Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoege reports on Wednesday March 3rd, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council is hosting a mobile food pantry through the Food Bank for the Heartland at the Cass County Community Center from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, or as supplies last. Hoege notes they have handed out double the amount of food at these mobile pantries in the past, given the increased needs related to COVID-19.

Anyone in need is welcome to visit the mobile pantry, and no documentation is needed. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Due to high rates of COVID-19, everyone visiting or volunteering for the pantry is asked to wear a mask.

Details for Food Bank for the Heartland Mobile Food Pantry:
When: Wednesday, March 3 (4:00-6:00 PM, or until supplies run out).
Where: Cass County Community Center (805 West 10th St. Atlantic IA 50022). Traffic will be directed by
volunteers.
What: A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a oneday
distribution. The mobile pantry is available free of charge. Visitors are asked stay in their vehicles
with the trunk open and wear a mask when talking with volunteers.
Who: Anyone in need is welcome. No documentation needed.
For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local
Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Prosecutors say a man charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and other counts in a 2019 Des Moines shooting that killed one man and injured another has taken a plea deal. Television station WHO-TV reported Tuesday that Michael Lyke Jr. has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, willful injury and intimidation with a dangerous weapon in the June 2019 killing of 41-year-old Earl Caldwell. Another man, 39-year-old Des Moines resident Littleton William Clark, was injured.

Lyke had been scheduled to go to trial in April on the more serious charges and would have received a mandatory life sentence if convicted. He now faces up to 30 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 10.

Public hearings will be held Wednesday morning in Greenfield, as part of the Adair County Board of Supervisor’s regular, electronic* meeting that begins at 9-a.m.  The hearings (which are scheduled to begin at 9:20 and 9:30-a.m.), are with regard to a FY21 Budget Amendment, and the FY22 Maximum Property Tax Dollars, respectively. Both will be followed by action on Resolutions approving each matter, and the setting of a date for a Public Hearing on the FY22 Adair County Budget.

In other business:

• County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present an award contract for the Board Chair to sign, with regard to Farm-to-Market granular surfacing.
• County Recorder Janelle Schneider will discuss and/or present a County Land Record Information System 28-E agreement
• And, Eddie Bajric, with Access Systems, will talk about a Cloud-based Phone System.

The Adair County Supervisors will also receive a COVID-19 update, discuss the latest information, along with acting on any claims to come before them.

*The meeting can be heard/joined by calling (605)-313-6157, and using access code 526272#   Please be sure to mute your phone if you are not part of the discussion during times of public comment.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Tuesday, at 10-a.m., reported 690 new, positive COVID-19 test results were returned from the labs, for a pandemic total of 360,278. There were 26 additional deaths reported, for a total of 5,400. The coronavirus dashboard shows one additional death in Adams County, where the pandemic total is now four.

Health officials say Underlying Causes (diseases or injury that initiated the events resulting in death), amount to 4,849. The IDPH says 551 deaths listed COVID as a contributing factor. A pre-existing condition accounted for 4,973 deaths, while Long-Term Care (LTC) facility deaths accounted for 2,146 of the total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are down slightly from Monday, at 20. Positive cases at LTC’s account for 520 of the total number of positive results, while 352 patients/staff at those facilities have recovered from COVID.

Hospitalizations are up. The IDPH said as of Tuesday, there were 227 persons hospitalized with COVID, compared to 222 on Monday. COVID patients in an ICU increase from 54 Monday to 58 Tuesday. There were 30 COVID patients admitted to hospitals across the State in Tuesday’s report, compared to 22 during the previous 24-hour report.  Patients on a ventilator remain at 25. Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 13 people still hospitalized; six COVID patients are in an ICU, two people were admitted, and one person remains on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate as of Tuesday was steady at 4.3%, while the 7-day average was up slightly, to 4.2%.

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, 1,315 cases; {+3}; 48 deaths
• Adair, 911; {+3}; 26
• Adams, 326 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 483 {+1}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,157 {+2}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,785; {+3}; 69
• Madison County, 1,520; {+4}; 17
• Mills County, 1,615; {+2}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,036; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,666; {+16}; 140
• Shelby County, 1,192; {+0}; 33
• Union County,  1,256; {+2}; 31

(Radio Iowa) – The Armstrong City Council has voted to place its police chief and city clerk on unpaid administrative leave after the two were among five current and former city officials arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into misconduct. Mayor Pro-Tem Ronald Trenary says the council made the decision because the investigation could go on for some time and the town’s budget could not handle paying the salaries of people who are no longer working for the city. The council is trying to meet the March 15th deadline for drafting the city’s budget for the next fiscal year. “We have an accountant here in town that’s helping us with the budget because that’s the biggest thing for us right now is getting the budget set,” he says.

Trenary says the city council has asked the Iowa League of Cities for help in finding people to serve as police chief and city clerk for the community, which has a population of about 900. Armstrong’s mayor and two former city employees have also been arrested and charged as a result of an investigation into allegations of theft and misuse of city property that date back to 2013.

Officials with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, Tuesday, said applications are now being accepted for the 12th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship. Applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School guidance office at 1201 E. 14th Street, or the Atlantic High School website at www.atlanticiaschools.org.  There are as many as two $750 scholarships available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2021. Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain an academic achievement of 2.5 G.P.A, or better. The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May.

Trevor Frederickson

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006. He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College in Creston where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans. Two additional $750 scholarships will be available for Southwestern Community College students this fall. Trevor, who passed away in 2009, had plans of pursuing a career in law enforcement and returning to his hometown of Atlantic.

His mom, Melanie Petty said “Anyone who knew Trevor, knew he valued family, life and community. Trevor continues to live on in our hearts and minds. To this day, Trevor is still giving back to the community he loved to be a part of.” Funds for the scholarships are raised at an annual golf tournament. Plans are already in the works for the 13th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, August 14th, 2021. Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.