SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Woodbury County officials have been discussing plans for a new county jail and a bond issue to pay for it. County board chairman Keith Radig told the Sioux City Journal on Thursday that it makes more sense to build a jail that could cost between $35 million and $50 million than pay $12 million to $14 million for repairs on the current, 234-bed facility. It opened in 1987.

Radig says a new jail with 300 to 440 beds would provide extra space to accept federal detainees. The county could contract with federal immigration officials and receive around 80 inmates a day on average. The resulting hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue could possibly eliminate the need to pay back construction debt with property taxes.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A woman from Colombia has been sentenced for her role in an email scheme that defrauded companies in Iowa and other states. Prosecutors say Karina Henao was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids to 13 months in prison. Henao also was ordered to pay more than $297,000 in restitution. She pleaded guilty in November to wire fraud. Prosecutors say she’d been living in Florida.

A court document says Henao admitted that from September through November 2017 she participated in a scheme to infiltrate or otherwise gain access to email systems in order to divert money from the businesses’ bank accounts.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop at around 5-p.m. Thursday resulted in an arrest. A vehicle was pulled over for failure to display license plates. The K9 “Baxo” was deployed, and alerted to the odor of narcotics. Upon further investigation, Janet Scuturio (no city of residence given) was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance – Tramadol/1st offense. And, at around 9:15-p.m. Thursday, Adams County deputies responded to a reported domestic disturbance. As a result of their investigation, Robert Loe was placed under arrest for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense.

(Radio Iowa) — Two Democrats in the U.S. Senate — both presidential candidates — have a blunt message for Vice President Mike Pence. Last Friday while he was in southwest Iowa, Pence criticized senators who are presidential candidates for blocking a Senate vote on federal disaster aid because it lacked funding for two 2017 hurricanes. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand says the president and vice president are pitting Puerto Ricans against Iowans.

“If we’ve learned anything from history, if we exclude one group, they’re going to exclude the next group and then then next group,” Gillibrand says, “and then eventually it will be you.”

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says the Trump Administration is trying to “siphon money away” from Puerto Rican hurricane victims rather than approve the broader approach Democrats in the House have taken. Both Klobuchar and Gillibrand have visited flood victims in western Iowa. Klobuchar went to Pacific Junction three weeks ago and visited a woman who had to use binoculars to see her home in the distance — in the middle of the flooding.

“When it comes to infrastructure…there’s no Republican levee or a Democratic levee. There are only levees,” Klobuchar said. “And we should not be talking politics about this. We should be talking about how we come together.” On Wednesday, Gillibrand went to a home in Pacific Junction with a couple returning to see the flood damage for the first time. “Devastation. I can’t tell you how heartbreaking it was,” Gillibrand says. “…Congress needs to come together and pass that relief package. Now.”

On Wednesday, Democratic presidential candidate and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said he’d like to invite Pence to join Democrats and Republicans in congress to find a solution that helps “all Americans” recovering from natural disasters rather than have disaster victims exploited for political gain.

A traffic stop Thursday morning on Interstate 29 in Mills County, resulted in the arrest of a man on numerous charges related to having a weapon, and drugs. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 41-year old Andy Charles Andrew, of Pacific Junction, was arrested at around 6-a.m. at the 38-mile marker, and charged with Carrying a Concealed weapon; Possession of a Controlled Substance and Drug Paraphernalia; Fraudulent use of registration, and failure to provide proof of insurance. His bond was set at $3,300.

19-year old Gerald Timothy Thomas Yanna, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 2:35-a.m. Thursday, in Glenwood. Yanna was charged with Failure to provide proof of insurance following a traffic stop. Bond was set at $300.

Wednesday evening, Mills County deputies arrested 73-year old Marvin Jay Konfrst, of Glenwood, for OWI (bond $1,000), and 36-year old Dustin Lee Harriman, of Omaha, was arrested at around 8-a.m. Wednesday, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Introducing intoxicants or drug into a (Correctional) institution. His bond was set at $6,000.

Officials with FEMA, Thursday, announced hours of operation for four state/federal Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), open to help flood survivors in western Iowa, will be changing beginning this weekend.

As of April 21st, the DRCs no longer will be open on Sundays. Operating hours for the centers in Mills, Harrison and Woodbury counties are from Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will remain the same until further notice. Fremont County’s DRC is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The adjustment of hours for these temporary centers is typical and generally based on the volume of visitors. Survivors can visit any location that is convenient, even one outside of your county of residence or where you are currently staying. These centers are located at:

Fremont County: 2014 290th Ave., Sidney, IA, 51652
Mills: 111 Lacey St., Glenwood, IA, 51534
Harrison: 800 West Huron St., Missouri Valley, IA, 51555
Woodbury: 4647 Stone Ave., Sioux City, IA, 51106

DRCs are one-stop information centers that provide a place for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage from the severe storms and flooding beginning March 12 to get critical disaster recovery information in a face-to-face setting. You can apply at any DRC, even in another state, if necessary. To find a DRC in another state, visit http://www.FEMA.gov/DRC.

The FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, also is another tool for survivors who have questions about their application or need referrals to other organizations that can help them. Multilingual operators are available. TTY users may dial 800-462- 7585. Lines are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that they will open a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) next Tuesday, April 23rd, in Council Bluffs as a result of the county being included in the Individual Assistance Program as part of the Major Disaster Declaration issued for Iowa by President Trump.

The DRC will be located at the Council Bluffs Public Library at 400 Willow Avenue.
Current hours of operation will be:
Tuesday (4-23-19) 12:00pm – 7:00pm
Wednesday (4-24-19) 9:30am – 7:00pm
Thursday (4-25-19) 9:30am – 7:00pm
Friday (4-26-19) 9:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday (4-27-19) 1:00pm – 5:00pm

Doug Reed, Director of Emergency Management for Pottawattamie County says, “The DRC is a great location for residents to register for FEMA assistance and receive information directly from FEMA personnel on eligibility, what type of assistance is available, and how the Individual Assistance program works.”

The Individual Assistance program provides assistance to eligible homeowners, renters, and businesses impacted by the March flood events. “Partner agencies such as the Small Business Administration (SBA) and local human service organizations will also be at the DRC or have information available at that location for other forms of assistance as well,” commented Reed.

Residents who have not yet registered for FEMA assistance through their website or by phone are highly encouraged to go to the DRC at their earliest convenience once operations begin to get registered and begin their recovery process. The DRC will only be open on the dates and times mentioned (above) and will close operations after 5:00pm Saturday.