Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health today (Tuesday, as of 7-a.m.) said in their latest report on the IDPH dashboard, that 106,427 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19. Officials reported 251 new positive cases and 12 deaths. That brings the statewide total to 15,206 positive cases and 367 deaths.

The IDPH says 7,827 Iowans have recovered from the virus. Hospitalization numbers continue to fluctuate. The latest data indicates 382 are hospitalized, 121 are in an ICU and 47 were admitted to a hospital in the past 24-hours. Governor Kim Reynolds, Monday, said the state health department is updating its coronovirus website to include more new features Iowans have requested, including case counts that will be updated in real time, not just once a day.

Health officials say a case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in a resident of Ringgold County. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the individual is an adult age 18 to 40 and is recovering at home. Officials say by HIPAA privacy and Iowa Code Chapter 22 laws, no further information will be made available on the case.

The question of whether or not the Sunnyside Pool in Atlantic will open this summer, remains up in the air. The short answer is: It depends on the State and CDC. The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board discussed the issue during their meeting Monday evening, but did not make a decision on the status of the pool. According to reports, the Board was leaning toward not re-opening, after hearing from Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen, who said they would need to hire more staff, just to handle issues associated with COVID-19 and the CDC guidelines for opening such a facility.

Board Chair Stuart Dusenberry questioned if people would come if they opened the pool, which is losing approximately $30,000 on a good year. The Board was of the consensus that health and safety should come before anything else, and waited for further guidance from Governor Reynolds, but as of now, the pool will not be opening this summer.  If the Governor gives the green light, the Parks and Rec Board would hold a special meeting to look at re-opening the pool. Other communities, such as Walnut, have decided to close their water recreation centers, such as the popular Walnut Splash Pad.

Aside from the pool matter, the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board approved the opening up of the Dog Park, but signs will remind users about social distancing guidelines. The City’s basketball and pickleball areas are also open, as long as people bring their own equipment and follow social distancing guidelines. Bryant Rasmussen mentioned as well, that there are still some raised beds available in the Community Garden at Mollett Park available for rent.

(Radio Iowa) — All four Democrats competing for the chance to face Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst in November say the latest three TRILLION dollar pandemic relief plan that cleared the Democratically-led U.S. House needs work. Des Moines businesswoman Theresa Greenfield says congress should ensure workers get paid sick leave and correct some of the problems with the Paycheck Protection Program. “I think that our federal government has fumbled that football a little bit there in the previous CARES Act,” Greenfield says, “and the dollars haven’t gone to all the small businesses.”

Retired Navy Vice Admiral Mike Franken of Sioux City says there should be a sense of urgency during this pandemic, but he’s concerned about piling up debt.  “And I believe we ought to get something from those bills that lead to a better tomorrow, such as a broad infrastructure package,” Franken says, “or addressing the medical care or addressing those most impacted by this.”

Franken questions the 12-hundred dollar payments to nearly all Americans, suggesting the focus should be on helping the unemployed. Kimberly Graham, an attorney from Indianola, says meat packing companies should be held accountable for putting workers’ health at risk. “There is no worker, I don’t care how good it tastes, that is work anyone’s life,” Graham says. “…These owners of these plants knew what we all knew for a very long…that it spreads in close contact and yet they still had people right up next to each other with no PPE in some cases, no breaks to wash their hands, etc.”

Des Moines businessman Eddie Mauro also says packing plants put workers in harm’s way. “That’s wrong. We’ve got to take care of the worker first,” Mauro says. “We’re not thinking about the family farmer, either. We’re only thinking about big ag and big corporations. We’ve got to talk about how we overhaul our agricultural system. ”

The four candidates support expanding health care coverage for Americans, but by varying degrees. Greenfield says the Affordable Care Act is the starting point. “I support expanding and strengthening and enhancing the Affordable Care Act. We have all the tools we need there,” Greenfield says. “We need to add in a public option on top of that so that absolutely every Iowan, every American can get health care.”

