The Iowa Department of Public Heath at 10-a.m., Monday, reported an additional 238 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Sunday, for a pandemic total of 363,707. There was also one additional death reported, for a total of 5,472. Long Term Care facility deaths account for 2,168 of the State’s total number of deaths.

The number of Long-Term Care facility COVID-19 Outbreaks are unchanged, at 19. Hospitalizations increased slightly, to 197. COVID patients in an ICU decreased from 50 to 48. There were 31 patients admitted to hospitals over the 24-hour reporting period, and 15 patients on a ventilator.

Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 11 people remain hospitalized for COVID; five COVID patients are in an ICU, there were three new admissions for patients with COVID from 10-a.m. Sunday through 10-a.m. Monday, and one person remained on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is up a bit, to 4.3%, while the seven-day rate increased from 4.2% to 4.5%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,331 cases; {+0}; 51 deaths
• Adair, 920; {+0}; 28
• Adams, 326 {+1}; 4
• Audubon, 485 {+0}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,164 {+1}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,793; {+1}; 69
• Madison County, 1,542; {+0}; 18
• Mills County, 1,631; {+2}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,037; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,756; {+0}; 143
• Shelby County, 1,206; {+1}; 33
• Union County,  1,262; {+1}; 31

A man who suffered from a medical condition was injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon on I-29, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 46-year old James Bushey, of Council Bluffs, was traveling south on I-29 at mile marker 27 at around 1:25-p.m., when he lost control of his 2008 Toyota Tundra, while suffering from a medical episode. The pickup crossed the median and both northbound lanes before entering a ditch, hitting a barbed wire fence, and coming to rest in a farm field.

The vehicle sustained minor damage. Bushey was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to Bergan-Mercy Hospital in Omaha. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood Rescue assisted at the scene.

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

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A man from southern Iowa’s Lucas County is accused of purposely ramming his car into a pickup, then stabbing that vehicle and assaulting responding deputies. KCCI says court documents show the incident happened Saturday on Interstate 80, near Earlham. Thirty-year-old Brandon Carroll, of Russell, reportedly told authorities he intentionally crashed into a truck because he saw it try to run law enforcement off the road.

The Dallas County Deputy who responded says he was the only law enforcement in the area, and that he was 10 miles away. Court documents show Carroll tried to grab the deputy’s firearm multiple times while he was being arrested, and even said to the deputy quote, “I am going to kill you.” Carroll is now facing multiple charges including assault, harassment, reckless driving and disarming a peace officer.

He’s being held in the Dallas County Jail in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond.

The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested on drug charges over the past few days. At around 2-a.m. today (Monday), 35-year old Mike W. Post, of Lorimor, was arrested at Fremont/Walnut Streets in Creston, with assistance from the Creston Police K9 Baxo. Post was taken into custody for: Possession of a Controlled Substance w/the intent to deliver more than 5 grams of Methamphetamine, PCS w/intent to deliver less than 50 kilos, of Marijuana; Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp; Carrying weapons; Possession of Meth/1st offense, and Possession of Paraphernalia. Post was being held in the Union County Jail, while awaiting a bond hearing.

And, at around 8:50-p.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 41-year old Justin Hodge for Driving While Suspended, and Poss. of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. Hodge was released from custody on a $1,300 bond.

Creston Police said also, 28-year old Devin Heimke, of Creston, was arrested at around 3-a.m. Sunday, for Public Intoxication. He was later released on a $300 bond. Authorities say a man from Lenox reported late Friday morning, that sometime late Thursday or early Friday, someone broke into a residence he was working on, in the 500 block of W. Mills Street. A person or persons unknown gained entry by breaking glass on the front door of the residence. Once inside, they took a Masterforce Chop Saw. The loss and damage was estimated at $200.

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

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(Radio Iowa) – A Fort Dodge man is now charged with last Thursday’s bank robbery in Scranton.  According to a release from Greene County Sheriff Jack Williams, 27-year-old Zachary Michael Anderson Wailes was taken into custody at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. He has been charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree theft. Anderson Wailes is alleged to have entered the People’s Bank in Scranton at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday wearing a face mask and sunglasses with a sweatshirt hood pulled over his head.

Still photos from the bank’s security video were distributed and the public’s assistance was requested in helping to identify the suspect. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Gaming Enforcement; the Carroll, Calhoun and Boone County Sheriff’s Offices; and the Lake City, Boone and Ames Police Departments assisted in locating and arresting Anderson Wailes. The investigation into the robbery is ongoing.

(Radio Iowa) – There has been discussion about potential college student loan changes by the Biden administration — and possibly loan forgiveness. At the non-profit Iowa Student Loan, president Steve McCullough, says you shouldn’t wait to see what the federal changes are before reviewing your loans.  “The most important thing those people can do now rather just wait for some additional assistance, is to call their loan servicers and inquire about what tools are already in place that can help them,” McCullough says.

