Authorities in Shelby County are looking for a stolen vehicle. According to reports, at around 9-p.m. Monday, Harlan Police were called to the Dollar General Store, with regard to a stolen car incident.  When the officer arrived, he met with 29 year old Ryan Henrich, an employee at Dollar General.  Henrich said that he had arrived at work at about 2-p.m. Monday, and hadn’t been out of the store all day.  He discovered his car was missing when he left the store Monday evening. The keys had been left inside. The car was described as a 2008 Chevy Impala, with Iowa license plate CIM 565. The vehicle has some driver’s side damage and a broken tail light.

There are no suspects at this time, and the case remains under investigation.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report two arrests took place last week. On Friday, 27-year old Kristofer Allan Erlbacher, of Woodbine, was arrested following a traffic stop. Erlbacher was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with operating while intoxicated, no proof of insurance, and careless driving. And, last Thursday, 20-year old Brandon Jay Benedict, of Harlan, was arrested following a traffic stop. Benedict was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while revoked and failure to obey stop sign.

(Radio Iowa) — Protesters in Washington D-C tried unsuccessfully last (Monday) night to topple a statue near the White House of Andrew Jackson. The seventh president who founded the Democratic Party was a soldier, a statesman — and a slaveholder. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley gave a floor speech earlier Monday saying, “Slavery is a great stain on our country’s history,” but he says the past can’t be changed.  “I don’t know what it accomplishes to try to destroy evidence of our history,” Grassley says. “Do you then start going through all of the history books and rewrite the history books?”

Grassley, a Republican, was co-sponsor of legislation that authorized the establishment of a National Liberty Memorial on the National Mall to honor the underappreciated contributions of black Revolutionary War patriots. Despite the “lingering legacy of slavery,” Grassley said in his floor speech, the “promise of liberty and equality is the shared heritage of all Americans from the founding generation to today.” “I don’t find any fault with peaceful demonstrations. I don’t find any fault with people condemning people throughout history that they don’t like,” Grassley says. “I think it’s very important that we be sensitive towards their views but I think they ought to be sensitive towards the history of the United States.”

During last night’s demonstration, authorities were able to stop the destruction of the statue of Jackson, depicting him on horseback. The 15-ton statue was dedicated in 1853 in Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.  “A lot of things here in Washington are federal property. I’ll let states decide what they want to do, cities decide what they want to do,” Grassley says, “but I don’t really quite understand people wanting to ignore history or write history or change history, because I don’t think it ends with tearing statues down.”

Grassley notes that one of the black patriots honored at the National Liberty Memorial is claimed by Iowa. Cato Mead, who was born in Connecticut and is listed in Revolutionary War pension court records as a “free person of color,” lived out his twilight years in southeastern Iowa. He’s buried in the Montrose Cemetery, in Montrose.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new report says that a former Iowa elementary school secretary failed to deposit more than $26,000 that was collected from fundraisers into the correct accounts, instead spending some of the money on personal expenses like mortgage payments. The report from Auditor Rob Sand’s office says Danielle Arnold improperly used bank accounts belonging to North Linn Elementary School and the school districts’ Parent Teacher Organizations.

She resigned last year from her position at the school. No charges have been filed.

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

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa Department of Public Health, today (Tuesday), reports the number of Iowans who have tested positive for COVID-19 stands is 26,343 (10% of those tested). Of that total, 6,715 have a pre-existing condition. Authorities say two people haves died from the virus since Monday, for a total of 688. Officials say 485 of the persons who have died to-date, had a pre-existing medical condition. The number of Iowans who have tested negative is 237,551. Of those who had the virus, 16,398 have recovered. A total of 264,265 tests have been completed, while assessments number 765,153.

COVID-19 outbreaks at Long-Term Care facilities (LTC’s) remains unchanged at 31. Health officials say 909 staff/residents of those facilities have tested positive for the virus, 538 have recovered and 356 have died.  In southwest/western Iowa RMCC Region 4, there are two less patients hospitalized (6) and in an ICU (3). There were no new admissions Monday, and one person remains on a ventilator. Statewide the numbers essentially continue to decline, with 163 hospitalized, 47 in an ICU, and 26 on ventilators. Eight more people were admitted to a hospital over the past 24-hours, for a total at 14 new admissions.

In the immediate KJAN listening area, here is the latest report on COVID-19 positive cases and the number of those persons who have recovered (   ). If there were no changes since the lats update, there is an “N/C” mentioned.

