(Radio Iowa) — An iconic western Iowa restaurant is closing for good. Cronk’s Cafe in Denison opened in 1929. Eric and Terri Skoog have owned the restaurant since 1984. Presidential candidates from both political parties have campaigned in the cafe. “I think we’ve done just about everything you possibly could,” Eric Skoog says. “We’ve had weddings and funerals and birthday parties for young and old.” Skoog says he and his wife wrestled with the decision to close.

“It’s been in the back of our minds,” Skoog says. “We were trying to figure out what the exit strategy was going to be and that was even a year or two ago.” The restaurant has had a string of owners over the past eight decades. Skoog, who bought the restaurant from his father, says it’ll be a rough patch for restaurant owners in the near term, until the pandemic subsides. He is still hoping to find a new buyer.

“I really hope the Cronk’s name stays,” Skoog says. “I mean, I wasn’t a Cronk. We inherited that.” The cafe sits along Highway 30, what used to be called The Lincoln Highway. Skoog says back in the day when Cronk’s was open at all hours the Sons of the Pioneers and other bands would stop to eat in the middle of the night as they traveled from show to show.

One person died during a tanker truck rollover accident Thursday afternoon, in Page County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2015 International truck driven by 68-year old Donald Merlin McAllister, of Farragut, was traveling west on 170th about one-quarter of a mile west of H Avenue at around 2:55-p.m., when for reasons unknown, the truck went off the road into the north ditch.

When the vehicle rolled over, McAllister was partially ejected. He died at the scene. The truck came to rest on its top and was totaled in the crash.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has called Iowa’s response to the coronavirus “a success story” but he may find a less rosy reality when he visits Des Moines on Friday. A recent rise in confirmed infections in the city has alarmed the mayor and medical officials. Even the federal coronavirus task force Pence leads has expressed concern about the city’s toll. Pence is scheduled to encourage faith leaders to responsibly resume in-person church services, even as many say they’ll refrain for now to stop the virus’s spread. Pence will also meet with grocery and agriculture leaders to discuss food supply.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators from multiple states are looking into whether a long-haul trucker from Iowa who’s implicated in three women’s slayings in the 1990s could be responsible for other unsolved homicides. Officers arrested 58-year-old Clark Perry Baldwin in Waterloo on Wednesday after new DNA evidence allegedly tied him to three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and Tennessee in the early 1990s. Court documents allege that he also raped and choked a woman in Texas in 1991. A spokesman says detectives with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are “looking at any connections” that Baldwin may have to cold cases from that era. He says other agencies are also scrutinizing Baldwin.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — A day after Iowa’s governor appeared at the White House and took compliments for her management of the coronavirus pandemic, the state reported it has surpassed 11,000 known positive cases and 231 deaths. Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday announced a broader reopening of business in Iowa. Malls and fitness centers in 22 counties with the highest level of infections are allowed to reopen Friday, with some restrictions. Such businesses in Iowa’s 77 other counties have already reopened.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Crews working to finish fixing levees busted in last year’s deluge are getting some help from the weather. John Remus, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said Thursday that it is “much better shape” than a year ago. The flooding last spring along the Missouri River and its tributaries inundated thousands of acres of farmland in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. Among 61 levees approved for repair in an area spanning from Rulo, Nebraska, to the mouth of Mississippi River, about half have been restored to the height they were before last spring’s deluge. Upstream of Rulo, all but one levee has been restored to pre-flood height.

The Walnut City Council, Thursday, approved the adoption of a Resolution Amending the current Budget for the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2020. The amendment calls for a $10,000 increase each in the General Fund and Public Safety Fund.

The Council also agreed to keep all City properties closed until their meeting in June. And, they approved a request from the Walnut Community Center Foundation to apply for an AARP Grant to upgrade the parking lot. The Council decided to cancel this year’s Walnut Antique Show, that was set to take place June 19th-through the 21st. They’ll try to hold it again June 18-20, 2021.

