20: Death rate decreasing; Hospitalizations also falling

December 6th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard early today (10-a.m. Sunday) shows the rapid number of increases in deaths from COVID-19 have declined from 62 Saturday to 17 today, for a total of 2,682. The past few days (Dec. 3-5) have shown increases of 70, 84 and 62 dead (per day, respectively). Five more deaths have been recorded in Pottawattamie County since Saturday, for a total of 81.

Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities report 1,118 deaths, while deaths attributed in-part to preexisting conditions number 1,363. There are 1,869 new Positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, for a total of 243,931. Long-Term Care facility outbreaks are at 137. There are 5,282 positive cases and 2,305 recoveries reported within those facilities. Cass County currently has 161 positive cases among two facilities, with 92 recovered.

Hospitalizations statewide have fallen from 960 Saturday, to 918 today, with 195 COVID patients in an ICU (down from 204 previously); 141 were admitted (10 more than previous), and 122 patients are on a ventilator (that’s up 5 from Saturday). Hospitals in southwest/western Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 52 hospitalized; 209 are in an ICU; 4 were admitted, and 7 COVID patients remain on a ventilator.

Iowans who have recovered from the virus number 158,994, while 1,248,999 have been tested, to-date. The State’s positivity rate is down to 16.5%. Cass County’s positivity rate has declined to 15.0%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,

Cass, 872 cases {+5}; 572 recovered; 26 deaths
Adair, 479 {+7}; 284; 10
Adams, 193 {+10}; 107; 2
Audubon, 313 {+1}; 228; 2
Guthrie, 808 {+6); 517; 15
Harrison County, 1,161 {+10}; 804; 32
Madison County, 768 {+9}; 475; 5
Mills County, 1,128 {+5}; 681; 10
Montgomery, 541 [+3}; 281; 11
Pottawattamie County, 7,033 {+66]; 4,227; 81
Shelby County, 819 {+3}; 540; 14
Union County, 885 {+15}; 380; 8

Posted in News |

Saturday’s area high school basketball scores (from 12/5/20)

Sports

December 6th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL

Ankeny Christian Academy 63, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 51

Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 55, Indianola 53

Essex 31, Cedar Bluff, NE. 25

Hinton 76, Westwood, Sloan 70

Panorama, Panora 61, IKM-Manning 53

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Atlantic 55, Griswold 15

Essex 49, Cedar Bluffs, Neb. 22

Indianola 67, Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 50

Moulton-Udell 49, Orient-Macksburg 34

Panorama, Panora 64, IKM-Manning 58

Westwood, Sloan 67, Hinton 56

Posted in Sports |

Sports Headlines: 12/6/20

Sports

December 6th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Brock Purdy threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 12 Iowa State dominated on defense in a 42-6 rout of West Virginia. The Cyclones move to the Big 12 championship game against No. 13 Oklahoma on Dec. 19. Iowa State scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and finished with 483 total yards against the Big 12’s top defense while holding West Virginia to 263. The Cyclones’ eight conference wins are the most in program history, and their 31-18 record the last four seasons is their best four-year stretch in the modern era that started in 1928.

UNDATED (AP) — The Big 12 championship game matchup is set between No. 12 Iowa State and No. 13 Oklahoma. Iowa State clinched a spot in its first title game and the best conference record in the regular season with a 42-6 home win over West Virginia. The five-time defending Big 12 champion Sooners later beat Baylor 27-14. The title game is Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma has won six games in a row since a 37-30 loss at Iowa State on Oct. 3. Iowa State has finished its regular season. Oklahoma has a game left, but holds all tiebreakers over Oklahoma State and Texas.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Spencer Petras threw three touchdown passes and No. 24 Iowa scored 35 straight points after trailing by two touchdowns early and beat Illinois 35-21. Petras was 18 of 28 for 220 yards, and Tyler Goodson had 19 rushes for 92 yards. Brandon Peters started 8 for 8 for 101 yards and two touchdowns for Illinois (2-4), but went 2 for 10 for 15 yards before being pulled for backup Isaiah Williams midway through the fourth quarter. Williams was 7 of 16 for 83 yards and a touchdown.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Adrian Martinez ran for two touchdowns and passed for another to help Nebraska to a 37-27 victory over Purdue. Martinez completed 23 of 30 passes for 242 yards and rushed for another 45 yards for the Cornhuskers. Nebraska took a 34-13 lead on Martinez’s 1-yard touchdown run early in the second half. Purdue bounced back to narrow the deficit to 34-27 with two Jack Plummer touchdown passes. However, Nebraska regained control with an eight play, 79-yard drive capped by Connor Culp’s 32-yard field goal, his third, with 7:04 to play. Plummer completed 33 of 47 passes for 334 yards.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The big basketball matchup between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Baylor was called off Saturday. The game was scrapped hours before tip-off because of two positive COVID-19 tests in the Bulldogs program. A joint statement from the schools said one player and one nonplayer of the Gonzaga travel party tested positive. The unidentified player did not play in Wednesday’s game against West Virginia.

