OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An official for an Omaha homeless shelter says a casino proposed nearby in Iowa would be a problem for people the shelter serves. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska is moving toward opening a casino in Carter Lake, Iowa, which is about a mile from Open Door Mission.

Mission President and CEO Candace Gregory says studies show that homeless people are more likely to gamble than the general population. She says the community should consider the human cost of having the casino located so close to the shelter. Tribe Chairman Larry Wright Jr. says the casino will boost the area’s economy.

The National Indian Gaming Commission ruled in November that the tribe can construct the casino after a decade of lawsuits, appeals and legal reviews.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 2.9 percent in February. Iowa Workforce Development announced Friday the rate remained unchanged from January even as the number of unemployed residents dropped slightly to 47,900 people. The number of people with jobs increased by 500 and stood at about 1.6 million. Iowa’s rate was tied with Maine and Wisconsin for the nation’s sixth lowest. The national unemployment rate in February was 4.1 percent.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office this (Friday) morning, posted pictures on their social media page, showing a man who had allegedly passed a counterfeit $50 at Caseys, in Anita. They are asking the public for help in identifying the individual. If you know who the person is, call the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 712-243-2206.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports wanted on warrants out of Council Bluffs turned himself-in, Thursday. 26-year old Ty Lasher Ethington, of Council Bluffs, was wanted on a General Penalty warrant and a warrant for Interference with Official Acts. He was brought to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to Corrections Staff. A man from Logan already being held in the Pott. County Jail, was served with a warrant, Thursday. 39-year old Kirk Thomas Ring was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Probation. He was read the warrant and then returned to the custody of Jail Staff.

A traffic stop Thursday evening in Pott. County resulted in the arrest of 22-year old Taylor James Christensen, of Council Bluffs. Christensen was taken into custody for Driving while Barred, and brought to the Pott. County Jail. And, Pott. County Deputies arrested 30-year old Matthew Richard Ryan, of Dallas, TX., early this (Friday) morning, after an uncooperative and intoxicated visitor was reported to be at the Risen Sun Christian Village, in Council Bluffs. Ryan was arrested at around 2-a.m., for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

A family from Creston on vacation in Mexico haven’t been heard from since March 15th. A social media post from other family members and circulated by friends, indicates Kevin, Amy, Sterling and Adrianna Sharp left the United States on March 15th, destined for Tulum, Mexico. The family was scheduled to depart Cancun, Mexico at 2:45-p.m. Wednesday, March 21st, and had been scheduled to arrive in St. Louis at around 6-p.m. that same day. They had plans to attend the Southwestern Community College basketball game Thursday, in Danville, IL.

Sharp family

Family and friends say there has been no contact with the family since March 15th, when the arrived at their condo in Tulum. Cell phone pings indicated they were still in Mexico, but with no movement recorded. There’s also been no activity on their social media pages. A missing persons report has been filed through the U-S Embassy in Mexico, in an attempt to located the Sharp family. If you have any information about their location, contact law enforcement.

In an ironic twist, it was 17-years ago, on March 8th 2001, that a Des Moines environmentalist disappeared from his Cabo San Lucas ranch. According to reports at the time, 62-year old Alan H. Blank was reported missing a day after he was scheduled to meet Mexican government officials for approval to construct the zoo.  Blank met that same day with a restaurateur who was hoping to win a food concession contract for the zoo Blank was building in the area.

Blank disappeared after meeting Jimmy Presley, who had reportedly suffered some financial setbacks and was frustrated the government review process was delaying the project in Mexico. The Blank family believes Presley attacked Alan Blank and may have killed him. Presley himself died March 9th, 2001 in what Mexican authorities said was a suicide by driving his van, head-on into a large bus. Blank’s family declared him dead in April, 2001, after an extensive search failed to locate him.

The Blank family founded the Blank Park Zoo and Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.