IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police have arrested an Iowa City landlord, accusing her of breaking into an apartment to try to forcibly remove a tenant and hitting the tenant with a baseball bat. The Gazette of Cedar Rapids reports that police arrested 67-year-old Suzanne Dashner on suspicion of burglary and assault for the Feb. 10 incident. Police files say Dashner and three men, all armed with baseball bats and a board, went to the apartment around 7 p.m. and broke in as the tenant hid in a bedroom and called 911.

Police say Dashner and the men kicked open the woman’s bedroom door and threatened her and that Dashner hit the woman in the leg with a bat.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Thursday, at 10-a.m., reported an additional 690 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Wednesday, for a pandemic total of 361,764. There were 23 additional deaths reported, for a total of 5,438. There was one additional death in Pottawattamie County, for a pandemic total of 141.

Health officials say Underlying Causes deaths amount to 4,881. The IDPH says 557 deaths listed COVID as a contributing factor, while Long-Term Care (LTC) facility deaths accounted for 2,155  of the total number of deaths. Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are down to 18 from Wednesday’s count of 20. Positive cases at LTC’s account for 460 of the total number of positive results, while 301 patients/staff at those facilities have recovered from COVID.

Hospitalizations are down. The IDPH said on Wednesday, there were 233 persons hospitalized with COVID. Thursday’s report shows 227 hospitalizations. COVID patients in an ICU are down slightly, to 55. There were 44 COVID patients admitted to hospitals across the State (compared to 52, Wednesday), and there are 2 patients on a ventilator. Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 11 people are hospitalized (3 less than reported on Wed.); six COVID patients are in an ICU, there were NO admissions for COVID, and for the second day, no one was on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate as of Wednesday is 4.2%, while the 7-day average is 4.1%. Both are up slightly from Wednesday’s report.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,323 cases; {+2}; 48 deaths
• Adair, 916; {+5}; 26
• Adams, 326 {+1}; 4
• Audubon, 483 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,160 {+0}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,787; {+0}; 69
• Madison County, 1,536; {+5}; 18
• Mills County, 1,623; {+4}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,038; {+2}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,714; {+36}; 141
• Shelby County, 1,200; {+3}; 33
• Union County,  1,260; {+1}; 31

AMES, Iowa – February 25, 2021 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input for the proposed replacement of the Iowa 92 bridge over Sevenmile Creek southwest of Lyman, in Cass County. The project includes replacing the existing 150’ x 26’ I-beam bridge with a three span, 204’ x 40’ bridge. New bridge approaches will be constructed along with paved shoulders and new guardrails. Construction of the project is anticipated to begin in Spring of 2023.

Through traffic on Iowa 92 would be detoured during construction using Iowa 48, Cass County Road M-56, Cass County Road G-43, and U.S. 71. It is anticipated that the detour would be in place for approximately 130 days. (For more information, see the website below.)

For general information regarding the proposed improvements please view the information online at www.iowadot.gov/pim or contact Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-249-4015 or 800-289-4368, email: scott.suhr@iowadot.us. If you do not have access to the internet, or need assistance viewing the materials, please feel free to contact Scott regarding this project.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday (Today), reported on a single-vehicle, personal injury accident that took place at around 12:34-p.m., Monday. Authorities say the accident happened in the 3200 block of 305^th Street, or about 3.5 miles east of Braddyville. An investigation determined 36-year old Emily Christine Garcia, of Clarinda, was driving a 2001 Nissan XTR eastbound, when the vehicle went out of control on the soft gravel road. When Garcia tried to regain control of the SUV, the vehicle swerved and entered the north ditch, where it struck the bank and became stuck. Garcia – who was the only occupant of the vehicle- suffered possible/undisclosed injuries, and was transported to the Clarinda Regional Hospital by Clarinda Ambulance service.

Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $500. No citations were issued. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Clarinda Ambulance service, Braddyville Fire & Rescue, and the Clarinda Fire Department. Page County EMA also assisted at the scene.

(Radio Iowa) – A mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic was held at the Tyson Events Center in downtown Sioux City on Wednesday. Officials say around 15-hundred people received their first dose of the vaccine. Siouxland District Health Department spokesman Tyler Brock says vaccine demand is still high and a mass clinic can help meet that demand — a little. “We know it’s not enough,” Brock says. “We know there’s more people out there still that want vaccine and haven’t been able to get it, but we also are starting to see more and more people actually cancel their appointments because they’re getting vaccine somewhere else.”

The clinic was only for people in Woodbury County who are 65 and older, teachers and others who are eligible. Sixty-five-year-old Gloria Anderson got her vaccine and says she’s a little uneasy about possible side effects from it. “But I think that getting it is better than the risk of not getting it,” Anderson says.

When the event was announced last week, the phone bank got seven-thousand calls from people trying to make appointments for 15-hundred slots. This was the fourth mass clinic at the Tyson in Sioux City. The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics has also been holding large-scale vaccination events in Iowa City.

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

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Casey Welcher

The Creston Police Department reports a traffic stop in the 600 block of Sheldon at around 10-p.m. Wednesday, resulted in a man being arrested on assault and other charges. Authorities say 28-year old Casey Welcher, of Afton, was arrested on charges that include Interference with Official Acts, Assault on a Police Officer without injury, Criminal Mischief 5th degree and Driving While Barred. Welcher was being held in the Union County Jail on a $3,600 bond.

And, at around 3-a.m. today (Thursday), 20-year old Joel William Blazek, of Creston, was arrested at Fremont and New York Streets. Blazek was charged with Driving While Suspended. He was taken to Union County Jail, and soon thereafter released on bond.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Red Oak Police, Wednesday night, executed a search warrant at 904 N. Boundary Street. During their investigation, Officers arrested 27-year old Ozzy Ray Hunter, of Red Oak, on charges that include:

• Unlawful Possession of Prescription drug(s)
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/3rd offense
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – 3rd or great offense
• Gathering for use of Marijuana
• and three counts of Child Endangerment.

Hunter was taken into custody at around 10:50-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 bond. Authorities say additional charges are pending.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office posted on social media, Wednesday, a statement that read “Our local DOT Officer was very lucky to survive today as she was hit while directing traffic on Interstate 29 assisting DOT workers.”

According to the Iowa State Patrol, at around 2:45-p.m., a Volvo semi registered to a company out of Denver, CO., was traveling in the right-hand lane of I-29 southbound near the Exit 1 overpass. A 2015 Chevy Tahoe was also in the right-hand lane, traveling south, with its driver, 56-year old Theresa Ann Fox, of Ankeny, providing traffic control for a DOT Highway repair crew conducting pavement patching.

Photos via Fremont County Sheriff’s Office & Officer Fox.

The Tahoe was traveling slowly with its rear emergency lights activated and arrow stick directing traffic to merge left, upon approach. The semi, driven by 34-year old Makalim Rafkat, of Hollywood, FL, failed to merge left, and struck the rear of the Tahoe, causing the SUV to leave the road to right before it rolled over, coming to rest on its wheels.

DOT Officer Fox was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Memorial Hospital, where she was treated and released. She said on social media, “I’m alright. Seat belts save lives.” The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office added, “ Please move over and slow down for stopped vehicles on the roadway.”