The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), reports one person was injured and two others checked by paramedics, following an accident Wednesday morning south of Harlan. Authorities say a 2007 Honda 4-door, driven by 29-year old James Miller, of Hancock ,and a 2002 Toyota RAV 4, driven by 70-year old Bret Anderson of Papillion, Nebraska, were both northbound on Highway 59 at the 68 mm and were stopped in a construction zone area.

51-year old Darian Robinson of Shelby, who was driving a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon and also northbound on Highway 59, said he could not slow in-time for the vehicles in front of him.  Robinson’s vehicle struck the rear end of Anderson’s SUV, causing that vehicle to be pushed into the Miller vehicle.

All three vehicles were moved to the shoulder of the road prior to the arrival of Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies.  Miller and his passenger, Amanda Miller, were checked-out by Medivac Ambulance personnel, but did not request immediate transport to the hospital. Anderson was transported to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan for treatment of possible injuries.

Robinson was cited for failure to maintain control. Damage to the three vehicles amounted to $16,000.

(Radio Iowa) – As COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations sharply rise in Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds says the number of testing kits is starting to dwindle as they’re in such high demand.

Reynolds says Iowa’s contract with Nomi Health is being amended and another 360-thousand test kits are being ordered. More than 45-hundred new COVID cases are reported in the state today along with 30 more deaths. Health officials say about two-percent of all Iowans currently have the virus.

For the sixth consecutive day, more than 4,000 Iowans have tested positive for the coronavirus. As the virus continued its rapid spread, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported Thursday the number of people being treated in hospitals increased to 1,208 patients. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University report the seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from nearly 29% on Oct. 28 to 50% on Nov. 11. Iowa’s rate is second in the nation to South Dakota, which is at 54.5%.

In her press conference late Thursday morning, Governor Kim Reynolds said since November 1^st, there have been more than 37,000 new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa at an average positivity rate statewide of 21.8%. She broke the cases down to their respective age brackets.

She highest the highest number of new cases continue to be in the most populated counties, smaller, rural counties are far exceeding them, when comparing cases per 100,000.

Reynolds said contrary to some media reports warning people may not be able to receive care because hospital beds are full of covid patients, her team has assured her that is not the case.

The Governor said there has been a significant increase (72%) in hospitalizations of patients age 60 and older, many of whom have other health issues.

Reynolds said the State’s Coronavirus website (Coronavirus.Iowa.Gov) will be updated to include the age demographics of currently confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations. The new data will also include a daily breakdown of hospitalizations by age, going back to July 23^rd, when the data was first required by the Feds. The age groups will also be categorized differently.

The Governor said also TestIowa sites have reopened after being closed for the Veterans Day holiday. Each site has added 200 more appointments to their daily schedules. She says 520 appointments will be available at the Council Bluffs site.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, reported the arrest in Tabor, Wednesday night, of 41-year-old Jerry Joseph Richardson, from Malvern. Richardson was taken into custody on a Warrant for Burglary in the 1st- and Sexual Abuse in the 2nd-Degrees, Domestic Abuse Assault, and Harassment in the 1st Degree. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

And, Tuesday afternoon, 26-year-old Marcus Jonathan Morgan, of Hastings, was arrested on a Warrant for Violation of No Contact/Protective-Order. He was also being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he has no complaints about the actions fellow Republican President Donald Trump is taking since the election. The president refuses to cooperate with President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team and is blocking Biden from getting national security briefings. Grassley notes how Trump has filed multiple legal challenges in multiple states, claiming widespread voter fraud.

While Biden is the projected winner, leading the popular vote by more than five-million votes, Grassley says there’s plenty of time between now and when members of the Electoral College meet on December 14th.

That’s a reference to Iowa’s Second Congressional District race where Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks leads Democrat Rita Hart by 47 votes. Hart’s requested a full recount in all 24 counties. Grassley says Trump has questions about how the presidential election was handled and he’s entitled to answers, as is everyone else.

