OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of bankers shows that the economy is slowly improving in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says that while commodity prices have improved recently, they remain below breakeven for a large share of grain farmers.

The overall Rural Mainstreet index slipped slightly to 56.3 in May, up from 53.5 in April. It’s the highest level since July 2013. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy in the months ahead, while a score below 50 indicates a shrinking economy.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

More than one-third of bank CEOs identified rising regulatory costs as the top economic challenge to their operations over the next five years.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 32-year old Michael Phillips, of Glenwood, was arrested Wednesday. Phillips was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Theft in the 1st Degree. His cash or surety bond was set at $10,000.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children along with the Camden Police Department in South Carolina, are asking for the public’s assistance to locate a missing 2 year-old child. Dakota Ray was taken on April 15, 2018 by her parents William and Jessica Ray. According to law enforcement both William and Jessica are believed to be heavy methamphetamine users and law enforcement is concerned for the child’s wellbeing. The child and her parents were captured in surveillance images on Monday, May 14, 2018 at a hospital in Iowa. Law enforcement then received information that they may now be in Minnesota.

Dakota Ray

William & Jessica Ray

1996 Ford Aerostar van suspects are in

The child and companions are traveling in a 1996 gold Ford Aerostar van and may be frequently changing the license plate on the vehicle. According to Camden Police Department It is possible that they may be begging or asking strangers for money. The child and companions are also believed to be sleeping in their vehicle.

• Dakota is 2 years old. She is 2 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 25 pounds and has blonde hair and blue eyes

• Jessica is 36 years old. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 112 pounds and has long light brown hair and blue eyes.

• William is 44 years old. He is 6 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 340 pounds and has light brown hair and brown eyes.

If anyone has seen Dakota, William or Jessica Ray contact the Camden Police Department at 1-888-CRIMESC (1-888-274-6372) or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — A southeast Iowa police officer accused of attacking her girlfriend has been fired. Oskaloosa Police Chief Jake McGee told The Oskaloosa Herald that Janay Pritchett was terminated last week. He declined to comment further. Pritchett’s lawyer, Jeffrey Bauer Jr., said Thursday that she intends to plead not guilty to the three charges: harassment, domestic abuse assault, display or use weapon and domestic abuse assault, second offense.

Court records say Pritchett’s girlfriend has told officers that she and Pritchett were arguing May 3 when Pritchett kicked her in the chest, pulled a pocketknife and cut her on the left side of her neck. The girlfriend said Pritchett then threatened to shoot her with a shotgun. Pritchett says in a court document that she didn’t pull a knife or cut the girlfriend.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa women who lost limbs when they were struck while trying to climb through trains that were blocking the road sued the railroad Thursday for allegedly ignoring a safety hazard that’s left a trail of horrific injuries. The lawsuits filed in state court allege that trains operated by the Canadian National Railway and its subsidiaries routinely block street crossings in Waterloo, sometimes for hours. They say this leaves pedestrians trapped and facing bad options on a daily basis: wait for the trains to move, walk to an unblocked crossing that can be more than a mile away, or risk crossing between stopped cars that can start moving without warning.

“This problem exists in cities throughout the United States, but Waterloo is the poster child,” said attorney Bob Pottroff, whose Kansas-based law firm is representing the women and known for advocating on behalf of train accident victims nationwide. “We consider this a matter of great public safety concern.” He said the lawsuits allege that Canadian National essentially uses part of Waterloo as its switching station, a facility that is usually located outside of population centers and includes fencing and other security measures. The lawsuits claim that since 1991, at least five people have lost hands, arms or legs while trying to climb through a stopped freight train that started moving unexpectedly.

One was filed on behalf of a 37-year-old woman who lost her left leg and nearly all of the skin on the back side of her body when she was struck and dragged by a train in April 2017. The other was filed on behalf of a 67-year-old woman who lost both of her legs when a train rolled over them last September. A third lawsuit is pending in Chicago in the case of a former Waterloo resident who lost three limbs in a similar collision in 2011. Each happened on streets near the rail yard in the poor, heavily African-American east side of Waterloo, a city of 68,000 in northeastern Iowa. Residents say the company’s mile-long trains stretch far beyond the yard and can block several crossings, sometimes for hours multiple times per day, while they undergo maintenance and safety checks and load and unload cars. Those routinely affected include students at East High School.

