ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – The Omaha Tribe, based in Macy, Neb., has christened its new Blackbird Bend Casino in Onawa, Iowa, and is now looking to expand the $12 million complex with amenities such as a hotel, bowling alley, marina and golf course.  The Sioux City Journal reports that the tribe revealed those plans Friday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the casino.

The new casino was built next to the former Casino Omaha, which had been shut down by historic flooding along the Missouri River in 2011. The casino reopened early last year in a portion of the old casino building that formerly served as the restaurant.

The new structure sits 6 feet higher than the old building to prevent future flooding of the facility.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The latest area News and funeral announcements, from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Red Oak arrested one person Friday night on a burglary charge. 22-year old Arthur Shane Peterman, Jr., of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 9:55-p.m. at a residence in the 1600 block of east Summit Street. Peterman was charged with Burglary in the 2nd degree and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $10,000 cash bond.

The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office Friday afternoon, released more information about a fatal, possibly storm-related accident, that took place Thursday morning. Ringgold County Chief Deputy Sheriff Rob Haley said in press release, that just after 10-a.m., authorities and rescue crews were called to the Heldon Chemical Company at 2401 County Highway P-27, where an unloading belt had fallen on top of an employee. Upon their arrival,  emergency responders discovered 54-year old Terry Meeks, of Grant City, MO., was dead.

Severe storms were moving through the area at the time the incident occurred, according to statements released by the National Weather Service in Des Moines, however it’s not clear whether strong winds played a role in toppling the conveyor belt. An autopsy will be performed at the State Medical Examiner’s Office, in Ankeny. The cause of death is pending upon completion of the autopsy.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials say corrective measures have been taken in response to an incident involving a resident at a state-run care facility in Glenwood who wandered away. The state Department of Human Services says in a news release Friday that corrective action in connection to the December 19th incident included personnel action and increased supervision on the resident at the Glenwood Resource Center.

The resident was on 15-minute supervision checks when he left a home on the campus. Officials say he was located within minutes on the facility grounds. He was cold and injured, with an abrasion to the scalp from falling on ice.

The agency says it will file additional corrective action in the coming days with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DRAKESVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A nonprofit animal group says it’s assisting authorities in the recovery of hundreds of animals from a small southeast Iowa city. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa told the Des Moines Register yesterday that nearly 300 living animals and more than 50 dead animals have been taken from Drakesville in Davis County. Many are barn animals and include 30 different species.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials say corrective measures have been taken in response to an incident involving a resident at a state-run care facility in Glenwood who wandered away. The state Department of Human Services said yesterday that corrective action has been taken since the December 19th incident at the Glenwood Resource Center.

ALTA, Iowa (AP) — Some northwest Iowa residents want more safety devices placed where two little girls were fatally injured when a train struck a car they were in with their mother and big brother. Sioux City television station KCAU reports 2-year-old Camille Binder and her 4-year-old sister, Chloe, died February 14th at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota hospital. Their brother and mother were hospitalized.

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Number 15 Iowa and Indiana have settled on the makeup date for their game that was postponed this week after an 8-foot piece of metal fell from the ceiling at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana. The teams will play February 27th at Indiana. The March 1st Purdue at Iowa game will now be played on March 2nd.

The Iowa State Patrol, Friday, released additional information about a bus accident that occurred Thursday afternoon on Interstate 80, in Adair County. Officials say a 2013 bus registered to Chicago, IL-based MegaBus USA, LLC, was eastbound on I-80 near the Highway 25 exit, when the vehicle went out of control due to strong winds and heavy snow. The bus carrying the driver, 57-year old Scott Braaten, of Lockport, IL, and three female passengers, went into the south ditch and hit the exit ramp to eastbound I-80 before vaulting into the ditch on the other side of the ramp.

The passengers, who were not belted into their seats, were transported by Stuart Rescue and Adair Ambulance, to the Adair County Hospital in Greenfield, where they were checked out after complaining of pain. The passengers were identified as 52-year old Charlotte Knighten, 42-year old Ayanna Baggett, and 25-year old Balgees Ibrahim. The victims’ city of residence was not listed in the Patrol’s report.

The bus sustained $50,000 damage. No citations were issued.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Massena man was arrested Thursday, on drug charges 53-year old Barry Dean Schmidt, faces charges that include Possession with Intent to Deliver (Methamphetamines), Failure to Have Drug Tax Stamp, Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Schmidt was also arrested on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Failure to Appear to Serve Time. He was being held Friday in the Cass County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Iowa Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds will be traveling the western part of the state next week. On Thursday, February 27th, Reynolds will visit the Harlan Community Elementary School (2105 Durant Ave.), beginning at 11-a.m.  That same afternoon, at 3-p.m., the Lt. Governor will be attending a Monona County Business Roundtable at the Onawa Public Library. She will end her tour 7-p.m. Thursday, with a speaking event at the Sioux City Growth Organization and Innovation Market, in Sioux City.
Governor Branstad will be attending other events on the eastern side of the State, on Thursday.