Two men accused of robbing a bank in Council Bluffs Friday afternoon, were taken into custody after a pursuit and controlled crash. Council Bluffs Police say 49-year old Patrick Lynn Spignotti, of Omaha, Nebraska, was charged with Robbery in the 3rd degree, Theft in the 1st, Reckless Driving, and Felony Eluding. He also had two outstanding warrants. 40-year old George Creston McGinness, of Colfax, Iowa, was charged with Robbery in the 3rd and Theft in the 1st degree.

McGinness, George Creston

Spagnotti, Patrick Lynn

Authorities say that at around 2:14-p.m., Friday, Officers were advised of a Bank Robbery, which had just occurred at the US Bank located at 350 34th Avenue in Council Bluffs. One suspect entered the bank while the other waited in the vehicle. The suspect gave a note to the teller demanding money, no weapon was ever displayed and no one was injured. The teller handed over an undetermined amount of cash and the suspect fled the business.

Witnesses were able to see what type of vehicle the suspect drove off in, it was described as a Green Honda Pilot with Nebraska license plates. Officers were advised that the vehicle got on to I-80 East. Officers located the suspect vehicle and a short pursuit occurred. The vehicle was eventually stopped by use of the P.I.T. Maneuver (Pursuit Intervention Technique) at Railroad Highway and Highway 6 in Council Bluffs.

The two subjects in the vehicle were apprehended without incident and transported to CID for interviews and later booked into Corrections. The F.B.I assisted the Council Bluffs Police Department with the investigation.

SHELDON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a man whose body was found on a shore of the Floyd River near a college campus in northwest Iowa.

The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office said Friday in a news release that the Iowa State Medical Examiner has identified the victim as 27-year-old Cory Allen Wright, of Sheldon. Officials say a fingerprint and tattoos on the body were used to confirm Wright’s identity.

Wright’s body was found the morning of March 26 near the southeast portion of Northwest Iowa Community College property in Sheldon. Authorities said it appeared Wright’s body had been underwater.

Officials say the cause of death has not yet been determined.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne has sent a letter to congressional leaders, urging “immediate action” on disaster relief. “There’s a lot of concern that towns might not come back from this,” Axne says. “…We’ve got a lot to manage here.” Axne’s letter went to Democratic and Republicans leaders in both the House and Senate.

She wrote that now is NOT the time for political games and congress should not turn its back on Americans recovering from the devastating damage of natural disasters. Earlier this week, Democrats in the U.S. Senate blocked a vote on a disaster aid package as they seek more money for hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.

Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says congress must respond to the requests from local and state officials who are directly dealing with this spring’s flooding. “Certainly, as the governor, indicated it is like an ocean out there,” Axne said. “There were white caps on some of the fields. That’s how deep the water is.” Axne will be in three western Iowa counties tomorrow (Saturday).

“We’ll be working with emergency management again, local election officials, stopping by shelters and visiting farms that have been under water,” Axne says. Axne has joined the effort trying to expand U-S-D-A crop insurance for crops damaged in the field to also cover grain that’s been harvested and sitting in storage bins. Much of that grain in Mills and Fremont Counties has been spoiled by the flooding.

“There’s some outlay for our farmers that they’re not going to be able to get back unless we can get some specific language that would fit in with one of the programs that USDA offers,” Axne said. “I’m working on that and then, of course, working with Senators Grassley and Ernst. They’re trying to get things through the Senate. I’m coordinating here at the House, so that we can move this forward.”

Axne says during her trip to the flood zone last week she spent time with a 17-year-old in a shelter who fled his home with nothing more than the clothes he was wearing.

Officials with FEMA say a toll-free disaster hotline is available to survivors of the recent Iowa floods who may need legal assistance. The hotline allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer to aid in disaster-related matters, and is a partnership between Legal Aid of Iowa, The Iowa State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division.

Flood victims facing legal issues may call 833-885-9876 toll-free, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday to request assistance. When connected to the hotline voicemail, callers should leave their name, phone number, brief details of the assistance needed and in which county they are located. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with Iowa lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal assistance. The types of legal assistance available include:

• Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster survivors;
• Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
• Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster;
• Assistance in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures; Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
• Counseling on landlord-tenant problems.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Presidential Disaster Declaration issued on March 23, 2019, allows the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) to offer the Disaster Food Assistance Program for some Iowans impacted by high water and power outages due to the recent floods in western Iowa. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and DHS have approved the Disaster Food Assistance Program for affected, qualified individuals in the following counties: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, and Woodbury.

Disaster Food Assistance uses different qualifying rules than regular Food Assistance. If you would not normally qualify for Food Assistance, based on income, you may qualify for Disaster Food Assistance.

“This will help Iowans get their household back on track following this historic flooding,” said Jerry R. Foxhoven, director of DHS. “It can make a big difference for families who may be experiencing food insecurity during this difficult time.”

For more information visit: https://dhs.iowa.gov/.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has been calling for new approaches to deal with persistent flooding, and now she’s also seeking prayers to deal with the problem.

On Monday, Reynolds was surrounded by evangelical Christians as she signed a proclamation declaring Sunday a statewide day of prayer for flood recovery. Reynolds and the group then bowed their heads together in prayer.

Earlier in the week, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a similar proclamation.
In response to questions from reporters, Reynolds repeated her call for new approaches to reduce immediate and long-term flood risks along the Missouri River, saying companies and residents will leave if flood threats remain high.

She called on Congress to set aside politics and pass a disaster aid bill. A measure funding Midwest flood relief has been delayed in the U.S. Senate by calls from Democrats to spend more on Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from 2017 hurricane damage.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Missouri Valley man for Violation of Probation on Friday. At 2:45pm Deputies arrested 44-year-old Troy A. Myers of Missouri Valley after he was transported from Pottawattamie County to the Montgomery County Jail. He was booked in and held on $5,000 bond.