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Iowa Early News Headlines: Wednesday, May 13, 2020

News

May 13th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

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

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An immigrant from Congo who worked at the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Waterloo has died of the coronavirus. The Congoloese community in Waterloo has been mourning Axel Kabeya’s death, which several members announced Sunday on social media. A Congolese newspaper reported that Kabeya was one of the community’s best-known figures in Waterloo, where hundreds of refugees have settled in recent years. He’s survived by a wife and children. His age wasn’t available. Tyson Fresh Meats spokeswoman Liz Croston confirmed the death, saying the company was “deeply saddened by the loss of a team member at our Waterloo facility.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s still considering how far to go in lifting local public health restrictions, as the state reported 18 more deaths from the coronavirus. Reynolds had planned to announce which business closures that she would allow to expire Friday and which she would extend through May. But she said she was still looking at data, and now expects an announcement Wednesday. Restaurants in 22 counties remain closed. Statewide, bars, salons, barber shops, movie theaters, casinos, museums and several other businesses are ordered closed until Friday. Meanwhile, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that 19 inmates at the county jail had tested positive for COVID-19.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa gym owner is facing a misdemeanor charge after operating in defiance of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ orders related to the cornoavirus pandemic. Jason Bailey, owner of Custom Fitness in Cedar Rapids, received the citation Tuesday. KCRG reports Cedar Rapids police saw several people working out inside the gym Tuesday morning, and that Bailey admitted ignoring Reynolds’ health emergency proclamation’ The order limits gyms in Linn and 21 other counties to one customer at a time by appointment. Police say Bailey was issued a warning on Friday and the misdemeanor came after police received complaints from other businesses.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A county attorney says a Council Bluffs police officer was acting in self-defense when he shot Nebraska man in May. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber says Officer Mike Roberts shot 34-year-old Jimmy Carr only after Carr had shot at the officer. The confrontation occurred outside a convenience store in Council Bluffs. Carr, of Omaha, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder of a police officer and two other counts. He is being held on $2 million cash bond. Wilber said Carr had shot at Roberts and was reaching for a gun he dropped when the officer returned fire. Carr was shot in the hip.

COVID-19 cases ID’d in Council Bluffs, Carson & Treynor

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH), Tuesday, reported six new COVID-19 cases. Four of the new cases are residents of Council Bluffs, one is a resident of Carson, and one is a resident of Treynor. Four individuals are 18-40 years old, one is 41-60 years old, and one is 61-80 years old. The total of COVID-19 cases in Pottawattamie County is now 91.

Currently, 43 individuals are self-isolating, one is hospitalized, 44 have recovered, one moved out-of-state, and there have been two deaths.

For additional information, including case demographics filtered by county, visit the Iowa Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard at coronavirus.iowa.gov.

3 arrested on alcohol charges in Mills County

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three people were arrested recently on alcohol-related charges. 22-year old Chance Ryan Beres, of Malvern, was arrested at around 12:40-a.m. Sunday for Supplying Alcohol to a person under the age of 21. 21-year old Owen Hunter Liddell, of Malvern, was arrested at around 2:20-a.m. Monday for the same offense. Their bonds were set at $1,000 each.

19-year old Nathan Edward Richardson, of Malvern, was arrested at around 2:10-a.m. Monday, for OWI/2nd offense, Driving While Revoked, and Possession of alcohol under the legal age. His bond was set at $3,000.

And, 18-year old Preston Lee Clark, of Omaha, was arrested at around 4:20-a.m. Tuesday at Ingrum Avenue & Highway 34, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, OWI/1st offense, Possession of alcohol under the legal age, and striking fixtures upon a highway. His bond was set at $2,000.

Iowa gym owner is cited for defying coronavirus order

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV) — An Iowa gym owner is facing a misdemeanor charge after operating in defiance of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ orders related to the cornoavirus pandemic. Jason Bailey, owner of Custom Fitness in Cedar Rapids, received the citation Tuesday. KCRG reports Cedar Rapids police saw several people working out inside the gym Tuesday morning, and that Bailey admitted ignoring Reynolds’ health emergency proclamation.

The order limits gyms in Linn and 21 other counties to one customer at a time by appointment. Police say Bailey was issued a warning on Friday and the misdemeanor came after police received complaints from other businesses.

Worker from Congo dies after COVID-19 outbreak at Iowa plant

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An immigrant from Congo who worked at the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Waterloo has died of the coronavirus. The Congoloese community in Waterloo has been mourning Axel Kabeya’s death, which several members announced Sunday on social media. A Congolese newspaper reported that Kabeya was one of the community’s best-known figures in Waterloo, where hundreds of refugees have settled in recent years.

He’s survived by a wife and children. His age wasn’t available. Tyson Fresh Meats spokeswoman Liz Croston confirmed the death, saying the company was “deeply saddened by the loss of a team member at our Waterloo facility.”