UNDATED (AP) — NBA teams that don’t comply with league rules designed to minimize the spread of the coronavirus this season could face major penalties such as forfeiting games or draft picks. The league also says it and the National Basketball Players Association will discuss players, coaches and other staff being required to receive a coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available. The NBA strongly urged teams to encourage players and others to get flu shots, and said that effective immediately, players, coaches and some essential staff must avoid bars, lounges, clubs, public gyms, spas and pool areas.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Sunday, Dec. 6 2020

News

December 6th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:55 a.m. CST

DES MOINES (AP) — Iowa is reporting more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19. The Des Moines Register reports the state announced another 2,369 confirmed cases Saturday. There have been more than 242,000 confirmed cases of the virus since the pandemic first hit Iowa. At least 2,665 people have died, including 62 more deaths reported by the state Saturday. One Sioux City, Iowa church has been hit particularly hard. The Sioux City Journal reports that 18 members of Morningside Lutheran Church have died from COVID-19.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa newspaper reporter and his wife have left a $3 million estate for local causes. The Quad-City Times on Saturday reported the paper’s former reporter John Willard and his wife Carol donated the estate to the Quad-Cities Community Foundation. Interest from the $3 million estate will be divided evenly between nine organizations each year. The foundation’s CEO says that’s about $15,000 per organization based on current interest rates. Money will go to a local public library, animal shelter and other groups. Willard worked for the newspaper for more than three decades.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — After facing a workforce shortage for months, Iowa has awarded an emergency $2.3 million contact-tracing contract to a company owned by a Republican Party insider. The Iowa Department of Public Health selected Iowa City-based MCI for the contract out of 14 companies that applied, saying it submitted the best proposal and that political considerations did not play a role. The company is expected to supply 200 contact tracers to supplement the hundreds of public health workers who have failed to keep up with Iowa’s fast-growing virus caseload. The first 60 graduated training and were beginning state work Friday. MCI is owned by GOP donor Anthony Marlowe, and has done work for President Donald Trump and Gov. Kim Reynolds’ political campaigns.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Deaths from the coronavirus in Iowa have reached their highest level since the beginning of the pandemic. The Iowa Department of Public Health said Friday that 84 more residents were reported dead from the virus, a one-day high for the second straight day after recording 70 deaths Thursday. Before Friday, the state of 3.1 million people has been averaging between 25 and 30 daily virus-related deaths for weeks. Their total since the beginning of the pandemic surged past 2,600 on Friday. The rapid rise in deaths comes after the state’s caseload peaked in mid-November, overwhelming hospitals.

Posted in News |

No. 24 Iowa scores 35 unanswered to beat Illinois 35-21

Sports

December 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Spencer Petris threw three touchdown passes and No. 24 Iowa scored 35 unanswered points after trailing by two touchdowns early and beat Illinois 35-21. Petris was 18 of 28 for 220 yards for Iowa (5-2) and Tyler Goodson had 19 rushes for 92 yards.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras is pressured by Illinois defensive lineman Owen Carney Jr. (99) and Roderick Perry II during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Brandon Peters started the 8-for-8 for 101 yards and two touchdowns for Illinois (2-4), but went 2-for-10 for 15 yards before being pulled for backup Isaiah Williams midway through the fourth quarter. Williams was 7 of 16 for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Posted in Sports |

No. 12 Cyclones rout WVU 42-6; next stop Big 12 title game

Sports

December 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Brock Purdy threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 12 Iowa State dominated on defense in a 42-6 rout of West Virginia to secure its first appearance in the Big 12 championship game. The Cyclones were assured a spot in the conference title game

Iowa State running back Breece Hall, left, runs in a touchdown as West Virginia defensive lineman Jalen Thornton, center, and cornerback Nicktroy Fortune, right, are late to the play during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)

Dec. 19 when TCU finished its win over Oklahoma State about the same time as kickoff against the Mountaineers. Iowa State scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and finished with 483 total yards against the Big 12’s top defense while holding West Virginia to 263.

Posted in Sports |

Former Iowa reporter donates $3M estate to local causes

News

December 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The foundation’s CEO says that’s about $15,000 per organization based on current interest rates. Money will go to a local public library, animal shelter and other groups. Willard worked for the newspaper for more than three decades.

Posted in News |

ART BAILEY, 81, of Cumberland (Private Svcs. 12/10/20)

Obituaries

December 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

ART BAILEY, 81, of Cumberland, died Saturday, December 5, 2020, at the Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison, Iowa. Private family services for ART BAILEY will be held. Steen Funeral Home in Massena has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends on Thursday, December 10, 2020, at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Memorials may be made to the Art Bailey memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

ART BAILEY is survived by:

His daughter – Jody (Paul) Assman, of Denison.

His son – Randy Bailey and friend Kim, of Omaha.

His sisters – Dorothy and Betty

8 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Iowa women down Wisconsin Saturday

Sports

December 5th, 2020 by admin

Final Score: Iowa 85, Wisconsin 78

Game Notes:

The Hawkeyes expanded their home-winning streak to 38 consecutive wins, ranking second in the country behind Baylor (57).
Redshirt sophomore Kate Martin recorded career-high steals (3) and assists (6), and junior Monika Czinano tied her career-best steals (2).
Sophomore Gabbie Marshall set season highs for points (15), assists (3) and tied her season-high steals (3), Czinano tallied nine rebounds for a season-high, and freshman Sharon Goodman tied her career-best rebounds (5).
Four Hawkeyes scored in double figures, including junior Monika Czinano (18), freshman Caitlin Clark (23), Marshall (15), and sophomore McKenna Warnock (12).

Up Next: Iowa hosts Iowa State on Wed., Dec. 9 for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Game. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT), and the game will stream live on BTN+.

Posted in Sports |