A chain of hospitals in Iowa and Nebraska is now offering what it calls “wag therapy” at several of its facilities. Dogs are being used in patients’ rooms and in hospital lobbies to help patients and visitors feel better. Kris Wiley, a mental health practitioner at C-H-I Health in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says just the act of petting a pooch can have near-miraculous effects.

“Research has shown that it can reduce anxiety, it reduces people’s blood pressure,” Wiley says. “Some research has even shown that petting a dog will cause our body to start to release oxytocin, which is a feel-good hormone.” While the saying is that a dog is a man’s best friend, Wiley says it’s sounding more like dogs are great for both our mental and physical health.

“They’re doing studies now and finding that people who own dogs tend to be more active,” Wiley says. “It could be because they feel guilty that their dog has been home all day and hasn’t had any outside activity, but whatever reason we’re taking that dog for a walk is good for us as well.” Wiley says more hospitals are turning to dog therapy to help with a variety of illness and just to bring a smile to a patient’s face.

Wiley says, “Because I’m in the mental health practice, I certainly have patients who will immediately tell me their dog has been a benefit in their recovery from depression and anxiety, to give them a sense of calm.” She says there are countless benefits to owning or having regular interaction with dogs.

“Dogs actually have the ability, once they get to know a person, read facial expressions to kind of anticipate what their human companion is going to do,” she says. “They have your non-verbal cues figured out.” Several four-legged volunteers are now offering regular wag therapy sessions at five C-H-I Health hospitals.

(Radio Iowa)

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a small plane made an emergency landing on ice-covered Clear Lake and took off again before authorities reached the lake. The plane landed on the northern Iowa lake Saturday afternoon and taxied closer to the shoreline.

No injuries were reported, and the plane did not appear significantly damaged. Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s deputy Jeff Bryant says the plane was gone by the time he reached the lake from Mason City. He believes the pilot made repairs.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane is a Tylorcraft fixed wing single-engine manufactured in 1943. The army green plane has a U.S. military symbol on the side.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater has released a report on arrests.

On Saturday, 22-year old Warren Matthew Preston, of Waukegan, IL, was arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 25. He was charged with OWI/1st offense and Open Container. Preston was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Last Friday, 26-year old Cody Leon Zimmerline, of Adair, was served with at the Adair County Jail, with a warrant for Violation of Probation. Zimmerline was being held in the jail based on his arrest on Feb. 4th for: Possession of Contraband in a Jail Facility (baggies containing marijuana and meth); Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense/methamphetamine; and Possession of drug paraphernalia (baggies used to transport drugs). His cash or surety bond amounted to $6,000 altogether. Zimmerline remains in the Adair County Jail.

On Feb. 7th, Adair County Deputies arrested 50-year old Todd Richard Eble, of Bridgewater, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Driving Under Suspension. He was cited for the offenses and released from custody on the scene.

On Feb. 6th, 49-year old Connie Jae Emrgarten, of Casey, was arrested for Driving While Barred. She was released the same day on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

Feb. 5th, Adair County deputies arrested 36-year old Joshua Ernst Knuth, of Creston, for OWI/2nd offense. He was released later that same day after posting 10% of a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

Council Bluffs Police were called at around 9:20-a.m. today (Monday) to a residence in the 200 block of Stutsman St. in reference to a home invasion. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victims, who stated two unknown black males entered the residence through an unlocked door, displayed a machete and began looking for another person who was not at this location. The suspects left the home after the victims told them the police had been called and were on the way. The suspects are believed to have left in a dark gray SUV. No injuries were reported. No damage to property was observed. The Criminal Investigations Division was notified and will be handling the investigation. If you have any information regarding this crime or any others please contact Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP(7867).

