(Radio Iowa) -A group of Iowans who oppose mandatory vaccination laws is rallying outside the Iowa Capitol today (Tuesday). State Representative Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Fairfield, supports the group’s cause. “I’m not going to be governed with unsubstantiated health theories, let’s just start with that,” Shipley said, to cheers and applause.

Shipley suggests COVID-19 might be a botched chemical weapon developed in China. And he accuses the media, bureaucrats and politicians of presenting the public with unproven information about the virus. “It doesn’t matter that this vaccine doesn’t exist. It’s probably impossible to develop a safe vaccine. It’s hardly going to work anyway and this virus isn’t even killing anybody,” Shipley says.

“…Who knows, maybe our brothers and sisters in Black Lives Matter or antifa, we’ve got to find a way to collaborate, but if there are some institutions that are disrespecting human dignity they’ve got to go.” At 10 a.m. today (Wednesday), the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website indicated 564 Iowans have died of COVID-19 this year.

Shipley says fellow members of the legislature wearing masks and face shields are “virtual signaling” rather than promoting the public health. And he questions the pandemic-related closures and restrictions Governor Kim Reynolds ordered this spring, most of which have been lifted. “If you didn’t stand up and demand your freedom, do you think Governor Reynolds would have respected it as much? No,” Shipley said. “The politicians need to hear from you.”

Other Republican lawmakers spoke at the rally, including Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton, Skyler Wheeler of Orange City and Steven Holt of Denison. Holt says Reynolds was more respectful of personal liberty than other governors. “She did not issue mandatory shelter-in-place orders and she was far more reasonable in the manner in which she tried to deal with this crisis,” Holt said. “…However, the fact remains that actions have been taken across the nation that have violated our most fundamental rights.”

Holt says the U.S. economy has been decimated and he called for the immediate restoration of law and order in the country. Today’s (Wednesday’s) rally was livestreamed on the Facebook page of the “Informed Choice Iowa” group.

The Cass County Local Food Policy Council is looking to purchase local produce, meat, honey, syrups, and more to distribute through the Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All program. The Council plans to feature local foods in mobile food deliveries during the week of June 15 and is seeking local food growers and processors who can supply local food products for roughly 100 households. For example, a farm might supply 100 jars of honey or 100 1/2-pound bags of radishes.

The Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All program delivers food to households in Cass County that need assistance affording and obtaining food safely as Iowa faces COVID-19. The program is funded by a grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority and involves many dedicated volunteers who pack and deliver the food. The Cass County Local Food Policy Council, Cass County Board of Supervisors, Cass County Public Health, SWITA, and Cass County ISU Extension partnered in applying for the grant.

Local Food Policy Council member Gil Gillespie says “Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All is an important program serving more than 100 households in Cass County. This is an opportunity for the Council to also support local food producers by buying their products to contribute to the program.”

Local food producers interested in participating in the program should contact Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or (712) 249-5870 by June 8. Funds are limited, so not all interested producers may be accommodated. All food must be delivered to the Cass County Community Center the week of June 15.

For more information or to register to receive food through Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/content/cass-county-covid-19-mobile-food-all. For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests dating back to May 29th:

On Monday, 60-year old Daryl D Armstrong, and 33-year old Leslie Katherine Herrick, both of Anita, were arrested on one charge each of Violation of No Contact Order. They were cited to appear in court at a later date and released

On Sunday, 23-year old Cole Austin Holaday, of Elk Horn, IA, was arrested in Cass County on charges of Possession of Marijuana/1st Offense, and OWI/1st Offense. Holaday was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

Last Saturday, 56-year old Wade Allan Anderson, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Polk County warrant. Anderson was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released to Polk County authorities. And, on May 29th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 46-year old Dan Douglas Christensen, of Atlantic, on charges of OWI/1st Offense, and Driving While Suspended. Christensen was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance.

(Radio Iowa) — Secretary of State Paul Pate — the state’s commissioner of elections — says a record 487-thousand votes were cast in the primary, even though in-person voting was sparse. “Everything went real well — a real light physical turnout, but basically that was our plan and that’s what we anticipated,” Pate says. “Most people stepped up and did the absentee.”

Those who DID vote yesterday were greeted by poll workers wearing masks and gloves. Voters in Johnson, Linn and Emmet Counties also had the option of actual drive-thru voting. “It was kind of a hybrid of the curbside concept,” Pate says. “They said: ‘Well, if we’re going to do curbside, why don’t we just have people out here waiting and, if you pull up, we’ll process you from your car.”

There are normally 16-hundred-81 precincts, but due to concerns about the pandemic and the emphasis on voting early by absentee ballot, precincts were consolidated into 514 polling sites yesterday (Tuesday).

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Iowa City say a peaceful demonstration against police brutality turned violent late Tuesday when protesters broke windows at a county building and threw rocks and water bottles at officers. Protesters said that Johnson County sheriff’s deputies deployed pepper spray during the clash, which occurred before midnight near the Johnson County Health and Human Resources building.

Police arrested University of Iowa student Sevad Duratovic, saying he was seen “stepping away from a broken window carrying a baseball bat” and then swinging at the window of a nearby vehicle.Duratovic was tackled and handcuffed, and said he was hit in the eyes with pepper spray as he was walking to a police vehicle. He denies swinging the bat or breaking any windows.