Franken says he supports immediately fixing what’s wrong with the Affordable Care Act and adding a public option — so Americans could buy Medicare-type coverage. “And ultimately bracing up Medicare,” Franken says. “…We ought to make this a birthright of Americans and for the working class in America.”

Graham, a supporter of Medicare for All, says other wealthy countries provide health care as a right and she compares those systems to public libraries in the U.S. “They’re not free. We have to pay the librarian, the books, the building, but when you walk into a library, you just hand them your library card and you leave with a book,” Graham says. “You don’t pay anything at that time of service and you never get a bill and you sure as heck never go bankrupt.”

Mauro supports Medicare for All, too. “In the immediate future, we should lower the eligibility age of Social Security to 55,” Mauros ays. “We need to expand the Childrens’ Health Insurance Program for every child under the age of 18.”

And Mauro proposes giving Americans who’ve lost their jobs during the pandemic the option of getting subsidies to buy private insurance through the “ObamaCare” exchanges. The four candidates made their comments last (Monday) night during a n hour-long forum broadcast live on Iowa P-B-S. There was no studio audience and, as another health precautions, the candidates were separated by clear Plexiglass dividers.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a man and woman from Corning were arrested Monday evening for violating their respective protective orders. A deputy on patrol on W. 10th Street in Corning saw 38-year old Robert Surrell and 34-year old Linda Sitzman walking east on 10th Street together. Upon further investigation it was found both parties had active protection orders.

Surrell was arrested for Violation of a Protective Order. Sitzman was charged with Abetting in Violation of a Protective Order. Both parties are awaiting an appearance before a Magistrate.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

ATLANTIC, Iowa (KJAN) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in locating a juvenile female reported a missing from Griswold. Tawni Liddell was last seen at her residence in Griswold, late May 17th or early May 18th.  Anyone with information on Tawni’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriffs Office at 1-712-243-2206. Tawni has connections in the Omaha, NE area. The girl is described as being 5-feet seven 1/2 inches tall, and weighing 140-pounds. She has green eyes, shoulder length light brown hair, and a mole on her upper left lip.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The coronavirus has sparked concerns about how private medical information is being used. An Associated Press review shows that health officials in at least 35 U.S. states are sharing the addresses of those who test positive for coronavirus to first responders who request it. Ten of those states also share names. Law enforcement officials say first responders use the information to take extra precautions that help them avoid contracting and spreading the disease. But civil liberty and community activists have expressed concerns of potential profiling in African American and Hispanic communities that already have an uneasy relationship with law enforcement.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Regulators declined to inspect an Iowa pork plant after receiving a complaint alleging insufficient efforts were being made to halt the spread of the coronavirus. One state senator says that decision failed workers and allowed an outbreak to grow. An April 11 complaint to the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration says employees at the Tyson Foods plant in Perry, Iowa, worked “elbow to elbow” and that social distancing was near impossible. Records show Iowa OSHA waited nine days before contacting Tyson, which took eight days to respond. The agency described Tyson’s voluntary safety efforts as “satisfactory.” A week later, the state announced 730 workers tested positive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Public health officials are reporting two cases in Iowa of a new inflammatory disease in children associated with coronavirus infections. State Epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati said Monday the state learned of two potential cases on Friday in children in eastern Iowa. They are stable and state officials are working with local officials to learn more. The condition was highlighted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week as a newly identified inflammatory syndrome in children. Also, Iowa public health data released Monday indicates that the rate of coronavirus deaths have slowed to 19 in the last three days after surging last week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Advocates are raising money to pay for the burial of a 36-year-old Congolese refugee who died of the coronavirus earlier this month in Des Moines.Embarc Iowa, a refugee services organization, said that Wiuca Iddi Wiuca died May 4 after a sudden illness and two weeks in the hospital.The group says advocates need to raise thousands of dollars to have Wiuca buried this week at an Ankeny cemetery, adding that a traditional burial in the Congolese community is extremely important. Wiuca leaves behind two adult siblings who, like him, were resettled to Des Moines last year from a refugee camp in Tanzania. They had fled war in Congo in 1996.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is asking for your help in locating a juvenile female reported a missing from Griswold. Tawni Liddell was last seen at her residence in Griswold, late May 17th or early May 18th.  Anyone with information on Tawni’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriffs Office at 1-712-243-2206. Tawni has connections in the Omaha, NE area.

