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

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A University of Iowa fraternity has been suspended for hazing, with a report citing verbal abuse and and an incident where new members were required to drink dangerously high amounts of alcohol. The university says the violations were by the Acacia Fraternity. The Cedar Rapids Gazette obtained an investigative report through a public records request. The suspension lasts through 2024. One allegation said that in the spring semester, new members were ordered to stay in the fraternity house attic until they consumed alcohol that included 60 to 90 cans of beer, along with vodka and a gallon of a drink called Jungle Juice. Several new members got sick.

(Norfolk, NE) – Troopers from the Nebraska and Iowa State Patrol Divisions are teaming up to keep travelers safe on both sides of the Missouri River this Thanksgiving. Both law enforcement agencies will conduct simultaneous Patrol operations on many thoroughfares in northeast Nebraska and northwest Iowa, as part of the effort. The high-visibility campaign is underway now through Sunday, Nov. 29th.

The campaign will focus on major highways in both states, including (In Iowa): Highways 20 and 75, and Interstate 29. All motorists are urged to follow traffic safety laws during their travel, including following the posted speed limits, avoiding distracted or impaired driving, and always wearing a seat belt. Motorists in either state can call *55 on their cell phone, or 800-525-5555 to reach the State Patrol Helpline for their respective state.

Police in Creston report the arrest at around 1:50-a.m. today (Wednesday), of 26-year old Andrew Palmer, from Creston. Palmer was taken into custody at McKinley/Spillway, for Driving While Revoked, Open Container, Failure to provide proof of SR-22 insurance. He was cited and released at the scene. And, at around 11:40-a.m. Tuesday, 33-year old Jessica Swietlik, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Violation of a Protection Order. She was being held in the Adams County Jail, while awaiting 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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Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (Wednesday), shows a record 47 additional deaths are attributed to COVID-19 since Tuesday’s 10-a.m. report, for a total of 2,271. The previous record of 40 deaths was reported Nov. 18th.  There are two more deaths to report in Cass County, for a total of 21, and one more in each of Adair, Adams, Mills, Pottawattamie and Shelby Counties.

Deaths reported on an individual day can be affected by delays in completion of death certificates and other factors, but the data from the state Department of Public Health on Wednesday makes clear Iowa is continuing to see an increase in deaths from the virus. Johns Hopkins University says the seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from nearly 16 deaths per day on Nov. 10 to 28 deaths per day on Nov. 24. In the month of November alone, 555 people in Iowa have died of COVID-19.

The number of deaths attributed to a pre-existing condition statewide are at 1,321, while deaths at Long-Term Care facilities amount to 1,023. Six more long-term care facilities report COVID-19 outbreaks, bringing the total to 149. Those care facilities report 4,604 positive cases and 1,899 recovered. Cass County’s three LTC facilities have a total of 207 confirmed positive cases and 123 recovered.

Officials say there have been 3,435 new confirmed, Positive cases of the virus reported since yesterday, for a total since the pandemic began, of 218,947. Cass County has 30 new, Positive cases of COVID, for a total of 785.

Hospitalizations have fallen from 1,351 yesterday to 1,305 today. There are: 269 patients in intensive care (6 less than Tue.); 198 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, up 33 from a day earlier, and there are 150 people on a ventilator, five less than Tuesday. In western/southwestern Iowa: there are 64 COVID patients in the hospital (down from 71 Tues.); 19 are in an ICU; six people were admitted to a hospital, and eight people are on a ventilator.

The state’s data shows that 1,185,853 Iowans have been tested for coronavirus. Test results received yesterday amounted to 7,167, with 5,551 coming back Negative and 1,576 Positive. Iowa’s statewide 14-day positivity rate continues to decline, now at 19.1%. That’s down from 19.7% a day earlier. The Individual Positivity rate is 18.5%. Cass County’s Positivity rate is at 20.3%. Union County has the highest rate in southwest Iowa, at 24.2%. Audubon County is the lowest, at 11.1%.

The IDPH says 122,047 Iowans have recovered from the virus. 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, 785 cases {+30}; 497 recovered; 21 deaths
• Adair, 422 {+7}; 195; 8
• Adams, 161 {+6}; 83; 2
• Audubon, 285 {+2}; 160; 1
• Guthrie, 725 {+17); 403; 15
• Harrison County, 1,024; 691; 28
• Madison County, 662 {+14}; 371; 4
• Mills County, 999 {+6}; 422; 7
• Montgomery, 438 {+9}; 202; 10
• Pottawattamie County, 5,925 {+58]; 3,403; 67
• Shelby County, 735 {+8}; 437; 6
• Union County,  734 {+24}; 279; 6

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports his Deputies, along with the Fremont County K9 Unit, arrested a Pottawattamie County man on numerous charges Tuesday, following a traffic stop on Interstate 29.

