(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s cancelled her family’s Thanksgiving gathering. The governor’s current public health emergency proclamation limits the size of family gatherings to no more than 15. Reynolds made a direct appeal to Iowans during her news conference yesterday (Tuesday). “Consider the amount of planning that typically goes into the holidays, from preparing our family’s favorite meals to purchasing special gifts from those we love,” Reynolds says. “This year, I ask that you put that same time and effort into keeping your family healthy this holiday season, which may mean having to adjust your traditions.”

The governor says number of Covid patients in Iowa hospitals appears to have stabilized over the past five days, but one third of Iowa’s Covid cases this year were reported in this month alone. Reynolds says that means many forecasts predict hospital numbers and Covid deaths WILL increase in Iowa — by varying degrees — over the next few weeks. “We’re talking with the leaders of our health systems and our hospitals, we’re reaching out to long term care facilities and we’re discussing additional steps that may need to be taken to keep our most vulnerable safe and I’m asking you to have that same focus,” Reynolds says. “Concentrate on what you can do now and over the next four weeks to stop the spread.”

Reynolds says her consistent goal throughout the pandemic has been to ensure Iowa hospitals have the capacity for Covid patients and others who need care. “It’s easy to look back and see if you maybe should have done more or don’t less and handled a little bit differently. I’ve tried to be very targeted in the mitigation efforts that we’ve put in place,” Reynolds says. The governor says it’s easy to second guess her actions and her response to the pandemic hasn’t been perfect, but Reynolds says she’s had to balance public health and economic concerns.

“You have to be careful about over-mitigating to people and having them still feel like they’re still part of the answer, the solution — and we’re not over asking,” Reynolds says. “I mean, you’ve got people and businesses that are protesting and rioting in California.”

Video posted on Twitter showed dozens of protesters carrying American and Trump campaign flags in Huntington Beach, California, stayed out past a 10 p.m. curfew set by that state’s governor this past weekend. The 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew went into effect Saturday in much of California. Last week in Omaha, about three dozen people held a protest against mask mandates.

(Radio Iowa) – Updated results posted on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website show Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks leading Democrat Rita Hart by just 35 votes in Iowa’s still-undecided second congressional district race. More than 394-thousand votes were cast in the contest. Hart asked for a recount in all 24 counties in the second congressional district. Most counties have finished the process, but the final tally in the district’s largest county will not be certified today (Wednesday) as originally planned.

The Quad City Times cites a Scott County Supervisor as saying it appears there’s an error in the count of absentee ballots, suggesting the overall tally for Scott County could be off by more than 12 dozen votes. An attorney for the Miller-Meeks campaign issued a statement, saying the delay for a recheck of the recount is appropriate, to ensure results are properly verified.

Monday, November 30th is the day Iowa’s secretary of state is to certify statewide election results. However, this contest could continue after that if one or both campaigns ask a judge to review the recount process and rule on which ballots may be included in the final results.

FORT DODGE – A correctional officer was assaulted Tuesday afternoon, by an inmate at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. The Iowa Dept. of Corrections says the incident happened at around 1:30-p.m.. While an officer was escorting an inmate to their cell, the inmate assaulted the officer by the use of closed fist strikes to the officer’s face. Additional staff arrived quickly to assist in securing the inmate, and during the scuffle, another officer suffered minor injuries as well.

The officer that was assaulted was taken to the local hospital for treatment of his injuries via state vehicle.  He has since been treated and released. The other officer that suffered minor injuries in the incident was seen by FDCF medical staff, and has also since been released. The inmate did not suffer any major injuries.

This incident remains under investigation.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CST