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says at around 10-p.m. Feb. 3rd, his Office was notified of a vandalism that had occurred at the Nishnabotna River bridge 1 mile north of Essex, IA on D Avenue. The investigation showed that unknown persons(s) cut the fiber optic cable lines and conduit holding them at the above location. The vandalism affected Mediacom and Chat Mobility. A dollar amount of damage has not been provided to the Sheriff’s Office at this time.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193 or their local Law Enforcement agency.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa Workforce Development worker who’d once described her boss as rude has been awarded unemployment benefits. The Des Moines Register reports that Trudi Snyder was fired after complaining to colleagues last August that agency director Beth Townsend was “obnoxiously rude” and later comparing the agency management to “the Gestapo” — the World War II Nazis’ secret police. Snyder reportedly told her superiors at a subsequent conduct hearing that, as a staff trainer, she didn’t realize it was her job to “put a happy face on everything.”

The agency eventually challenged Snyder’s application for jobless benefits because she’d been fired for job-related misconduct. In many cases that disqualifies a person from collecting the benefits. Last week Administrative Law Judge Amanda Atherton ruled against Workforce Development and awarded Snyder the benefits, saying: “That employees complain about work, their co-workers and their managers is a fact of life.”

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place last week. At around 12:15-a.m. Wednesday (Feb. 7th), 24-year old Treyton Curt Sunderman, of Shenandoah, was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office on a Page County Warrant for Failure to appear. Sunderman later posted $1000 bond and was released pending future court proceedings. And, Monday afternoon, Feb. 5th, 64-year old Karen Kay Dew, of Maryville, Mo., was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office on a Page County Warrant for 5 counts of Fraudulent Practice in the 2nd Degree and 5 counts of Tampering with Records. Dew was booked into the Page County Jail and later posted $5000.00 cash. She was released pending future court proceedings.

Treyton Sunderman

Karen Dew

The Atlantic High School counseling office is hosting a free presentation on financial aid for high school juniors, seniors and their parents. The presentation will be led by a representative from the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN), on Thursday, Feb. 15th, beginning at 7-p.m., in the Atlantic High School Auditorium.

ICAN is a non-profit, educational organization that is a member of the National College Access Network. It has 10 student success centers, one of which is located in Council Bluffs.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests. Authorities say on Feb. 8th (Last Thursday), 39-year old Myron Lee Brandon, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on outstanding warrants from a pursuit involving the Harlan Police Department on Feb. 4th, 2018. Brandon was charged with Eluding, Theft 2nd, Prohibited Acts, Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and multiple traffic violations. Brandon was being held in the Shelby County Jail under a $15,000 bond.

On Feb. 7th, Shelby County Deputies arrested 27-year-old Jose Felianco-Torres, from Defiance, for disorderly conduct. Torres was transported to the Shelby County Jail, where he plead guilty the following day in front of a magistrate, and received credit for time served  Torres was then released from custody on Feb. 8th.

On Feb. 1st, 30-year-old Jared Scott Schneckloth, of Manilla, was arrested by Shelby County Deputies on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in district court. Schneckloth was transported to the Shelby County Jail and held under a $5,000 cash bond. He was released on a later day after appearing in front of a district court judge and receiving credit for time served.

Arrested Jan. 27th in Shelby County, was 30-year old Kristen Frances Harriman, from Omaha, on outstanding warrant for a Probation Violation. Harriman was transported from Polk County Jail to Shelby County Jail and held under a $2,000 cash bond. She posted bond on a later date and was released from custody.

And, on Jan. 26th, Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office arrested 21-year-old Brandon William Henderson, from Harlan,  on outstanding warrants for Failure to appear for court hearing and contempt of court for failure to appear to serve imposed jail sentence (28 days). Henderson was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he is being held under a $1500 cash bond, as well as for the original 28-day jail sentence imposed for Probation Violation. Henderson is scheduled to be released February 23rd.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — A 35-year-old Burlington resident has been imprisoned for shooting to death another man. Court records say Joseph Mayorga Jr. pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last month and immediately was sentenced to 50 years. Prosecutors had lowered the charge from first-degree murder in exchange for Mayorga’s plea. Mayorga also was ordered to pay $150,000 to his victim’s family.

Police say he killed 47-year-old James Nelson on Feb. 10 last year. Mayorga told investigators that he shot Nelson as they were sitting in Mayorga’s car inside Mayorga’s garage. He says Nelson said something offensive about Mayorga’s wife, so he shot him in his left eye. Nelson’s body was discovered the next day at Indian Park Path near Wever.