(Des Moines, Iowa) – The latest data released by the Iowa Department of Public Health shows COVID-19 numbers are moving in the right direction. The IDPH website, Monday, reported 13,744 positive virus tests in the last 7 days, down from 16,643 on Friday. The state’s 14-day test positivity rate dropped from 18.9% to 17%.

The number of patients hospitalized with the virus continues to drop as well. There are currently 638 patients hospitalized with the virus, down from 741 on Friday. Of those hospitalized, 55% had a primary COVID-19 diagnosis, while the remaining 45% were hospitalized for another reason but tested positive for the virus.

State data shows 54.6% of those hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, while 66.7% of those listed in critical condition with the virus are unvaccinated. Long-term care facility outbreaks have decreased for the first time in several weeks. There are currently 112 Iowa care facilities reporting an outbreak, down from 115 on Friday.

(Radio Iowa) – A Spirit Lake man is now facing a murder charge following a shooting last week in Milford. The charge against 25-year-old Christian Goyne-Yarns was upgraded to first-degree murder this morning after Shelby Woizeschke died of her injuries over the weekend at a Sioux Falls hospital.

Goyne-Yarns is accused of shooting Woizeschke multiple times Thursday morning in the parking lot of GrapeTree Medical Staffing in Milford. She called 911 and told police he was the shooter and he was arrested less than an hour later in Spirit Lake. Goyne-Yarns is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next Monday according to online court documents.

Bond was originally set at half a million dollars on Friday, but that was doubled at the request of the Dickinson County Attorney as the charge was upgraded.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s the dead of winter and Iowans are driving much less, especially compared to summertime, but gasoline prices are defying the basic lessons of economic by rising, even though demand is falling. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says crude oil prices are setting the bar. “In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen an increase in total stocks and a decrease in demand which typically puts downward pressure on those pump prices,” Mitts says, “but because we are seeing these rising crude oil prices, the pump prices continue to go up.”

Part of the reason for the higher prices is rising concerns over the potential for war overseas. “This time of year is usually a time that we would see a little bit of those lower prices at the pump but it will depend a little bit on that tension between Russia and Ukraine,” Mitts says. “That’s a major contributor to these oil prices, so it will depend on any sanctions that come out of that and how those conversations go.”

The average price for a gallon of gas in Iowa is three-23, which is up eight cents a gallon in the past week and it’s up 18-cents in the past month. A year ago, gas in Iowa was averaging two-36, almost a dollar less. The national average is now three-44. Across Iowa, the cheapest gas is three-19 a gallon in both Iowa City and Davenport, while the most expensive gas is in Dubuque at three-32.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council will hold a Special Session beginning at 5:30-p.m. on Wednesday, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. According to City Administrator John Lund, the Council will act on an “Order to Enter into Closed Session,” to ” Discuss Strategy with Counsel in Matters that are Presently in Litigation or where Litigation is Imminent where its Disclosure Would be Likely to Prejudice or Disadvantage the Position of the Governmental Body in that Litigation.”

(Radio Iowa) – Democrat State Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids is trying again on legislation to establish an immediate moratorium on the expansion of factory farming in the state. He talked about it today (Monday) in an online call with reporters. “My bill will help stymie corporate ag’s predatory growth in our state, confront our water quality crisis, and rectify the unfair treatment of contract growers,” Staed says. This year marks the fifth that Iowa legislators and advocates have collaborated to try and pass the bill.

Staed admits with the House controlled by Republicans, it won’t be easy to get it going. “In the House they’ve ignored this in the past. We’ll see what happens this year,” he says. “We’ve had difficulty getting any Republican signatures to be honest — but we do have quite a few House members who are interested in it.” He would like to just see it get a hearing in the House. “There are legislators in both parties who are very interested in doing something about this, taking action,” according to Staed, “for whatever reason aren’t willing to come forward at this time until they see greater movement or at least a subcommittee hearing where we can have the public involved and others come and speak.”

Staed says there are more than 10-thousand factory farms with anywhere from 300-500 new facilities added to the state each year.

(Lewis, Iowa) – Officials with the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development have announced the 30^th Annual meeting for the Foundation takes place March 3rd, at the Armstrong Research Farm, near Lewis**. The meeting is open to the public, and there is no fee to attend. The event begins with registration at 9-a.m., followed by a Welcome from Foundation President Mark Bentley.

