Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater today (Wednesday), said on social media, “It is with a very heavy heart that I share the loss of one of our own. Retired Sheriff Randy H. Marchant passed away Monday May 25, 2020.”  Vandewater said Marchant initially worked at the Stuart Police Department from March 1, 1982 through July 31, 1985, graduating from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy on July 2, 1982.

GRIMES, Iowa (AP) — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says a more than month-long investigation has shown that a woman found dead inside her house near Grimes died of natural causes. The sheriff’s office made the pronouncement in news release Wednesday on the death of 35-year-old Melanie Scheuring. Scheuring was found dead in her house on April 19 after deputies, firefighters and medics were called to the home. Scheuring’s 46-year-old fiance was also at the home. Other than to declare her death was from natural causes, officials did not say Wednesday what caused Scheuring’s death.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), sent out a message encouraging all residents to stay off any wet dirt roads within our county. When roads are damaged for no reason, Cass County will charge offenders the amount that road repair will cost taxpayers.

The Director of the Atlantic Public Library, Michelle Andersen, reports that in June the library (which is currently open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with the following guidelines in-place:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• You must wear a mask or something that covers your nose and mouth when you are in the building.
• No more than 30 people in the library at any given time.
• The library will not be a gathering place for groups or have seating available for more than one person at a table.
• All materials must be returned in a book drop or in the lobby. Returned materials will be quarantined for at least 48 hours and sanitized before available on the shelf.
• Only half of the public computers will be available in order to accommodate social distancing.
• Grab & Go pick-up appointments will be available every Thursday 10 am to 5 pm. Materials requests and appointments must be made by Wednesday of each week to qualify for Thursday pick up.
• The first hour of each day (9-10 am) is designated for patrons who are especially vulnerable to sickness. These individuals are also encouraged to continue to use the Grab & Go service.
• The reading garden will remain closed except for Grab & Go pick-ups.
• No in-person programs. Look for announcements about online programs.
• No in-library activities (puzzles, coloring pages, games, makerspace, etc.).
• No meeting room reservations
• No walk-up copy service downstairs. Staff assisted copier still available upstairs.

Andersen says if the Library is directed by a State or local agency to close again, it will do so. If you have any questions, please call (712)-243-5466 (Or, email atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com)

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, today (Wednesday, reported four new TestIowa COVID-19 test sites will be opening, soon, including one in Council Bluffs. One site opens today [Wednesday], in Sioux Center. Another opens Thursday, in Marshalltown. And the Council Bluffs site opens Friday. The Council Bluffs site is at the Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave.

The sites will be open for those who have taken the TestIowa assessment (at TestIowa.com) and have met the criteria to schedule an appointments. The Council Bluffs site is available this Friday and next Monday (May 29 and June 1st), from Noon until 6-p.m. An end date has not been set.

Reynolds said if you aren’t able to immediately schedule an appointment for a site near you, be patient. You’ll receive an e-mail when slots open up.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Wednesday press conference on COVID-19. We will have live audio on KJAN as well with the presser set to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.

(Updated 12:25-p.m.) Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported 24 deaths and 622 new cases today (Wednesday). That brings the statewide total to 18,256 positive cases and 488 deaths. IDPH reported also, 139,157 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 9,929 have recovered. Iowa’s hospitalization data has remained flat or trending downward for about two weeks. The data shows 120,464 Iowans have tested negative for COVID-19, a continued increase over the past few days.

There are currently 393 Iowans hospitalized, with 109 patients in intensive care and 66 patients on ventilators. IDPH reported 32 patients admitted in the last 24 hours. IDPH reported approximately 3,640 inpatient beds available, with 485 ICU beds available. There are currently 742 ventilators available in the state. There are currently COVID-19 outbreaks in 37 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. IDPH reported 1,606 individuals testing positive, with 713 recovered and 257 deaths.

For Cass and surrounding Counties, the number of positive test results and (the number of recovered), have changed a little bit. Cass County 11 positive cases (2 have now recovered); Adair County: 7 (3); Adams County: 6 (1); Audubon County: 12 (8); Guthrie County: 44 (29); Montgomery County: 6 (5); Shelby County: 34 (25) and Pottawattamie County: 221 (137).

In RMCC Region 4 (Southwest/western Iowa), eight people are hospitalized for COVID-19, three are in an ICU, and two were admitted to a hospital.