(Updated 10:45-a.m.) The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office report a man who intended to visit an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, Thursday, was himself arrested, on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. 30-year old Terrell James Cheatams, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 1-p.m., and booked into the jail.

A Nebraska woman who was at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, was arrested on a warrant for OWI/1st Offense. 46-year old Angela Jeanne Sheridan, of Omaha, was placed under arrest in connection with an earlier accident, whereby deputies detected the smell of alcohol in her vehicle. She claimed she had passed the PBT (Preliminary Breath Test), but the warrant remained valid.

A man from Montgomery County was arrested Thursday afternoon in rural Council Bluffs, following an investigation into a disturbance and harassment in progress. 27-year old Ian Anthony Clark, of Red Oak, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree following the incident, which also involved a 44-year old female. And, an Omaha man was arrested late Thursday night, following a property damage accident. 20-year old Myint Aye, a passenger in the vehicle, was taken into custody for Interference with Official Acts and Simple Assault.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports also, a woman wanted on a warrant for Probation Violation, turned herself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday afternoon. 25-year old Natalie Pearl Edmondson, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody and transported to the Pott. County Jail, where she was turned over to Corrections Staff.

And, a Pott. County Deputy on patrol Wednesday afternoon, came upon a pickup that broken down, in the vicinity of 340th and Dogwood Road. He made contact with the occupants of the vehicle, and  after a records check, arrested 20-year old Joshua Treylor Brown, of Council Bluffs. Brown was arrested for Carrying Weapons, and two counts of having a concealed weapon (knives).

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

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COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A former executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Council Bluffs has been given five years of probation in a federal identity theft case.
The Daily Nonpareil reports that Gina Malloy was sentenced Wednesday. FBI investigators say Malloy forged a signature and used the victim’s name, Social Security number and other information on loan and credit card applications. Investigators say the crimes occurred when Malloy was working for Habitat.

She left its employ and became executive director of Joslyn Castle in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2015. She left that job in May 2016. Malloy’s also known as Gina Primmer.
Her plea agreement says Malloy agreed to pay at least $13,490 back to Habitat and $12,100 to U.S. Bank in restitution.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees, today (Friday), said in a statement, “Due to the forecast of increasingly high winds in the next few days, we are advising NO BURNING of any type in and around Atlantic, or for that matter, in Cass County. Fire danger conditions will worsen as winds dry out vegetation. Even though it may appear conditions are favorable due to recent precipitation, it will quickly become a greater hazard. Winds will make any type of wildland fire difficult to control and will spread quickly to many areas that are virtually inaccessible due to the wet soil conditions, hampering firefighters gaining access.”

McNees said also, “Burning of trash in burn barrels will also be a risk and is not advised. As always, anyone wishing to burn at anytime is asked to contact their local fire chief for consultation. Several departments are trained to conduct controlled prescribed burns should landowners need to do mid management burns, or simply wish to clear areas of their land.”

A man from Polk County was arrested Thursday afternoon in Creston, for Violating the terms of his Fort Des Moines Work Release Program, by escape. 30-year old Saul Alexi Cortez, of Des Moines, was arrested at around 4:52-p.m., at 800 W. Taylor Street, in Creston.  Cortez was being held in the Union County Jail awaiting transport to Polk County.

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (AP) — A man felled by toxic gas inside a northwest Iowa hog confinement barn has won nearly $1.2 million for his injuries. An O’Brien County jury hearing the lawsuit trial found property owner Patrick Probst negligent for the 2014 incident and Tuesday awarded Thomas Mook the money.

Probst had been pumping manure from a pit under the barn Mook was power washing Oct. 16, 2014. The pumping caused hydrogen sulfide to be released. Mook contended the barn had not been adequately ventilated before he arrived the next morning to continue the work.

Mook was overcome when he entered the barn office. He subsequently was hospitalized and underwent two years of physical therapy. His attorney says Mook suffered two strokes resulting in brain damage that left him with partial short-term memory loss.

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

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(Update, 11:15-a.m.) The Atlantic Fire Department was dispatched at around 6:51-a.m. today (Friday), to a truck fire on eastbound Interstate 80, near mile marker 56. The Department’s Bob Reynolds told KJAN a semi-tractor was towing a pickup truck, when a front tire on the truck caught fire, apparently due to friction with the road. Reynolds said the fire had pretty much extinguished itself by the time they arrived, but crews remained on the scene to cool the tire down.

The pickup sustained moderate damage to the front end, around the wheel well and engine compartment area.  No injuries were reported. Fire crews were on the scene until about 7:20-a.m.

A Guthrie County native who currently serves as the Fremont County Attorney, has announced she intends to seek the County Attorney’s job in Guthrie County. Republican Brenna Bird announced her candidacy, Thursday. Bird, who is 41, maintains a private law practice in addition to being the Attorney for Fremont County. She’s been an attorney for the past 17-years. Bird was born in Guthrie Center and is from Dexter. Her maiden name was Findley, before she married.

Bird was appointed in November 2016 to serve for the remainder of the current term, as the Fremont County Attorney. In a statement, she said she is looking forward to the opportunity to serve her home community. “If elected to serve as your county attorney I will work with law enforcement to keep Guthrie County safe,” Bird said. She added, “I am tough on crime as a prosecutor and will aggressively prosecute crimes in Guthrie County.” Her past experience includes serving as Chief of Staff and Counsel for Congressman Steve King and Counsel to Governor Terry Branstad. Bird was also the Republican Party’s nominee for Attorney General of Iowa in 2010. She taught at the University of Iowa Law School, and received her undergraduate degree at Drake University and her Juris Doctor (JD) Degree. from the University of Chicago Law School.

Bird said “Working together in partnership with law enforcement is my top priority. By working together, we can enforce our laws and hold criminal defendants accountable. Guthrie County is a great place to live, work and raise a family. We want to keep it that way.”

The Cass County Conservation Board will hold a “Native Landscaping” program, next week. Naturalist Lora Kanning says the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library Community Room in Atlantic, on March 10th, beginning at Noon. The program is FREE, and all ages welcome. Conservation staff we discuss different Native plants, and how to incorporate them into your yard. Discover how to use native plants in your yard, by attending the meeting at Noon, on March 10th.