation of Probation. Echternach was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.