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Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, July 13, 2020

News

July 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating an eastern Iowa arrest after video posted on social media showed a handcuffed Black man having a seizure and apparently struggling to breathe after officers used pepper spray on him. Dubuque officials say an internal investigation will review the Friday night arrest of Yoosuf Moment. Police say Moment resisted officers before pepper spray was used. Moment was treated at a local hospital and released after he was ticketed on suspicion of driving without a valid license and interfering with police. City Manager Mike Van Milligen said in a statement that officials are aware of concerns about the incident and a thorough investigation will be conducted.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of coronavirus cases in Iowa is now over 35,000. The Iowa Department of Public Health said the number of cases of COVID-19 grew to 35,002 at 10 a.m. Sunday. That is 503 higher than Saturday’s total. There have now been a total of 750 deaths in the state linked to the coronavirus. For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness. Of the 35,002 people who have tested positive for the virus, 26,206 have recovered.

CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration wants to restart federal executions this month, 17 years after the last one. Executions carried out by federal authorities have stopped, restarted and stopped again for long stretches since the first one in 1790, when U.S. marshals hanged a mariner in Maine for fatally shooting the captain of a slave ship. The federal government has never been a prolific executioner, putting to death just a few hundred people since the 1700s. States, meanwhile, have executed more than 15,000 people. The vast majority of executions in recent decades have been by lethal injection. That’s the only method authorized for federal executions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The November election is coming with a big price tag as America faces the coronavirus pandemic. The demand for mail-in ballots is surging, election workers are in need of training and polling booths might have to be outfitted with protective shields. But long-promised federal aid to help election officials is stalled in Congress. State officials say they need more money to create a pandemic-ready voting system. Lawmakers are set to debate the funding in the coming weeks, after approving $400 million in help earlier this year. Key Senate Republicans seem likely to support another round of aid despite opposition from President Donald Trump.

4 more COVID-19 cases confirmed in Mills County, Sunday

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Mills County Public Health officials, Sunday, reported four additional, positive cases of COVID-19. Authorities say the cases are all adults age 18-to-40, who contracted the virus through a known contact. The data currently show 51 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Mills County, with 34 persons having recovered. Officials say a total of 2,084 individuals have been tested for the virus, to-date.

Iowa arrest reviewed after handcuffed Black man has seizure

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating an eastern Iowa arrest after video posted on social media showed a handcuffed Black man having a seizure and apparently struggling to breathe after officers used pepper spray on him. Dubuque officials say an internal investigation will review the Friday night arrest of Yoosuf Moment. Police say Moment resisted officers before pepper spray was used.

Moment was treated at a local hospital and released after he was ticketed on suspicion of driving without a valid license and interfering with police. City Manager Mike Van Milligen said in a statement that officials are aware of concerns about the incident and a thorough investigation will be conducted.

Police investigate fatal shooting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids Police say gunshots were reported around 4 a.m. Sunday in southwest Cedar Rapids. Officers found a person with a gunshot wound who later died at the scene. Police did not immediately release the victim’s identity or any other details about the shooting. No arrests were announced Sunday morning.

(UPDATE 7:45-a.m.) – Spontaneous combustion thought to be the cause of Bridgewater fire

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

All photos submitted to KJAN News

Spontaneous combustion of 1,000 big bales of hay is believed to be the cause of a fire in building in Bridgewater early this (Sunday) morning. Bridgewater Fire Chief Daryl Christensen told KJAN News the call about a fire at 204 W. 1st Street came in at around 12:30-a.m. The property is owned by Dennis Lundy, of Lundy Farms. Just before daylight, a construction excavator was brought-in to gain better access to, and containment of, the flames, but Christensen said once a fire of that nature starts, there’s not much that can be done.

Bridgewater Fire requested mutual aid from more than a half-dozen area fire departments, including Adair, Anita, Atlantic, Fontanelle, Greenfield, Massena, Orient and Wiota.  Numerous tanker trucks were called-in along with additional manpower. Atlantic’s aerial (or, ladder) truck was requested at 1:24-a.m.

Water was being drawn from a dry hydrant at Mormon Trail Lake, near Bridgewater. The Adair County Ambulance was also on the scene to provide fire fighter rehab. Flames were still shooting through the roof of the building, at around 4:15-a.m. By 5-a.m., most of the fire departments were released from the scene.

Chief Christensen said Bridgewater Fire crews were on the scene until around 7-a.m.

