(Update 11:15-a.m.) The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Wednesday), reports five more people have died from COVID-19 since yesterday’s report, for a total of 717, and 349 more people tested positive for the virus, for a total of 29,290. Of those who have tested positive, 7,276 had a pre-existing medical condition that would likely have made them more susceptible to the virus. Negative test results number 278,947, and 409 more COVID-19 patients have recovered, for a total of 23, 447. A total of 817, 657 assessments and 308,658 tests have been completed.

In Regional Medical Center Coordination (RMCC) data: 149 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized (compared to 119 yesterday); 37 are in an ICU (3 more than yesterday); 29 were admitted to a hospital (4 more than yesterday), and 21 are on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (western/southwest IA): 4 patients were in a hospital (1 less than yesterday); 2 were in an ICU and no one was admitted over the past 24-hours, and one person was taken off of a ventilator.

Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are down again, from 21 yesterday to 20 in today’s report. At those facilities, 548 persons (Staff & patients) have tested positive,. Recoveries from the virus amount to 419, while deaths at LTC’s number 366, one less than yesterday. In Cass & surrounding counties, here are the latest numbers of positive COVID-19 test results and the number of persons recovered (  ).

• Cass: 17 (16)
• Adair: 15 (11)
• Adams: 8 (8) [1 more recovered since Tue.]
• Audubon: 17 (15)
• Guthrie: 64 (58)
• Montgomery: 10 (8)
• Pottawattamie: 691 (588)
• Shelby: 106 [3 more than yesterday] (79) [14 more than Tuesday]

Police in Red Oak, Tuesday night, arrested 25-year old Kaitlyn Nicole Danick, of Red Oak. She was taken into custody at around 9:40-p.m. for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop in the 400 block of E. Oak Street. Danick was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — An Iowa judge has issued an injunction halting the state’s latest abortion restriction, a 24-hour waiting period, a day before the measure was set to become law. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill on Monday, but the order issued by state court Judge Mitchell Turner prevents it from becoming law until a court can determine whether it’s constitutional. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed a lawsuit last week challenging the law claiming that it violates the due process and equal protection rights of women seeking an abortion, much like a 72-hour waiting period law the Iowa Supreme Court struck down in 2018.

ACKLEY, Iowa (AP) — An SUV carrying Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds hit a Black Lives Matter protester who was trying to block her vehicle as she was leaving an event in northern Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol confirmed that the SUV hit the protester, who was among about two dozen Black Lives Matter protesters who had traveled 90 miles from Des Moines to Ackley. Members of the group weren’t allowed into the Tuesday event at Family Traditions Meat, a small processor. They gathered to block the governor’s car. Jaylen Cavil told the Des Moines Register that he wasn’t hurt but was shocked. Cavil says, “I 100% think they intentionally hit me.” The state patrol blamed the protester for making contact with the vehicle.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — State statistics show that Black residents in Iowa are far more likely than whites to face the use of force from officers working for the state police agency. Blacks make up about 4% of Iowa’s 3.2 million residents. But data show they accounted for 24% of those who had force used against them by officers with the Iowa Department of Public Safety in 2018 and 2019. Blacks accounted for a similar percentage of those who were visibly injured or complained of being injured during those interactions. The disparities are found in reports covering 2018 and 2019 on force used by officers with state police agencies.

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a bill that will deny county officials the ability to use a voter database to confirm missing or incorrect information on absentee ballot requests. The measure was part of a massive budget bill. Reynolds had the option of using the line-item veto but she did not. She signed the bill Tuesday, allowing the measure to become law. It requires county election officials to call, email or mail a letter to voters who make a mistake or leave information off an absentee ballot request form. County election officials opposed it. Democrats labeled it voter suppression.

(Update 10-a.m., 7/1) – A group of individuals have come together to offer a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for spray painting graffiti on a memorial park bench at the Schildberg Recreation Area, in Atlantic. The damage occurred sometime between Monday and Tuesday afternoon. The bench was named in honor of Pam Kuehl, who served several years on the Atlantic Community School District School Board, including a stint as School Board President, along many local civic groups and organizations. She won her battle against cancer, but passed away in Oct., 2018. after a battle with early onset Alzheimer’s.

The park bench after cleaning

Graffiti on the Pam Kuehl Memorial bench. (Images from the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. Facebook page)

Another bench shows graffiti near the Schildberg Campground.

The damage to the park bench was cleaned-up by the Parks and Rec Dept w/assistance from Henningsen Construction, Inc. and Whetstone Enterprises.

A $500 fund set up by Rob and Marlo Stamp as a reward for information leading to the arrest of those who damaged the Kuehl Memorial Bench, has quickly grown. Darrell Kirchhoff, Kipp J. Harris, Kelly and Tammy Wise all added to the reward Tuesday night, and by late this (Wednesday) morning, an additional $500 was offered from Moeller & Son Farms, Devin & Daryle Moeller, for a total of $2,500

If you have any information about who spray painted park benches at the Schildberg Rec Area in Atlantic, contact the Atlantic Police Department.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. During their session, County Engineer Trent Wolken reviewed current road projects.  Since the county roads are so dry, Wolken told the Board maintenance work is mainly off road (that includes driveway, culvert, shoulder, etc.)

County Auditor/Board Secretary Dale Sunderman reports, in accordance with Iowa Code, the board set the annual base salaries of those deputy sheriffs who are not classified as exempt under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Base salaries (pay rates) submitted by Sheriff Darby McLaren per union agreement, and approved by the Board include: $28.44/hour for road Deputies Jimmy James, Corey Larsen, Joshua McLaren, and Kyle Quist; An Investigator Deputy rate of $29.44/hour for Benjamin Bartholomew, and Dog Handlers rate of $29.29/hour for Deputies Tim Olsen and Tyler Shiels.

The Board also voted 3-to 2 to strike the line for engineer’s office manager from a motion of June 16th and set the FY2021 base wages for Alice Ray at $51,955.00/year. In other business, Mental Heath/General Assistance Coordinator Deb Schuler submitted to the Board a written report on month of May activity.

During the Board’s next regular meeting 9-a.m. Tuesday, July 7th, they’ll enter into a closed session to evaluate the performance of Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, as required in the contract, and any other matters to come before them.