(Des Moines) – The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is making a change on quarantine recommendations for people that have been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19. The changes apply to non-healthcare, non-residential settings only. This includes businesses, education and child care settings.

• Close contacts of COVID-positive cases will no longer need to quarantine for 14 days if a face covering was worn consistently and correctly by the positive case and close contacts. The positive case must isolate. The close contacts should self-monitor.
• Self-monitoring entails close monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms over the subsequent 14 days, staying home if any symptoms develop, and speaking with a healthcare provider about COVID-19 testing in the case of any illness.
• If people who are self-monitoring become ill but do not get tested, they should remain home until 10 days after symptom onset.
• People currently in quarantine may be released from quarantine if a face covering was worn consistently and correctly by the positive case and close contacts during exposure.
• If the positive case wore a face covering, but close contacts did not, those close contacts must be quarantined.
• If the positive case did not wear a face covering, close contacts must quarantine whether or not they wore a face covering.
• Quarantine of close contacts will still be necessary in residential and healthcare settings.

Find an infographic depicting the new IDPH recommendations at https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/61/covid19/resources/WhenToQuarantine.pdf

The IDPH says “Masks are proven to be effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Increased mask use will reduce the number of individuals that need to quarantine. Along with wearing a face covering, we ask that everyone continue all recommended public health strategies:

• Stay home when sick.
• Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet whenever possible.
• Wash hands frequently.

This approach is based on data and focused feedback from community and school leaders over the past month indicating that transmission is not frequently occurring when both parties are wearing face coverings consistently and correctly. Additionally, we are aware of other jurisdictions, including Nebraska and Wyoming, that have made similar changes based on experiences in their states. The IDPH will continue to make recommendations based on best available information and adjust when needed.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved – by a vote of 4-to-1, a 2.1% annual increase in compensation, effective Oct. 1st, for County Engineer Trent Wolken. Board Member Frank Waters was the lone “Nay” vote, based on the fact none of the other employees were given a mid-term raise.

However, in a Memorandum of Understanding with Trent Wolken prior to his being hired, it was stated he must complete his 90-day probationary period plus three months before he would receive a raise commensurate to what other County Employees received on July 1^st, so this is a special situation, according to the Board. During their meeting last week, the Board and Wolken conducted a closed-session six-month review of his performance. None of the Board members had anything negative to say about Wolken’s performance.

In other business, the Supervisors passed a Resolution assigning a county-held tax sale certificate to the City of Atlantic, for a property at 3^rd and Maple Streets, and the entering into an agreement to abate taxes, if Atlantic acquires ownership of the parcel. They also approved entering into an agreement to compromise tax and abate interest, penalty and cost and assign tax sale certificates to private citizen on County Held Tax Sale Certificates for a parcel in Cumberland.

Board passed a Resolution placing a Stop sign at the intersection of 595th Street and Lansing Road. It was previously noted the site had become a dangerous corner due to increased traffic associated with the opening of a new rock quarry.

And, the Board of Supervisors discussed the closing of a County Roadway at 570th Street and the I-80 underpass. The Iowa DOT plans to make I-80 a six-lane highway, which requires the closure of some underpasses. As an incentive, they are offering the County about $1.5-million dollars to close the road.

Supervisor Steve Green said he had spoken farmers in the area who would like to keep the road open.

Green said he’d like more time to research the records from when the land was originally turned over or sold to the State, at the time the Interstate was being designed and built in the 1950’s.

Engineer Wolken said he would try to get a DOT official to attend a Supervisors meeting either in person or via Zoom, to discuss the matter further, especially with families/landowners who have an interest in keeping the road open. Supervisor Board Chair Steve Baier was one of those who was in favor of setting up the meeting.

It’s not clear when that meeting will take place.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Fire officials are blaming a gas leak for an explosion that destroyed one Dubuque home and damaged several others. KCRG reports that Chief Rick Steines with the Dubuque Fire Department said a machine struck a gas main Monday while working in the area. He said firefighters evacuated the closest house while they waited for the gas company to arrive. He said the gas company was in the process of shutting down the gas when it ignited and caused the explosion.

One house was destroyed and others had windows blown out. A firefighter also was taken to a hospital for a cut.

DAVENPORT, Iowa—United States District Court Chief Judge, Friday, sentenced 39-year old Norris Davison, of Burlington, to 188 months (15.6-years) in prison for trafficking methamphetamine. Following his prison term, Davison will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

Davison admitted to conspiring to distribute four kilograms of ice methamphetamine in the Burlington area. Davison’s criminal history included convictions for a felony drug offense, and
three felony convictions for unlawfully possessing weapons.

His case was investigated by the Southeast Iowa Narcotics Taskforce, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office, and the Burlington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

A man from eastern Iowa’s Johnson County was sentenced last week to serve 268 months (22-years) in prison, after being found guilty by a jury, of three counts of child sex trafficking, two counts of distributing methamphetamine to children, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of being an unlawful user in possession of a firearm, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

During his trial, the government presented evidence 53-year old Kendall Andrew Streb, of Hills, Iowa, trafficked three teenagers in Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids, primarily from November 2018 through February 2019. Streb solicited the three minors, aged 15 through 17 years old, by paying them in cash and methamphetamine in exchange for sex acts. Streb, at times, transported the teenagers to hotel rooms where he engaged in commercial sex acts with them. The evidence at trial showed that Streb knew one or more of the girls was under 18 years old, and he was otherwise was in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18.

Sex trafficking of a child is punishable by a minimum of ten years in prison, and up to life imprisonment. United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum stated, “Kendall Streb will spend the next two
decades in federal prison because he knowingly exploited teenage girls by paying them for sex. This sentence should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who believes he can escape serious criminal consequences if he is ‘just a john.’ We will continue to aggressively prosecute both buyers and sellers who sexually abuse children.”

Human trafficking is defined as a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Hills’ case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department, with assistance from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Coralville
Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Monday afternoon, in Creston. According to Creston Police, 30-year old Alex Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. He was additionally charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana-1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Cunningham was later released from the Union County Jail, on a $3,300 bond.

And, 50-year old Tony Fizer, of Creston, was arrested Monday for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana-1st offense. He was released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.