The East Pottawattamie County 4-H is offering an Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium overnight trip.  You’re invited to come camp out overnight with the sharks at the Zoo.  The campout is open to all area youth completing grades 4, 5, and 6.  The campout will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018 where we will meet outside the Zoo entrance at 6:30pm.  The evening will consist of evening & morning zoo hikes, programing, snack, an overnight stay, breakfast, drinks and a souvenir campout patch.  Parents will pick up youth at the zoo entrance on Sunday morning at 9:00am where participating youth will then have a day pass into the zoo for Sunday.  Registration and health forms can be found on our website https://www.extension.iastate.edu/eastpottawattamie/news/sleeping-bags-sharks-zoo-overnight .

Registration forms and fees are due to the East Pottawattamie County Extension by April 30th.  All spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  A limited number of spots are available.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert reports, the local fire Danger will remain HIGH through Monday. If you plan to burn, PLEASE, contact your local Fire Chief.   Seivert says they have had several fire dispatches in the last few days where the volunteers are called from home and work to respond to a fire, only to arrive and find someone has started a controlled burn, and not called their local Fire Chief or Emergency Management 911. He asks persons planning a controlled burn, to “Please respect the time our volunteers spend protecting your property. Plan your burn in advance, use a burn plan, and call in prior to starting. 712-755-2124.”

Seivert warns also, that the chances for severe weather are expected to increase next week, so be prepared for weather bulletins and to take cover when warnings are issued.

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — A man accused of robbing a gas station in Mitchell, South Dakota, earlier this month has been arrested in Davenport, Iowa. Police last week issued an arrest warrant for 18-year-old Montez McClain after viewing surveillance camera video and investigating other leads. The Daily Republic reports McClain was apprehended Wednesday. Police say a man walked into the Easy Come Easy Go store on April 12, threatened the clerk and fled with about $800 in cash. He did not display a weapon. McClain was wanted for second-degree robbery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa man has been given two years in prison for making counterfeit $20 bills. Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Victor Ineson Jr., of Forest City, was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. He was ordered to make $240 in restitution to area businesses and serve two years of supervised release after he leaves prison.

He’d pleaded guilty, admitting that, from April through mid-May last year, he’d used chemicals to wash the print off lower denomination bills and reprint each bill to look like a $20 bill. He used some of the fakes at local retailers. Two other charges were dropped in exchange for Ineson’s plea.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested on two separate drug-related charges, Wednesday evening. At around 7:15-p.m., Deputies arrested 40-year old Michael Todd Brace, of Red Oak, for Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Methamphetamine – a Class B Felony, and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation – a Class D Felony. Brace was being held in the Montgomery County Jail, pending an appearance before the magistrate. And, just before 9-pm. Wednesday, Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 58-year old Terry Joe Halvin, of Red Oak, for OWI/drugged. Halvin was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 cash bond.

Two women were charged following a situation involving 911 calls, Wednesday evening. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports just before 7-p.m., authorities received a 911 call from 54-year old Roxann Marie Boyce, of Corning, about a suicidal female in Mt. Etna, 33-year old Lacey D. Schmidt, of Moscow, ID. The caller stated Schmidt was in possession of drug paraphernalia. At around 7:11-p.m., another 911 call from Boyce said Schmidt had a gun and was suicidal.

Deputies arriving on the scene were unable to locate a weapon. Schmidt was transported to the hospital in Corning to determine her mental stability, and was later released with no suicidal findings evident. She was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Boyce was arrested for making false statements to deputies, with regard to the fire arm.

The Iowa House has approved a budget plan for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that would provide an extra two million dollars for operations and maintenance of state parks. Republican Representative Norlin Mommsen, of DeWitt, says without the boost, some state parks might have to close.

“So when it came to funding, we increased funding by 43.5 percent for our state parks,” Mommssen says, “because, I think, of the desperate need…it’s a high priority.” Mommssen says he often visits state parks, including Maquoketa Caves State Park which is near his home. “The park ranger has figured out the F10 with the basset hound hanging out the window is me, inspecting,” Mommssen says. “All last year, the urinal in the bathroom by the caves. I go to Bellevue and there’s a state park up there…and the one lodge there, the roof is so bad, it’s starting to leak through and it’ll get to the point where if we don’t fix it, we’ll tear it down.”

Democrats in the House say the parks do need upgrades, but they complained the extra money for the parks was coming at the expense of other state environmental programs.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Police in western Iowa have arrested a man and charged him in the death of a toddler. Police say officers and fire personnel were sent to a Council Bluffs apartment last week for an unresponsive child. The 16-month-old girl was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation led to an arrest warrant being issued for 22-year-old Javon Jennings. Police say Jennings was arrested Wednesday and is being held on $250,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House has begun chipping away at the series of spending bills that will make up the next state budget. The Republican-controlled chamber voted 57-36 Wednesday to approve legislation to fund agriculture and natural resources. That followed a unanimous vote to pay for transportation services. The GOP-led Senate must also OK the bills. Preliminary votes could come as soon as Thursday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former employee at agriculture and industrial heavy equipment maker Vermeer Corp. in Pella, as well as three others, have been indicted on fraud charges. Federal prosecutors in Iowa say 54-year-old Scott Whitehead, 38-year-olld Natalia Sheps, 63-year-old Boris Vaysman, and 57-year-old Ana Hallon Gallego were all indicted Tuesday. Investigators say Whitehead was maintenance manager at Vermeer when he received kickbacks from two chemical companies over a five-year period.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man convicted of fatally stabbing his girlfriend at a Dubuque home last year has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that 26-year-old Fontae Beulow maintained his innocence in the death of 21-year-old Samantha Link at the sentencing hearing Wednesday. Buelow was found guilty in January of second-degree murder for the March 31, 2017, killing in Peosta.