Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report 43-year old Gabriel Angel (On’hell) Rodriguez-Medina (Muh-dee’nah) was arrested Tuesday evening, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs, Rodriguez-Medina was taken into custody for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender.Wednesday afternoon, 30-year old Kimberly Marie Salnicky, of Plattesmouth, NE., turned herself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. Salnicky was wanted on a warrant for (Felony) Forgery by altering a written check or document, (Felony) Possession of a firearm or offensive weapon as a felon, and Theft in the 5th Degree. Her bond on the Forgery charge was set at $5,000.

Wednesday evening, 38-year old Eric Michael Mertz, of Walnut, was arrested in Walnut, on charges of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault, and Child Endangerment with substantial risk. He was taken into custody for allegedly assaulting his wife. Mertz was being held on $2,000 bond associated with the Child Endangerment charge. And, 23-year old Michael Christopher Edwards was arrested at around 6:20 this (Thursday) morning, in Minden. Edwards was charged with Assault without intent, causing injury or mental illness, and Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing injury.

(Radio Iowa) — Multiple teams of F-B-I agents are in eastern Iowa to aid in the search for a Davenport girl who’s been missing nearly two weeks. Ten-year-old Breasia Terrell was reported missing July 10th and extensive searches in the Quad Cities and Clinton County have turned up little. F-B-I Special Agent in Charge Kristi Johnson says the bureau has assembled agents in Davenport from Waterloo, Des Moines, Omaha and Lincoln, and well as from Washington D-C and elsewhere.  “The assistance has included interviews, searches, our Evidence Response Team has been present,” Johnson says. “We also have had a team that is called the Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team. That team is made up of about 12 special agents who are trained and have experience and knowledge in working these investigations.”

Breasia Terrell

Johnson says there’s also a team in Davenport that focuses on cellular analysis and surveillance that combs through phone records and works on location information. “Because of the nature of our work, you may not have seen the FBI out and about in this investigation as you may have seen uniformed police officers, but we certainly have been here along the way,” Johnson says, “and we will continue to be here and ensure that we are using all of the investigative tools and analytical methods available to us.”

The F-B-I has added 65-hundred dollars to the existing Crimestoppers reward in the case, taking the new total to 10-thousand dollars for information that leads to the missing girl. “Our number-one goal is to find the person that is responsible for the disappearance of Breasia and bring that person to justice,” Johnson says. “We are also obviously working very hard to make sure the family is supported and that we do everything we can to bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

The girl was last seen heading to spend the night with her younger half-brother and his father, 47-year-old Henry Dinkins. A convicted sex offender, Dinkins is being held in the Scott County Jail on unrelated charges. Police say Dinkins is a person of interest in the missing girl’s case.

A traffic stop about three-miles northwest of Braddyville, Wednesday, resulted in the arrest of 51-year old Steven William Wells, from College Springs. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports during the traffic stop, Wells was arrested for Driving while license is barred, Possession of a controlled substance 2nd Offense, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Page County Jail ad held on $4,300 bond, pending further court proceedings.

The Iowa Department of Public Health, mid-morning Thursday, reports two new positive cases of COVID-19 in each of Cass, Adair, Guthrie and Shelby Counties. That brings the total number of cases to: 32 in Cass County; 22 in Adair County; 113 in Guthrie County, and 127 in Shelby County. Audubon County had one new case over the past 24-hours. Montgomery County reports 25 cases, Pottawattamie County 973, and Adams County 12 cases.

In other Coronavirus news, Iowa has surpassed 40,000 positive cases. As of 10 a.m. today (Thursday), IDPH reported 716 new positive cases and 7 additional deaths. There have been a total of 40,509 positive cases, 28,863 recoveries and 815 deaths in Iowa since the pandemic began. IDPH reported 436,734 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19. That means 1 of 7 Iowans have been tested. One of 78 Iowans have tested positive. IDPH reported 3,908 Iowans were tested Wednesday.

