(Radio Iowa) – Despite the pandemic, many Iowa communities are still holding trick-or-treat nights for kids this weekend, while some adults are hosting socially-distanced Halloween parties. Juanita Cameron is a clerk at the Theatrical Shop in West Des Moines, which specializes in costumes. She says one particular mask is selling big this fall. “That plague doctor mask with the pointy nose, it’s brown,” Cameron says. “Of course, plague says it all, so I think they just want to show people that they’re in the mood.”

Plague Doctor mask

While health care workers are being seen by many as heroes during the COVID-19 plight, Cameron says very few people are dressing up in scrubs or other costumes to resemble doctors and nurses. “Interestingly enough, I have not sold any,” she says. “People are going towards superheroes because they want to see victory at the end of what’s going on.” The popular superheroes this Halloween include old favorites like Superman, Batman and Spiderman. With the election days away, Cameron says political candidates are also making for sought-after costumes.  “The most popular ones are the presidential nominees, Mr. President and also Mr. Biden, so those are very popular,” Cameron says, laughing. “We even have Dr. Fauci.”

It’s said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and if that’s the case, Trump is leading Biden at her store. “Most of them are getting the Trump wigs,” she says, “so I would say the Trump wigs are going out faster than the Biden mask.” Forecasters say it’ll be a chilly weekend for trick-or-treaters, with lows expected both tonight (Friday) and Saturday night in the 20s and 30s across the state.

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (Friday, as of 10-a.m.), shows deaths from the virus have topped 1,700. The data show there are 2,621 new, Positive cases, and a total of 1,705 deaths – an increase of 14 since 10-a.m. Thursday. In this area, Pottawattamie County has 39 new, confirmed cases of the virus, Cass County has 17 more cases. There are 16 more cases in Audubon County, and Shelby County has 12 additional cases. Two counties, Harrison and Adams each have one additional death reported from COVID-19.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reports of the 1,705 deaths, 1,114 were attributed to a pre-existing health condition. Tests to date number 963,686, with a total of 124,534 Positive, and 837,800 Negative. Tests results returned since 10-a.m. Thursday amount to 6,067, with 4,737 of those coming back Negative, and 1,315 Positive. The Individual Positivity rate in Iowa is 12.9% (compared to 12.7% yesterday), and the 14-day rolling average is 12.5% (compared to 11.8% previously). The health department say 92,272 Iowans have recovered from COVID.

A record number of Iowa counties report a high positivity rate. There are 31 counties with a 14-day positivity rate greater than 15%, up from a record 25 the previous day. That means public schools in these counties can apply for a waiver to provide 100% online learning. State data shows 606 Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19, up from a record of 605 the previous day. The number of Iowans listed in intensive care is approaching the record of 164 set on May 7. There are currently 152 patients in intensive care, up from 135 the previous day. There were 95 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, down from a record 113 the previous day. There are 55 patients on ventilators, down from 56 the previous day. Iowa reports approximately 2,720 inpatient beds available, with 742 ventilators and 371 ICU beds available.

In western/southwest Iowa: hospitalizations stand at 47 (4 more than previously mentioned); 11 people are in an ICU (compared to 9 yesterday); six were admitted (there were nine admitted Thursday), and three remain on a ventilator. Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are up to 76 (from 75 yesterday), 2,201 patients/staff at LTC’s have tested positive, and 905 have recovered. Deaths at LTC’s are up to 832 (from 831 yesterday).

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, 435 cases {+17}; 296 recovered; 3 deaths
• Adair, 199 {+4}; 77; 1
• Adams, 84 {+1}; 47; 1
• Audubon, 173 {+16}; 101; 1
• Guthrie, 423 {+5); 273; 15
• Harrison County, 703 {+8}; 330; 16
• Madison County, 376 {+3}; 269; 3
• Mills County, 429 {+9}; 218; 3
• Montgomery, 193 {+6}; 155; 7
• Pottawattamie County, 3,405 {+39]; 2,499; 45
• Shelby County, 408 {+12}; 340; 2
• Union County,  268 {+4}; 229; 4

Governor Kim Reynolds says while escalating Covid patient counts in Iowa hospitals have set records every day this week, hospitals aren’t being overrun and the vast majority of patients do not have the virus.  “When you take a look at the census, or the people that are hospitalized across the state and the number of individuals that are hospitalized due to Covid, on average it’s about 11 percent,” Reynolds says. Last (Thursday) night, Iowa hospitals reported treating 606 Covid patients and the state’s coronavirus tracking website shows about 33 percent of hospital beds were available. Reynolds says recently developed therapeutics that were NOT available earlier in the pandemic are improving patient outcomes. “While our hospitalizations are going up, we’re actually seeing the stay shortened,” Reynolds says.

