(Radio Iowa) – The final holiday of one of the strangest summers in memory is just ahead. Mark Peterson, spokesman for Triple-A-Iowa, expects a boost in vacation traffic on Iowa’s roads for the three-day weekend, but he notes it likely won’t be bumper-to-bumper due to the pandemic. “Labor Day is the last big hurrah for the summer travel season,” Peterson says. “It won’t be as crowded as it has been in the past but we’ll still probably find some increased travel through the coming weekend.”

Road trips will be cheaper than Labor Day of 2019, as gasoline prices in Iowa are averaging two-dollars and 11-cents a gallon. That’s down from an average of two-40 a gallon a year ago.  “Low gas prices will continue and will probably make going out affordable for a lot of the travelers,” he says. “It appears drivers will pay some of the lowest Labor Day prices in four years. National average is about $2.23 a gallon which is about 35-cents less than it was last Labor Day.”

Triple-A reports Iowa’s most expensive gas is in Iowa City at $2.27 a gallon, while it’s cheapest in Council Bluffs at $2.01.

(Radio Iowa) – Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill says he will not appeal a judge’s decision that nullified thousands of absentee ballot request forms Gill’s office mailed out that included the voter’s I-D number. Gill says he strongly disagrees with Republicans who say that endangered election security. “Everything I did was to make sure that the voters of Woodbury County could participate in the election safely and securely,” Gill says.

A judge issued a temporary injunction last Friday, invalidating the forms Gill mailed to Woodbury County voters Gill estimates it will cost about 30-thousand dollars to send a letter to voters in Woodbury County and a letter explaining they must fill out a new, blank form to request an absentee ballot. A hearing on the G-O-P’s lawsuit against Johnson County’s auditor over absentee ballot request forms is scheduled next week.

Linn County’s Auditor also sent forms that included the voter’s name and voter I-D number. A judge has already issued an injunction invalidating the 50-thousand forms he mailed out.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — As Iowa sees some of the highest rates of coronavirus cases in the nation, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’ll wait to determine whether her move to close bars in six counties causes spread of the virus to slow before considering additional steps. Reynolds says the soaring number of confirmed virus cases is largely due to infection among young people, especially those in the college towns of Iowa City and Ames. That trend prompted her last week to order the closure of bars. Now, she says it’s best to wait to see if those moves will cause numbers to drop. If not, she will consider additional actions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is suggesting government statistics on coronavirus infections and deaths have been inflated. Ernst, who is facing an unexpectedly tough reelection fight, is echoing a discredited conspiracy theory. Ernst made the comment after a man at a campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa, said he believes the numbers of cases and deaths are being exaggerated. Experts refute that and some data suggests the toll is higher than the official count. Ernst said she, too, is “so skeptical” of the official numbers. In a statement later Wednesday, she referred to the government-reported death toll as fact.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police are investigating the shooting death of a man at an apartment complex near Drake University. Officers were called to the complex Wednesday afternoon. They found a 36-year-old man dead from apparent gunshot wounds. The man was identified Wednesday night as Sean Newman. Police say they believe the shooter and the victim knew each other and there is no danger to the public. No other details were released. The death is Des Moines’ 16th homicide of the year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A longtime special education teacher with Des Moines Public Schools has died of complications from the coronavirus. District spokesman Phil Roeder said the teacher at the Ruby Van Meter School for intellectually disabled students fell ill after an out-of-state trip and died this week. He did not release the teacher’s name or gender for privacy reasons. The death is believed to be among the first of an Iowa educator during the pandemic. A 73-year-old gym teacher at Iowa City Regina High School died in April, and the state’s coronavirus website lists only one known death of an educator. Roeder said the teacher had not been in the classroom for several months.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved several matters to come before them, recognized a long-time City employee, and discussed COVID-19 related issues. The Council first-off tabled action on their Consent Agenda items related to Tree Trimmer permits for Cook Hauling & Tree Service/Cook Roll Off Service, and Steve’s Tree Service, due to unresolved questions pertaining to proof of insurance. They then recognized Sandy Walter, who has served at the Atlantic Wastewater Treatment Plant for the past 20-years, ensuring the City is in compliance with State and Federal Regulations.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones reads from a plaque presented to Sandy Walter (Ric Hanson/photo)

The Council approved the slightly revised 1st Reading of Amended Ordinance with regard to Sanitary Sewer System hookups. The latest version calls for “The owners of any houses, buildings, or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation of other purposes situated within the City Limits,” to install at the owner’s expense, suitable toilet facilities and a building sewer connecting to such facilities directly with the proper public sewer, “within 30-days after date of official notice from the City…provided [the] public sewer is within 500-feet of the [owned] structure.”

The Ordinance says also, “No private sewage disposal system shall be installed, repaired or rehabilitated where a public sewer is available withing 500-feet of the structure.” Final determination of availability shall be made by the Waste Water Department Superintendent. In addition, “Properties with septic systems installed prior to Sept. 2nd, 2020, shall be exempt…until the septic system fails, or until the property is sold, or conveyed…and [at that time] will be required to have a public sewer connection. Billing for sanitary sewer service will begin the date of official notice to connect to the public sewer or the property owner makes the connection, whichever occurs first.”

In the Council reports, Councilman Jim Behrens, who attended Tuesday’s Fire Department meeting, said the decision was made to cancel this year’s Atlantic Fireman’s Parade, but the October 4th breakfast will take place, with social distancing. He said also the Fire, Police and Sheriff’s Departments are looking to purchase a Search and Rescue drone sometime next year. And, Mayor Dave Jones said “If we have Halloween [Trick or Treating] this year, it will be on October 31st…we’ll play it by ear,” with regard to COVID-19.

Mayor Jones said also he was approached by Alan Zellmer and a small group of farmers, about what it would take to get a Splash Pad in town. The group is thinking about donating money from a tractor pull and other events, to help pay for the popular attraction other cities have. Jones said the budget is tight right now, so “It won’t happen this year for sure,” and it takes a lot of planning, so he’d like to see committee comprised of citizens and a Council representative to explore the current costs and designs of such a facility.

Council Bluffs Police are on the lookout for a man who robbed a Subway Store Wednesday afternoon.  Authorities say at around 3:46-p.m., an unknown male wearing a blue baseball hat, sunglasses, light blue surgical mask, long sleeve blue sweater and blue jeans entered the Subway located at 208 East Broadway.

The man ordered a sandwich from an employee, and while the employee was preparing the order, the suspect pulled out a black handgun and demanded money. The man took an undisclosed amount of cash and the business’ telephone.

He fled the store westbound in the alleyway between Broadway and Kanesville Blvd. As of the latest report, the suspect had not been identified. No one involved in this incident was harmed. The case is currently being investigated by Council Bluffs Police Criminal Investigations Division.

Anyone with information regarding the crime is encouraged to contact the Council Bluffs Police Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728 or they can contact Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867. Please do not approach this person, as he is to be considered armed and dangerous.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police are investigating the shooting death of a man at an apartment complex. Police officers were called to the apartments on the city’s north side Wednesday afternoon. They found a 36-year-old man dead from apparent gunshot wounds. A suspect has not been apprehended.

Police say they believe the suspect and the victim knew each other and there is no danger to the public. No other details were released. The death is Des Moines’ 16th homicide of the year.