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Reminder: Mobile Food Pantry to be held this Wed. in Atlantic

News

November 30th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

A reminder today from Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh, that on Wednesday December 2nd, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council will host a mobile food pantry through the Food Bank for the Heartland at the Cass County Community Center, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, or as supplies last. Hoegh says they have ordered double the amount of food to be handed out at the mobile pantries in the past, given the increased food needs related to COVID-19.

Anyone in need is welcome to visit the mobile pantry, and no documentation is needed. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Traffic will be directed by volunteers. Visitors are asked stay in their vehicles with the trunk open. The mobile pantry is available free of charge.

For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, Nov. 20 2020

News

November 30th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested a 22-year-old Des Moines man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that happened last week. Des Moines Police said Sunday that Lim Bol Choul was arrested after an anonymous tip led investigators to him. Police also found the dark-colored SUV that was involved in the crash Thursday night. Choul is facing charges of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and driving without insurance. When authorities responded to the crash shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday, they found a pedestrian who was critically injured. That man was taken to a hospital where he later died of his injuries

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported 2,013 new virus cases and 15 more deaths linked to COVID-19 on Sunday. As of 10 a.m. Sunday, the state had reported 227,796 cases of the coronavirus and 2,375 deaths linked to the virus since the pandemic began. The number of people hospitalized with the virus in the state declined slightly on Saturday to 1,175 from the previous day’s 1,221. Eighty-seven of Iowa’s 99 counties had a 14-day positivity rate above 15% on Sunday. Ten other counties reported positivity rates between 10% and 15%. Only two counties had a rate below 10%. Overall, Iowa had the ninth-highest rate of infection in the nation on Saturday

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — A Republican candidate is hanging onto a single-digit lead in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District after a recount in a race that will help determine the size of Democrats’ majority in the House of Representatives. The Iowa Press-Citizen reports that Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks had just six more votes than Democrat Rita Hart after the recount wrapped up Saturday in Clinton County, which was the last of the district’s 24 counties to report its results. A state canvassing board is expected to meet Monday, the legal deadline, to certify the results of the race in which more than 394,400 votes were cast.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of streetlights still need to be repaired in the Cedar Rapids area months after they were broken when a derecho tore through Iowa. The Gazette reports that Mayuri Farlinger, the director of operations for Alliant Energy in the region, did not have an estimate as to how long it’ll take to repair the lights. The utility prioritized restoring power to homes and businesses after the Aug. 10 derecho. Streetlight repairs began at the end of October and crews have been out in “full force” to repair them, he said. The company’s crews and contractors have fixed hundreds of streetlights. Alliant says it has 12 two-person crews dedicated for streetlight repairs in every quadrant of the city.

Des Moines Police arrest driver in fatal hit-and-run

News

November 29th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested a 22-year-old Des Moines man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that happened last week. Des Moines Police said Sunday that Lim Bol Choul was arrested after an anonymous tip led investigators to him. Police also found the dark-colored SUV that was involved in the crash Thursday night.

Choul is facing charges of leaving the scene of a fatal accident and driving without insurance. When authorities responded to the crash shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday, they found a pedestrian who was critically injured. That man was taken to a hospital where he later died of his injuries

 

Cass County Supervisors to consider Firefighters Assoc. request for support

News

November 29th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Monday, will consider a request by the Cass County Firefighters Association for support. The request is for five-percent of match funding, if a grant application for the purchase of radios is approved. The Association has applied for a grant amounting to approximately $343,000. The Supervisors will meet electronically via Zoom, beginning at 9-a.m.

In other business, the Board will act on allowing or disallowing (on a case-by-case basis), family farm credits, and to approve agricultural land credits, in accordance with the Code of Iowa.

Regular reports are scheduled from the Cass County Engineer and Attorney, along with a monthly report from the Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator.

Iowa COVID-19 update for 11/29/2020: 15 more dead; hospitalizations continue to decline

News

November 29th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 10-a.m.) Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard Sunday, showed 15 more people died from complications of COVID-19 since 10-a.m. Saturday, for a total of 2,375. There was one more death reported in both Cass and Pottawattamie Counties. The number of deaths attributed to a preexisting condition statewide are at 1,334, while deaths at Long-Term Care facilities amount to 1,062, three more than on Saturday.

Health officials report long-term care facility COVID-19 outbreaks total 153. Those care facilities report 4,799 positive cases among patients and staff, and 1,971 recovered. Cass County’s three LTC facilities have a total of 211confirmed positive cases, and 130 recovered. Harrison County has one LTC facility with 139 positive cases and 117 recovered. Shelby County has two LTC facilities with a total of 127 positive cases and 20 recovered. Pott. County has three facility outbreaks with a total of 151 positive cases and 15 recovered.

Officials say there have been 2,013 new confirmed, Positive cases of the virus reported since yesterday, for a total since the pandemic began, of 227,796.

