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Harlan Senior Care facility announces residents test positive for COVID

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Official with the Elm Crest Senior Living Center in Harlan announced Sunday, that they have had several residents test positive for COVID 19, and that the facility will now join others in the area and across the State where such outbreaks have taken place. The Center says “Please understand this returns us to having all residents remain in their rooms as much as possible—meals will be served in rooms and we will have no small group activities.”

They said also, “Contact tracing is being done with those residents that tested positive (If it was your resident you have already been notified). The residents who tested positive have been moved to the isolation hall and we will use dedicated staff for their care. We continue to work with the Iowa Department of Public Health as well as follow all regulations as set forth by CMS.”

Elm Crest officials say they will continue to update the public as the situation changes.

LOWELL JENSEN, 78, of Massena (Mass of Christian Burial 11/14/20)

Obituaries

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

LOWELL JENSEN, 78, of Massena, died Sunday, November 8, 2020, at the Atlantic Specialty Care in Atlantic, Iowa.  A Mass of Christian Burial for LOWELL JENSEN will be held 1-p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14th, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Massena. Steen Funeral Home in Massena has the arrangements.

One of Lowell’s favorite things after church services was to have coffee and rolls and the family would like to greet friends at the Massena Lion’s Hall (Legion) from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2020, to honor Lowell.; Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Burial is in the Massena Center Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the Lowell Jensen memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

LOWELL JENSEN is survived by:

His wife – Evelyn Jensen, of Massena.

His son – John Jensen, of Massena.

His daughter – Barbette (James) Hatcher, of Liberty, Missouri

1 grandson, other relatives and friends.

Nebraska casinos may hurt Iowa gambling industry

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa casino officials worry they will lose business when several Nebraska casinos open now that voters in that state have approved gambling. Iowa officials said they worry that when casinos are built in Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska, they could hurt Iowa gaming revenues, especially in Council Bluffs, where four casinos currently operate.

Other Iowa border towns with casinos include Sioux City, Onawa and Sloan. Wes Ehrecke, president of the Iowa Gaming Association said the development of casinos in Nebraska could be another blow to Iowa casinos already reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

AP College Football Top 25 11/08/2020

Sports

November 8th, 2020 by admin

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Nov. 7, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

Record Pts Prv
1. Alabama (59) 6-0 1547 2
2. Notre Dame (2) 7-0 1464 4
3. Ohio St. (1) 3-0 1449 3
4. Clemson 7-1 1355 1
5. Texas A&M 5-1 1223 7
6. Florida 4-1 1213 8
7. Cincinnati 6-0 1208 6
8. BYU 8-0 1101 9
9. Miami 6-1 958 11
10. Indiana 3-0 956 13
11. Oregon 1-0 948 12
12. Georgia 4-2 861 5
13. Wisconsin 1-0 852 10
14. Oklahoma St. 5-1 762 14
15. Coastal Carolina 7-0 551 15
16. Marshall 6-0 534 16
17. Iowa St. 5-2 491 17
18. Oklahoma 5-2 467 19
19. SMU 7-1 456 18
20. Southern Cal 1-0 395 20
21. Texas 5-2 265 22
22. Liberty 7-0 260 25
23. Northwestern 3-0 250
24. Auburn 4-2 184 24
25. Louisiana-Lafayette 6-1 118

Others receiving votes: North Carolina 85, Army 54, Tulsa 47, Utah 33, Washington 21, Arizona St. 11, Purdue 8, Wake Forest 6, Boise St. 5, Appalachian St. 5, California 3, Maryland 3, Nevada 1.

Burn Ban for Shelby County until further notice

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency said Sunday, Shelby County is currently in extreme fire danger and is in a burn ban until further notice.

Nursing home COVID-19 cases rise four-fold in surge states

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has tried to erect a protective shield around nursing homes, but coronavirus cases are surging within facilities in states hard hit by the latest wave of COVID-19.

Weekly COVID-19 infections in nursing homes in 20 states have been rising since May. (AP Graphic)

An analysis of federal data from 20 states (including Iowa) for The Associated Press finds that new weekly cases among residents rose nearly four-fold from the end of May to late October, from about 1,100 to nearly 4,300. Resident deaths more than doubled, from 318 a week to 699. That’s according to University of Chicago health researchers.

The administration says nursing home outbreaks involve complex dynamics and the government has provided billions of dollars to help nursing homes as well as thousands of fast-test machines.