Steve Knight booking photo (Courtesy Fremont County S/O)

Aistrope says 52-year old Steven Joseph Knight, of Council Bluffs faces charges that include:

• 2 Felony counts of Theft in the 2nd Degree.

• 3 counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

• Operating (a vehicle) without the Owners Consent.

• Possession of Burglary Tools.

• and, Driving While Suspended

In addition, Knight was cited for:

• An insufficient Number of Headlights; Fail to Maintain Minimum Speed; Failure to Carry Registration Card; Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance; Having No Valid Commercial Driver License, and Violation of Hazardous Materials Transportation Regulations. He was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $12,900 cash bond.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa Lottery ticket with a six-figure prize will expire Monday unless the owner comes forward to collect. Iowa Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, says the Powerball ticket had four numbers and a multiplier that makes it worth 100-thousand dollars. “We’re never sure — did someone only check the ticket for the jackpot and when they realized they didn’t win the jackpot they didn’t check any further — or maybe they never even checked this ticket in the first place,” she says.

The ticket was purchased at a Quick Trip convenience store in Des Moines nearly one year ago on November 27th. Nuebauer says November 27th falls on a holiday, so they holder of the ticket has until 4 p-m Monday to claim the prize at on of the Iowa Lottery’s regional offices. Nuebauer says the location of the convenience store raises a lot of possibilities about the owner. She says the convenience store is on Fluer Drive in Des Moines that is not that far from the Des Moines Airport, so it could be anyone from anywhere.

Neubauer says the holiday puts a little more of a time crunch on if the owner finds the ticket and wants to cash it in. “Lottery offices will be closed Wednesday through Friday of this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. So, it’s more than likely that whomever would have this ticket then would be in a position to have to cash it in on Monday if they figure it out over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend,” according to Neubauer. She says they do occasionally have prizes that go unclaimed for one reason or another. She says the money from unclaimed prizes goes back into the pool to pay other prizes.

The winning numbers on the ticket are: 15-26-37-53-55 and Powerball 21. The Power Play number was 2.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s cancelled her family’s Thanksgiving gathering. The governor’s current public health emergency proclamation limits the size of family gatherings to no more than 15. Reynolds made a direct appeal to Iowans during her news conference yesterday (Tuesday). “Consider the amount of planning that typically goes into the holidays, from preparing our family’s favorite meals to purchasing special gifts from those we love,” Reynolds says. “This year, I ask that you put that same time and effort into keeping your family healthy this holiday season, which may mean having to adjust your traditions.”

The governor says number of Covid patients in Iowa hospitals appears to have stabilized over the past five days, but one third of Iowa’s Covid cases this year were reported in this month alone. Reynolds says that means many forecasts predict hospital numbers and Covid deaths WILL increase in Iowa — by varying degrees — over the next few weeks. “We’re talking with the leaders of our health systems and our hospitals, we’re reaching out to long term care facilities and we’re discussing additional steps that may need to be taken to keep our most vulnerable safe and I’m asking you to have that same focus,” Reynolds says. “Concentrate on what you can do now and over the next four weeks to stop the spread.”

Reynolds says her consistent goal throughout the pandemic has been to ensure Iowa hospitals have the capacity for Covid patients and others who need care. “It’s easy to look back and see if you maybe should have done more or don’t less and handled a little bit differently. I’ve tried to be very targeted in the mitigation efforts that we’ve put in place,” Reynolds says. The governor says it’s easy to second guess her actions and her response to the pandemic hasn’t been perfect, but Reynolds says she’s had to balance public health and economic concerns.

“You have to be careful about over-mitigating to people and having them still feel like they’re still part of the answer, the solution — and we’re not over asking,” Reynolds says. “I mean, you’ve got people and businesses that are protesting and rioting in California.”

Video posted on Twitter showed dozens of protesters carrying American and Trump campaign flags in Huntington Beach, California, stayed out past a 10 p.m. curfew set by that state’s governor this past weekend. The 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew went into effect Saturday in much of California. Last week in Omaha, about three dozen people held a protest against mask mandates.