(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board has awarded state tax breaks to three Iowa-based companies that promise to expand and hire three dozen more people. Sukup Manufacturing, a family-owned company with headquarters in Sheffield, makes grain handling equipment. The company plans to spend four-point-seven MILLION dollars to expand its facility in Manly and promises to hire 10 more employees once it’s done. The Frontier Co-op in Norway sells organic herbs and spices throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Co-op plans to spend more than seven MILLION dollars expanding its warehouse and hire two dozen people once the project is completed. The third company to be awarded state tax breaks Electrical Power Products in Des Moines. The company promises to add two more people to its payroll once a five-and-a-half MILLION dollar expansion is completed.

(Updated 5:15-a.m., 10/18) –

An online petition is available for persons who wish to support a mask/face shield mandate for the Atlantic School District, and eliminate the need to quarantine. The petition, created by CCHS Nurse Laura Robinson, can be found at Change.org. It’s directed toward the Atlantic School Board, which, to-date has not mandated a mask/face shield policy, and looks to obtain 500 signatures (as of early Sunday morning, there were 499). The petition will be presented to the Atlantic School Board during their next regular meeting.

This past week, a student in the 4^th Grade tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in some students being forced to quarantine until Oct. 27th. Superintendent Steve Barber said he’s aware of the petition and the latest test results.

On Wednesday, Mr. Barber reported the number of students wearing masks has declined around 30-percent, while many of the staff are still seen wearing them. The standard for the Pre-Kindergarten through 5^th Grade building, is to encourage students to wear masks when social distancing cannot occur. Anyone in grades 6-thru-12 are expected to wear masks, when social distancing was not possible.

Superintendent Barber, Friday, issued an update on the way the Coronavirus is impacting the district. Barber says “We continue to assess our system by looking at data and making adjustments to our response to COVID.”He said “As we have talked before, we have a communication plan in place that we use when we are notified of a positive COVID case for one of our students or staff.”

According to Mr. Barber, “Individuals staff and parents of students who are determined to have been in close contact are communicated with directly by the school and/or Cass County Public Health. Any other individual that potentially could have become infected by the positive case gets notification.” He concluded by saying “We continue to follow the guidelines of Iowa Department of Public Health and those set up by the Governor in how we isolate and quarantine those affected.”

(Radio Iowa) — This week’s White House Coronavirus Task Force report puts Iowa in its “red zone” for new infections. The rate of new Covid cases here is twice the national average. Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowans need to monitor what’s going on in their community. “We really need to focus,” Reynolds says. “We know that the most vulnerable Iowans are older Iowans age 65 and over and those Iowans with pre-existing conditions are the ones that are most at risk.”

IA Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a Press Conference (File Photo)

The state’s coronavirus website shows (as of Saturday morning) there are Covid outbreaks at 63 Iowa nursing homes (two more than on Friday). For the past 10 days, the total number of Covid patients in Iowa hospitals has been higher than at any other point in the pandemic, although fewer patients are winding up in intensive care units. “The same thing applies today that applied when we had our first cases of Covid-19 in the state of Iowa and that is to stay home when you’re sick, social distance when you can. If you can’t, make sure you have a face covering and wash your hands often,” Reynolds says. “…If you’re a vulnerable Iowan, you need to take extra precautions.”

This week’s White House Coronavirus Task Force warns cases are increasing in Iowa due to social gatherings of families and friends. It specifically classified the cities of Carroll, Council Bluffs, Dubuque, Pella, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake as “red zone” areas.