(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s coronavirus cases are spreading so quickly, the state now has one of the world’s worst outbreaks, by some metrics. As of Sunday, Iowa had more new COVID-19 cases per capita than any other state in the U-S, according to the New York Times, which says new cases are spreading fastest in the university towns of Ames and Iowa City. Daniel Diekema heads the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. “I’m extremely concerned. I think we should all be,” Diekema says. “I think we’re now in the unenviable position of being one of the global hotspots for COVID-19 spread.”

While the surge in Iowa City is tied to U-I students returning to campus, Diekema points to university leaders and state officials for reopening schools and businesses too soon. “Although right now it seems mostly concentrated in the 18-to-24 year population,” he says, “how soon before it begins to expand into other groups that are at higher risk for severe disease?”

Despite the escalating spread in Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds has refused to issue a state-wide mask mandate and has maintained that local governments are not legally authorized to do so.

(reporting By Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

A traffic stop by Council Bluffs Police last Tuesday (Aug. 25) afternoon, resulted in a pursuit and arrest. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year old Alexander Sterling Potter Milledge, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Eluding while exceeding the speed limit by more than 25 mph. Milledge was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a total of $5,195 bond.

At around 1:36-a.m. Saturday, a traffic stop in Oakland resulted in the arrest of 22-year old Kolby Austin Fulk, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender and OWI/1st offense. Late Friday night, 38-year old Brooke Ann Ralston was arrested following a reported disturbance in Avoca. Ralston was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense – causing bodily injury.

Thursday afternoon, 29-year old Anthony Shane Schovanec was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse in Council Bluffs, on warrants for Criminal Trespass/1st offense, and providing False information.  Tuesday afternoon, 45-year old Kathleen Marie Gerhardt, of Council Bluffs, was served with a warrant at the Pottawattamie County Jail, for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt of Court. She remains in the Pott. County Jail.

On Aug. 24th, 21-year old Angel Lou Griffis and 35-year old Michael Joseph Waite were arrested at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, after both turned themselves-in on separate warrants for Violation of Probation. 39-year old Sarah Renee Fields also turned herself-in to the Sheriff’s Office, Aug. 24th, on a warrant for OWI/1st offense. And, on Aug. 23rd, a 17-year old male was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, for destruction/damage/vandalism of property at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office. The damage amounted to between $350 and $750.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report three recent arrests. Sunday evening, 35-year old Joshua Weeks, of Lorimor, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on Union County warrants for Violation of Probation on an original charge of OWI/3rd or subsequent offense, and, Revocation of Pretrial Release bond status. Weeks was being held in the Union County Jail awaiting a bond hearing on the first warrant, and on a $10,000 cash-only bond for the second warrant.

Last Friday, 27-year old Kegan Kirscher, of Lorimor, was arrested at the Union County LEC, on a Union County warrant for Failure to appear on a Driving While Barred, charge. He was later released on a $300 bond. 39-year old Cory Sanford, of Osceola, was arrested in Creston, Friday, for Driving While Suspended. He was also later released on a $300 bond.

And, on Aug. 29th, a Creston man reported that sometime between 1-a.m. and 6-a.m. Saturday, someone took a full-size flag and a small flag pole from the front porch of his residence in the 1000 block of N. Sycamore. The items were valued at $40.

Here’s a reminder from the Station Where Your Friends Are: On Wednesday September 2, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council is hosting a mobile food pantry through the Food Bank for the Heartland at the Cass County Community Center from 4:00 – 6:00 PM, or as supplies last. There is no charge. Anyone in need is welcome to visit the mobile pantry, and no documentation is needed. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome.

Visitors are asked to arrive AFTER 3-p.m. Enter on Fair Avenue. Traffic will be directed by volunteers.

For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reports as of 10-a.m. today (Monday), there have been two additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 statewide since 10-a.m. Sunday, for a total of 1,112, and 611 additional, positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 64,713. Persons with preexisting medical conditions made up for 778 of the deaths, while 598 of the total number of deaths took place at a long-term care facility, since the beginning of the outbreak. There have been a total of 46,663 persons who have recovered from the virus and 3,346 additional negative test results, for a total of 556,996 since testing began. A total of 633,664 individuals have been tested for COVID-19. The combined positivity rate (including Antigen tests), remains 10.2%.

IDPH reports 12 Iowa counties with a positivity rate greater than 15%, which triggers considerations for schools to apply for a waiver to change to online-only learning. Plymouth, Johnson, Sioux, Story, Howard, Carroll, Lee, Marion, Fremont, Wayne, Crawford and Clinton counties all report a positivity rate greater than 15% over the past 14 days.

Here in the KJAN listening area, three counties reported increases in positive COVID-19 test results: Adair and Guthrie Counties have two new cases each, for a total of 51 in Adair County and 173 in Guthrie County. Pottawattamie County has 19 additional cases, and Montgomery County reports one additional death, for a total of five.

There are 299 Iowans hospitalized with coronavirus. IDPH reported 85 patients in intensive care. There are 46 patients on ventilators in the state, 23 patients were admitted to the hospital in since 10-a.m., Sunday. In western/southwest Iowa: 7 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19; 4 remain in an ICU and were no new admissions to area hospitals, and two patients on ventilators.

There are 36 coronavirus outbreaks reported at Iowa’s long-term care facilities. IDPH reported 1,136 positive cases and 658 recoveries within those facilities.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}.

• Cass County: 112 cases; (99); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 51 cases; (21); 1 death
• Adams County: 22 cases; (17)
• Audubon County: 41 cases; (27); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 173 cases; (126); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 76 cases; (61); 5 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,631 cases; (1,340); 34 deaths
• Shelby County: 215 cases; (205); 1 death.
• Madison County, 164; (106); 2 deaths
• Harrison County, 147 cases; (117); 1 death

(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City’s 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing has a new recruit with who will potentially have the weight of someone’s world on him. Lincoln is a 10 week old English Cream Golden Retriever puppy that is a therapy dog in training at the base. Lieutenant Colonel Steve Peters is the 185th Air Refueling Wing chaplain and Lincoln’s caretaker. He says the English Cream variation of the golden retrievers seem to want to be with people more and care for them.

ING Therapy Dog

Peters said Lincoln started preparing for his career the day he was born. “After they’re born they begin training that specifically leads them to all the qualities that makes them great therapy dogs,” Peters says, ” calmness, loving people, slow to react to startling noises ARE being distracted from things that are going on around them.” Peters says the calming presence of a dog like Lincoln can put people at ease and make it easier for caregivers to address spiritual, mental and physical health issues.

“When interacting with a dog — especially with the qualities and the training that a therapy dog would have — to then open up perhaps to a chaplain, a therapist, psychologist, medical person, to then get the help that they need. It’s a barrier breaker,” according to Peters. Lincoln’s arrival is just in time for the military’s observation of National Suicide Prevention Month in September. The September training weekend is when most 185th unit members will get their first opportunity to meet the new recruit.