Atlantic P&Z to consider site plans, Tuesday

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Planning and Zoning Commission is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. During their session, the Commission will consider three site plans for:

  1. Nishna Valley Cycle – for a new industrial storage building at 2500 East 7th Street.
  2. Cass County Health System – their proposed renovation and a small addition, parking layout change, along with landscaping improvements to their hospital at 1501 East 10th Street
  3. and for TFF, Inc., out of Omaha, which holds the deed to 301 Elm Street (the site for the County’s ambulance service). Midwest Air (which replaced Medivac) wants to build a new addition to the structure that includes living quarters for staff as they await calls.

Iowa COVID-19 dashboard data for 7/12/2020

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 10:30-a.m.) The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Sunday) reports an additional COVID-19 related death since Saturday, for a total to-date of 749, and, 503 positive test results since yesterday (Saturday), for a total of 35,002. The number of hospitalizations from the Coronavirus decreased by one, to 177. Two people were taken out of an ICU (for a total 54), and seven were admitted to a hospital, for a total of 30. There are 26 people on a ventilator (one more than reported Saturday).

In southwest/western Iowa, RMCC Region 4, there were two more people hospitalized (for a total of 9), two more transferred to an ICU (5 total), and there were two new hospital admissions (compared to 3 in the previous report). And, once again there were no persons placed on a ventilator in this area.

Statewide:

  • 374,817 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19
  • 26,206 have recovered
  • 338,666 have tested negative
  • Long-Term Care facility outbreaks remain at 16; 342 patients/staff at LTC’s have tested positive; 98 have recovered, and 396 persons have died at an LTC in Iowa.

County-by-County COVID-19 cases, and the number of person who have recovered (   ). (Changes from Saturday’s report are highlighted)

  • Cass: 28 (19)
  • Adair: 17 (12)
  • Adams: 8 (8)
  • Audubon: 18 (15)
  • Guthrie: 76 [an increase of 1 case from yesterday] (57)
  • Montgomery: 12 (8)
  • Pottawattamie: 830 [an increase of 9 cases] (667) [also an increase of 6 cases]
  • Shelby: 119 (109) [an increase of 1 case recovered from yesterday]

Cass County Democratic Party annual School Supply Drive set for 7/13-through 8/14

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

With the hope that schools will re-open this fall, the Cass County Democratic Party is again sponsoring its annual School Supply Drive, to begin Monday, July 13th and continuing through August 14th. Coupled with the school supply drive will be a Food Drive. County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle says “This is the 9th year that the Party has held the school supply drive. We have always been overwhelmed by the support of Cass County for this important event. We want our children to start the year off right, with new supplies.”

Toelle says “We are also sponsoring a food drive, realizing that there are far more food insecure people this year due to high unemployment and the pandemic. We generally have a food drive at least once a year but, because this is a major election year, I decided to do both drives at the same time since we will be busy during the fall. I do want to stress that both drives are non-partisan events. We don’t care if you are a Democrat, Republican, No Party, or not registered to vote; it is far more important than politics to meet the needs of our local children and families.”

Food pantries and the schools will do the actual distribution of the donated items. Suggested items for the school drive include everything from pencils to spiral notebooks to book bags and also should include non-traditional items such as facial tissues, hand sanitizer, plastic zip-top storage bags, and copy paper. Non-perishable items such as canned and boxed food items are needed; cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, zip-top storage bags or other food storage containers are also welcome.

There will be drop-off sites around the County (See the list below). Toelle says  “We are also looking for a drop-off site in Wiota so if anyone has suggestions, please call [her] at 712-243-4861.”

Drop-off sites include:

  • Anita: City Clerk’s Office; Library; Main Street Market; Rusty Razor; Rolling Hills Bank.
  • Atlantic: Fareway (school supplies only); private home at 10 E. 13th St.; YMCA; Rolling Hills Bank
  • Cumberland: City Hall; Houghton State Bank
  • Griswold: Rolling Hills Bank; City Hall; Telephone Company, Houghton State Bank
  • Lewis: Library
  • Lyman: Lyman Cafe
  • Marne: Library outside Post Office
  • Massena: Library; FNB Bank; Economy Food Mart

Red Oak man arrested Saturday night

News

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police, Saturday night, arrested 59-year old Tony Joe Christensen. The Red Oak man was taken into custody at around 9:40-p.m. in the 1800 block of N. Broadway Street, for Public Intoxication. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $300 bond.

Softball Scores from Saturday, 7/11/20

Sports

July 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Non-Conference/Regular Season scores:

  • Bishop Heelan Catholic 10 Lewis Central 9
  • East Union 15 Des Moines North 0
  • Des Moines North 11 East Union 10
  • Winterset 11, Clarke 0