Grimes, IA – Special Olympics Iowa officials say they have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Mid-Winter Tournament scheduled for March 13 – 14 in Iowa City, due to concerns related to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). John Kliegl, Special Olympics Iowa President and CEO, said “The health and safety of the Special Olympics Iowa community, including our athletes, volunteers, and employees, are our top priority.”

Special Olympics Iowa has been closely monitoring the evolving situation with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and they have been coordinating with Special Olympics, Inc. and Special Olympics North America, the Iowa Dept. of Health, and various health professionals.  Special Olympics Iowa was working internally and with these various partners to develop and implement precautionary steps that would have allowed them to proceed safely with the tournament.

With the news of confirmed and suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Iowa, Special Olympics Iowa no longer believes they can prudently proceed with the tournament and be sure they are providing a safe and healthy environment, regardless of what precautionary steps and/or preventative measures might be implemented.  Special Olympics Iowa serves a population where many are at a heightened risk (age, compromised immune systems, and/or medically fragile), and their competitions require people to travel from all parts of the state to convene in venues and engage in sport.

As Special Olympics Iowa prepares for other upcoming events, they are ready to evaluate the risk level of each event on a case-by-case scenario and are developing contingency plans in case they need to cancel or postpone other events. Special Olympics Iowa, a statewide nonprofit organization, provides high-quality training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in all 99 counties of Iowa. Special Olympics Iowa offers 23 Olympic-style sports to more than 16,000 athletes and Unified partners year-round.

Since 1968, Special Olympics has provided an inclusive culture that stresses athletic excellence, rewards determination, emphasizes health and celebrates personal achievement. Through Special Olympics sports training and competition, children and adults with intellectual disabilities reach their full potential and experience inclusion in their communities every day.

For more information contact Special Olympics Iowa at info@soiowa.org or 515-986-5520.

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. (AP) — An Iowa woman has been given 15 to 30 years in prison for killing a pedestrian in northeast Nebraska. Court records say Maria Gonzalez-Diego, of Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced Tuesday in Dakota City. She’d pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide. In return, prosecutors dropped a charge of failure to stop at the scene of a fatal accident.

South Sioux City police have said Gonzalez-Diego’s vehicle hit 62-year-old Antonia Lopez De Ramirez the night of June 24 as she walked across a street. Police say Gonzalez-Diego vehicle continued north, leaving the scene.

(9-a.m. News) — The Mills County Emergency Management Agency reports during the week of February 4th, 2020, the Mills County Board of Supervisors submitted an application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for funding under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to assist with funding for property buyouts located in the unincorporated area of Mills County. Notice of the approval of this application is expected within the next thirty (30) days.

Once approval has been received, qualified property owners will be notified via U.S. Mail with a formal offer to purchase along with the appraisals. The offer to purchase will have a response deadline. This process is expected to take at least an additional thirty (30) days. If the offer to purchase is accepted, the property will go through the normal closing process like any other real estate transaction. Local authorities expect the buyout process to be completed within the next one hundred eighty (180) days. The buyout option is completely voluntary and either party can walk away from the process up until the time of closing.

The Interim Mortgage Assistance Program is still active and available to those qualified individuals in need of assistance. We would encourage those qualified individuals in need of assistance to fill out the application on the Mills County Flood Page or in person at the Mills County Auditor’s Office to begin the process. As a reminder, property owners must provide a mortgage statement from the lender, a forbearance letter (if applicable), and tax and/or insurance statements if not paid through an escrow account, along with any other correspondence with the mortgage holder that shows a need for assistance.

Qualified property owners should contact Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) by email at SWIPCO@swipco.org or by telephone at 1-866-279-4720 if they have any questions.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 67-year old Jody Bruck was arrested Tuesday afternoon for Assault causing bodily injury or mental illness (without intent), following an investigation into an incident at a residence in the 600 block of York Road (near Avoca). The alleged victim in the case was a 30-year old female.  Monday night, a disturbance in Avoca resulted in the arrest of 21-year old Kenneth Clyde Miller. He was charged with Child Endangerment/substantial risk, and (Simple) Domestic Abuse Assault. Authorities say the victims in the incident were a one-year old female and 21-year old female.

36-year old Sean Patrick Gifford, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Tuesday at the Pott. County Courthouse, on a State of Iowa warrant for Violation of Parole. Gifford was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail. And, 28-year old Neil Jeremy Brandon Bryant, of Council Bluffs, was arrested late Monday morning at the Pott. County Courthouse. Bryant was taken into custody on valid warrants through the State of Iowa, for Absence from Custody, Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender (two-counts), Leaving the scene of a property damage accident, and Operating a Motor Vehicle without the Owner’s Consent. His bond was set at $5,195.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Marchers and other participants won’t be navigating Cedar Rapids’ streets Tuesday: The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade has been canceled because of concerns about the new coronavirus. The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Society decided Tuesday night to call off this year’s event and make refunds to parade entrants. The nonprofit group has organized the parade since 1976.

The group said on social media that it had received some cancellations this week as well as messages and concerns from the community and volunteers. In another cancellation related to COVID-19, Special Olympics Iowa says it’s canceled the 2020 Mid-Winter Tournament in Iowa City.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) — The president of Grinnell College has told students they must leave the east-central Iowa campus by March 23rd to help halt the spread of the new coronavirus disease. Classes will continue to meet through Friday, the last day before spring break. A Tuesday letter from President Raynard Kington says that after March 30 the college will shift to online classes for the rest of the semester.

The college will cancel all athletic events, including practices, for the rest of the semester. Kington also says the college might cancel May’s commencement ceremony and other large events.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Health officials say two more Nebraska residents have tested positive for the new coronavirus disease, bringing the Nebraska total to five. A Douglas County woman in her 40s was added to the list Tuesday. Officials say she had recently traveled to California and Nevada and is recovering at home. State officials say a person from northeast Nebraska will be treated at the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus in Omaha. It’s unclear whether the person’s infection is travel related or related to any of the other four.

(Radio Iowa) — A Guttenburg man faces several charges after the Clayton County Sheriff’s Department says he hit a horse-drawn buggy northeast of Edgewood Sunday. The sheriff’s department says three people were seriously injured when a pickup driven by Alex Hyde struck the buggy. The injured were identified as 21-year-old Mary Miller, 21-year-old Adam Hershberger, and 17-year-old Nettie Hershberger, all of Edgewood.

The horse died, but Hyde was not hurt. Hyde faces charges that include: operating while intoxicated causing serious injury by vehicle, use of an electronic communication device while driving, driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway and carrying weapons while intoxicated.