The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports wanted on warrants out of Council Bluffs turned himself-in, Thursday. 26-year old Ty Lasher Ethington, of Council Bluffs, was wanted on a General Penalty warrant and a warrant for Interference with Official Acts. He was brought to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to Corrections Staff. A man from Logan already being held in the Pott. County Jail, was served with a warrant, Thursday. 39-year old Kirk Thomas Ring was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was read the warrant and then returned to the custody of Jail Staff.

A traffic stop Thursday evening in Pott. County resulted in the arrest of 22-year old Taylor James Christensen, of Council Bluffs. Christensen was taken into custody for Driving while Barred, and brought to the Pott. County Jail. And, Pott. County Deputies arrested 30-year old Matthew Richard Ryan, of Dallas, TX., early this (Friday) morning, after an uncooperative and intoxicated visitor was reported to be at the Risen Sun Christian Village, in Council Bluffs. Ryan was arrested at around 2-a.m., for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

A family from Creston on vacation in Mexico haven’t been heard from since March 15th. A social media post from other family members and circulated by friends, indicates Kevin, Amy, Sterling and Adrianna Sharp left the United States on March 15th, destined for Tulum, Mexico. The family was scheduled to depart Cancun, Mexico at 2:45-p.m. Wednesday, March 21st, and had been scheduled to arrive in St. Louis at around 6-p.m. that same day. They had plans to attend the Southwestern Community College basketball game Thursday, in Danville, IL.

Sharp family

Family and friends say there has been no contact with the family since March 15th, when the arrived at their condo in Tulum. Cell phone pings indicated they were still in Mexico, but with no movement recorded. There’s also been no activity on their social media pages. A missing persons report has been filed through the U-S Embassy in Mexico, in an attempt to located the Sharp family. If you have any information about their location, contact law enforcement.

In an ironic twist, it was 17-years ago, on March 8th 2001, that a Des Moines environmentalist disappeared from his Cabo San Lucas ranch. According to reports at the time, 62-year old Alan H. Blank was reported missing a day after he was scheduled to meet Mexican government officials for approval to construct the zoo.  Blank met that same day with a restaurateur who was hoping to win a food concession contract for the zoo Blank was building in the area.

Blank disappeared after meeting Jimmy Presley, who had reportedly suffered some financial setbacks and was frustrated the government review process was delaying the project in Mexico. The Blank family believes Presley attacked Alan Blank and may have killed him. Presley himself died March 9th, 2001 in what Mexican authorities said was a suicide by driving his van, head-on into a large bus. Blank’s family declared him dead in April, 2001, after an extensive search failed to locate him.

The Blank family founded the Blank Park Zoo and Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports five people were arrested this past week. Early this (Friday) morning, 41-year old Ezra Sedina, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Assault causing Bodily Injury. On Thursday, 19-year old Kaitlyn Geib, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. On Tuesday, 18-year old Brayton Waldron, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Assault while Displaying a Dangerous Weapon. And, two people were arrested Monday: 37-year old Mangus Welch, of Creston, was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree, and 30-year old Casey Sampson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation.

All five subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Creston Police Department say a woman who resides in the 800 block of W. Jefferson Street reported Thursday, that someone had stolen a flagpole and flag sometime overnight Wednesday into Thursday. Those items were valued at $75. No arrests were reported.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Officials say an eastern Iowa power plant will be closed six years earlier than scheduled. Alliant Energy said in a news release its M.L. Kapp Generating Station in Clinton will stop operation June 1. The plant was converted from a coal facility to natural gas in 2015. Its 2024 closing date was announced at that time.

Company spokesman Mike Wagner says the plant was being used only during peak energy demand. Last year it generated power for just 11 days. He says two reviews showed it was in the customers’ best interest to move up the closing date. Wagner says the plant’s 21 workers were informed Wednesday of Alliant’s decision.