Creston Police are reporting five recent arrests, one incident of theft and one incident of vandalism.  Authorities say Friday afternoon, 36-year old Clay Pettit, of Creston, was arrested for Driving while license suspended, and possession of a controlled substance/1st offense. He was later released on a $1,300 bond. Early Saturday morning, 44-year old Jeffrey McAlexander, of Tingley, was arrested for OWI/3rd or subsequent offense, Driving While Revoled, and Failure to provide proof of insurance. He was later released on bond amounting to slightly more than $5,866.

Saturday afternoon, 22-year old Taylor Giles, of Creston, was arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. He was later released on a $300 bond. 34-year old Trel Peterson, of Creston, was arrested Saturday night in Creston, for Interference with official acts, and on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Peterson was issued a Promise to appear on the local charge, and was being held pending transfer to Mills County. Sunday morning, 30-year old Kenny Cunningham, of Creston, was arrested on a Clarke County warrant for Failure to appear for fingerprinting, on an original charge of Theft in the 5th. Cunningham was transferred to the custody of Clarke County.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 500 block of S. Maple Street, reported Friday morning, that sometime within the past few days, someone stole multiple items out of her garage. They included two round-point shovels, a round-point Trunk Buddy, a square-point Trunk Buddy, a square shovel, garden fork and ice chopper/ lawn edger. The loss was estimated at $105. And, a woman residing in the 400 block of S. Division Street, Friday, reported to police someone threw a rock through the window of her residence. The incident happened between 5- and 5:30-a.m., Friday. The loss was estimated at $250.

(Radio Iowa) — Nearly one-quarter of Iowans live in a “child care desert” while the annual cost of child care can be higher than public university tuition. More than 930 licensed child care and in-home centers have closed during the pandemic, and estimates say Iowa could lose half its child care slots to COVID-19. Sheila Hansen, at the Child and Family Policy Center in Des Moines, says some providers closed because they’re afraid of the virus. Hansen says, “They just had to sit down and say, ‘Can I do this anymore? You know, I don’t think we can do this. I can’t risk bringing in children who could be passing something on to me.”

Abbee Nielson ran Hope Learning Center in Chariton, the only licensed child care center in rural Lucas County. Despite high demand, Nielsen says the center wasn’t operating at capacity because starting pay for teachers is eight-35 an hour and she struggled to keep rates affordable.  “I have parents texting me,” Nielson says. “Just one last night said, ‘Hey, I have a family.’ Their in-home decided not to do daycare anymore and she has no she has no child care, ‘Can you help out?’ and I was like, ‘I would love to, but I can’t.'”

Nielsen recently left the non-profit learning center for a teaching job. The new director, Mackenzie Stites, says the pandemic has the center facing yet another challenge. Enrollment has dropped by 40-percent after she and Nielsen worked so hard to recruit teachers. “It’s a little discouraging just because things were going so well,” Stites says. “And now it’s like, ‘Are we going to have to rebuild that? Are we going to have to start over again?'”

Polk County resident Kelly DeJoode is a single mother to a four-year-old and she is cutting back her hours at an assisted living facility to 32 hours a week in August. Otherwise, DeJoode says she would make too much money to get state child care assistance. She got a small raise in 2018 which boosted her child care costs from 17 dollars a week to 180 dollars a week. “I would have had one paycheck and my paychecks were between $700 and $800,” DeJoode says. “And my rent was $575 of that. There was no way I was going to be able to live off $175 after I paid my rent.”

Governor Kim Reynolds announced child care as a priority during her Condition of the State speech in January and a flurry of child care bills were making their way through the legislature, until the session was suspended in mid-March due to COVID-19.

