The Creston Police Department reports a woman was arrested Monday night on a Theft charge. 36-year old Amanda Jones, of Creston, was arrested at the Hy-Vee Dollar Fresh, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Jones was cited for the alleged offense, and released on Promise to Appear.

Iowa authorities report that as of (10-a.m.) today (Tuesday), there have been 301 additional, Positive COVID-19 cases since 10-a.m. Monday, for a total of 52,616, and, nine additional deaths, for a total of 987. IDPH says 3,361 individuals tested the previous day and 3,016 tested negative, for a positivity rate of 6.5%. One of 6 Iowans have been tested and one of 60 have tested positive. The total number of residents tested to-date, is 564,439.

Cass County reports one more positive COVID-19, for a total of 95. Adair County also has one more case, for a total of 40. There’s another positive case in Guthrie County, for a total of 148, Pottawattamie County cases increased by two, to a total of 1,428.

There are currently 287 hospitalized patients in the state, up from 283 the previous day. IDPH lists 86 patients in intensive care. There were 31 people admitted to hospitals across the state since yesterday, and 35 patients on ventilators. In western/southwest Iowa: 13 are hospitalized with the virus (down 1 from Monday); 6 are in an ICU (up 3 from Sunday), no one was admitted, and two people remain on a ventilator.

There are coronavirus outbreaks in 31 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities, up two from Monday. The IDPH reported 933 positive cases and 551 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 524 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Friday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers over the previous 24-hours:

• Cass County: 95 cases; (74); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 40 cases; (20)
• Adams County: 17 cases; (16)
• Audubon County: 30 cases; (21); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 148 cases; (110); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 64 cases; (53); 4 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,427 cases; (1,097); 30 deaths
• Shelby County: 193 cases; (180); 1 death.

Red Oak Police arrested a man on a warrant for Violation of a Protection Order, Monday night. 42-year old Brian Shaver, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 9-p.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed only a portion of an emergency declaration to supply federal money to help Iowa recover from an unusual wind storm that struck a week ago. Trump tweeted on Monday that he had approved the full disaster request Gov. Kim Reynolds sent in on Sunday. Her request says the state sustained $3.99 billion in damage with much of that damage from hurricane-force wind gusts exceeding 100 mph that destroyed or extensively damaged 8,200 homes and 13 million acres of corn, about a third of the state’s crop land. Trump has approved the public portion that helps clear debris and fix public buildings and utilities but has not yet approved the individual assistance portion covering damaged homes and farms. Trump is expected to visit the state Tuesday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s coronavirus website has made the pandemic look less severe than it is because of a software error that artificially lowers the number of new confirmed cases. Dana Jones, an Iowa City nurse practitioner, said Monday that the Iowa Department of Public Health has inadvertently been reporting fewer new infections and a smaller percentage of daily positive tests than is truly the case. The department acknowledged the glitch in an email to Jones Friday and said the department is working on a fix. Iowa’s overall number of more than 52,600 who have tested positive since March is not affected.

UNDATED (AP) — Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez says this year’s handful of presidential caucuses should be the last the party ever holds. He didn’t specifically name Iowa, which for decades has led off the nominating calendar, but his position would represent a seismic shift in the party’s traditions. It also underscores the pressure on the caucus structure that has intensified since Iowa’s count dragged out for days to open the 2020 nominating fight eventually won by Joe Biden. Perez’s term ends after the November election, and he said final decisions will have to be made by his successor.

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say two people killed in a plane crash in central Missouri over the weekend were a couple from Iowa. Officials in Osage Beach, Missouri, said in a news release that the plane crashed Sunday afternoon near Grand Glaize Airport, killing Scott and Amy Lowe of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. The Lowes were the only people aboard the small plane. Osage Beach is about 160 miles southeast of Kansas City, Missouri, near the Lake of the Ozarks. Authorities have not indicated what may have caused the single-engine plane to crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will take over the investigation.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday, told the Parks and Rec Board damage a vandal or vandals inflicted on the restrooms at Sunnyside Park, exceeded $1,200, not counting the labor necessary to clean-up the mess. Ramussen said he first found out about the damage last Saturday morning, from a person who made a shelter reservation for Saturday night and who wanted to make sure the facilities were clean and ready to use. He learned the paper towel holders and soap dispensers had been ripped from the walls, ripped open the toilet paper holders, and even left a feces dropping on the floor.

Sunnyside restroom vandalism photos from the Atlantic Parks & Rec Facebook page.

Ramussen and his staff spent about two-to- three hours at the Camblin Additon and Kiddie Korral restrooms at Sunnyside, before moving on and finding out the waterless restroom at the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) had been destroyed, including the wall heater, which in and of itself costs $1,200. The toilet was also flipped upside down, and the seat was broken-off. Only the bathhouse was left alone. Other damage included toilets being plugged-up by toilet paper and a rubber stopper, in an attempt to flood all the bathrooms.

Rasmussen said they would like to be able to get WiFi cameras installed, but NishnaNet is currently busy with the Atlantic School District’s Return-to-Learn WiFi project. He said in the interim, four trail cameras have been ordered and two more have been donated. They will be connected via an app and Bluetooth. The information can be downloaded on the app. Those camera’s have infrared sensors so their location is not given away by a flash. It’s hoped they will be installed later this week. Exterior restroom lighting will help to shed more light on persons who enter the facilities. The insides are lit by motion sensing lights.