Hospitalizations are down from 1,221 Saturday, to 1,175 today. There are: 235 patients in intensive care (down from 244 previously); 131 patients were admitted since yesterday (down from 127, and there are 151 people on a ventilator (five more than on Saturday). In western/southwestern Iowa: there are 56 COVID patients in the hospital (unchanged from Saturday); 16 are in an ICU (down 3 from yesterday); seven people were admitted to a hospital, and six people are on a ventilator (down from 11 on Saturday).

The state’s data shows that 1,208,055 Iowans have been tested for coronavirus. Test results received yesterday amounted to 4,853, with 3,611 coming back Negative and 1,171 Positive. Iowa’s statewide 14-day positivity rate is unchanged, at 17.8%. The Individual Positivity rate is 18.9%. Cass County’s Positivity rate is up slightly, to 19.1%.

The IDPH says 131,099 Iowans have recovered from the virus. In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,

  • Cass, 808 cases {+3}; 507 recovered; 23 deaths
  • Adair, 440;{+7} 229; 8
  • Adams, 169 {+2}; 87; 2
  • Audubon, 295; 192; 2
  • Guthrie, 752 {+3); 436; 15
  • Harrison County, 1,067; 723; 29
  • Madison County, 680 {+2}; 396; 4
  • Mills County, 1,040 {+5}; 485; 7
  • Montgomery, 462 {+7}; 211; 11
  • Pottawattamie County, 6,245 {+24]; 3,578; 70
  • Shelby County, 762 {+1}; 441; 11
  • Union County,  767 {+3}; 302; 6

Stuart Fire Dept. battles storage unit blaze

News

November 29th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Firefighters from Stuart battled a storage unit blaze this past Thursday morning. In a social media post, officials said the fire at the M & G Storage units on the west end of Stuart, was reported at around 1-a.m.   Smoke and heavy fire were seen on arrival. The fire spread quickly due to wind and structure conditions.

Photos via the Stuart Fire Dept. Facebook page.

Dexter Fire and Menlo Fire were called in for additional support. All crews were working until 6am and one crew remained until 7-am Thursday to search for and extinguish hot spots. The fire caused heavy damage to multiple storage units. All companies returned to base with no injuries.

In addition to assistance from the Dexter and Menlo Fire Departments, Stuart Rescue was on the scene providing rehab for firefighters, and law enforcement was on-hand for traffic control. Barb Boss with the Stuart Fire Auxiliary answered the call at 3-am and brought coffee and donuts for the firefighters.

Iowa GOP congressional candidate holds lead after recount

News

November 28th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — A Republican candidate is hanging onto a single-digit lead in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District after a recount in a race that will help determine the size of Democrats’ majority in the House of Representatives. The Iowa Press-Citizen reports that Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks had just six more votes than Democrat Rita Hart after the recount wrapped up Saturday in Clinton County, which was the last of the district’s 24 counties to report its results.

A state canvassing board is expected to meet Monday, the legal deadline, to certify the results of the race in which more than 394,400 votes were cast.

 

Grand jury finds police shooting outside motel was justified

News

November 28th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — A grand jury has found that a deadly police shooting outside a motel in a Des Moines suburb was justified. The Des Moines Register reports that Altoona police announced late Friday that jurors reached the decision not to indict an officer or a Polk County sheriff’s deputy in the September shooting of 51-year-old Jeffrey Meyer more than two weeks ago.

Altoona Lt. Alyssa Wilson, a police spokesperson, said the delay was the result of more than one police agency being involved and the need to assemble and get approval for the release of a dashcam video. The video included the department’s own narration of what happened, with sections sped up or obscured.

 

Atlantic City Council to make two appointments

News

November 28th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council is expected to act, Wednesday, on two Mayoral appointments. The first is an Order to appoint Katherine Smith to the Utility Board of Trustees. If she’s approved, Smith would replace Joyce Jensen, who has resigned. The appointment would be until April1, 2023. The second recommendation from the Mayor, is to appoint Adam Skog to the Atlantic Library Board of Trustees. If approved by the Council, Skog would succeed Mark Johnson, who passed away in September. The appointment would expire June 30, 2024.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on passing a Resolution approving the 2021 AMU Calendar Year (CY) Budget. AMU has its own Oversight Board, by according to City Code, the Council must approve their budget in order for it to go into effect, since the utility is an entity of the City. The City traditionally passes the AMU budget without issue, and acknowledges the AMU Board’s purpose and oversight.

The Council is also expected to act on the following:

  • The 3rd and final reading of an Ordinance vacating an alley located east of the intersection of E. 9th and Plum Streets.
  • The 2nd reading of an Ordinance “Adopting the proposed Amendments to the City of Atlantic Zoning Code, 2018,” as previously mentioned following past Council meetings.
  • And, the Council will act on an Order to Approve Change Order #3 for the Atlantic Downtown Revitalization Project,” which will add $1,950 to the project cost, making for a total of $449,329. The specific changes include, at:
    • 400 Chestnut – Repair or replace infill siding on the second floor ($1,125), and
    • 511 Chestnut – Masonry repairs to an interior wall ($825).

The Council meeting takes place at 5:30-p.m., and will be conducted electronically via Zoom

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 11/28/20

News, Podcasts

November 28th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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