The Mills County Emergency Management Agency/Mills County Public Health Department, reports two more positive/confirmed cases of COVID-19 among residents of the county. The latest cases are in persons 18-to 40 years of age, who contracted the virus through a known contact and community spread. The additions bring to 64 the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mills County, where 34 persons have recovered, and 2,430 have been tested. The positivity rate is 2.6%.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack says he’s “deeply concerned” about a report showing that the first known coronavirus outbreak at an Iowa meatpacking plant was far more severe than the state publicly acknowledged. Loebsack wrote a letter to Gov. Kim Reynolds requesting information about the state’s response to the outbreak at the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Columbus Junction.

The letter came two days after The Associated Press reported on documents showing Tyson officials told safety inspectors on April 30 that 522 employees were known to be infected. A dozen were hospitalized and two died. But at a May 5 news conference, the Iowa Department of Public Health said that only 221 workers at the plant had tested positive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa juvenile has been charged with two counts of animal torture in the brutal deaths of a dog and a kitten. The Animal Rescue League of Iowa says in a news release Friday that the incidents were discovered last week at a Des Moines apartment complex. Animal Services officers called to the complex on July 17 found an adult dog that had been disemboweled but was still alive.

The ARL says the dog’s injuries were so horrific that officers immediately euthanized the dog to end its suffering. Later the same day, animal officers were again sent to the complex, where they found an 8-week-old kitten that had suffered a traumatic death.

ALBERT CITY, Iowa (AP) — State environmental officials says a hog farm manure tank leak was the likely cause of a fish kill in a northwestern Iowa tributary this week. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the leak happened over the weekend near Albert City when an unknown amount of manure was released into the tributary.

On Sunday, the DNR found a some dead fish, manure and elevated ammonia levels throughout four miles of the tributary, which connects to the North Raccoon River. The incident was reported by farm owner Kris Ehlers, who suspected a failed valve on the manure tank. DNR workers concluded the spill did come from Ehlers’ farm, but was likely coming through underground tile lines.

Officials with Fareway Grocery Stores said Friday (today), effective with the expiration of the Iowa Governor’s Emergency Declaration on July 25th, Fareway will not be accepting containers for redemption in its Iowa stores. Health authorities continue to advise that COVID-19 and other viruses are transmitted through respiratory droplets. Reynolds W. Cramer, President & CEO of Fareway, says “Accepting potentially contaminated containers inside our stores presents a great risk of harm to the health and safety of our employees and customers.

“In addition, Iowa law requires grocery stores to meet health and food safety guidelines for all employees and customers.  Allowing used containers to be returned in our stores puts our employees and customers at risk, and runs counterproductive to the many safety and sanitation initiatives we have implemented in order to keep people safe.”

Each store has posted a notice listing nearby redemption centers, where customers may redeem bottles and cans. Fareway encourages local communities to focus their redemption on supporting these businesses and/or area non-profits that provide outside collection bins for donation. Cramer said “At its core, our actions in rejecting container redemption inside our stores is to minimize potential harm to the communities we serve, while offering our customers alternative redemption options.

A collision between a large SUV and a small SUV, this (Friday) morning, resulted in two people transported to the hospital, and collateral damage to a business. Council Bluffs Police responded to the crash in the 2700 block of W. Broadway, at around 9:26-a.m.

Upon arrival, they determined a Yukon Denali traveling westbound on West Broadway St. collided with a Suzuki SUV traveling northbound on 27th St. The Denali pushed the Suzuki up against a light pole and then struck the Grease Monkey business at 2700 West Broadway St.

The passenger and driver from the Suzuki were both transported by the Council Bluffs Fire Department to Nebraska Medicine Hospital, with possible life-threatening and minor injuries respectively. Their names were not immediately released. No one was injured in the Denali and no one was injured inside the nearby business.

The intersection of 27th St and West Broadway St was closed for approximately four hours while the Traffic Unit investigated the collision. The investigation is ongoing. If you have information with regard to the accident that might help in the investigation, please call the CB-PD’s Traffic Unit at (712)328-4948.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. Thursday evening, 25-year old Amanda Scott, of Malvern, was arrested on Highway 34 for Public Intoxication. Her bond was set at $300. And, Wednesday evening, 57-year old John Michael Hudson, of Hastings, was arrested at Bradford Avenue and Wilson Street, for Driving Under Suspension and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability. His bond was also set at $300.

The Glenwood Police Department reports a man from Cass County was arrested today (Friday), on drug charges. 41-year old Shawn Wolverton, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He later posted a $5,300 cash or surety bond, and was released. And, 24-year old Noah Packett, of Glenwood, was arrested this (Friday) morning, for Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. He was released on a $600 cash or surety bond.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office says a Clarinda man was arrested Thursday for Domestic Abuse Assault. 42-year old Jeremy Lynn Martin was arrested following an investigation into an incident that took place in rural Page County. approximately 5 miles south of Clarinda. Martin was transported to the Page County Jail and is being held without bond pending further court proceedings.

Thursday night, 47-year old Gary Lynn Runyon, JR., of Coin, was arrested on a charge of violating a Protection order. He was transported to the Page County Jail where he was also being held without bond, pending further court proceedings.

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Reynolds signed a new proclamation continuing the Public Health Disaster Emergency for another 30 days. The proclamation extends public health mitigation measures currently in place for businesses and other establishments. 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 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 without change.

The proclamation also 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.

Some provisions have not been extended, including the suspension of the requirement for retailers to accept empty bottles and cans for redemption of the container deposit. That statutory requirement will resume on July 26, 2020.

The proclamation is now in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2020.

The full proclamation is online in its entirety