• Cass 16 (15) – N/C
• Adair 12 (11) – N/C
• Adams 7 (5) – N/C
• Audubon 15 (11) – N/C
• Montgomery 10 (6) – N/C
• Pottawattamie 629 (416)
• Shelby 83 (46) (an increase of 4 positive cases from Monday and 5 recovered cases)

(Radio Iowa) – Some county fairs in Iowa have canceled this year’s events due to COVID-19, while others are still on, but in a reduced fashion.  In Page County, the Fair Board has canceled everything except for 4-H and F-F-A events at next month’s fair in Clarinda. Page County Youth Coordinator Lexy Davies says it was a difficult decision, but one they are comfortable with.  “I’m really proud of the Page County Fair Board and Page County Extension council,” Davies says. “Everybody has been able to work together and come up with a really good plan for our 4Hers and FFA exhibitors.”

Davies says they’re still giving 4-Hers and F-F-A members an opportunity to show their projects and animals at the fair, which was the number-one priority when it came to decision making.
“We know our 4H and FFA members work really hard,” Davies says. “They spend a lot of time working on projects and livestock. They deserve not only the chance to show off their talent and hard work, but to be recognized for what they have done.”

The first event of the fair will be the static livestock judging on July 21st. The swine shows will take place on July 22nd. Horse, sheep and goat shows will be July 23rd followed by poultry and rabbit showings on July 24th. The beef and pet shows will be on July 26th.

The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee (CPC) will meet this (Wednesday) evening at 5:45 in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is a review of changes to the City Code (Ordinance), with regard to: Truck and Large Vehicle Parking; Parking for Personal Vehicles, and, the Zoning Code pertaining to the location of boats, boat trailers, campers and travel trailers.

Currently, the Truck and Large Vehicle parking Ordinance prohibits those vehicles (which include motor homes, RV’s, farm machinery or other motor vehicle with an attached trailer or detached) on any street, alley or public thoroughfare, unless engaged in the delivery or receiving of merchandise or cargo. Additionally, no vehicle exceeding 10-tons is allowed to be stored or parked on any lot or parcel within a residential zone, and, boats/boat trailers, campers, RV’s, or (5th wheel) travel trailers are not to be placed, stored or maintained within the front yard of any zoning district. They must be placed on a hard surface (concrete, asphalt or limestone), and not within view of any corner lot. A front yard may be used for a period not to exceed 48-hours for loading/unloading only, or for temporary storage (Not to exceed 7 days), if the facility is owned by a proven guest of the premises’ occupants.

City Administrator/Zoning Commissioner John Lund says the CPC will have to answer questions that include:

• Should the (aforementioned) Ordinances be re-written, simply change the wording of a few, or repeal one?
• Does the City want vehicles, other wheeled items parked on grass? Vehicles are currently not allowed to be parked on the grass.
• And, does the City want gravel or the appearance of such, to act as an “improved surface,” with regard to parking on private property. As it stands currently, personal vehicles may be parked in a garage, carport or on an all-weather driveway (defined as paved, gravel or stone). Personal vehicle are not to be parked on the grass. Parking may occur in the rear yard or side yard setback, if on an all-weather parking space connected by an all-weather driveway, to a dedicated public right-of-way and/or alley.

Lund cautions the Committee, that if they declare gravel to not qualify as an “Improved surface,” do they “Have the stomach to tell people who claim not to have the money to afford a concrete pad that the must install one, or receive civil fines in court?” The Committee’s recommendations will be passed on to the full Atlantic City Council during their next regular meeting in July.

(Radio Iowa) — The Des Moines City Council has passed a racial profiling ban for city police. The ordinance establishes a committee to review systemic bias in the police system and directs police officers to intervene if another officer uses excessive force. The council is also creating a task force to study ways to make marijuana possession the lowest priority for law enforcement. Council member Josh Mandelbaum co-sponsored that proposal. Mandelbaum says, “Addressing the way we enforce our marijuana laws is one of the small ways that we can move towards racial justice and a community that works better for everyone.”

The ordinance was first introduced nearly two years ago but it took on new urgency in the wake of protests against police brutality. Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP negotiated changes to the ordinance, including forcing a police officer to interfere when a colleague uses unreasonable force. Andrews says, “Which means that if someone has their knee on the neck of someone gasping for air they should interfere.”

Andrews says the ordinance is a good step but the city must do more. For instance, she says the community should have more authority to hold police accountable for misconduct.

(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)