(Updated 1:00 p.m.) The Iowa Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard today (Monday), shows no new deaths since Sunday, for a total of 650 deaths to date. There are 86 new positive cases, for a total of 24,047. The IDPH says an additional 108 people have recovered, for a total of 14,543, and 203,476 people have tested Negative. A total of 227,523 test results have been completed by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.

RMCC data show 197 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID-19, that’s 6 less than Sunday. Of those, six less people are in an ICU (71 total), and 51 are on ventilators (4 more than Sunday). In addition, 19 people were admitted to a hospital for treatment of COVID-19, eight less than Sunday. In RMCC Region 4 (southwest/western IA), there were only slight changes in the stats from Sunday: Nine were hospitalized (1 more than Sunday), five were in an ICU (no change from Sunday). There were two new COVID-19 related hospital admissions, and no change in the number of patients on ventilators (2).

Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are at 36. The number of LTC staff/patient testing positive for COVID-19 is at 1,323, Recoveries amount to 785. Unfortunately, the number of LTC facility-related deaths is up 2, to 341.

Here’s the latest county-by-county breakdown (for those with changes), with the number of positive cases, and (The number recovered):

• Cass: 14 (14)
• Adams: 7 (5)
• Guthrie: 59 (42)
• Pottawattamie: 510 (284)
• Shelby: 49 (36)

Note: Unless there is a significant increase in the positive test results and/or deaths from COVID-19, KJAN will provide daily updates for the 24-hour period at around 6-a.m. each day

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say another arrest has been made in the April killing of an Iowa City man. Iowa City police arrested 30-year-old Whitney Claybon on Saturday, saying she shuttled a suspect in the case out of town and lied to detectives regarding his whereabouts. Claybon is charged with accessory after the fact and obstructing prosecution in the April 20 shooting death of 21-year-old Kejuan Winters. Officials say Claybon told detectives on May 14 that she took a man suspected in the killing to Chicago. But detectives later discovered that Claybon had used another person’s driver’s license to rent a car and take the man to Minnesota.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has announced he will travel to Iowa this week to meet with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds. The vice president also plans to tour recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago Industries and give an address to its employees on Tuesday. It will be Pence’s second trip to Iowa in as many months. In early May, Pence visited the Des Moines area to meet with Reynolds during a spike in coronavirus cases in the state. Pence also spoke to a group of faith leaders in Iowa about resuming religious services as COVID-19 cases continued to rise.

Des Moines — In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, the Iowa Insurance Division reminds Iowans that heightened isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic have created a perfect storm for senior financial exploitation.

“Social isolation is a leading factor contributing to the financial exploitation of older investors and quarantines to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus have taken social isolation to a new dimension for many seniors, making them more vulnerable to financial exploitation,” Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen said.

While financial abuse can happen at any time, perpetrators often strike during times in a senior’s life when they may be more vulnerable, such as during a health crisis or after the death of a loved one. Scammers often gather personal details from obituaries and social media posts and use this information to target their victims. Some even will exploit trust within seniors’ social and support groups to become more involved in their lives.

What to Watch For:

Senior financial exploitation can be difficult to identify or recognize. Below are five examples of warning signs to watch for among the seniors in your lives:

• A new and overly protective friend or caregiver or surrendering control of finances to a new friend or partner.
• Fear or sudden change in feelings about somebody.
• A lack of knowledge about financial status or reluctance to discuss financial matters.
• Sudden or unexplained changes in spending habits, a will, trust, or beneficiary designations.
• Unexplained checks made out to cash, unexplained loans, or unexplained disappearance of assets (cash, valuables, securities, etc.). Also watch for suspicious signatures on the senior’s checks or other documents.

How You Can Help:

• Keep in touch with older family members, friends, and neighbors. Call or leave a note on their front door. If they have the technology, send them a text, email, Facetime or Skype. Contact is key to letting your loved ones know you are thinking of them.
• Let your older family members know that fraudsters and scammers have found ways to exploit the pandemic. Make them aware of the red flags of fraud, which remain consistent regardless of the fraud or scam.
• Iowans with suspicions of possible senior financial exploitation to contact the agency at iid.iowa.gov or 877-955-1212.

Financial and investment professionals also are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division to request a Senior$afe presentation on how to spot and report suspected senior financial exploitation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a couple of arrests over the weekend.

