(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says three-and-a-half MILLION dollars of the state’s federal pandemic response money will be used to support food banks and other efforts to feed needy Iowans. “Covid-19 has been one of those times when we’ve seen food insecurity skyrocket,” Reynolds says. “More Iowans than ever have required food assistance.” One MILLION dollars will be used to buy shelf-stable food like rice, oatmeal and pasta in bulk. AmeriCorps volunteers will break it down into consumer-sized packages. Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg says “That allows us to purchase the product at bulk prices in large quantifies, outside the normal supply chains, and hedge against future disruptions.”

Gregg has been leading the state’s Feeding Iowa task force. He says another one MILLION will go to directly to Iowa food banks “…to assist with the increased costs and challenges they’re facing with food acquisition during this time and also to cover increased supply costs. For example, the shift to pre-boxing the food has created significant additional costs, along with increased sanitation costs during the pandemic.” Another MILLION dollars will be used to help needy Iowans buy fresh produce. The “double up food bucks” program is for Iowans who qualify for food stamps — for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets or grocery stores. “We feel this is a particularly good investment because it both helps Iowans in need,” Gregg says, “and it also helps our specialty crop farmers who tend to sell at farmers’ markets and have experienced disruptions in their businesses as well.”

Half a million dollars is set aside to support the slaughter and processing of donated pigs and cattle that would otherwise be euthanized. The “pass the pork” program set up in early May is providing fresh meat to Iowa food banks and food pantries. Local meat lockers are processing the meat and the lieutenant governor says the Iowa State University meat lab is working on the project, too. “We’re also working on solutions to support donations from turkey, egg and dairy producers,” Gregg says.

Gregg says all of these “mini-supply chains” will boost the amount of food that’s available for hungry Iowans. According to the Feeding America organization, there’s been a 63 percent increase in demand at U.S. food banks and food pantries as millions of Americans became unemployed or were furloughed because of the pandemic.

Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS), Thursday afternoon, reported the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the County was holding steady at 11. Of those, eight patients have recovered from the virus.

A total of 377 residents of the County have been tested to date. The result was 354 negative tests returned, and 12 tests that were pending analysis and return data. None of the aforementioned results had changed as of early this morning.

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

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A construction worker who was electrocuted and fell from a building is suing the city of Sibley, Iowa. Victor Maldonado, of Worthington, Minnesota, and his wife contend the city knew a high-voltage power line did not meet safety codes and was a danger to those working near it. The couple is seeking more than $75,000 in damages. Worthington was working on the roof of the building in September 2018 when the power line sent a current through his body, causing him to fall 20 feet to an alley below. He suffered severe electrical burns, fractures, a brain injury, and blindness in one eye.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Health officials are confirming another coronavirus outbreak in an Iowa meatpacking plant on the same day that the number of residents who have died from the virus topped 500. Of more than 2,500 employees tested at the Tyson pork processing plant in Storm Lake, 555 have tested positive. Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter said Thursday that businesses in Iowa are not required to report outbreaks, and state law only requires disclosure of a business name when it’s necessary to protect the public.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new reports shows Iowa saw a jump in the number of people filing for unemployment last week compared to the week prior as the country deals with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. A report released Thursday the by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 14,586 new claims filed between May 17 and May 23. That was an increase from the previous week, when 13,040 people filed unemployment claims in Iowa. The release says more than $661 million in benefits has been paid out since April 4. Those industries with the most claims last week included manufacturing, which saw more than 3,800 claims, health care and social assistance, with right at 1,400 claims and retail, with more than 900 claims.

WARSAW, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri State Highway Patrol says three people from Iowa died in a crash in eastern Missouri. The victims of the crash Wednesday in Benton County were all from Fort Dodge, Iowa. The patrol says 20-year-old Richard Davis lost control of his car on a curve on Missouri 7 and went off the left side of the road and hit a tree. Davis, 18-year-old Matayah McLouglin and a 14-year-old male whose name was not released all died in the crash. They were not wearing seat belts.

Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH) officials said Thursday, there were eight more positive cases of COVID-19 to report. Seven of the cases are residents of Council Bluffs, and one is from Crescent. One of the patients is under the age of 17. Two are 18-to 40 years of age. Four range in age from 41-to 60, and one is 81 years of age or over. Those persons were tested between May 19th and 25th.

Health officials said also, so far, 2,898 Pott. County residents have been tested for COVID-19, and a total of 260 have tested positive (as of today). Seven persons are hospitalized from the virus, 91 are self-isolating. Based on PCPH contact tracing investigations, a total of 76 Pott. County COVID-19 cases are the result of community spread.

Across the State of Iowa (as of 6:15-a.m. today, Friday):

• 145, 108 Iowans had been tested for the virus
• 18,689 tested positive for COVID-19
• 125, 989 have tested negative
• 10,563 have recovered
• 519 have died.
• 376 people were being treated for the virus in a hospital
• 117 patients were in an ICU
• 38 had been admitted over the past 24-hours
• 78 patients were on ventilators.
• The number of LTC facility outbreaks is stable, at 37; 1,480 LTC patients/staff have tested positive; 652 have recovered, and 234 have died.

In western/southwest Iowa,RMCC data show 9 hospitalized, 9 in an ICU, 2 were admitted to a hospital, and 5 people were on ventilators.  Here are the latest County COVID-19 numbers from the IDPH COVID-19 dashboard (# of cases/# of persons recovered):

• Cass County – 11/8
• Adair – 8/5
• Adams – 7/2
• Audubon – 12/8
• Guthrie – 46/29
• Montgomery – 6/5
• Pottawattamie – 234/145
• Shelby – 34/26.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A construction worker who was electrocuted and fell from a building is suing the city of Sibley, Iowa. Victor Maldonado, of Worthington, Minnesota, and his wife contend the city knew a high-voltage power line did not meet safety codes and was a danger to those working near it. The couple is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

Worthington was working on the roof of the building in September 2018 when the power line sent a current through his body, causing him to fall 20 feet to an alley below. He suffered severe electrical burns, fractures, a brain injury, and blindness in one eye.