Iowa law and a Waterloo ordinance state that trains cannot block crossings for longer than 10 minutes with some exceptions, for instance if the stop is needed to comply with safety regulations. The company’s operating rules also state that they shouldn’t block crossings for longer than that unless it can’t be avoided. Canadian National spokesman Patrick Waldron shifted the focus to the actions of the injured women, saying that trespassing on railways tracks and property “is illegal and very dangerous.” “These events are tragic examples of the dangers of climbing on trains or railway cars,” he said. “There are no circumstances where climbing on a train — moving or stopped — is worth the risk of serious or fatal injury.”

The railroad has previously said it’s aware of concerns about blockages in Waterloo but that “operational necessities” cause them. They have long been a source of frustration for residents.
In their lawsuits, the women say they waited an unspecified “reasonable amount of time” before they tried to climb through long-stopped trains, which didn’t sound any audible warnings before starting to move. They argue that the railroad has taken no other steps to protect the public at the site, such as building a footbridge over the rails or separating the trains at crossings when they are stopped. They’re seeking unspecified damages for their pain and suffering as well as punitive damages against the railroad, saying it acted with an “intentional disregard for public safety.”

Firefighters from ten states are in Sioux City taking special Fire Rescue training for two days. Sioux City Fire Rescue Training Officer Gerry Bennett says the hands on event uses the most current heavy lifting, shifting, stabilizing and building shoring techniques used by firefighters and rescuers across the country. He says the techniques are commonly used for car accidents, trench rescue and anytime something needs to be lifted or stabilized. The 38 firefighters are Urban Search and Rescue specialists and are taking what’s called Paratech University Training from members of the company that produces the heavy duty gear needed for scenarios like extrications and elevator shaft rescues.

Bennett says the company provides all the props and instructors. He says the equipment continues to get better and they need to know how best to use it before heading to the scene of a rescue.”They’re making things stronger, more easily deployable, so it’s easy to set up and quicker to get somebody rescue from maybe and overturned vehicle. And we train consistently on everything we do,” Bennett says. The training is taking place through today (Thursday).

(Radio Iowa)

Officials involved in the search for Jake Wilson, the autistic 16-year-old from La Porte City who’s been missing now since April 7th, got some help from the Iowa National Guard on Wednesday. La Porte City Police Chief Chris Brecher says the guard provided the services of a military helicopter during a training mission. According to Brecher, the Chinook hovered over Wolf Creek to create down pressure in hopes the disturbance would free up an object trapped under the water.

During the operation, two teams in kayaks made their way down the creek to check on any immediate results. Authorities didn’t give any advance notice of the Iowa National Guard exercise, due to safety concerns. Details of the operation were made public in a press release Wednesday evening. Officials also had a large excavator in the water Wednesday, removing large debris from Wolf Creek as part of the search.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in Pottawattamie County report an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, 42-year old Timothy Michael Horvath, of Council Bluffs, was served Wednesday, with an extraditable warrant out of Douglas County, NE., for being a Fugitive From Justice.  And, 38-year old Eric John Rehfeldt, of Hancock, turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday afternoon, on a warrant for Probation Violation. Rehfeldt was read the warrant and turned over to Corrections staff.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque health center has agreed to pay nearly $48,000 to settle allegations that employees without proper credentials filled or refilled prescriptions. Federal prosecutors said in a news release Wednesday that Crescent Community Health Center will pay $40,000 in penalties regarding eight refills of controlled substances. Also, Crescent will pay more than $7,500 in penalties regarding 71 initial prescriptions or refills for non-controlled medications that were paid for by Medicare or Medicaid.

The accusations cover a five-month period in 2013. Crescent officials say they disagreed with the government allegations and say the alleged infractions occurred when Crescent’s medical director was on medical leave. The officials say they’ve settled the case rather than incur costly legal expenses.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston man was arrested Wednesday night at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. 40-year old Jayson Lee Joyce was arrested on an Adams County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Joyce was later released from the jail on a $500 bond.