Tawni Liddell

The girl is described as being 5-feet seven 1/2 inches tall, and weighing 140-pounds. She has green eyes, shoulder length light brown hair, and a mole on her upper left lip. (See the picture)

Members of the Audubon School District’s Board of Education held an electronic meeting Monday night, during which they approved several action items on their agenda, including:

• SU “Breakdown” Insurance for FY21. The SU Insurance Company’s Equipment Maintenance Program help’s districts free up general fund dollars by allowing the district to pay for repairs of school equipment. In the Audubon School District, that amounts to $34,339 and is paid for through the Management Fund.
• The Board approved a bid from AE Dairy for milk. Superintendent Eric Trager said they have worked with AE Dairy for years.
• The Board also approved Student Fees for FY 21. Mr. Trager said: student lunches were raised by five-cents, and adult lunches by a dime (Mandatory); The Breakfast fee went up five-cents for both students and adults; The snack fee went up $10 to $60 per year. The rate has not been raised for several years. The value of the snacks amounts to $180 per year, which is offset by donations. All other student fees remain the same as 2019-20.
• The Audubon School Board tabled a decision on the sale of a home in Washington State. The condominium duplex was bequeathed to the District from the estate of Jeanette LaFoy, but the matter was put on hold, Trager said, because there was no money left to pay for attorney fees and related matters. The home was recently appraised for $205,000, and there was an interested buyer, but their initial offer was not acceptable. The District came back with $195,000, but Mr. Trager had not heard back as of Monday evening. If there’s no word by Tuesday, Trager said he would locate a local real estate agent, in hopes of listing it at $230,000 at the start.
• The Board approved Bonding Regulations in their Policy, and a Resolution Authorizing an Official Statement for the Bond Sale, in the amount of $1.110-million dollars. Mr. Trager said that figure is comprised of $7.5-million for the General Obligation Bonds and $1.61-million for the Series 2020 Refunding Bonds.
• And, the Audubon School Board approved the hiring of Andrew Renkin as Social Studies/At-Risk Teacher.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Trager said the District’s Return to Learn plan, which is due July 1st, has three parts: Mandatory Remote Learning (what happens if school can’t be held?); A Hybrid plan (What happens if only half the students are allowed at any given time?); the third is a brick and mortar, back to normal plan ( What will be done to make sure everyone stays safe?). There is a team working on the plan in preparation for the deadline.

Trager said also, the District has received $68,483 from the CARES Act Fund, which he says they will hold in reserve for now, to pay for an extra week of school with regard to hourly staff, possibly pay for Summer School, and the unknowns impacts associated with COVID-19.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office released a report on arrests, Monday evening. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater said there were two arrests on Saturday: 29-year old Christopher Patrick Carr, of Davenport, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Failure to serve a jail sentence. Carr turned himself-in, served his required time, and was released the following night. Also arrested May 16th, was 25-year old Cody Alan Brommel, of Redfield, who was taken into custody by Stuart Police at around 2:50-a.m. for Felony Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His arrest followed an incident at a residence in Stuart earlier that same morning. Brommel was released later in the day on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

On May 13th, 36-year old Tim LeeRoy Wambold, Jr., of Fontanelle, was arrested by Adair County Deputies, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was released the next day on his Own Recognizance. And, 26-year old Jeffrey Dwane Ott, of Greenfield, was arrested May 13th, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. Ott was released the following day on a $1,000 cash/surety bond.

Mills County Public Health officials, Monday, said there was one additional, positive case of COVID-19 confirmed in the county. Additional details on the age and location of the patient were not released. The additional positive case brings to 13 the total number of confirmed cases in Mills County.

Nine people have recovered from COVID-19 in the County. 341 have been tested.