DOWS, Iowa (AP) — A person was found dead in a home near the small northern Iowa community of Dows. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that a 911 caller on Monday afternoon reported a male person had been shot at a home in rural Dows.

Deputies responded and found a person who was dead. An autopsy is planned at the Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny. The identity of the person killed will be released after relatives are notified.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The family of a 65-year-old Iowa man is suing Tyson after he died of COVID-19 while working at the company’s pork plant in Storm Lake. Michael Everhard, of Fonda, died June 18, three weeks after he contracted the virus. His family contends in a lawsuit that Tyson didn’t implement proper safety precautions to protect Everhard and other employees from the virus.

Several Tyson executives at the plant are also named in the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Everhard’s three children. A Tyson spokeswoman said the company has implemented several safety measures that meet or exceed federal guidelines designed to slow the spread of the virus.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of the Iowa Farmers Union says he’s reaching out to state lawmakers in hopes they make addressing the state’s water quality issues a top priority in the new legislative session opening January 11th. Aaron Lehman says Iowa has a lot of work to do on clean water issues and farmers need to be an integral part of that. Lehman says, “Finding out what that state investment will be and whether Iowa will fund our Natural Resources Trust Fund, as voters passed it ten years ago, will be the largest question before the legislature.”

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted multiple vulnerabilities in the state’s food production system and Lehman says he’d like to see legislators create more opportunities for smaller meat processors across the state. “Developing the infrastructure for our smaller processors is critically important, as is developing other links in our food system chain, which is very much relied upon by our citizens,” Lehman says. “In Iowa, the startling thing is, all the food we eat in Iowa, less than 15-percent of it comes from Iowa.”

Lehman says he also expects legislators to address property tax relief in the upcoming session. “We’ve got a lot of details to figure out on how those efforts can actually reach the farm and reach our fields,” he says. “There’s a lot yet to be figured out with that but I think it will be something that the legislature’s likely to take up.” Lehman acknowledges state lawmakers will have a lot on their plates in the new year, including crafting the all-important state budget.

(Radio Iowa) – The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey finds a modest one-point-seven percent statewide increase in the value of an acre of farmland in 2020. Survey leader Wendong Zhang says there was a big difference in price changes based on the type of land. “Nearly flat for higher quality and six-point-seven percent growth for low-quality land,” Zhang says. “Overall across the nine crop reporting districts, only southwest Iowa saw a modest one percent decline. While the other eight crop reporting districts reported a zero to three percent growth.”

That puts the average price of an acre of ground at seven-thousand-559 dollars ($7,559). He says continued low interest rates were part of the reason for the slight land value increase.  Zhang says another driver is a recent rally in commodity prices because of surging exports and improved trade prospects. Zhang says the federal payments to farmers from the pandemic had some impact — but he doesn’t think we’ve seen their full impact yet.

“About 46 BILLION dollars was a significant portion of the COVID relief payments and that has resulted in the 30 to 40 percent growth in U-S farm income and that certainly has stabilized the market. But it takes multiple years for changes in government payments and interest rates to be fully capitalized in the land market,” according to Zhang. Scott County and Decatur Counties reported the highest and lowest values, respectively for the eighth straight year. Despite having the highest overall value — land values in Scott County decreased 178 dollars per acre to 10-thousand-659.

Decatur County saw average values increase 264 dollars per acre to three-thousand-849 ($3,849). He says the lower value land has an increasing demand outside of the normal crop production. “For the lower quality land, it seems that one of the factors is a strong demand for recreational acres might behind the six-point-seven percent growth compared to the one-point-seven percent average statewide,” he says. Zhang says people want that land for pasture and timber grounds for hunting and it is even more appealing with social-distancing requirements in place.

Zhang says this survey didn’t show the impact of the political landscape — but another indicates it could impact land issues in the future. He says a Purdue University survey that shows farmers are more concerned about whether there will be more environmental regulations, less farm subsidies and less support for ethanol. “So there are some and concerns.” Zhang says on the other side their is some thought that there could be fewer questions about trade issues with a new administration. He says the land values are likely to continue slowly improving.

Zhang says they asked professionals about the value one year and five years from now and they project stable land values with maybe a slight increase in the next 12 months. He says the projection for the next five years is an increase of value between five and ten percent.

