(Radio Iowa) – Republican Governor Kim Reynolds is joining other governors in calling on congress to approve more pandemic relief. “It’s time for congress to come together and get a relief package passed and get some relief to our small businesses and Iowa families who are suffering,” Reynolds says. Some states are providing direct aid on their own. Colorado’s legislature has reconvened in special session this week to provide emergency relief to businesses and individuals. Reynolds does not plan to do that in Iowa. She says the federal government should.

“Unfortunately, there’s just not enough state funding to make everybody whole and that’s just a reality of what we’re dealing with, because not only are our businesses impacted, but also the supply chain,” Reynolds says. “They need to step up, they need to do their job, they need to come together and get it figured out and get relief sent to the states for our small businesses and Iowans that are suffering from Covid-19.” Reynolds says there’s still a portion of the one-point-two BILLION dollars of federal CARES Act money sent to the State of Iowa this spring that has not yet been spent, although she did not specify how much. The money must be spent before the end of the year and Reynolds says she and her staff are meeting to determine how it will be used.

Top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell says he’s sticking with his scaled-back COVID-19 relief bill with the goal of passing a significant down payment during the lame-duck session and then revisiting the topic next year. The Kentucky Republican made the announcement after President-elect Joe Biden called upon lawmakers to follow a similar path. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi resumed talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin about a year-end spending package that could include COVID-19 relief provisions. Yet it’s unclear whether the flurry of activity will lead to progress.

A vacancy for Treasurer in Montgomery County was filled Tuesday by the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors. The position opened up when former County Treasurer Tera Hughes submitted her resignation effective on November 6^th, after announcing she would be moving out of the County. Jackie Porter was selected for the position after three candidates were interviewed on Monday. Porter has been employed by the Motor Vehicle Department for several years.

Auditor Stephanie Burke says Montgomery County citizens may request a special election by filing a petition containing 397 signatures 14 days after the appointment or 14 days after the publication.

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (10-a.m., Wednesday), indicates there are 2,964 new, Positive cases of COVID-19, and 22 additional deaths. The total number of Positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic, amount to 233,866. Deaths total 2,449. The IDPH says one more death was reported in Cass County, for a total of 24, and in Pottawattamie County, where the total number of deaths stands at 71. Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities report 1,075 deaths, and deaths attributed in-part to preexisting conditions number 1,337.

After increasing for a day, hospitalizations fell from 1,172 Tuesday to 1,162, today. Health officials say 226 COVID patients are in an ICU (Compared to 235 Tuesday), 181 were admitted (Compared to 129 Tuesday), and 131 patients are on a ventilator. Hospitals in southwest/western Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 62 hospitalized;  20 are in an ICU; four were admitted, and eight COVID patients are on a ventilator.

Long-Term Care facility outbreaks are up to a record, 163. The IDPH says 5,105 patients/staff have tested positive; 2,265 have tested negative. Area LTC data show: 214 positive cases and 132 recoveries at the three facilities in Cass County; 113 positive and 23 recovered in Shelby County (2 facilities); 139 positive and 120 recovered in Harrison County (1 facility); and 235 positive cases along with 89 recoveries at three LTC’s in Pottawattamie County.

Iowans who have recovered from the virus number 142,249, while 1,222,572 have been tested, to-date. There were 5,593 lab results returned yesterday, with 4,377 negative results and 1,154 positive. The individual positivity rate is 19.1%, and the 14-day rolling average is down from 17.1 to 16.9%. Cass County’s positivity rate is down from 18.4 to 16.8%. A total of 986, 510 negative results have been returned since the pandemic began.

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, 825 cases {+5}; 527 recovered; 24 deaths
• Adair, 445 {+3}; 253; 8
• Adams, 177 {+6}; 93; 2
• Audubon, 302 {+2}; 214; 2
• Guthrie, 768 {+4); 473; 15
• Harrison County, 1,106 {+19}; 757; 30
• Madison County, 713 {+18}; 425; 4
• Mills County, 1,078 {+14}; 556; 7
• Montgomery, 491 {+8}; 238; 11
• Pottawattamie County, 6,573 {+128]; 3,804; 71
• Shelby County, 784 {+11}; 471; 11
• Union County,  808 {+26}; 317; 6

A traffic stop at around 1:50-a.m. today (Wednesday), in Red Oak, resulted in two people being arrested on drug charges. Red Oak Police stopped a vehicle near Summit and Boundary Streets, and after an investigation, arrested 53-year old Charles Samuel Williams, of Villisca, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. 55-year old Stephanie Lee Hightshoe, also of Villisca, was arrested on three counts of unlawful possession of prescription drugs and possession of paraphernalia. Both were being held in the Montgomery County Jail, with bonds set at $300 and $1,000, respectively.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in the arrests.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says there are no plans to use millions of dollars of unused state surplus money to help businesses and families experiencing financial stress due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some other states have approved state funding aid or are considering it. Reynolds said Tuesday there isn’t enough state money. She placed the burden on Congress to reach an agreement. Pubic health data in Iowa shows signs that the coronavirus infection rate is slowing, but the number of people hospitalized and dying with the coronavirus remains high. Iowa reported 24 deaths and 1,906 new confirmed cases Tuesday. Hospitals reported 1,172 patients with the virus.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police say they are investigating a death inside an apartment used by transients as a homicide. The victim’s body was found Tuesday. Police did not release the gender of the victim, who appeared to have signs of blunt force trauma. The person appeared to have been deceased for a week. A medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death. The apartment is part of a complex where 33-year-old Solomon Blackbird was shot on Nov. 1. He later died. Police say the two deaths do not appear to be related.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man inside a Cedar Rapids home, and a person of interest was being questioned. Police say the shooting happened Monday morning, when officers were called to the home for a report of a shooting. KWWL reports that arriving officers found the body of 24-year-old Charles James Griffin. Police have not released other details of what may have led to the shooting and have not announced any arrests, although a person of interest was questioned.

ODEBOLT, Iowa (AP) — A Texas company has announced it will build a $15 million plant in northwest Iowa that will make environmentally-friendly shipping pallets from corn plant waste, such as stalks, husks and leaves. The Des Moines Register reports that Corn Board Manufacturing will build the 50,000-square-foot plant on 40 acres west of Odebolt in Sac County. The company makes a wood alternative, named CornBoard, from corn stover, the plant debris that’s typically left in the field after a crop is harvested. The company already uses CornBoard to make ski, snow and skateboard equipment under the Stalk It brand name, as well as indoor and outdoor furniture. Company CEO Lane Segerstrom says construction will begin in the spring and the plant will employ up to 30 people.