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds is offering no new measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus in Iowa, even as a federal report warns of the unmitigated community spread that continues to claim lives, particularly in nursing homes. Iowa on Tuesday reported coronavirus outbreaks in 143 nursing homes. State data shows more than 4,500 care center residents are infected with the virus and 1,008 residents of long-term care facilities with COVID-19 have died in the past eight months. The deteriorating situation for nursing homes reflects overall trends in Iowa, which on Tuesday reported 18 additional deaths and 3,860 new confirmed cases.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Church officials say a Roman Catholic professor will return to teaching and the ministry, with restrictions, after an inquiry found he misbehaved sexually in the 1990s but not against minors. A Diocese of Des Moines investigation found that the allegations against the Rev. Robert “Bud” Grant did not involve a minor because the complainant was “above majority age” at the time. The diocese says Grant engaged in behavior in the early 1990s that violated the 6th Commandment ban on adultery and his priestly promises. Grant is expected to return to teaching at St. Ambrose University in Davenport in the spring.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A panel has determined that a white Iowa police officer who shot and paralyzed a Black man during a 2016 traffic stop will not get his job back. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the city’s Civil Service Commission on Monday voted not to reinstate Officer Lucas Jones. His attorney says an appeal is planned. Jones was fired in June, but not for the 2016 incident in which critics say he unfairly pulled over and needlessly shot a fleeing Jerime Mitchell. He was fired over his handling of a traffic stop two days before he shot Mitchell in which he gave a Black female motorist a major break.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man has been arrested in connection with the September shooting at a private club in Iowa that left two people dead and several others injured. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 21-year-old Willie Edward Saffold Jr., 21, was booked Monday on a charge of intimidation with a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm., the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported. Police say in an affidavit he was observed shooting multiple times into a crowd of people. Deputies with the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office picked Saffold up Monday at the Cook County Jail in Chicago. He is the first person charged in connection with the Sept. 26 shooting.

IOWA CITY – Another prison inmate in Iowa has died from COVID-19. The Iowa Dept. of Corrections said Tuesday, 68-year old Frederick William Lewis was pronounced dead Monday afternoon, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Officials his his death was likely due to complications related to COVID-19 and other preexisting medical conditions. Lewis is the 10th prison inmate in the Iowa prison system to die from the virus.

Originally housed at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, Lewis  had been taken to the hospital several days earlier for more advanced care as his medical condition began to worsen. He was serving a life sentence for Sexual Abuse 1st Degree and other crimes from Dubuque County. His sentence began on July 18, 1997.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A man has been arrested in connection with the September shooting at a private club in Iowa that left two people dead and several others injured. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 21-year-old Willie Edward Saffold Jr., 21, was booked Monday on a charge of intimidation with a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm., the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported. Police say in an affidavit he was observed shooting multiple times into a crowd of people.

Deputies with the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office picked Saffold up Monday at the Cook County Jail in Chicago. He is the first person charged in connection with the Sept. 26 shooting.

Officials with Fareway’s Corporate Headquarters said Tuesday (Today), beginning Friday, November 27th, and until further notice, all Fareway stores and meat markets will be open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. The early closure will provide additional time for cleaning and sanitation and for restocking inventory. Closing earlier will also give their employees additional time off through the holiday season.

Police in Clarinda report a male 16-year old at the Clarinda High School is being referred to juvenile authorities after a gun and paraphernalia were found in his vehicle. Officer were summoned at around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday (Today) to the Clarinda High School, to assist school officials with the search of a vehicle.

During the search of the vehicle, a Ruger .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, a glass pipe believed to be used for the ingestion of controlled substances and tobacco products were located. Authorities say “It is believed the items belong to a 16-year-old student who attends Clarinda High School. The student is being referred to juvenile court authorities for unlawful possession of firearm on school property, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of tobacco products.”

The student was released to the custody of his parent pending additional court action.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Church officials say a Roman Catholic professor will return to teaching and the ministry, with restrictions, after an inquiry found he misbehaved sexually in the 1990s but not against minors. A Diocese of Des Moines investigation found that the allegations against the Rev. Robert “Bud” Grant did not involve a minor because the complainant was “above majority age” at the time. The diocese says Grant engaged in behavior in the early 1990s that violated the 6th Commandment ban on adultery and his priestly promises. Grant is expected to return to teaching at St. Ambrose University in Davenport in the spring.

(Radio Iowa) – The state now reports COVID-19 outbreaks in 143 long-term care facilities statewide. Governor Kim Reynolds acknowledges that’s up more than 50 nursing homes from a week ago, with more than 45-hundred residents testing positive — and more than a thousand have died.

The governor says the state’s overall positivity rate is falling, as are the number of hospitalizations due to COVID. At the moment, she says the 18-to-29 year old age group is seeing the most new cases.