The restrooms were closed for a while over the weekend but have since re-opened. Only the tennis court restrooms are closed, but that’s not related to vandalism. Rasmussen said the issue instead, is with a leak in the parking lot. They’re attempting to find the source of that problem.

Travis Garrett, who served as Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Director from 2008-2011, spoke at the meeting Monday evening. He mentioned as a citizen and disc golf enthusiast, they were holding a tournament last weekend, and were disheartened to see the restrooms locked-up, but everyone understood why, once they learned of the damage.

Garrett said the other disc golfers he doesn’t know what the solution is, but he wanted to offer the support of the club to aid in making those incidents of vandalism less likely to occur, by whatever means possible. He implored people to if they see unusual activity going on after dark, to “say something” to the Police Department by calling their non-emergency number. He thanked Bryant and his crew for cleaning up the mess as quickly as they could. Sunnyside Park, he said, will host another disc golf event in October.

In other business, Director Rasmussen said work continues to install the dock at the Schildberg Recreation Area. A new information kiosk has also been installed, and a three-sided enclosure to protect the trash bin has been erected. The kiosk will include local menus and walkability information added for those who wish to see Atlantic’s attractions on foot.

New signs at the SRA will be installed along the trails to better indicate mileage, flora and fauna, friendly camping tips, the fact recreational equipment is available from the Parks & Rec Department, and more. The City of Atlantic’s Street Department, he said, is closer to completing a trail at Mollett Park at the east end of E. 3rd Street Place, and the Street Department continues to work in the Bull Creek area to clear trees, in preparation for work on the washout and culvert.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests over the past week. On August 14th, Stuart Police arrested 24-year old Jesse Andrew Queener, of Stuart, for Violation of a No Contact Order, and on an Adair County warrant for the same offense.  Queener was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 cash-only bond.

On Aug. 11th, the Iowa State Patrol arrested 55-year old Jeffrey Allan Schulte, of Panora, after Troopers were dispatched to the I-80 Adair Rest Area, following reports of a male and female acting impaired. The report led to a traffic stop at the 85.5 mile marker, during which a probable cause search was conducted. Authorities found methamphetamine, CDB nuggets, THC wax, marijuana, cash and numerous items of paraphernalia. Schulte was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

And, Stuart Police arrested 47-year old Donald Eric Maas, of Stuart, on August 9th. Maas was taken into custody for OWI 1^st Offense. He was subsequently was cited at the scene, and released to a family member.

A collision between two vehicles Friday, in Page County, resulted in a man and a juvenile being transported to the hospital for treatment of unknown injuries. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies responded to the scene of the crash at the intersection of Highways 2 and 59, and determined 22-year old
Dustin Thomas Hummel, of Sidney, was operating a 2010 Chevy.

Hummel’s vehicle was facing west on Highway 2, and stopped at the intersection, intending to continue westbound. 64-year old Roger Dale Cox, of rural Northboro, was driving a 2002 Ford northbound on Highway 59, south of Highway 2. Hummel told authorities he had looked south and saw no vehicles going north on Highway 59. He then looked north and saw a black truck going south on 59. When the black truck had cleared the intersection, Hummel pulled into the northbound lane of the highway, and without looking back to the south, attempted to cross Highway 59 and continue westbound. His vehicle struck the passenger side of the Cox vehicle, sending it into the west ditch on the north side of Highway 2.

Cox and his juvenile passenger were transported to the Shenandoah Medical Center for treatment of their unknown injuries. Hummel was not hurt in the collision. Authorities cited him for Failure to Obey a Stop or Yield sign. Damage from the collision amounted to $10,000 altogether.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Shenandoah Ambulance Service, the Shenandoah Fire Department, The Shenandoah Police Department, and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez says the handful of 2020 presidential caucuses should be the last the party ever holds. He didn’t specifically name Iowa, which for decades has led off the nominating calendar, but his position would represent a seismic shift in the party’s traditions. Perez’s term as chair will end before the 2024 nominating calendar is determined.

But he told The Associated Press on Monday, the opening day of the Democratic National Convention, that he plans to “use the bully pulpit as a former chair to make sure we continue the progress” of changes after the bitter 2016 primary fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Officials with the Glenwood Police Department, Monday (Today) said all of the suspects associated with a July 30th shooting incident outside of a residence in the 500 block of South Locust Street, have been taken into custody, and are being held at the Mills County Jail.

Authorities said also, due to the age of the suspects involved, no names or any further information will be released at this time. One minor-age victim was sent to the hospital by LifeFlight following the incident.

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding FREE, “Mysterious Monarchs” Programs. The public programs will be held on:

• Friday August 28th 4:30PM- Lake Anita State Park Campground loop
• Saturday August 29th 2PM- Cold Springs Park Campground Shelter
• Saturday September 5th 2PM – Camblins Addition Shelter Sunnyside Park Atlantic
• Saturday September 12th 2PM- Outdoor Educational Classroom Massena- Follow Hwy 148 South of Massena, turn Left onto Tucson Rd for 1 ½ mile the park will be on your right.

Discover the Monarch Butterflies before their journey south. CCCB personnel will tag monarchs and show you how. If you would like a home tagging kit, you must attend and pre-register for the Kit. Call 712-769-2372 to pre-register. You DO NOT have to be a registered camper to attend the program.