(Radio Iowa) — Plenty of Iowans are hooked on fishing during the pandemic as a record of nearly 200-thousand fishing licenses have been sold statewide this spring, which is up 30- to 40-percent from a year ago. Joe Larscheid, Fisheries Chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says this is a free fishing weekend, today (Friday) through Sunday.

“Any Iowa resident can fish for free,” Larscheid says. “There’s bluegills and crappies close to shore. The fishing’s excellent. It’s a great chance if you haven’t got your license yet to get out with friends and family and enjoy Iowa’s natural resources.” The popularity of some outdoor activities is booming with so many people working from home due to COVID-19 concerns.

Larscheid says to use common sense and keep a good six feet of distance between yourselves and others while fishing. “We have a lot of lakes in Iowa, a lot of ponds and rivers, there’s lots of places to spread out,” Larscheid says. “If there’s a bunch of people along one part of a shore, just find a part of the shore where you can practice social distancing and just get out and have fun. We’ve got plenty of room for everybody.”

Sales of fishing licenses in Iowa have been the best this spring since 2002, the year they became available electronically. “We have record license sales in March, April and May,” Larscheid says. “A lot of people are out there fishing. It’s like opening day every day. People are staying home, they’re staying closer to home. Being outside, it’s easier to practice social distancing and have fun with your family and friends.” Iowa fishing licenses are available in several types, including yearly, seven-day, or even just 24-hour licenses.

Find a list of stocked lakes and ponds that are easily accessible in parks and along trails on the DNR’s interactive Iowa Community Fisheries Atlas at iowadnr.gov.

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH), Friday, announced there are 21 new (positive) cases of COVID-19 to report. One is from Oakland and the other twenty are from Council Bluffs. They also regret to announce a 10th COVID-19 related death. The latest case is a 61-to 80-year old man from Council Bluffs. A total of 195 persons have recovered from the virus. Five are hospitalized and 145 are self-isolating. Based on PCPH contact tracing investigations, a total of 96 Pott. County COVID-19 cases are the result of community spread.

Six of the case positives are epi-linked, while the others were tested between May 31st and June 4th. According to Friday’s Iowa Coronavirus dashboard (coronavirus.iowa.gov), 3,964 Pottawattamie County residents have been tested for COVID-19, with 317 showing positive results. Including epi-linked cases, PCPH reports a total of 363 COVID-19 cases.

An inmate at the Pott. County Jail has tested positive for the virus. PCPH has conducted the case investigation and the contact investigation. The individual is currently in isolation. PCPH says it is working closely with jail staff and Pott. County Risk Management to ensure the virus mitigation procedures in-place contain the spread of COVID-19 within facility.

The Rotary Club of Atlantic has joined with other Rotary Clubs in the Southern half of Iowa to supply nearly 400,000 meals to families and individuals impacted by COVID 19. Officials say the Club donated $500.00 in cash through Rotary District 6000 to the Food Bank of Iowa and its sister Food Banks, which can provide four meals for every dollar contributed.

The food supplies are then distributed on an equitable formula to local food pantries in communities throughout the southern half of the state.

In addition to the donation to the Food Bank of Iowa, the Atlantic Rotary Club also donated $1,000.00 in cash to the Atlantic Food Pantry. Local Club President Brian Harris said that “Service Above Self” has long been the motto of Rotarians throughout the world, and our club saw the need to help.

A ninth case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Montgomery County. Officials said Friday the new case is an elderly adult (over 80) and currently in isolation. The total number of positive cases, as of Friday, was nine, with six persons having recovered from the virus. The number of persons tested to date in Montgomery County, is 386.

Sadly, officials say an additional death associated with COVID-19 was also reported, bringing the total number of deaths from COVID-19, to two.

Serology testing shows 56 have been tested, one person tested positive for COVID-19, 55 have tested negative.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that the wife of a man killed in an accident at an amusement park in 2016 can proceed with a federal lawsuit and that the park’s insurance company may have to pay damages. The court ruled Friday that the insurance company for Adventureland Park in Altoona must provide a defense for the operator of a water ride.

The lawsuit accuses Adventureland employee Stuart Glen of negligence that led to the death of his co-worker Stephen Booher. Gladys Booher, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is seeking damages including loss of earnings, physical and mental pain and suffering, burial expenses and punitive damages.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A Waterloo chemical plant will pay a nearly $80,000 civil penalty to settle violations of federal Clean Air Act following a spill last year that hurt a worker there. The federal Environmental Protection Agency says Hydrite Chemical has also taken necessary steps to return its facility to compliance.

In April 2019, a worker received burns from liquid sulfur that spilled as it was being unloaded from a tanker rail car. Firefighters who responded to the accident sulfur melts at about 240 degrees, and the element is liquefied when it is loaded into rail cars and then reheated for unloading.

WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) — Two kayakers who capsized and were swept away in the Upper Iowa River have been found. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the kayakers were found uninjured Thursday. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office says the 53-year-old man and 43-year-old woman from Ames were kayaking near Bluffton when they capsized and were separated in the fast-moving waters.

The man made it to shore and got help from a nearby resident. But the woman went missing. The Decorah Fire Department used a drone to find the woman. She had been stranded on the bank of the river.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — The operators of a Sioux Center chiropractic clinic have agreed to pay more than $30,000 to resolve allegations that they filed false Medicaid claims. Federal prosecutors for Iowa accused Sioux Center Chiropractic Wellness Center, operated by Tyler and Tiffany Armstrong, of violating the federal False Claims Act by billing Medicaid for conditions, including constipation and ear infection, for which payment is not allowed.

The Sioux City Journal says the center and its operators did not admit wrongdoing as part of the $30,418 settlement. Prosecutors say the settlement agreement resolves allegations related to the treatment of Medicaid beneficiaries 7 and younger from April 2014 to July 2019.

The City of Atlantic’s annual battle against mosquitoes begins next week. City crews will be out with the fogger to spray from 4-until 7-a.m. every Thursday and Friday, beginning June 11th and 12th.  The spraying will take place weather permitting, throughout the summer, until further notice.

A common mosquito