(Update 9:52-a.m.: Harlan Police have located the vehicle. No other details are available)

Authorities in western Iowa are on the lookout for a vehicle stolen sometime Thursday night, from Harlan. According to a BOLO (Be On the Look Out for)  broadcast from State Radio, the vehicle taken was a white, 2007 Buick Rendezvous, with Iowa Shelby County license plate number CQF 930.

If you happen to see the vehicle, contact your local law enforcement agency.

2007 Buick Rendezvous (Similar to the one reported stolen)

A southwest Iowa man is gathering signatures in hopes of finding some justice for his daughter who was killed by an alleged drunk driver earlier this year. Scott Root, of Council Bluffs, says the man charged in the fatal crash was in the U-S illegally, yet was released on a very low bond and is believed to have fled the country. Now, Root wants the judge who set that bond punished.

Root says, “I’d called Officer Swanson at the police station and he said, ‘Scott, I’m trying to get an ICE hold on him and I’ll call you back in 10 minutes.’ In about 10 minutes he called back and said, ‘I’m sorry to inform you, he’s been bonded out,’ the same day you’re burying your kid.”

Omaha police say the suspect, 19-year-old Eswin Mejia, of Honduras, was street racing and driving drunk on January 31st when he rear-ended the S-U-V driven by 21-year-old Sarah Root of Council Bluffs, killing her. Root had graduated the day before from Bellevue University with a 4.0 grade point. Bond was set by the judge on Mejia at $50,000 and he was released after posting the standard ten-percent, or five-thousand dollars. He hasn’t been seen since. Root wants that judge to answer for his actions.

“Everybody should be held accountable for what they do, or what? They don’t keep their job,” Root says. “In my eyes, I don’t believe he should (keep his job). He should resign or have some type of repercussion for what he did. Whether it be not looking at the facts or choosing to look the other way. I don’t know what it is. I just don’t get it.”

Police say Mejia’s blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit and he was driving on a suspended license when he was speeding and caused the accident. Root wants to see Mejia — and the judge — held responsible. “If you look at the facts of this gentleman’s past, even prior to killing my daughter, that shows you what kind of person he is,” Root says. “If you don’t think it’s right, you think (the judge) dropped the ball, give me a signature. Maybe it’ll change somebody else’s life. Maybe it won’t but if you don’t try, nothing is going to happen.”

Root says he’ll be collecting signatures on his petition tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 11 A-M at the corner of 78th and Dodge Street in Omaha. He says he’ll take the petitions to the Nebraska Supreme Court.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Three Iowa child sex cases against a Nebraska jail officer have been consolidated. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Shawn Beu has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography. His trial is scheduled to begin June 1 in Pottawattamie County District Court. A judge has barred most of the court documents from public scrutiny.

Beu was arrested on warrants after a search of his Council Bluffs home. He’s a corrections sergeant at the Douglas County Jail in Omaha.

Police in Creston say one person was arrested and one theft was reported, Thursday. Authorities say 19-year old Trey Mills, of Kent, was arrested Thursday afternoon for Driving While Barred, following an accident at the exit from a school drive onto Townline Road. Officials say Mills was driving a 2000 Chevy Lumina southbound from the drive and failed to yield at the stop sign. His car struck an eastbound 2005 Dodge Caravan driven by 43-year old Tammy Reed, of Kirksville, MO., causing $7,000 damage. No injuries were reported. He was cited for the traffic offense and arrested on the Driving While Barred charge. Mills was later released from the Union County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

And, a Creston man residing in the 800 block of N. Lincoln Street reported Thursday evening, that someone had stolen a 1989 Blue Diamond gooseneck trailer that was parked in the old Creston Wal-Mart parking lot off New York Avenue. The incident happened sometime between March 14^th and 31^st. The loss was estimated at $3,000.

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

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Police in Red Oak report two people were arrested on separate charges, Thursday. Thursday night, 22-year old Blake Mitchell Wilkinson, of Red Oak, was arrested for on an active Montgomery County warrants charging him with violating the terms of his probation. Wilkinson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, 49-year old Kristine Myers Ryan, of Elliott, was arrested at around 2-a.m. Thursday, for possession of a controlled substance/marijuana. She was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Red Oak. Ryan was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit assisted Red Oak Police in making the arrest.

Police in Red Oak say an accident Thursday evening caused $1,600 damage, but no one was injured. Officials say the accident happened at around 6:10-p.m., when 16-year old Kyla Gass, of Red Oak, stopped at the intersection of 4th and E. Hammond Streets, but then proceeded into the intersection, where the 2002 Chevy Cavalier she was driving was struck by a northbound 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix, driven by 20-year old Andrew Parker, of Red Oak. Gass was cited for Failure to Yield from a stop sign.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Figures from a survey of supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states have risen for the third month in a row, suggesting more improvement in the regional economy. A report issued today (Friday) says the Mid-American Business Conditions Index rose to 50.6 in March from 50.5 in February and 48.3 in January. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth. A score below that suggests decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says a strong U.S. dollar and economic weakness among the nation’s chief trading partners continues to slow regional growth. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Police in Council Bluffs say a man from Omaha was arrested Tuesday night after he was found with two unregistered handguns, live ammunition and a bag of marijuana at a Council Bluffs casino. Sgt. Dave Dawson told the Omaha World-Herald 29-year old Jarrod Ober allegedly walked into Ameristar Casino around 10-p.m. Tuesday, with a loaded gun in a holster and another loaded gun tucked into his pants. Ober was charged with Carrying Weapons and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana.

According to an arrest affidavit, Ameristar Casino security began investigating after the 29-year-old left behind a black and green bag filled with marijuana and ammunition inside the casino gift shop. After finding the bag, security searched his room and found two empty gun cases on the TV stand.

The Council Bluffs Police Department was called and officers spoke with the man, who admitted to carrying the weapons and leaving the bag in the gift shop. Police found 66 grams of marijuana. The Glock 42 was loaded with six live rounds, and the Glock 23 was loaded with 15 live rounds. The bag had additional ammunition.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WEST UNION, Iowa (AP) — A man is facing multiple charges after he allegedly threatened to kill a northeast Iowa police chief. Authorities say 32-year-old Joshua Sargent was released on bond from the Fayette County jail Wednesday after being arrested on burglary charges. Moments after his release police say Sargent called Fayette police Chief Richard Pisanti and threated to kill him. Deputies found Sargent a few miles from the jail, armed with a knife. He is back in custody and faces additional charges.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Leaders in the split Iowa Legislature say they’re still negotiating a deal over the state budget, but they remain tight-lipped on releasing more details. Lawmakers for the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-majority House said yesterday they’re working together to reach an agreement on the budget that goes into effect in July.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s $4.2 billion Medicaid program is about to switch to private management, and lawmakers are still debating what state oversight should be in place under the new system. Senate President Pam Jochum, a Dubuque Democrat, says she’s receiving correspondence from Medicaid patients who express confusion and concern about their services once privatization goes live Friday.

GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad has signed a bill into law that legalizes the use of gun suppressors in Iowa. Branstad signed the bill Thursday at a firearms supplier in Grinnell.