This year’s speakers will include Mark Licht an Iowa State University Assistant Professor and Extension Cropping System Specialist in the Dept of Agronomy, who will be speaking on the Recent Cropping Systems Research in Southwest Iowa. His extension, research and teaching program is focused on how to holistically manage Iowa cropping systems to achieve productivity, profitability and environmental goals. His research is centered around varied aspects of soybean, corn and cover crop management. 

The second speaker is Tim Christensen, ISU Farm Management Specialist. He is currently serving 13 counties in Southwest Iowa working with the public on farm rental agreements, farm transitions, farm bill, grain marketing, and any other farm management issues that arise. Tim will be speaking on Iowa Land Values review and 2022 Cost of Production Increases.

A complimentary lunch at 11:30-a.m.will follow those guest speakers, with the Wallace Foundation’s Membership Annual Business meeting at 12:30-p.m.

**The Armstrong Research Farm is located approximately 12 miles southwest of Atlantic on Highway 6, south on 525th Street, and then east on Hitchcock Avenue.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department and Police Chief Dave Erickson report seven arrests took place from Jan. 21st through Feb. 6th (aside from those previously reported). Authorities say on Sunday (Feb. 6), Atlantic Police arrested: 31-year-old Tiffany Wallace, of Atlantic, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense, and on a warrant for Violation of Probation; 28-year-old Taylor Sanchez, of Columbus, NE., was arrested for PCS/1st offense and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; and, 48-year-old Dan Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday for Assault causing bodily injury, and Driving While License suspended.

On Friday, Officers with the A-PD arrested 57-year-old James Cecetka, of Atlantic, for OWI/1st offense. On Jan. 31st, 39-year-old Wainy Ruben, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. And, there were two arrests on Jan. 21st: 54-year-old Robert Lee Olwell, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Atlantic for Eluding, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; OWI; Poss. of a Controlled Substance; Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp; Keeping a premises or vehicle for Controlled Substance Violation, and Ongoing Criminal Conduct; 38-year-old Eddie Mack, of Hamlin, was arrested for OWI/1st offense.

All subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail. As of early Monday afternoon, Eddie Mack and Wainy Ruben had been released from custody. The rest remained in the jail.

(Radio Iowa) – A Sergeant Bluff woman is writing a book about her experience with Turner Syndrome (TS) — a chromosomal disorder that affects one in every two-thousand newborn girls. Nicole Cleveland of was diagnosed with T-S at birth through a test that takes a snapshot of chromosomes. “And it’s usually missing an X chromosome, or one of the X chromosomes is slightly altered in some way and it causes many health complications,” She says. Those other complications may include congenital heart or kidney defects, thyroid and vision issues, motor issues, hypertension, anxiety, and depression.

“When I was born they were told that I may need to have walking braces for the rest of my. And that I may never be able to walk normally,” according to Cleveland. “Luckily that did not happen. I was able to walk normally — I was able to cheerlead in high school — I was able to live pretty much a normal and productive life,” she says. The disorder has two common symptoms, short stature, which can be treated in children with growth hormone, and premature ovarian failure, which requires lifelong estrogen replacement for development and health. Cleveland says the early diagnosis of T-S is key.

“So many people are diagnosed in their teen years or even their adult years because they don’t have access to medical care. Or it’s so rare that their physicians don’t know the looks and the signs of Turner Syndrome, “Cleveland says. “They, unfortunately, don’t get diagnosed until they are in their adult years, and unfortunately those treatments are no longer effective for them.”

Growth hormone treatment would not be effective after their mid to late teens. Turner served two terms on the Sergeant Bluff City Council and is writing a book on her experiences called the “Butterfly Chronicles.” The butterfly is the symbol for girls and women with T-S. If you want to find out more about turner syndrome, you may go online to www.tsgalliance.org.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Conference Board is set to meet 10:30-a.m. Tuesday, in the Supervisor’s meeting room at the Courthouse in Red Oak. On their agenda is the determination of a quorum, and if so, discussion on open Board of Review positions, along with action, as necessary. The Conference Board will also discuss and possibly act on:

• The Chief Deputy’s salary
• The proposed 2022-2023 Budget
• Setting the date for a public hearing on the ’22-’23 Budget
• any additional items to come before the Montgomery County Conference Board.

The public meeting will be conducted via ZOOM at the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81034493360

Meeting ID: 810 3449 3360

Passcode: 321383