Tomorrow (Saturday) marks three months since two young girls from the Waterloo-area vanished. The cousins, Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook of Evansdale, disappeared July 13th while on a bicycle ride and they’re still missing. Robin Arnold, of Cedar Falls, says she was frustrated by how the situation was handled by law enforcement and she’s calling for change. “It was seven days and they kept saying they were not abducted,” Arnold says. “On the seventh day, they finally said, ‘The girls have been abducted.’ I got very upset and angry at that because I felt it went too slow, the process just went too slow.”

Arnold is the author of a bill she has forwarded to state legislators for consideration in January which would speed the process of finding a missing child. She says she’s gotten more than 95-hundred signatures of support on petitions. She calls it “The Cousins Law” and it contains several parts. “When a child goes missing, the parents need to report it within an hour or there’ll be a fine,” Arnold says.

Under the proposal, there would also be voluntary vehicle searches and searches of abandoned buildings. If a child is missing more than three hours, a statewide alert would be issued with pictures for use by the media and on interstate marquees. If the child is missing more than eight hours, a human trafficking task force would be activated to check known hotspots where children could be taken. Arnold spoke about the proposed law last (Thursday) night in Webster City. Learn more at: www.cousinslaw.org.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest Thursday, of 23-year old Alexander Dvorak. Dvorak, of Atlantic, was charged with Theft in the 5th degree, and Burglary in the 3rd degree. He was being held today (Friday), in the Cass County Jail.

The Clarinda Police Department reports two incidents occurred Thursday at two separate care facilities. At around 8-a.m., officers responded to a report of a disturbance in the office at the Waubonsie Mental Health on North 16^th Street. When officers arrived, they encountered a 48 year old male who was extremely agitated. Officers were able to diffuse the situation and no arrests were made.

And, at around 1-p.m., the Terrace View Residential Care Facility reported that a thirty-seven year old female had escaped from court ordered custody to their facility. Officers located the female and transported her to the Clarinda Mental Health Institute.

The Clarinda Police Department reports 22-year old Jessica Sue Farrell, of Clarinda, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a warrant for two felony counts of forgery. Her arrest stemmed from an on-going investigation being conducted by the Clarinda Police Department into the theft of checks and a debit card from an acquaintance of Farrell’s. Additional charges against Farrell are pending as the investigation continues.

Farrell was being held in the Page County Jail on $5,000 bond, pending an initial appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court.

A Clarinda man was arrested late Thursday morning on two assault charges, resisting arrest and for disorderly conduct. Police Chief Keith Brothers say 51-year old Ricky Dean Harrison allegedly resisted arrest. His actions resulted in a police officer suffering minor injuries to his hands and knees. The officer was treated at the Clarinda Regional Health Center, and has since returned to work.

Brothers says officers responded to a report of an assault in progress at the Maplewood Trailer Court, at around 11:20-a.m., Thursday. When they arrived, 45-year old Lee Gillespie, of Council Bluffs, reported that he had been assaulted with a walking cane by  Harrison. Gillespie suffered minor injuries to his arms, torso and face during the incident.

Harrison was charged with assault causing bodily injury, assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. He was transported to the Page County Jail, and released a short time later on $2,000 bail, pending initial appearance before the Page County Magistrate Court. The Page County Attorney’s Office will review the incident for the filing of formal charges.