(By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

The Iowa Department of Public Health, this morning released the latest coronavirus data since 10-a.m., Sunday. Officials confirmed 155 additional COVID-19 cases, for a total to-date of 26,020 positive cases. There was also one additional COVID-19 death since Sunday, for a total 686. The State’s website said 479 of the deaths involved Iowans with preexisting conditions, one more than yesterday. COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities account for 356 of the state’s total deaths. Iowa DPH reports 169 hospitalizations, of which 51 patients are in intensive care. Six patients with COVID-19 symptoms were admitted to hospitals Sunday, eight fewer than the day before.

There were no changes to the RMCC Region 4 data, which show eight persons hospitalized, 5 are in an ICU, none admitted and 1 on a ventilator. In Cass and surrounding counties, here are the total number of positive COVID-19 cases being reported, and (in parenthesis) the number of patients who have recovered from the virus.

Cass 16 (15)
Adair 12 (11)
Adams 7 (5)
Audubon 15 (10)
Montgomery 10 (6)
Pottawattamie 620 (388)
Shelby 79 (41)

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – COVID Recovery Iowa has begun offering virtual support groups for parents, teens and pre-teens. Mandy Gesme, Child and Family Team Lead for COVID Recovery Iowa, said the organization has been getting many requests from parents for activities they can do with their children, and advice for how to help their teenagers through the pandemic.
“We thought it would be great to give them the chance to talk to each other with their ideas and strategies,” Gesme said. “It’s just one more resource we can provide.”

COVID Recovery Iowa is for all Iowans who have been affected in ANY way by COVID-19. In addition to support groups, activities and resources, COVID Recovery Iowa offers FREE,
confidential virtual counseling to all Iowans. Activities include cooking classes, yoga and meditation and more to help Iowans through this stressful time. Parents, your group will meet via Zoom on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Find out more by emailing Chelsea.Siefken@pathwaysb.org.

Gesme and her team are also hearing about how the pandemic is affecting teenagers. “The support group can be an outlet for teens to talk about what is frustrating about this situation
and why this summer feels different than last summer. “ Gesme said it is very hard for anyone, especially teenagers, to figure out how to navigate relationships via social media. Some teens
may also be faced with extra responsibilities due to the pandemic. “Whether it’s for family financial support, child care or extra duties around the house because their parents are
essential workers,” Gesme said. “It is also helpful for teens to understand that they are not the only ones who are struggling. This will be an opportunity for them to meet and talk with other teens all over the state.”

The teen support group will meet Tuesdays at 10 and Thursdays at 2. Find out more by emailing Caitlin.Pixler@pathwaysb.org. The pre-teen support group will meet via Zoom on Mondays at 4:30 and Thursdays at 1. For more information, contact Chelsea.Siefken@pathwaysb.org

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced the State of Iowa has received nearly $1 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) to offer free crisis counseling to any Iowan who has been affected, in any way, by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The program, called COVID Recovery Iowa, is available starting today. Counseling will take place via virtual sessions, chat or phone call. People of all ages may join groups online to find support and learn new strategies to cope with the effects of the pandemic in a variety of creative ways.

DHS Director Kelly Garcia says “It’s not uncommon to experience feelings of stress or anxiety during uncertain times. This funding will help us support Iowans across the state who are trying to find their new normal.” Iowans can access services through the following options:

• Call 800-447-1985 to connect with a counselor specializing in rural issues and agriculture 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Call the Iowa Warm Line, 844-775-9276; to connect with a peer counselor or request to get in touch with a COVID Recovery Iowa counselor
• Visit www.COVIDrecoveryiowa.org and complete a contact form and a counselor will get back to you

DHS has contracted with five providers throughout the state to provide counseling, virtual activities, referrals and help finding resources. COVID Recovery Iowa will announce additional programs in the coming weeks to help Iowans build coping skills and resilience.

Authorities in Adams County report a train collided with a car early this (Monday) morning near the intersection of Tulip and 180th Streets, but there were no injuries. As deputies arrived on the scene a little after 1:30-a.m., they learned both occupants of the car had gotten out of the vehicle prior to the collision. Upon further investigation, the driver, Ryan Gordon, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/3rd offense, Public Intoxication, Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Railroad Vandalism.