Iowa’s coronavirus hospitalizations continue to climb. There are currently 232 hospitalized patients, up from 223 the previous day. There are 73 patients listed in intensive care, up from 71 the previous day. IDPH reported 32 patients on ventilators, up from 31 the previous day. There were 33 patients admitted into Iowa hospitals over the last 24 hours, up from 29 the previous day. IDPH reported approximately 3,110 available hospital beds, 476 available ICU beds and 758 available ventilators in the state. In RMCC Region 4 (southwest/western IA), six people are hospitalized with COVID-19, four are in an ICU, there was one new hospital admission, one person remains on a ventilator.

IDPH data shows there are COVID-19 outbreaks in 20 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. There are currently 515 positive cases and 135 recoveries in those facilities. There have been 437 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

Here is the latest data for confirmed cases and the number of persons recovered from COVID-19, in Cass and surrounding counties, plus any change in the numbers (Highlighted number indicate a change from Tuesday):

• Cass: 32 positive cases, 28 recovered
• Adair: 22 positive cases, 16 recovered
• Adams: 12 cases (recovered data still not available from the IDPH)
• Audubon: 22 cases, (No recovery data available)
• Guthrie: 113 cases, 66 recovered
• Montgomery: 25 cases, 16 recovered
• Pottawattamie: 973 cases, 719 recovered
• Shelby County: 127 cases, 124 recovered

An investigation is underway into a single-vehicle, injury accident that took place a little after 11-p.m. Wednesday, near Massena. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, 43-year old Richard Edward Swain, of Massena, was driving a 2000 Ford F-150 pickup northbound on 740th, when he ran the stop sign with Richland Road. The vehicle entered the east ditch and came to rest on the passenger side. Swain was transported by Massena Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.

Authorities say the truck sustained $2,500 damage.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa farmers will want to take note as what’s being called a La Nina Watch is being issued by the Climate Prediction Center, which forecasts a possible cooling in the Pacific Ocean’s surface over the next six months. Doug Kluck, the regional climate service director for the National Weather Service in Kansas City, says the long-range development is far from certain, but they’re watching carefully. “Right now, it looks weak, if it’s going to happen at all,” Kluck says. “It’s not a very good chance. There’s not a lot of confidence it’s going to happen yet. As we get closer and closer to fall, that confidence will hopefully go up in terms of what’s actually going to happen.”

Kluck says a La Nina pattern can have impacts all across the country, sometimes bringing significant changes in weather patterns and dramatic shifts for agriculture. “Temperatures in the southern part of the U.S. tend to be above normal,” Kluck says, “and temperatures as you move north are closer to normal or even below-normal as you get a stronger and stronger La Nina event.” Kluck says Iowa and the rest of the Northern Plains region could see more rain and snow under a La Nina.  “And with precipitation, it’s kind of a similar game here,” Kluck says. “Drier to the south and wetter to the north, especially in the north-central part of the U.S. again, if the La Nina signature occurs in the Pacific.”

Kluck says observers will have a better idea of the strength of the possible La Nina by late fall into early winter.

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

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

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The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School District’s Leadership Team has finalized the District’s Return to Learn Plan. According to information posted on the District’s website, and in a letter sent to parents of students in the District, classes will be held (at least for the first few weeks of the school year), on Mondays,Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays with the expectation (but not a requirement) that all students and staff will utilize facial coverings.

Wednesdays will be used to deep clean the building, support those families choosing remote learning, support students who are not engaging or are struggling with the learning, and provide professional learning for staff. Some students may be asked to attend on Wednesdays, but they would be in one-on-one or very small group situations. All students not required to be in school will be learning remotely on Wednesdays.

A vast majority of Exira-EHK District parents have indicated in a survey, that they intend to send their children to school, but home-schooling or, online learning is an option. And, just like with the Griswold School District, there will be a stipulation that those who choose to home-school, must commit for a quarter or a semester. They cannot change plans or move back and forth between on-site and online learning.

A parent meeting will be held late next week. Details with regard to transportation and the cafeteria, as well as large group gatherings involving P-E, Band and Chorus, are still be worked out.