OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton University has unveiled a plan to build a $75 million medical school facility, much of the funding for which will come from C.L. and Rachel Werner of Omaha. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Creighton’s president, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, announced the plan during his annual convocation Tuesday, saying the planned health sciences facility will serve as the new front door for the Creighton School of Medicine.

The building will be named the C.L. Werner Center for Health Sciences Education. Werner is the founder of Werner Enterprises, an Omaha-based trucking company. The building will house programs for medicine, nursing, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other disciplines.

Creston Police, Wednesday (today) report the arrest Tuesday afternoon, of 23-year old Paige O’Neall, from Creston. O’Neall was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a charge of Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. She was cited for the offense and released on a Summons to Appear in court.

And, a man residing in the 800 block of W. Adams Street, in Creston, reported to police Tuesday, that sometime between Jan. 31st and Feb. 1st, someone slashed a rear tire on the vehicle, while the vehicle was parked outside of the man’s home. The damage was estimated at $150.

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard, today (Wednesday, 10-a.m.) shows there are 1,197 new, positive cases of COVID-19 in test results since 10-a.m. Tuesday, for a pandemic total of 321,536. The IDPH says there were 56 additional deaths recorded over the previous 24 hours, for a pandemic total of 4,975. Officials attributed 4,504 deaths to an Underlying Cause, while COVID was a contributing factor in 471 deaths. In western and southwest Iowa, there was one new death in Cass County (for total of 46), and Shelby County (30 total); Two more deaths in each of: Harrison (67 total); Mills (20 deaths); Montgomery (32); Pottawattamie County (129), and Union County (29 total).

Long-Term Care (LTC) facility data, Wednesday, show there are 48 current outbreaks among those facilities in Iowa. Those facilities account for 1,431 of Iowa’s positive cases, while 887 LTC patients have recovered from the virus. LTC deaths make up 2,043 of the State’s total number of deaths.

The IDPH reports there are 382 people hospitalized with COVID symptoms (compared to 390, yesterday). Officials say 86 COVID patents are in an intensive care unit (ICU), the number of patients admitted over the past 24-hours is up from 49 Tuesday to 58 today, and there are 34 people on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa),  22 are hospitalized with COVID symptoms, eight are in an ICU, no one was admitted since 10-a.m. Tuesday, and three people are on a ventilator.

The Health Dept. reports also, 263,248 doses of the vaccine have been administered. Of those doses, 135,156 persons have received their first, or initial dose, while 64,046 have received their second dose.  The State’s 14-day positivity rate is 9.5%, and the seven-day average is 7.7%. A total of 288,312 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

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, 1,189 cases; {+7}; 46 deaths
• Adair, 711; {+4}; 24
• Adams, 310; {+1}; 3
• Audubon, 439 {+5}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,059 {+2}; 27
• Harrison County, 1,618; {+4}; 67
• Madison County, 1,318; {+10}; 12
• Mills County, 1,414; {+8}; 20
• Montgomery, 928; {+6}; 32
• Pottawattamie County, 9,400; {+40}; 129
• Shelby County, 1,104; {+0}; 30
• Union County,  1,151; {+5}; 29

A judge in Missouri has sentenced a Cass County (Iowa) man to jail, in connection with a fatal boating accident at the Lake of the Ozarks. According to television station KY3, in Springfield, MO., Kelly Wise, of Atlantic (IA) will serve 30 days in jail before being placed on probation.

Investigators say Wise was driving a boat on the Lake of the Ozarks Osage Arm around 10 p.m, in June 2019, when his boat collided with another boat.

The crash killed race car driver Jason Russell of Eugene, Mo.  Russell raced at Lake Ozark Speedway. Four other people — including Wise’s wife — were injured in the crash.  Kelly Wise’ blood alcohol level tested at .184 (Twice the legal limit) at the time of the crash. He plead guilty in December to a charge of BWI (Boating While Intoxicated).