On Friday June 12th Deputies arrested 27-year-old Maxwell Tenesee Davies of Des Moines on a charge of Driving While Barred (Aggravated). Davies was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

On Saturday June 13th Sheriff’s Officials arrested 40-year-old Zachary James Watkins of Atlantic on a charge of Public Intoxication (Simple). Watkins was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

AMES, Iowa – June 15, 2020 – The Iowa Department of Transportation is requesting public input for a proposed replacement of the Iowa 175 bridge over Maple River, 1.1 miles west of the east junction with Iowa 141.

The project includes replacing the existing 240’ x 26’ steel beam bridge with a 299’ x 44’ pretensioned prestressed concrete beam bridge. New bridge approaches will be constructed, and new guardrails installed, and shoulders will be paved 20’ beyond the ends of the guardrails.

Construction of the project is expected to begin in 2022.

Through traffic on Iowa 175 would be detoured during construction using Monona County Roads E-34, L-32, and Iowa 141. For more information, see the website listed below.

For general information or to make a comment regarding the proposed bridge project, contact Shane Tymkowicz, P.E., assistant district engineer, Iowa DOT District 3 Office, 2800 Gordon Drive, Sioux City, Iowa 51102, phone 712-276-1451 or 800-284-4368, email shane.tymkowicz@iowadot.us.

Comments must be received by June 25, 2020 to be considered.

Visit the Iowa DOT’s project-related public involvement event website at www.iowadot.gov/pim for information about scheduled public meetings and hearings, or view and offer input on any DOT project using the new “Map Search” feature. If you would like to receive future email notifications, or submit a comment or question regarding this project, go to https://bit.ly/iowadot3324.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Creston Police Department reports four arrests over the weekend.

On Friday at 10:43 a.m. Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Steven Behlers of Creston at his residence on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault by Strangulation. He was being held in the Union County Jail awaiting transport to Polk County for a warrant for Violation of Parole.

Also on Friday morning at 8:29 a.m. Creston Police arrested 47-year-old Shawn Connelly of Creston on a charge of Driving While Barred. She was released at the scene on a summons to appear.

On Saturday at 3:21 p.m. Officers arrested 48-year-old Brock Barrett of Creston at his residence on the charge of Domestic Abuse Assault Impeding Blood/Air flow. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Also on Saturday at 8:55 p.m. Creston Police arrested Elizabeth Clayton of Lenox at the Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for Violation of Pre-Trial Release. She was held in the Adams County Jail on $10,000 bond.

The Red Oak Police Department responded to a single vehicle accident on Sunday evening. At 5:30 p.m. Officers were called to the intersection of North 4th Street and Joy Street. After investigation it was determined that a 2007 Jeep Compass driven by 26-year-old Alexander Warren Wiechmann of Council Bluffs was traveling northbound on N 4th Street and became distracted and drove off the roadway. The Jeep struck a utility pole owned by Mid-American Energy. Wiechmann was uninjured in the crash.

The Jeep sustained an estimated $5,000 damage and the utility pole sustained $500 damage. Wiechmann was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. More charges could follow pending further investigation.

Red Oak Police were assisted at the scene by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Red Oak Fire Department.

Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, from Red Oak, paid a visit to Rex Pharmacy, in Atlantic, Saturday afternoon, as part of her 99 County Tour for 2020. Earlier in the day, she stopped in Carroll for a Main Street Tour, and in Onawa.

In Atlantic, Ernst said she learned about how Rex Pharmacy has adapted to serve the community and area in the age of COVID.

Ric Hanson/photos

Cass County Supervisor Mark O’Brien, who owns a construction company, stopped-by during Ernst’s visit and asked what the odds are of the new $600 per week Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), being extended in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. Ernst said “We don’t want it to go on the next one, because what we see here in Iowa…is that we have employers that are opening-up and they can’t get their people to come back to work.” O’Brien says he has seen that happen with his own business.

He says if the PPP continues, he’s “In trouble.” The deadline to qualify for forgiveness and funds is June 30th. If approved, the funds could be used to cover costs over the next 24 weeks or until December 31, whichever is earlier. Previously, the program covered 8 weeks. (Learn more at https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program)

Ernst says the economy would be damaged if the plan is continued, and she will be a “No” vote.”

Ernst said the next package she and Senator Grassley will focus on is specific COVID-19 areas, not bailing out large cities, etc. That process is expected to begin in mid-July, or early August. When asked if State officials around the country relaxed restrictions too soon, in light of a resurgance in the virus in some area, Ernst said the increase in case-positives is not necessarily due to an upsurge in cases.

She said the country can make it through pandemic if everyone does their part to stay safe.