OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities arrested 26 men and 15 women in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa as part of an annual nationwide operation targeting human trafficking. The Omaha World-Herald reports the FBI led a task force of law enforcement agencies in the three-day operation that ended on Sunday.

Police in Omaha, Lincoln, La Vista, Council Bluffs, Iowa and Glenwood, Iowa, all took part in the operation locally. The names of the people arrested were not immediately available Tuesday. The FBI says 82 sexually exploited children were recovered nationwide and 239 people were arrested in the operation.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Nebraska man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court on two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Bond for 26-year old Dale John Kraft, Jr, of Omaha, was set at $2,000.

Officials with the Iowa DNR said Tuesday a Denison man suffered a self inflicted gunshot wound to his thigh from a pistol he was carrying in his waistband shortly after he began walking to the field to hunt deer with his muzzleloader.  The injury occurred around 5 p.m. Monday,, in southern Crawford County. 54-year old Daniel Gehling was taken to Denison hospital and then flown by helicopter to Omaha medical center for surgery. He is currently in stable condition.

Gehling was heading to the field with his wife Carolyn. He adjusted the gun in his waistband when it discharged. Carolyn called for help and then applied pressure on the wound until rescue personnel arrived.

It is common for hunters who have a permit to carry, to carry a pistol with them while hunting. It is illegal to have a pistol in possession while archery hunting.

Iowa’s pheasant hunting tradition will begin another chapter on October 29, when nearly 60,000 hunters will pursue ringnecks during the season opening weekend in fields across the state. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources annual August roadside survey predicts Iowa pheasant hunters can expect to have good hunting this fall, and likely more company in the field. The optimistic mood is a natural outcome of five consecutive years of higher population surveys and hunter harvests.

The survey found an average of 21 pheasants per 30 mile route statewide, with higher counts coming from counties crossing the state diagonally from northwest to southeast. The statewide average in 2015 was 24 pheasants per route.

“At this point, it appears much of our corn and beans will be out of the fields by the opener, which will concentrate birds to grass areas and make hunters happy. If we have good weather, I think we could see a bump in hunter numbers and birds harvested,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist for the Iowa DNR.

Bogenschutz said he has noticed more birds near field edges and along the roads as the crops have been coming out. “I’ve been seeing some birds around on my way in to the office and have been getting a few phone calls from around the state from people also seeing birds,” he said. ““The birds are here, we need hunters to return.”

Iowa’s pheasant population could sustain a harvest of 500,000 roosters, but it will not reach that level until there are 90,000 hunters afield. In 2015, some 55,000 hunters harvested 270,000 Iowa roosters. Hunters can read the August roadside survey, review hunting regulations, buy a license and find a place to hunt online at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting .

The Natural Resource Commission for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approved two Resource Enhancement and Protection Public Private Cost-share grant requests from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation at its October meeting. The projects were awarded more than $510,000.

Public private grants are used for land acquisition with 75 percent of the acquisition costs come from REAP and the remaining 25 percent coming from private contributions.

REAP Private Public Grants:

Fremont County, Botna Bottoms Acquisition, $135,750 – The project will combine two EWP/WRP properties into one 179-acre tract bordering the East Nishnabotna River. Botna Bottoms contains quality wildlife habitat, including: grassland, riparian woodland, wet prairie, sedge meadow and wetland. Funds received for this project will transfer the property to the IDNR – Nishnabotna Wildlife Unit. Major benefits of this acquisition include public hunting, wildlife and plant habitat and improved water quality.

Fremont County, Biscuitroot Bluff, $378,972 – The goal of this project is to protect and restore property in Fremont County along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway that contains rare Loess Hills remnant prairie and oak woodlands. Funds received for this project would be used for acquisition of 173.2 acres. Future use includes wildlife and native plant habitat, public hunting and scenic views.

The Exira-EHK School Board Monday evening, discussed refinancing of the sales tax bond. Superintendent Trevor Miller said the board wants to move forward with looking at the myriad of options available to them. (click on the audio bar to listen)

Miller said also the Board will hold a work session in November or early December to go over the budget situation.

Miller said he intends to offer a better explanation to the board and public about the finances, what’s available and where the funds come from.

And, they approved a contract with Christine Wahlert, who will serve as School Nurse.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says an Atlantic man was arrested Monday night following a traffic stop, in Audubon. 32-year old Adam Lee Morris was charged with OWI/2nd offense, and Open Container. Morris was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later released after appearing before the magistrate. Audubon Police assisted in handling the incident.

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says if Hillary Clinton’s the next president, he will not “stonewall” any person she nominates for the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. “I think we have a responsibility to very definitely vett, if you want to use the word vett, whoever nominee that person puts forward,” Grassley says. On Monday, Arizona Senator John McCain said Republicans in the Senate “would be united against any Supreme Court nominee that Hillary Clinton” sends to the senate. McCain’s spokeswoman later said McCain would “thoroughly examine” the record of any person Clinton might nominate and vote for or against that person based on that record.

Grassley says he expects Clinton, if she’s the next president, will nominate “judicial activists.” “We know more the type of people Trump would nominate because he’s listed 20,” Grassley says. “They fall more into the category of strict constructionists.” Grassley is currently chairman of the Senate committee that holds hearings for Supreme Court nominees. He has not scheduled one for President Obama’s choice to fill the Supreme Court vacancy. Grassley has been saying since February that the next president should make that choice.

“If that new president happens to be Hillary, we can’t just simply stonewall,” Grassley says. In other Senate Judiciary Committee business, committee staff who work for Grassley and other Republicans have co-authored a report on obstacles faced by federal agency “watchdogs” known as inspectors general. “The report found that more than 15,000 recommendations by inspectors general to improve agency actions have not been implemented,” Grassley said.

The Republican staffers’ report concludes 87 billion dollars could have been saved over at least the past 15 years if those recommendations had been followed.  “That’s not the kind of fiscal responsibility Iowans expect of their federal government,” Grassley says. The Pentagon has failed to implement more than 800 cost-saving recommendations from inspectors general.

(Radio Iowa)

The CAM School Board is moving forward with tentative plans for an addition to the Massena Elementary School to help ease overcrowding. Board Secretary Linda Edwards said they approved the plan as presented by Snyder and Associates Engineers. She said they are moving forward with the bid process, since the goal is to be in the building by next fall.

The plan tentatively calls for a 40-by 80-foot expansion of the four-year old preschool and music room. The Board, in their brief meeting, also approved revisions to, and adopted, a Parent and Family Engagement Policy.

The policy was reworded to say “Parent and family engagement is an important component of students’ success in school. The Board encourages parents and families to become involved in their children’s education to ensure the child’s academic success.” The wording adds “and family involvement”, instead of just “parental.”

(9-a.m. News)