He says it is an important issue that does need attention. “There are some student borrowers who are in desperate need of assistance. It’s not every student loan borrower — as a matter of fact it is only a minority percentage of borrowers who are really in crisis — but for those borrowers, they really need some help,” McCullough says. “So it is good that policy makers are looking to provide additional help for student loan borrowers.” College students used to have ten years after they graduated to pay off their student loans. McCullough says that has changed. “Over time what happens, is borrowers have been given a lot more repayment options and extra time to repay,” according to McCullough. “There is a program right now called income contingent repayment, or income-based repayment, where people will pay as a percentage of their income. And if that loan is not repaid after 20 years, that remainder is forgiven.”

McCullough says everyone is different and you should review your own situation and see what is best. He says is you are struggling to make payments you should look at the income contingent payment program as it can lower your payment amount and if you don’t get a better job, the amount will eventually be forgiven. McCullough says you can also call Iowa Student Loan and they can help you find the information to consider what to do with your student loans.

Four separate Public Hearings will be held during Wednesday’s 5:30-p.m. meeting of the Atlantic City Council. The first is a hearing on Authorizing an application to the USDA/Rural Development for financial assistance to purchase new Atlantic Public Library computers, computer desks, related equipment, and to help finance new flooring in the Library, along with painting of the upper level. Director Michelle Andersen said the Library is eligible for 35% of the total project cost, with a total of five-years to expend the funds. Combined, both projects are expected to cost $80,970, with grants and other proceeds available, amounting to $69,440. The Library Gift Fund is likely to pick up the balance of the bill.

The second Public Hearing is with regard to the FY2022 Maximum Property Tax Dollars for Certain Levies, as previously explained in our reports. City Administrator John Lund has said the published levy shows an increase of 2.87%, but in reality, it is an increase of 2.59% on properties where no changes in assessed or taxable value have occurred, because the $4.11 debt levy is hidden in the published notice.

The third Public Hearing pertains to a proposal to enter into a General Obligation Refunding Loan Agreement (as previously explained, while the fourth hearing is on a proposal to enter into a solid waste management loan agreement, with regard to the 28-E organization the operates the Cass County Landfill. The Landfill has instituted a per-capita fee of $12 per resident, to be assessed annually, and payable by the City in four equal payments during the course of the fiscal year.

Each hearing will be followed by a Resolution taking action on the respective matters presented. In addition, the Atlantic City Council will act on a Resolution adopting the preliminary FY22 Budget and setting the date for a Public Hearing on adopting the Budget, and approving the budget, as March 17, 2021. The budget says the City’s combined property tax levy will remain at the level set in the FY2021 Budget, and there are no increases to existing fees, or utility rates.

Another Resolution sets March 17th as the date to hold a Public Hearing on, and adopting, the proposed FY22 10-year CIP (Capital Improvement Plan). And, the Council will act on an Order setting April 7, 2021, as the bid date and public hearing for the Atlantic Animal Shelter building addition. The original bids for the project came in well over the engineer’s estimate. The Lorene Eppelsheimer estate has gifted the City $135,000 to benefit animals at the shelter, with the intention of increase the number of cat cages and moving them to a separate area away from the dogs. It will also have a proper food storage area, an exam and grooming table, in addition to a more efficient water heater.

During this Wednesday’s meeting, the Council will act on a Resolution Authorizing the bids for the animal shelter addition. In other business, they will act on reappointing Melissa Ihnen to the Board of Adjustment as well as the Planning & Zoning Commission. They are also expected to reappoint Dave Sturm and Ted Robinson, to the Utility Board of Trustees

(Radio Iowa) – One of the most controversial figures in the past decade involving international espionage and the leaking of government secrets will be speak live from Russia in an Iowa State University lecture this week. Edward Snowden, a former C-I-A officer and National Security Agency consultant, will address the topic, “Digital Surveillance: How Gen Z Gave Up Its Privacy to Corporations and the Government.” Amanda Knief, director of the I-S-U Lectures Program, knows Snowden was an unusual choice. “There are people who consider him a traitor, there are other people who consider him a hero, and I think it’s important to explore those issues and get his information,” Knief says. “You can hate him or love him but he is an expert on digital surveillance and that’s something our students need to think about, experience and talk about.”

Even blenders now have smart technology and Knief says such advances have truly impacted the way our personal information is collected and used by companies and by the government. “This generation that’s in college right now, Gen Z, has really grown up with digital devices in their hands,” Knief says. “A lot of the issues about privacy and being tracked and giving your information out, these are things they have grown up with and are just every day.”

Snowden fled to Hong Kong in 2013 after revealing the U-S government was pursuing an unprecedented system of mass surveillance. He shared highly-classified documents with The Guardian and The Washington Post, shining an international spotlight on issues of individual privacy and national security. The whistleblower’s talk is available to anyone, free, via the I-S-U Lectures Program YouTube channel. Iowans, and anyone else, will be able to contribute to the conversation. “On the YouTube channel, there will be a way for people to submit questions,” Knief says. “We’re going to have a couple of students facilitating those, so they will be seeing the questions in real time and then they will be able to convey those to Mr. Snowden.”

The lecture from Moscow will start at 7 P-M/Central on Thursday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b1eRrbi3rM&feature=youtu.be