KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Crews working to finish fixing levees busted in last year’s deluge are getting some help from the weather. John Remus, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Thursday that it is “much better shape” than a year ago. The flooding last spring along the Missouri River and its tributaries inundated thousands of acres of farmland in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.

Among 61 levees approved for repair in an area spanning from Rulo, Nebraska, to the mouth of Mississippi River, 39 have been restored to the height they were before last spring’s deluge. Upstream of Rulo, all but one levee has been repaired.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Thursday afternoon. At approximately 1:10 p.m. Officers arrested 38-year-old Jesse Donald Trost of Red Oak in the 200 block of West 3rd Street for a violation of his pre-trial release agreement. He faces charges of 3 counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree, Criminal Mischief 4th Degree, and Attempted Burglary 3rd Degree of a vehicle.

Trost was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $20,000 cash bond.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has called Iowa’s response to the coronavirus “a success story” but he may find a less rosy reality when he visits Des Moines on Friday. A recent rise in confirmed infections in the city has alarmed the mayor and medical officials. Even the federal coronavirus task force Pence leads has expressed concern about the city’s toll.

Pence is scheduled to encourage faith leaders to responsibly resume in-person church services, even as many say they’ll refrain for now to stop the virus’s spread. Pence will also meet with grocery and agriculture leaders to discuss food supply.

AMES, Iowa – May 7, 2020 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input for the proposed reconstruction of Iowa Highway 2, from 0.8 mile west of the Missouri River to the existing Horse Creek bridges, in Fremont County. The project reconstructs the four-lane roadway and constructs new overflow bridges west of Horse Creek. These improvements will reduce the risk of flood-related closures by raising Iowa 2 two to four feet.

Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times throughout the project.

For general information regarding the proposed improvements or public meeting, contact Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368, email: scott.suhr@iowadot.us.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Pottawattamie County man was sentenced Wednesday in U-S District Court, to a little more than 11-years in prison on a drug charge. 37-year old David Walling, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Walling will serve 134 months in prison to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.

On July 13, 2019, law enforcement attempted to stop Walling, who was operating a motorcycle, in a parking garage in Council Bluffs. Walling failed to stop for police and took off at a high rate of speed. Walling was stopped before he could exit the parking garage. At the time of Walling’s arrest, he was found to be in possession of 43.34 grams of actual methamphetamine.

The matter was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum, Wednesday, announced 50-year old Patrick Spagnotti, of Omaha, was sentenced in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, on a charge of bank robbery. Spagnotti was sentenced to 36 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

On April 5th, 2019, Spagnotti handed a note to a teller at a US Bank in Council Bluffs that demanded money and the teller gave Spagnotti $4,335 in cash. Once Spagnotti left the bank, law enforcement attempted to stop and pull him over, but Spagnotti accelerated to speeds in excess of 100 mph. Law enforcement eventually executed a controlled stop of the vehicle and arrested Spagnotti. The cash was recovered by law enforcement.

The case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Iowa Department of Public Health, today, revealed there are now 231 deaths related to COVID-19. That’s an increase of 12 from the past report. The greatest number of deaths continue to be in eastern and central Iowa. Linn County has the most, at 55 to date. The number of Iowans tested for COVID-19 amounts to 66, 427, or 1 out of every 46 Iowans per capita.  11,059 (16.6%) have tested positive for COVID-19, or 1 out of every 280 people per capita.  4,266 Iowans have recovered from the virus. 418 Iowans are hospitalized. 151 are in an ICU. 31 Iowans with COVID-19 were admitted over the past 24-hours.

Governor Kim Reynolds reported today (Thursday), additional changes to Iowa’s Coronavirus website, coronavirus.iowa.gov, that are intended to make it easier for Iowans to access the data and assess that information.

The total case counts now includes tests reported from 10-a.m. Tuesday through 11:59-p.m Wednesday.

(Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead and D. Myles Culle)

Reynolds said also, when she and IDPH Medical Director Dr. Caitlyn Pedati met with President Trump, Wednesday, at the White House, Pedati shared with the President and others what she and the IDPH team is seeing in the data as it relates to virus activity.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office said today (Thursday), it is investigating a theft that occurred in the 100 block of South Broadway, in Exira. The theft occurred between 5-p.m. May 5th and 7-a.m. May 6th. The suspect(s) took a 2002 H&H Utility trailer. The single-axle trailer with a wood bottom, was described as being is 5-feet wide by 10-feet long, with 1-foot tall metal sides. It has rust on the metal sides and wheel wells. The left wheel well has a noticeable dent. (See the pic on the news page for a similar trailer)

Trailer similar to the one stolen

(The attached picture is for reference only. It is not the exact trailer but very similar.)

Anyone with any information about this incident or that may have seen any suspicious activity in this area is urged to contact the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office at 712-563-2631 or Audubon County Crimestoppers at 712-563-2234.

A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this theft.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop at around 1:10-a.m. today (Thursday) in Council Bluffs, resulted in the arrest of a 17-year old male and 24-year old Blake Michael Zweck. Both were charged with Theft in the 1st degree – motor vehicle related. The vehicle in question, a 2007 BMW 328i valued at $10,000, was reported stolen from Whetstone Enterprises.  One person was cited Wednesday afternoon, following a disturbance in Avoca.  Authorities say 61-year old Joseph Flory Rzonca was cited for Harassment in the 2nd Degree, by threatening bodily injury. The incident was with regard to a disagreement between Rzonca and a 30-year old female tenant he rents to.

Wednesday morning, 27-year old Charles Frederick Pennington, Jr., was arrested on a warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, after he turned himself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. And, 18-year old Mackenzie Lynn Koesters turned herself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday afternoon. She was wanted on a warrant for OWI/1st offense.