IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Republican candidate seeking to flip a Democratic-held congressional seat in Iowa has pulled ahead by 50 votes after a county discovered that that it had failed to report a small town’s votes. The dramatic turn was the latest in the seesawing race between Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Rita Hart. And it may not be the last.

The 24 counties in the southeastern Iowa district were certifying their votes Tuesday after completing their official canvasses. It’s possible additional provisional ballots or absentee ballots that arrived by Monday at noon could be added to some county totals. The race is considered among the closest in the nation and could remain unsettled for weeks.

Shelby County Auditor/Elections Commissioner Mark Maxwell, Tuesday, released the official results of the Nov. 3rd General Election, following a canvass of the votes by the Board of Supervisors. The results are as follows:

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers, Tuesday, said shortly after 1:30-a.m., Tuesday, the Clarinda Academy reported that a student had left campus without authorization. A short time later, officers responded to Casey’s General Store, 318 E. Washington when it was reported that a 2017 Dodge Ram Pick up had run into the front of the building, causing major structural damage to the building and the Dodge Pick-Up..

Officers learned that the pick-up had been stolen from a residential driveway at 216 W. Walnut Street. The truck is owned by 40-year-old Scott Phillips, of Clarinda. An investigation revealed that the student who had left the Clarinda Academy, a 15-year-old white male from Michigan had stolen the pick-up, and intentionally rammed the front of the Casey’s building.

The student was located by Clarinda Academy Staff during the investigation of this incident and returned to the facility.

All reports will be forwarded to Page County Juvenile Court Services and the Page County Attorney’s Office for review concerning the filing of petitions alleging juvenile delinquency.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Charles City man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a 9-year-old Sioux City boy. The Sioux City Journal reports that 30-year-old Jesse Blade was sentenced Monday after pleading in September to vehicular homicide while intoxicated, second-offense operating while intoxicated and three counts of serious injury by vehicle. Prosecutors say Blade was drunk and had cocaine in his system on Oct. 26, 2019, when he ran a stop sign at a rural intersection near Rudd, hitting a minivan and killing 9-year-old Royce Fisher. Three other people in the minivan also were injured.

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A new state auditor’s report has confirmed problems with the integrity of the evidence room of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office in northwestern Iowa. State Auditor Rob Sand said in a special investigation report released Tuesday that record logs of evidence did not match the actual evidence in inventory in at least six cases. That included 49 pills of both over-the-counter medicines and unknown substances missing from the evidence room.

Investigators also found that some evidence bags had been tampered with and 18 instances in which the sheriff’s department failed to keep sufficient records to determine whether something was missing from the evident room.

TIFFIN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa say a man died in a bicycle crash over the weekend. The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reports the crash happened Sunday afternoon when 39-year-old Steven Towne, of Tiffin, lost control of the electric bike he was riding. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says Towne’s bike hit a bridge railing at Tiffin City Park. Investigators say Towne was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and suffered fatal head injuries. Officials say he died at the scene.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Tuesday, said new rules will be in effect due to the spread of COVID-19 and the record numbers of hospitalizations and positive tests. (See the summary below) Reynolds said the trends of record setting hospitalizations cannot continue. There is no specific age group or type of activity that’s driving the rapid increase in positive cases. Because of the high level of community spread, the Governor said she is “dialing-up” measure to mitigate the spread of the virus. That includes signing a new proclamation that continues the Public Health Emergency for another 30-days. The proclamation imposes a number of additional health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

There are new rules that apply to indoor youth or high school sporting events as well.

The new eight-person rule also apply to bars and restaurants. Distancing of six-feet between groups will continue to be enforced, and patrons must be seated to consume food and/or drink.

Bowling alleys, pool and bingo halls, arcades and indoor playgrounds and children’s play centers, are limited to groups of eight, unless from the same household. Reynolds also ordered all employers to re-evaluate whether or not more of their employees can work remotely and/or from home whenever possible. The governor says hospital staffing is becoming a challenge and it may soon impact Iowans who need care, for COVID or otherwise. She urges Iowans to rethink any planned gatherings and how their actions could impact their own lives and the lives of others.