The governor of Iowa recently put issued new guidance with regard to opening restaurants and service businesses, but large gatherings are still restricted. The Governor is expected to revise her guidance on May 15th. Mayor Gene Larsen said the City Council had only two options to consider – Cancel the show, or defer the decision until Monday May 18th, after the new guidance is issued.

The event typically draws a large crowd of vendors and visitors from all over. Larsen said he’s not aware of any COVID-19 cases in Walnut, but if there were confirmed cases, and assuming the peak had passed, the decision would be easier to make. He said also, the show cannot be postponed. He said also the Walnut AMVETS’ recommendation was to cancel the show, due to the uncertainty associated with COVID-19. On their social media page, organizers said the chance of having COVID-19 present, is “Not worth the risk,” The event is sponsored by the Walnut AMVETS. The organization says it will contact their vendors and offer either a partial refund or a paid-up space in the 2021 show.

The Council did, however, approve certain street closures for the Optimist’s Antique City Car Show, even though the fate of the show has not yet been decided for this year.

In other business, the Council approved building permits as presented. They also approved the renewal of a Law Enforcement Services Contract with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. Mayor Larsen said there is a 3% increase in cost over last year, but since the City cannot afford a separate police department, the agreement is well worth it.

Mills County Public Health has been notified of an additional positive confirmed case of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mills County. This brings the total number of confirmed positive cases to the county, to seven. The new case is an adult, in the age range of 41-60 years, and the virus was contracted through close contact with a positive case.

Our health department is currently conducting contact investigations to identify and follow-up with any people who had close contact with the ill individual. Close contacts are educated about self-monitoring their health status by our health department nurses. They are required to do daily symptom and temperature checks; as well as quarantine themselves for 14 days as a precaution.

Three of the cases have recovered and the remaining four cases are being followed by Mills County Public Health. All residents are urged to stay home as much as possible, stay away from groups of people and maintain a 6-foot distance from other individuals. This is needed by everyone, regardless of confirmed cases, because we know there is substantial spread of COVID-19 throughout Iowa.

Mills County Public Health Administrator Julie Lynes states, “I know there are concerns in the county about the increase in positive cases we are seeing. I want to assure Mills County residents that the increase we are seeing is related to the increase in COVID-19 testing and test availability.”

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on an incident that occurred at approximately 6:54-a.m., Thursday. Authorities say Page County Communications received a call of an unconscious male that had fallen and was bleeding in the 3900 block of 150th Street. Shenandoah Rescue arrived on scene and transported the man to the Shenandoah Hospital and then to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.

The Iowa Department of Public health (IDPH) and Audubon County Public Health have identified an additional COVID-19 case in the County, bringing the total Audubon County positive cases to nine.
The new positive case is a child (0-18 years).

Audubon County Public Health is conducting a contact tracing investigation on this case to identify close contacts who should monitor their health symptoms and self-isolate.

For up to date information on COVID-19 please visit the Iowa Department of Public Health website at IDPH.gov or conronavirus.iowa.gov.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Thursday, announced Rush CPA & Associates, PLLC has donated $2,000 to the Atlantic Small Business Relief Fund. Chamber Director Bailey Smith said “We’re so thankful for Rush CPA & Associates, PLLC’s generous donation of $2,000 to the relief fund. They informed me that they have been fortunate that their business hasn’t suffered like many others in town and wanted to do their part to show support. It’s encouraging to see businesses coming forward and supporting other businesses in the community.”

The fund will be used to provide grants to local small businesses currently suffering economic hardship due to COVID-19. These funds are not intended to replace a loss of actual or anticipated revenue, but to provide businesses with funds to keep them viable during this public health crisis.

Applications will be available beginning Monday, May 11^th at 9 AM on www.atlanticiowa.com and will close Friday, May 15^th at 12 PM. Grants will range between $500 – $2,500. To apply, businesses must have a 50022 zip-code. Atlantic Chamber of Commerce membership for participation is not required, though preference will be given to current members and/or businesses that have not received State and/or Federal funds previously. Applications will be reviewed by a committee and awarded pending availability of funds.

To help as many businesses as possible, if you are interested in donating to the fund, contact the Chamber at 712-243-3017, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or mail donations to 102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 50022.