Reynolds spoke with reporters last (Thursday) night after a meeting in Stuart’s City Hall. The governor says she spoke with the news media in Sioux City a week ago and in Cedar Rapids earlier this week to remind Iowans of the basics: to stay home if they’re sick, wash their hands frequently and wear a mask if they cannot stay at least six feet from others. “I’ve been doing a lot of radio, so I’ve been trying to call in and just remind people that we’re all in this together,” Reynolds says. After ordering schools and some businesses to close this spring, Reynolds has said she trusts Iowans to be responsible in managing risks and learning to live with Covid-19, although she did order bars in a handful of counties to close for a few weeks in late summer when Covid cases spiked among young adults. “We want to continue to keep things open, we just have to do it in a safe and responsible manner,” Reynolds says. “We want to continue to keep our kids in school.”

Reynolds has indicated 75 to 80 percent of Iowa students are getting in-person instruction. On Wednesday, Reynolds mocked Theresa Greenfield for suspending her R-V tour after the first day. Greenfield staffers had contact with someone who tested positive for Covid. After getting negative test results, Greenfield and her staff resumed campaigning yesterday (Thursday). Reynolds says her criticism was not of Greenfield’s approach to Covid protocols, but that Greenfield hasn’t held public events in all 99 counties.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says state, federal and military experts as well as a private contractor have scanned the state’s election systems. “Iowans, your vote and your data is protected,” Pate said. “..We’ve added extra layers of protection and we will continue to do so.” Pate, along with top officials from state agencies and an F-B-I agent, held a news conference Thursday to discuss cybersecurity issues. “We are working with these state and federal partners to strengthen Iowa’s election security and infrastructure and to prepare for any kind of situation that might arise on Election Day,” Pate says. “We’re ready for next Tuesday.”

Pate announced at the beginning of October that a San Francisco firm would be conducting a cyber security check of Iowa election systems. Pate’s office also partnered with several dozen researchers who’ve examined online systems for flaws. “Our systems receive hundreds of thousands of cyber alerts every single day, but we continue to strengthen our systems to ensure bad actors say out,” Pate said.

Iowa still uses paper ballots, which means online hackers cannot change votes. Pate just wrapped up his term as president of the National Association of Secretaries of State.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Coronavirus spread continues at a high level in Iowa with more than 2,400 new cases identified and more than 600 people hospitalized, a new high. Iowa Department of Public Health data shows 25 counties had a 14-day positivity rate of more than 15%, an indication that virus activity is at an extremely high level of spread across a quarter of the state’s counties. Daily reported new cases and deaths reached new highs this week. Johns Hopkins University reports that over the past two weeks, the rolling average number of daily new cases in Iowa has increased by 33%. Eleven more deaths were reported Thursday, increasing the death toll to 1,691.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has kept in place guidance from Iowa’s secretary of state that county elections commissioners can only set up absentee ballot drop boxes at or outside their offices. Judge William Kelly rejected a request from a Latino civil rights organization and a group aligned with Democrats to block Secretary of State Paul Pate’s guidance and allow for drop boxes in locations such as grocery stores. The ruling isn’t expected to have an impact because it comes so close to Election Day. Most absentee ballots have already been returned and auditors had dropped plans to add drop box locations even if Pate’s guidance was suspended.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When Joe Biden was last in Iowa, his campaign was on the verge of collapse and he was soundly trounced in the caucuses. He returns Friday as the Democratic nominee, believing he’s just days away from becoming president-elect. Iowa is among the clutch of GOP-leaning states that Biden is trying to bring back into the Democratic column. He’ll also swing through Wisconsin on Friday while his running mate, Kamala Harris, courts voters in Texas. Trump, meanwhile, is playing defense in Michigan and Wisconsin. The president and Biden will both be in Minnesota, a longtime Democratic state that Trump is trying to flip.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Wisconsin-based Alliant Energy has announced it will close its coal-fired power plant in the northeast Iowa city of Lansing over the next two years. The Des Moines Register reports that the plan is part of the company’s broader goal to eliminate all coal from it’s portfolio by 2040 in a shift to solar, wind and other renewable energy. Alliant says it has operated the 275-megawatt coal-fired plant in Lansing for 72 years and employs 26 people there. The utility says retiring the plant allows the company to avoid significant investments that would otherwise be required to comply with changing environmental regulations.

Van Meter, Iowa – David Young, Candidate for Congress for Iowa’s Third District, will participate in a parade and rally with Cass County Republicans, Friday afternoon. The event begins with a parade line-up at the Cass County Fairgrounds (west of the commercial building), starting at 4-p.m.

The parade leaves for the Atlantic City Park at 4:30, followed by a rally at the Park at 5-p.m.  A similar event will be held Saturday, in Norwalk.

RSVPs are requested to Andy Swanson at andy@youngforiowa.com or 515-571-9419.