(Radio Iowa) – Iowans are being cautious about developing plans for the holiday travel season ahead, according to a survey by Triple-A Iowa. Spokesman Mark Peterson says the coronavirus pandemic is a key influence in how comfortable people feel about traveling between now and the end of the year.  “Nearly two-thirds of our travelers, about 64%, are concerned about traveling in the holiday season due to the pandemic, however, confidence is improving,” Peterson says. “Nearly half say they’re comfortable traveling now, compared to this time last year when the pandemic was just beginning.”

Still, only about one in five Iowans surveyed said they plan to travel during the holidays this year, that’s down about 40-percent from a year ago. The busiest travel holiday of the year is just less than a month away, well, in a typical year. “Thanksgiving is the big family one,” Peterson says. “People have a tendency to travel over that four- or five-day break and Thanksgiving is probably a little more family-oriented. We might get some more traveling but just not as much as last year.”

In the short-term, the survey found about one in ten Iowans say they will not be doing any traveling over the next week because of the presidential election. “People want to make sure that they vote and this, obviously, means it’s the people that want to do it in person,” Peterson says. “Obviously, they can take care of it through the mail but a lot of people like to walk in that door, go up there and do it the old-fashioned way and that has an influence for some people.”

The majority of Iowans (79%) say they are most comfortable traveling in their personal vehicle, which provides more personal control over cleanliness and social distancing. The survey found 64-percent of Iowans are still uncomfortable taking a commercial flight, though a federal study says the risk of contracting the virus on an airplane is minimal.

Officials with the Creston Police Department say a man residing in the 400 block of N. Sycamore Street reported Monday, that someone has pried open the gas cap on the vehicle and added something to the fuel tank that caused the vehicle to become inoperative. The incident happened while the vehicle was parked outside the man’s residence. The damage was estimated at $800.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Monday, reported three recent arrests. Two people were arrested on separate charges Sunday:

• Benjamin Thomas Milazzo, of Moberly, Missouri, was arrested for being Fugitive from Justice. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.
• 39-year-old Colleen Lynn Salmon, of Oakland, was arrested Sunday, on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a charge of Driving under Suspension. Her bond was set at $500.

And, on Monday, 65-year-old Craig Lee Hancock, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Mills County for Theft in the 3rd Degree. His bond was set at $5,000.

A prayer vigil will be held tonight (Tuesday night, Oct. 27th) at the Trojan Bowl, for an Atlantic teen who suffered a serious head injury during an accident Sunday afternoon near Anita, and remains in critical condition at the UNMC in Omaha. The event for 17-year-old Steele McLaren takes place at 7-p.m.  You are welcome to wear plaid and gray if you can, or any Trojan apparel. Since candles cannot used on the new FieldTurf, organizers ask you to use anything else that will provide solemn illumination, such as glowsticks and cell phone lights.

The hope is to light the field up for Steele, who is an Atlantic Trojan Football player with jersey number 32. Support and prayers for his family are coming in from many states away via #32Strong. In addition to the vigil, there is a benefit account set up for the family at Rolling Hills Bank and Trust, and bracelets with the words “Strong as Steele,” and “#32Strong” are being made available for $2 each, with all proceeds to benefit the family. The bracelets will be available Thursday, Oct. 28th, from 11-am until 1-p.m., and then again from 5-until 6-pm, in the Atlantic High School parking lot.

CAM Small Business Class designed stickers for Steele

Also, the CAM Small Business Class is selling decals to benefit Steele McLaren’s family. The decals are $5 each, and the proceeds will go to the family for each sticker purchased. To order your decal, email Mrs. Miller: smiller@cam.k12.ia.us.

And, Udderly Delicious in Atlantic will be grilling hamburgers and serving chips this Saturday, from 11-am to 1-pm, with your free-will donation benefiting the McLaren family. All donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to another family that has stepped forward to help out.

The Iowa Department of Public Health Tuesday (today, as of 10-a.m.), reports 22 more deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, for a total of 1,658, and, there have been 1,178 additional, positive test results for the virus processed through the labs, since 10-a.m. Monday (1 out of every 27 Iowans), for a pandemic total to-date, of 117,630.  Officials say 1,096 deaths involved persons with pre-existing medical conditions, and 820 have occurred at Long-Term Care facilities across the State, with 12 reported since 10-a.m. Monday. In western Iowa, Harrison county has four more deaths, for a total of 15, and Shelby County has one more death, for a total of two.

Health department data shows more Iowans are hospitalized with coronavirus now than at any other time during the pandemic. There are currently 564 hospitalized, up from a record of 561 the previous day. There were 78 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, up from 73 the previous day. There are 128 patients listed in intensive care, down from 129 the previous day. There are 46 patients on ventilators, up from 45 the previous day. The health department reports approximately 3,100 available hospital beds, with 400 ICU beds and 769 ventilators available.

Western/southwest Iowa hospitals report 39 patients hospitalized with COVID, 13 in an ICU, five have been admitted, and one remains on a ventilator. Long-Term Care facility data show: 70 outbreaks (4 more than on Monday); 2,030 LTC patients/staff tested positive; and 841 have recovered.

IDPH reports 943,995 Iowans have been tested for the virus. The state received 4,075 lab test results in the previous day, with 630 positive results. The state receives test results from prior days that add to the overall total. Iowa reports a 10.6% positivity rate over the last 14 days. There are 15 Iowa counties reporting a 14-day positivity rate greater than 15%, down from 17 the previous day. That means public schools in counties such as Cass, Harrison, Carroll, and Adams, can apply for a waiver to provide 100% online learning.

Area counties with a recent, notable increase in positive COVID-19 test results, include: Adair County, with nine new cases; Pottawattamie County has 16 new cases. In Cass County, the number of positive cases increased by one, to 391.

There are currently 70 long-term care facilities reporting COVID-19 outbreaks in Iowa, up from 67 the previous day. The state reports 2,030 positive cases and 841 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 820 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

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, 391 cases {+1}; 273 recovered; 3 deaths
• Adair, 171 {+9};73; 1
• Adams, 81 {+2}; 44; 0
• Audubon, 149 {+5}; 89; 1
• Guthrie, 396 {+4); 260; 15
• Harrison County, 660 {+4}; 291; 15
• Madison County, 364 {+4}; 255; 2
• Mills County, 408 {+3}; 204; 3
• Montgomery, 178 {+5}; 152; 7
• Pottawattamie County, 3,252 {+16]; 2,377; 44
• Shelby County, 374 {+2}; 332; 2
• Union County,  233 {+4}; 208; 4