DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds has announced the reallocation of $17 million in relief money made available to local governments for direct expenses incurred in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Of the $17 million remaining from the Local Government Relief Fund, roughly $4.7 million was previously allocated to smaller cities and. to simplify the administration of distribution, is being reallocated to the County the City resides in. These smaller cities rely on services provided by the Counties, such as public health and public safety.  Counties will not have to reapply for the additional funds and the State will use the latest application from the Local Government Relief Fund to finalize the award.

Reynolds said “In so many ways COVID-19 has changed the way government serves its citizens, and perhaps the greatest impact has been at the local level. These resources will provide County and City governments with additional assistance to provide essential services to Iowans as they continue to combat the pandemic.” She added “I appreciate the unprecedented collaboration we have seen at the state, county, and city level which includes the incredible teams at Iowa State Association of Counties and the Iowa League of Cities.”

A breakdown of funds can be found here.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowa has gotten 160-thousand first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine so far, and about 106-thousand of them have already been administered, mostly to front-line health care workers. Reynolds says demand will continue to “vastly exceed supply” in Iowa for quite a while.

The plan calls for adding more essential workers to the vaccine mix starting early next month and the governor says it’s possible the state will be sent more doses of the vaccine, but there’s uncertainty with the change in administrations.

The next phase of recipients being added to the list next month will include people like teachers, grocery store employees, child care workers, workers in meat production facilities and more first responders and law enforcement.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of bankers suggests growing improvement in the economy in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states. But Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says bank CEOs’ biggest fears for 2021 are excessive inflation and higher long-term interest rates. The overall index of January’s Rural Mainstreet Survey improved to 52.0 from December’s 51.6 — the highest reading since before the onset last year of the coronavirus pandemic. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa is asking the U.S. House to dismiss an election contest filed by her Democratic challenger that argues the 6-vote race was wrongly decided. The Des Moines Register reports that Miller-Meeks argues in a filing to the House that lawmakers shouldn’t consider Rita Hart’s appeal because Hart did not contest the outcome under Iowa law.

An attorney for Miller-Meeks argues that House precedents going back a century “require contestants to avail themselves of every single remedy before they go to Congress.” Hart claims that at least 22 votes in the race were wrongly excluded, enough to change the outcome in her favor.

SUMNER, Iowa (AP) — Police say the owner of a child care facility in northeastern Iowa has been arrested and charged with child endangerment after being accused of injuring a 1-year-old in her care. Television station KCRG reports that an employee on Tuesday reported 54-year-old Crystal Bahe, of Sumner, to authorities. Bahe owns and operates Crystal’s Christian Child Care in Sumner.

The facility’s operations have been suspended while local police and the Iowa Department of Human Services conduct investigations into the allegation. Officials say families of the children attending the daycare have been notified and children have been moved from the facility.

District 21 Republican Representative Tom Moore, from Griswold, reports the Iowa Restaurant and Bar Relief Grant Program will provide eligible businesses with a one-time grant to assist with short-term cash flow. Gov. Kim Reynolds’s Nov. 16, 2020 proclamation ordered bars, restaurants, and other establishments to limit their hours of operations and continue social distancing measures to assist in preventing the further spread of COVID-19.

Grant Eligible Businesses include:

•  An Iowa-based brick and mortar establishment in which the primary purpose is serving food or drink
• The independent, Iowa-based business must not be part of a national restaurant franchise as defined by the National Restaurant Association. A restaurant franchise has 20 or more locations doing business under the same name, regardless of the type of ownership.
• If restaurant, must provide full-service dining.
• Must have experienced at least a 15% decrease in gross sales, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in combined Q2 and Q3 2020 compared to combined Q2 and Q3 2019 (April 1-Sept. 30).
• Sales verifications will be based off Iowa Sales/Retailer’s Use Tax and Surcharge Return and verified with Iowa Department of Revenue database.Businesses without historical gross sales revenue loss data (ie Q2 and Q3 2019, such as eligible businesses established after June, 30, 2019) will be reviewed for a possible award and as funds are available.The business must have open for business on or before April 1, 2020.
• The business must not have permanently closed. If temporarily closed, business has plan to reopen.
• Must be registered to do business in the State of Iowa and have physical location in the state.

Ineligible Businesses include:

• Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), Fast Food, Snacks
• Fast Casual
• Delivery and Take-Away Only
• Ice Cream Parlor, Frozen Dessert
• Coffee Shop, Tea House
• Smoothie, Juice Bars
• Food Trucks
• Adult Entertainment
• Any organization not in good standing with the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR), Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD), Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA).