(A-P) – Microsoft has announced plans to build two more data centers in the Des Moines area. The Des Moines Register reports that the tech giant confirmed that its land purchases last month are for the development of more space for servers that bolster its cloud computing operations.

West Des Moines Community and Economic Development Director Clyde Evans said he expects developers to break ground on the new projects next September and open the first buildings in the fall of 2022. Evans said the projects typically cost between $1-2 billion, occupy about 1.2 million-1.8 million square feet and employ 50-75 workers.

VAN METER, Iowa (AP) — A central Iowa coach and teacher has been charged after police say he assaulted one of a group of students trying to toilet-paper his house. Police say Joel Bartz stopped a truck carrying a group of teens near his home around 10 p.m. on Sept. 17. A criminal complaint says that when one of the students got out of the truck and approached the teacher, Bartz grabbed the student and pulled him down while punching him in the back and head.

Bartz is charged with assault and criminal mischief. He is Van Meter School District middle school science teacher and coach on the high school football and basketball teams. The district says he has been placed on leave.

An Adair County man and his wife have started a non-profit organization as a way to fold the end of the Freedom Rock®Tour into the next chapter. In 1999 Ray “Bubba” Sorensen painted his first mural on a large 90-ton boulder east of Highway 25 and south of I-80, in Adair County. He has repainted it every year since, for the past 22 years.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock®. Instead, he does it as a tribute to men and women in the military both past and present. In 2008, Sorensen and his wife Maria, opened a mural and photography business in Greenfield They also created the Iowa & 50 State Freedom Rock® Tour(s) in 2013.

Ray “Bubba” Sorensen, his wife Maria & their children (Photo submitted)

Since then, the couple, along with their two young children, have been traveling the state (and country) placing a Freedom Rock® in all of Iowa’s 99 counties and six other states. With the tour getting closer to completion, Ray and Maria decided the next step would be to create the not-for-profit foundation, which will exist to continue the mission of the original Freedom Rock,® and the Freedom Rock® Tour. It will also assist in creating new murals and memorials as well.

The Foundation will help communities whose own Freedom Rocks may have rock chips or flakes, over time, or even vandalism. Maria Sorensen says “There’s already be a car crash into a Freedom Rock®. We just wanted something in place that will help these communities maintain any upkeep they may have. They supported us when we first announced the tour and now, we want to support them.”

As the Foundation grows the foundation will look to create new Veteran themed murals and memorials, assist schools/classes to work with the Sorensen’s in creating murals in their space, and fixing Veteran’s headstones and memorials. The Sorensen’s have some ambitious goals for the Freedom Rock® Foundation, including to eventually have a physical location for people to visit and for the Sorensen’s to operate out of.

The new Studio/Museum would feature artifacts from the Freedom Rock®Tour, original artworks and a place to watch them work on new pieces and projects. “We welcome anyone who wants to join us in supporting The Freedom Rock® Foundation and we look forward to growing this project,” Sorensen said.

Donations can be made online at: https://www.freedomrock.foundation. Or may be sent to:The Freedom Rock® Foundation, P.O. Box 97 Greenfield, IA 50849

HAMBURG, IA – Iowa 3rd District Democrat Representative Cindy Axne, Wednesday (today) announced a new, nearly $7.9-million dollar grant for the city of Hamburg, to fund critical infrastructure improvements aimed at protecting businesses and neighborhoods at risk of flooding along the Missouri River. The grant, which was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), is funded through additional funding secured in last year’s federal disaster aid bill.

Her office says Rep. Axne fought to expand the disaster relief bill in order to cover flood recovery and repair projects after disastrous flooding along the Missouri River last March.  The grant was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO), and is projected to support nearly 350 jobs.

To date, $603-million on federal funds have been spent in Iowa for flood recovery efforts.

A Southwest Iowa care facility has been fined $20,500 for its handling of resident care during the coronavirus pandemic. According to KETV in Omaha, the 60-page state inspection report detailed the facility’s failure to implement an infection control program. It said Oakland Manor did not isolate residents for a minimum of ten days after COVID-19 symptoms first surfaced.

The report also states staff wore ‘incomplete or improper’ personal protection equipment and cites multiple occasions where staff failed to complete proper hand hygiene while caring for residents. Seven residents died during the COVID-19 outbreak. 30 residents tested positive for the virus, along with 17 staff members.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday, said the State reached an all-time record high Tuesday, for COVID-19 hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic. Reynolds said also, in light of the President, the first lady and other high officials in Washington having contracted COVID, it goes to show “None of us live in a bubble.”

The number of hospitalizations in northwest Iowa are particularly troublesome. Reynolds said the numbers are increasing this week, as well.

Reynolds said that in the last 14 days, 72% of all persons hospitalized are over the age of 60, and 68% have pre-existing health conditions. Despite the increase, Reynolds said Iowa’s hospitals are prepared to deal with the increased numbers.

(Updated 1-p.m.) Anita Rescue and Wiota First Responders, along with Cass EMS, were called at around 11:15-a.m. Wednesday (today), to the scene of a motorcycle accident on I-80.
Authorities report person operating the motorcycle was forced into a hard brake for some reason, and lost control of the machine. The driver and his passenger were injured.

The passenger was flown by helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha. The driver was taken by ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital.  Additional information is currently not available.

PALO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa have identified two people killed in a crash involving three vehicles, including a semitrailer. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that the Monday afternoon crash at a rural intersection south of Palo was caused when a pickup driven by 17-year-old Jaymin Rathje, of Palo, crossed the center line and hit the semi nearly head-on. The semi then flipped and hit a car driven by 27-year-old Jacqueline Voelker, of Palo. Both the semi and car caught fire.

Investigators say the 61-year-old semi driver was pulled from the burning wreckage by passing motorists and was flown to a nearby hospital. Rathje and Voelker were declared dead at the scene.

The first jury trial to be held in Cass County since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic put the brakes on cases, will be held next week, in Atlantic. County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas has informed Board of Supervisors Chair Steve Baier, that jury selection will be held at the Cass County Community Center, to allow for social distancing. Baier said Tuesday, a plan is also in-place for the trial itself, but he wasn’t clear what that plan was.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday morning, continued their ongoing discussion with regard to the Iowa DOT’s proposed closing of 570th Street at the Interstate 80 underpass. The Board has held two previous discussions on the matter. The DOT proposes making I-80 six-lanes, which would require the elimination of some underpasses across the state for the purpose of widening the road.

During their meeting Tuesday, Javen and Katherine Smith, who owns 160 acres on the north side of I-80 and 570 acres on the south side, said he would be directly affected by the closure of county roadway at 570th St. / I-80 underpass. Smith said the change would essentially result in him traveling out of his way to get to his 160 acre property on the north side of the interstate.

The Board heard from other property owners/farmers in the area, during their past two meetings. After due discussion (about 50 minutes), Tuesday, a decision was made to invite a DOT representative to the next board session to clarify what will happen if the County chooses to close or not to close.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors passed a Resolution assigning a county-held tax sale certificate to the City of Atlantic, and to enter into an agreement to abate the taxes, if Atlantic acquires ownership of the parcel at 101 Cedar Street. The City is scheduled to address the matter during their meeting this evening, at City Hall.