Iowa officer shooting of Nebraska man ruled self-defense

News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (Omaha World-Herald) — A county attorney says a Council Bluffs police officer was acting in self-defense when he shot Nebraska man in May. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber says Officer Mike Roberts shot 34-year-old Jimmy Carr only after Carr had shot at the officer. The confrontation occurred outside a convenience store in Council Bluffs.

Carr, of Omaha, was charged Tuesday with attempted murder of a police officer and two other counts. He is being held on $2 million cash bond. Wilber said Carr had shot at Roberts and was reaching for a gun he dropped when the officer returned fire. Carr was shot in the hip.

MILDRED MEYER, 94, of Exira (private service)

Obituaries

May 12th, 2020 by Jim Field

MILDRED MEYER, 94, of Exira died Monday, May 11th at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital.  A private family graveside service for MILDRED MEYER will be held at the Exira Cemetery.  Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

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An open visitation will be available to the public on Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Burial in the Exira Cemetery.

MILDRED MEYER is survived by:

Children:  Pat (Chuck) Wise of Racine, WI; Barbara (Daryl) Nielsen of Fort Collins, CO; Chris (Katja) Meyer of Furth, Germany.

Brother:  Robert D. Nelson of Exira.

9 Grandchildren

8 Great-Grandchildren

Many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

JANET WILLIAMS, 85, of Audubon (5-16-2020)

Obituaries

May 12th, 2020 by Jim Field

JANET WILLIAMS, 85, of Audubon died Sunday, May 10th at her home.  A Celebration of Life Memorial Graveside service for JANET WILLIAMS will be held on Saturday, May 16th at 1:00 pm in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.  Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

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Burial in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

JANET WILLIAMS is survived by:

Children:  Randy (Joan) Williams of Omaha, NE; Roxane (Steve) Hoyle of Audubon; Angie (Kurt) Wanninger of Carmel, IN; Jodi (John) Irlmeier of Anita and Rod (Angie) Williams of Audubon.

Sister:  Donna Barger of Des Moines.

Sister-in-Law and Brother-in-Law:  Rosalie and Jerry Jensen of Hamlin.

Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law:  Roger and Sally Williams of Spirit Lake

Sister-in-Law and Brother-in-Law:  Jan and Laverne Jensen of Panora.

15 Grandchildren

22 Great-Grandchildren

Many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

FRED L. RABE, JR, 93, of Audubon (private service)

Obituaries

May 12th, 2020 by Jim Field

FRED L. RABE, JR, 93, of Audubon died Sunday, May 10th at the Exira Care Center.  A private family service will be held for FRED L. RABE, JR at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon.

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Family Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

FRED L. RABE, JR is survived by:

Wife:  Barbara Rabe of Audubon.

Children:  Rosalie (Don) Babcock of Indianola; Colleen (Tom) Madsen of Audubon; Ronell (Rob) Nymand of Brayton and Steven (Kristi) Rabe of Rockwell City.

Sister:  Josephine Jensen of Loveland, CO.

14 Grandchildren

22 Great-Grandchildren

Nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Senators want more compensation for hog producers who euthanize herds

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s two U-S senators want more money pumped into programs to compensate hog producers who are forced to euthanize herds due to the pandemic. With some meatpacking plants closed, processing capacity is down by 20- to 40-percent, or more. Senator Chuck Grassley says the pork industry has lost more that five-billion dollars already, though he’s not calling for a specific amount to be included in the legislation.

“Usually the bill says ‘such sums as may be necessary’ and the appropriators would make that final decision,” Grassley says. “The fact that I haven’t mentioned a specific dollar figure is only because it’s kind of an unknown at this point.” Grassley notes that the CARES Act provided more than 24-billion dollars for grain farmers, specialty crops and livestock producers who were suffering losses.

“This money that is already available, six weeks ago, was anticipating just low prices because of the pandemic,” Grassley says. “Nobody talked about depopulating herds at that time.” In a letter to Congressional leaders signed by Grassley and several other senators, they say: “The crisis is immediate. Pork producers send to market over two million pigs each week. If 20 percent of processing is idle, that means somewhere around 400,000 animals per week must be disposed of in some manner other than processing.”

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says farming communities are in an economic crisis, especially hog farmers who are faced with the prospect of euthanizing their animals. “It’s very hurtful, I think for all of us, especially for those of us in leadership that are really crying to be heard broadly across the United States with our colleagues as to what our American farmer and rancher is going through,” Ernst says. Ernst made her comments last Friday during a forum with Vice President Mike Pence in West Des Moines.

Jen Sorenson, president-elect of the National Pork Producers, says of euthanizing hogs: “That goes against every farming instinct. We need significant help to support U.S. pork producers that generate more than 500,000 jobs and $23 billion in personal income across America.”