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

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(Updated 5:15-a.m., 10/18) –

An online petition is available for persons who wish to support a mask/face shield mandate for the Atlantic School District, and eliminate the need to quarantine. The petition, created by CCHS Nurse Laura Robinson, can be found at Change.org. It’s directed toward the Atlantic School Board, which, to-date has not mandated a mask/face shield policy, and looks to obtain 500 signatures (as of early Sunday morning, there were 499). The petition will be presented to the Atlantic School Board during their next regular meeting.

This past week, a student in the 4^th Grade tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in some students being forced to quarantine until Oct. 27th. Superintendent Steve Barber said he’s aware of the petition and the latest test results.

On Wednesday, Mr. Barber reported the number of students wearing masks has declined around 30-percent, while many of the staff are still seen wearing them. The standard for the Pre-Kindergarten through 5^th Grade building, is to encourage students to wear masks when social distancing cannot occur. Anyone in grades 6-thru-12 are expected to wear masks, when social distancing was not possible.

Superintendent Barber, Friday, issued an update on the way the Coronavirus is impacting the district. Barber says “We continue to assess our system by looking at data and making adjustments to our response to COVID.”He said “As we have talked before, we have a communication plan in place that we use when we are notified of a positive COVID case for one of our students or staff.”

According to Mr. Barber, “Individuals staff and parents of students who are determined to have been in close contact are communicated with directly by the school and/or Cass County Public Health. Any other individual that potentially could have become infected by the positive case gets notification.” He concluded by saying “We continue to follow the guidelines of Iowa Department of Public Health and those set up by the Governor in how we isolate and quarantine those affected.”

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa/IPPA) – A Linn County restaurant is the home of Iowa’s “Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin” for 2020. Iowa Pork Producers Association spokesperson, Dal Grooms, says the winning sandwich is sold at the PrairieMoon On Main in the small town of Prairieburg. “It’s about 30 miles northeast of Cedar Rapids and they’ve been in business a few years and had been thinking about what really is a good tenderloin,”Grooms says. “And they decided that they were going to focus on the flavor and the juiciness of the pork rather than the breading — although it is a breaded tenderloin.”

At PrairieMoon On Main, tenderloins are served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles.

Grooms says there were plenty of entries from Iowans in this year’s contest. She says they had more than 390 different restaurants entered by some 4,500 people. “that’s really pretty spectacular when you think about the year we’ve been living through,” according to Grooms. “Some establishments had either closed or reduced the number of service hours they had because of all the pandemic related closures.”

Loren and Amy Lacy have owned the restaurant for about a year-and-a-half. PrairieMoon will receive $500, a plaque, and a large banner to display. IPPA judges selected Birdies, Burgers & Brews, located at Hillcrest Golf & Country Club in Graettinger, as the runner-up in the 2020 contest; that establishment will receive $250 and a plaque from IPPA. Rounding out the top five finalists (in no order) are Bents Smokehouse & Pub, Westgate; The Blind Pig, Cedar Rapids; and Sasquatch Jacks Hideaway Barroom & Grill, Waverly. Those restaurants will receive a Top Five plaque to display.

IPPA received 4,501 nominations for 390 different establishments during the spring nomination period. The restaurant and foodservice committee judged the top 40 restaurants in the summer, scoring each on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics, and eating experience. The winners are announced as part of #Porktober20, or October Pork Month, which celebrates the state’s dedicated pig farmers, local restaurants and their hardworking teams, and a famous Midwest favorite—the pork tenderloin sandwich.

The Pub at the Pinicon in New Hampton won the 2019 contest. For a full list of past winners, visit https://www.iowapork.org/best-breaded-pork-tenderloin-contest/.

This was the 18th annual best tenderloin contest to be held each October during Iowa Pork Month.

(Radio Iowa) — This week’s White House Coronavirus Task Force report puts Iowa in its “red zone” for new infections. The rate of new Covid cases here is twice the national average. Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowans need to monitor what’s going on in their community. “We really need to focus,” Reynolds says. “We know that the most vulnerable Iowans are older Iowans age 65 and over and those Iowans with pre-existing conditions are the ones that are most at risk.”

IA Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a Press Conference (File Photo)

The state’s coronavirus website shows (as of Saturday morning) there are Covid outbreaks at 63 Iowa nursing homes (two more than on Friday). For the past 10 days, the total number of Covid patients in Iowa hospitals has been higher than at any other point in the pandemic, although fewer patients are winding up in intensive care units. “The same thing applies today that applied when we had our first cases of Covid-19 in the state of Iowa and that is to stay home when you’re sick, social distance when you can. If you can’t, make sure you have a face covering and wash your hands often,” Reynolds says. “…If you’re a vulnerable Iowan, you need to take extra precautions.”

This week’s White House Coronavirus Task Force warns cases are increasing in Iowa due to social gatherings of families and friends. It specifically classified the cities of Carroll, Council Bluffs, Dubuque, Pella, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake as “red zone” areas.

(Radio Iowa) – U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made stops in Pella and Sioux Center, Friday. Friday morning DeVos toured Vermeer Manufacturing’s apprenticeship program which trains people to work as painters and welders and to operate machinery in the plant.

Betsy DeVos learning to weld at Vermeer Mfg.

“I know that in Iowa, workforce development continues to be a big opportunity and a big challenge,” DeVos said.

Governor Kim Reynolds has set a goal for 2025 of having at least 70 percent of working-age Iowans hold some sort of professional certification or a college degree.”We’re at 60% right now,” Reynolds says, “but we’re looking at the data for 2020 and it looks like we could see potentially a 5-6% increase, so we’re really making great gains.”

Devos also toured one of Dordt University’s two-year apprenticeship programs, Friday afternoon. She spoke at a roundtable with educators and business leaders from the Sioux Center area. DeVos is the third Trump Administration cabinet secretary to visit Iowa in the past week.

Betsy DeVos painting at Vermeer Mfg.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Friday, reported that a Red Oak man was arrested Wednesday on drug and weapon charges. Deputies arrested 48-year-old Floyd Raymond Henry for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, Concealed Weapon (a gun), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Drug Stamp Criminal Penalties. Bond for Floyd Henry was set at $17,000.

DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Friday, signed a new proclamation continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency for another 30 days.  The proclamation extends all the public health mitigation measures currently in place for businesses and other establishments until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 15, 2020. This includes the requirements for bars and restaurants to ensure six feet of physical distance between each group or individual dining or drinking; to ensure all patrons have a seat at a table or bar and consume alcohol or food while seated; and to limit congregating together closer than six feet. Requirements for social distancing, hygiene, and other public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission also remain in place for gyms, casinos, salons, theaters, and other establishments. 

The proclamation also extends the suspension of weight limits for transportation of agricultural supplies and commodities on state highways for the continued fall harvest.  And it extends many of the previously issued regulatory relief measures necessary to respond to this public health disaster, including those related to healthcare, professional licensure, educational workforce, and expirations of driver’s licenses.  

The proclamation now remains in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 15, 2020.  The full proclamation can be read in its entirety, here.

The Harlan Police Department, Friday, issued a reminder to all residents, that they need need to make sure building numbers (address numbers) are on their houses. Harlan City code requires building numbers be visible. Authorities say the numbering is extremely important, for without them, there can be a significant delay in getting emergency services to your house. Fire, Ambulance, and Law Enforcement rely on numbering to get you the quickest emergency services possible. A delay in not being able to locate the correct house has the potential be disastrous.

The Harlan P-D says “It is every homeowner’s responsibility to have the numbers clearly visible from the street. If you are a renter, check your house and contact your landlord if the address numbers are missing.”