WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is returning to the key presidential state of Iowa next week, reminding voters not to count him out of the next presidential campaign. The White House says Biden will be in Des Moines on Wednesday. He’ll speak at an event for a Catholic social justice group called Nuns on the Bus.

Biden’s visit will come days after former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton comes to Iowa to headline retiring Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry fundraiser, attended by thousands of Iowa political activists. Last year Biden was the headliner for that event, which frequently attracts potential White House contenders.

Both Clinton and Biden are considering running again for president in 2016. Iowa traditionally holds the first presidential primary contest.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office says 38-year old Patrick Lee Amburn, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail on a warrant for Probation Violation. He was taken into custody at around 10:30-a.m. and held on $20,000 bond.

And, 49-year old Adam Duane Wright, of Pisgah, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office in Glenwood, Wednesday evening, on a warrant for Probation Violation.  His bond was set at $10,000.

In an update to our earlier story about a three-vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon, in Pottawattamie County, the Sheriff’s Office identified the teenaged driver and passenger of a car struck by a Griswold man on a motorcycle on the eastern outskirts of Council Bluffs. Sheriff Jeff Danker says a 2012 Nissan Versa occupied by 17-year old Kelsey Fagan and 15-year old Katie Hopping, both of Council Bluffs, and a 2008 BMW motorcycle driven by 57-year old Aldon Pangelina, of Griswold, were both initially traveling east on Highway 92 at around 3:20-p.m.

Witnesses said the Nissan, driven by Kelsey Fagan,  was in the process of turning Northbound onto Stoneybrook Drive when the collision occurred. As the collision occurred the Nissan was pushed into the Westbound lane of Hwy 92, causing it to collide with a 2007 Mercury Mariner. The Mercury was being operated by a 27-year old Jessica Luke of Oakland, with 25-year old Laura Lajke of Macedonia, as the passenger.

Aldon Pangelina, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head injuries and was transported by medical helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. Both of the teens in the Nissan were transported by Lewis Township Fire & Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs as a precautionary measure. Officials say Jessica Luke and Laura Lajke both refused medical treatment at the scene.

Hwy 92 was closed for both Eastbound and Westbound traffic for approximately 3-hrs while Traffic Accident Investigators from the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office worked the scene. Further investigation will be conducted into the cause of the accident.

Police in Clarinda arrested two people on drug charges, Wednesday. According to Chief Keith Brothers, at approximately 9:30 p.m. officers arrested 26-year old Elizabeth Marie Merriett, of Tarkio, Missouri and 39-year old Jay Dean Miles, of Clarinda, for possession of a drug believed to be methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Miles was also wanted on an outstanding warrant from Pottawattamie County for contempt of court.

Merriett and Miles were both arrested pursuant to a traffic stop at 16th & Logan Streets. They  were taken into custody without incident and booked into the Page County Jail in lieu of bail, pending initial appearances before the Page County Magistrate.

The matter has been referred to the offices of Page County Attorney Jeremy S. Peterson for review and determination regarding the filing of formal charges.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – The Nebraska doctors treating an American who is battling the Ebola virus are expected to provide an update on his condition Thursday afternoon. Dr. Rick Sacra was flown to the Nebraska Medical Center last Friday for treatment in the hospital’s specialized 10-bed isolation unit.
Sacra’s doctors said earlier this week that the 51-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts had been improving since he arrived but it was too soon to say if he would recover.

Sacra has been using a video conference system to visit with his wife, Debbie Sacra, while receiving experimental treatment. Sacra was the third American aid worker with the Ebola virus to be flown to the U.S. for treatment. A fourth worker, whose identity has not yet been revealed, arrived Tuesday morning at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.

Des Moines – Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is reminding Iowa voters that early voting for the November 4, 2014 general election starts on Thursday, September 25. Schultz says “I hope all eligible Iowans take full advantage of their right to vote by registering to vote and casting a ballot either early in-person, by mail or at the polls on Election Day. Every vote counts and it’s important that Iowans participate to make sure their voices are heard.”

To vote in Iowa, eligible voters can:

· Cast a ballot early by filling out an absentee ballot in-person at their county auditor’s office or at possible satellite locations as designated by the county auditor starting Thursday, September 25 through Monday, November 3.

· Request an absentee ballot by mail.

· Vote at their designated precinct polling place on Election Day.

Registering to vote is easy. Simply download the State of Iowa Official Voter Registration Form from www.sos.iowa.gov and return it to your local county auditor’s office or visit your local county auditor’s office to fill out a paper copy.

Absentee ballots received by the county auditor before 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4 are eligible for counting. Absentee ballots that are returned by mail and received after the polls close must have a postmark of Monday, November 3 or earlier to be considered for counting.

The Iowa Secretary of State’s office offers a comprehensive app called Iowa SOS available for both Android and Apple devices to ensure voting resources are at voter’s fingertips. From the Iowa SOS app, Iowans can do the following:

Check voter registration information
Fill out the State of Iowa Official Voter Registration Form
Find the correct polling place for the general election
Request an absentee ballot
Track an absentee ballot
Set email or calendar reminders for upcoming elections
Report voter fraud
Contact local County Auditors
Contact the Iowa Secretary of State’s office