IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa plans to use millions of dollars in federal pandemic funds on a long-term plan to improve data management across state agencies, a second information technology project that may not fit the purpose of the aid. State and federal auditors this week told Iowa’s executive branch to return millions of dollars to the state’s $1.25 billion coronavirus relief fund that were spent on new accounting and human resources software.

They determined the project wasn’t an appropriate expense. A state report shows the Office of the Chief Information Officer has been given $16.9 million in pandemic aid for a data collection initiative that was under discussion before the pandemic.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education held a Special Meeting in the High School Media Room late this (Thursday) morning, and approved a temporary mask mandate effective Friday, Oct. 23rd. Superintendent Steve Barber told KJAN News…

(The mask mandate is in effect for 30 days and offers parents the opportunity to implement remote learning if they so desire.)

You may recall a petition was circulated online asking the School Board to mandate a mask policy in order to alleviate the likelihood of any further students being quarantined. The Board also received a letter from the Cass County Board of Health, requesting the mandate be placed into effect immediately.

Barber said the Board took into consideration the increasing spread of the Coronavirus, even though the actual spread through the district has been low, coming in at around one-percent.

Face coverings are required in all buildings when social distancing is not possible. The board will reevaluate based on COVID-19 statistics in the district and Cass County. Superintendent Barber says it’s fortunate the District has been able to maintain a low number of the virus cases, considering how long school has been underway.

You can view the school board meeting in its entirety through this link.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The murder trial for a Sioux City man charged with killing his girlfriend’s 19-month-old daughter has been pushed back to next summer. The Sioux City Journal reports that a judge on Wednesday agreed to continue 24-year-old Tayvon Davis‘ trial to July 13. Both prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to the continuation. Davis’ trial had been set to start next week. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, child endangerment resulting in the death of a child and multiple acts of child endangerment in the 2018 death of the toddler.

An autopsy showed the girl had several blunt force injuries to her head and a kidney and had suffered fractures to her vertebrae and ribs.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County have taken two reports of theft. A man from Afton, reported Monday, that sometime between 3:00 and 4:30 AM that morning, while his vehicle was broken down between Creston and Afton, someone entered his vehicle and took his Taurus .40 cal gun. The weapon has an estimated value of $400.

And, a man from Diagonal reported Wednesday, that sometime in the past week or so, someone took batteries and battery cables from a bulldozer owned by Larry Schultes while it was near the Clarke Union County Line. The loss was estimated at $400.