 

Iowa man sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexual assault

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for two sexual assaults. Forty-year-old Richard Siemer Jr. was sentenced after he pled guilty to second-degree sexual abuse and third-degree sexual abuse as part of a deal with prosecutors. Assistant Pottawattamie County Attorney Malina Dobson said these latest crimes are the fourth and fifth sexual assault convictions on Siemer’s record.

Dobson said the most recent offenses occurred in July and August 2019 after Siemer befriended women whom he worked with and invited them to his apartment and attacked them. Siemer will have to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.

 

Iowa COVID-19 update for Sunday, 11/8/2020: 13 deaths; 4,200+ new positive cases confirmed

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard this (as of 10-a.m., Sunday) morning, indicated 13 more deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 since Saturday’s report, for a total of 1,842. The number of deaths attributed to a pre-existing conditions statewide are 1,197, while deaths at Long-Term Care facilities amount to 890, four more than what was reported Saturday.

Officials say there are 4,213 new confirmed cases of the virus, for a total since the pandemic began, of 152,604. Cass County has 16 more Positive cases of COVID, for a total of 579. Double-digit case increases were also reported in Adams, Harrison, Madison, Mills, Montgomery and Shelby Counties. Pottawattamie County cases jumped by 126, to 4,038, since the pandemic began.

The number of Long-Term Care facility (LTC) outbreaks remain 92. Those care facilities report 2,846 positive cases and 1,195 recoveries.   In Cass County, three facilities: Atlantic Specialty Care, The Heritage House, and the Griswold Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, have a combined total of 143 positive cases, with 34 recovered. Harrison County has 298 cases among three facilities, and 209 recovered. Longview Home, Inc. has the highest positivity rate in that county, for a total of 119.  (For more data, go to https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/)

Hospitalizations were up from 949 Saturday to 992 today. There fewer COVID patients in an ICU though (199 Saturday as compared to 190 today). Persons admitted to a hospital since 10-a.m. Saturday number 181, seven more than yesterday. And there are 77 persons on a ventilator, compared to 72 on Saturday. In western/southwestern Iowa: there are 59 COVID patients in the hospital; 20 are in an ICU, four people were admitted, and there are currently two people on a ventilator.

The health department reports 1,030,973 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19. The state received 7,634 lab test results in the previous day, with 2,162 Positive results and 5,438 Negative results. The State’s Individual Positivity rate is up to 14.8% (14.5% ) previously, and the 14-day rolling average is up to 19.4% (It was 18.6% Saturday). The total number of negative results since the onset of the pandemic amounts to 876,665.

Of Iowa’s 99 counties, 81 report 14-day positivity rates above 15%. Only one Iowa county, Ringgold County, reports a 14-day positivity rate below 10%. Cass County’s Positivity rate is 19.6%  Taylor County is up to 26.8%, and Page County’s Positivity rate jumped to 33.6%.  Jones County, in eastern Iowa has the State’s highest Positivity rate, at 41.9%.   Officials say 100,712 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

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, 579 cases {+15}; 364 recovered; 10 deaths
  • Adair, 278 {+13}; 99; 3
  • Adams, 103 {+10}; 59; 1
  • Audubon, 228 {+7}; 115; 1
  • Guthrie, 502 {+7); 324; 15
  • Harrison County, 816 {+17}; 485; 21
  • Madison County, 455 {+12}; 313; 4
  • Mills County, 602 {+24}; 285; 3
  • Montgomery, 267 {+12}; 200; 7
  • Pottawattamie County, 4,038 {+126]; 2,818; 49
  • Shelby County, 525 {+16}; 430; 2
  • Union County,  368 {+9}; 254; 6

RUTH FOWBLE, 94, formerly of Atlantic (Svcs. 11/13/20)

Obituaries

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

RUTH FOWBLE, 94, formerly of Atlantic, died Saturday, Nov. 7th, at the Stuart Community Care Center. Funeral services for RUTH FOWBLE will be held 1-p.m. Friday, Nov. 12th, at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Visitation with the family takes place one-hour prior to the service on Friday, at the funeral home (Noon until 1-p.m.); Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

RUTH FOWBLE is survived by:

Her daughter – Connie (Ron) Partlow.

Her son – Roger (Marge) Griffifth.

Her sister-in-law: Irene Rydl, of Anita.

5 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

2 arrested Saturday in Red Oak for Tampering w/a Witness

News

November 8th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police, Saturday arrested a man and a woman on two counts each, of Tampering with a Witness. 41-year old Tyler Geoffrey Jennings and 35-year old Erika Joann Driver, both of Red Oak, were arrested Saturday and held on $2,000 bond each, in the Montgomery County Jail.