(By ADAM GELLER Associated Press) – After a punishing fall that left hospitals struggling, some Midwestern states are seeing a decline in new coronavirus cases. But the signs of improvement are offset by the infection’s accelerating spread on both coasts. States including Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Nebraska have seen a decrease in the numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19.

A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is drawn into a syringe, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, on the 12th floor of the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via AP)

All, however, are still experiencing an alarming number of deaths and hospitalizations because of the earlier surge of cases.

The Harlan Police Department reports three arrests, two of which took place Saturday, Dec. 12th:

• 27-year old Alex Lee Pleis, of Atlantic, was arrested in Harlan on an active warrant. Pleis was transported to the Shelby County Jail.
• 48-year old Christopher Michael Will, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for service. Will was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse and obstruction of emergency communication.

On Monday, December 14th, 34-year old Phillip Michael Houston, of Walnut, was arrested following a traffic stop. Houston was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while barred, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The University of Dubuque has bought 121 acres in northern Dubuque County that it plans to keep in its native state and use for education and research. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that school leaders on Tuesday announced the purchase of Wolter Woods and Prairies, located north of Balltown along the Mississippi River. The acquisition is the culmination of a 10-year relationship between the university and former landowners Mari and Gary Wolter, who sought an owner to continue their efforts to preserve the native landscape. University officials declined to say how much the school paid for the property, but noted an anonymous investor financed the purchase.

(Atlantic) – Members of the Washington G.E.M. 4H Club recently took the time to decorate a tree in the lobby of the Cass County Community Building.  Each member was asked to either make or bring an ornament that describes what 4H means to them.  The club is hoping that this summer they will finally be able to celebrate their 100th year anniversary at the Cass County Fair.  More details will be released as it gets closer.

(Photos courtesy Melanie Petty)

Club spokesperson Melanie Petty said the club also completed their service project for the year.  Club members were asked to donate gently used bags, backpacks, luggage, books, stuffed animals and personal care items to our local DHS office.  These items were gathered and donated to the employees of DHS to use for children in foster care.  “As you can see,” Petty said, “our 4H group really came together and we were able to donate many items.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ administration is using $10 million in federal pandemic relief funds to pay the salaries of state police officers, who have largely not been directly involved in Iowa’s virus response. The expense is listed in a state report as going toward “State Government COVID staffing” at the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The report claims the money will support payroll expenses for employees “whose services were diverted to a substantially different use as a result of COVID-19.”

Department spokeswoman Debra McClung noted that the spending is allowable under revised Treasury Department guidance that stipulates that payroll expenses for public safety employees are presumed to qualify as pandemic-related. However, she didn’t provide examples of how any duties had changed.

The Atlantic School District Board of Education will hold a special session beginning 6-p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16th, in the High School Media Center (the meeting will be recorded and made available for viewing soon after it concludes). The Board will discuss Employee Absences for COVID-19. Emergency Paid Sick leave (EPSL) is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, but it is scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2020. That means ESPL (Which includes extended FMLA) will no longer be available to employees for leave related to COVID-19.

Employees will be allowed to use their available sick leave for one of four following reasons related to COVID-19, through the end of the 2020-21 school year:

1. They are experiencing symptoms of CV-19 are being tested or are waiting for test results. (a copy of the test results will be required)
2. The employee tests positive for COVID. (a copy of the test results will be required)
3. The employee is identified as a close contact to a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus AND has been required to quarantine by public health officials.
4. The employee is caring for a dependent who is subject to reasons 2 or 3 as mentioned.

The Board will also act to approve the resignations of Chase Roller – Middle School Wrestling Coach, and Matthew Smith – Assistant HS Boys Soccer Coach. They will also discuss and act on Remote Learner Guidelines, which stipulates “Students will be required to watch live instruction/or recorded videos and submit work back to their teacher for grading. Attendance is shown by the necessary work being turned in (even if attending Zoom classes).

And, the Board, as mentioned last week, will discuss/act on District Guidelines for the use of face masks. During their regular meeting on Dec. 9th, the Atlantic School Board extended the 30-day mask mandate through the end of the 2020-21 1st Semester (12/22/20). Face coverings will continue to be required when social distancing is not possible, under the extended policy.