Grassley recalls how he was “sitting on pins and needles” in December of 2000 until Democrat Al Gore conceded to Republican George W. Bush after weeks of legal wrangling.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer, Thursday, said three people were arrested, three juveniles charged with theft and Minor in Possession of Alcohol, and five persons were cited, over the past nearly four weeks. Most recently, on Nov. 7th, 36-year-old Jeremiah Micah Jobe of Audubon, was arrested for Theft in the 3^rd degree, and Interference With Official Acts.  Jobe was transported to the Audubon County Jail and appeared before a magistrate the following day.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.

On Oct. 20th, three juveniles: two 14-year-old’s and a 13-year-old, all of Audubon, were charged with Theft -5^th degree and Minor in Possession of Alcohol.  All were charged and released to a parent. On the 19th, a 16-year-old juvenile from Audubon was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree. The individual was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center near Council Bluffs, and held. And, on Oct. 16th, Audubon Police arrested 33-year-old Jeremy John Holzwart, of Audubon.  Holzwart was charged with Domestic Abuse Causing Injury.  He was transported to the Audubon County Jail later appeared before a magistrate, posted bond and was released. He was also presented with a No Contact Order.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.

Chief Starmer said also, five individuals were charged, and subsequently released on promise to appear, for Allowing Dogs to Run At Large.  Four of the five were repeat offenders.

Des Moines, Iowa — The advocacy group Progress Iowa is calling for Governor Kim Reynolds to issue a statewide mask mandate to combat the rampant spread of COVID-19 in our state. The call for additional action by the governor comes as hospitalizations are at crisis levels, some schools are reporting that they are “holding on by a thread,” more than one hundred Iowa nursing homes are reporting outbreaks, and as the White House calls on Iowa to issue a mask mandate.

Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa, says “Iowans are pleading for their lives — we need the governor to put politics aside and take clear, decisive action to halt this pandemic. Hospitals are begging for help. Some schools are saying they’re holding on by a thread. And we’re rapidly approaching two thousand deaths in our state.” Sinovic says President Trump’s White House is calling for a mask mandate. Research proves it will work. Polling, he says, shows Iowans will listen.

Sinovic says Research conducted by the University of Kansas demonstrated that in their state, “counties with mask mandates thwarted significant escalation in transmission of COVID-19 and counties operating without a requirement people wear a face covering suffered steady infection rate increases.”  He said also, new polling conducted by Public Policy Polling shows that 74% of Iowans who voted in this year’s election would follow a statewide mandate to wear a mask in public places to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and a majority of Iowa voters believe that the governor has not gone far enough with restrictions to stop the spread of the pandemic. Progress Iowa will hold a poll briefing today at 2 PM to discuss these results.

The White House coronavirus task force has also called for increased COVID-19 restrictions in Iowa, including a statewide mask mandate in their latest report. Sinovic says “Because of Governor Reynolds’ failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa is rapidly approaching 2,000 deaths and more than 170,000 confirmed cases. We also have the third worst increase in cases among all states during the past two weeks, a more than two hundred percent increase. Hospitals are in critical condition, and not able to keep up with demand in Des Moines. Cedar Rapids schools are “holding on by a thread.” There are at least 100 outbreaks in long-term care facilities.”

(Radio Iowa) – Democratic candidate Rita Hart is seeking a complete recount in all 24 counties of Iowa’s second congressional district, where the current tally shows Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks ahead by just 47 votes. Hart’s campaign manager cites what he calls “consequential errors” that were discovered in Jasper and Lucas Counties in making the request — adding Iowans deserve to know that their ballots have been accurately counted. Secretary of State Pate Pate says he does not certify the election until November 30th, so there are two weeks for the recount, although the second week includes the Thanksgiving holiday.

Election officials are recounting all ballots cast in Lucas County today (Thursday). Tomorrow, there will be a hand recount of ballots from the precinct in the Lucas County town of Russell where results were not reported until this week. Miller-Meeks, the Republican candidate in the race, has already claimed victory and was a guest on Fox News this (Thursday) morning discussing prescription drug pricing.