Police in Marshalltown are investigating a fatal shooting. Authorities say at around 3:24-a.m. Sunday (Today), officers, along with a Unity Point Ambulance and the Marshalltown Fire Department, responded to the 500 block of West Linn Street after receiving reports of a shooting incident.

Upon arrival, officers found a 27-year old man suffering from gunshot wounds. The victim was critically injured. He was transported to Unity Point Hospital in Marshalltown, where he died. The victim’s name was being withheld pending family notifications.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie today (Sunday) declared a state of emergency in the City of Des Moines in response to the community spread of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Saturday night, identified a community spread of coronavirus in the Des Moines metro and issued new recommendations for individuals with underlying conditions. IDPH added that all Iowans should be prepared for cancellations and disruptions to routine activities.

(THE MEETING was cancelled as of 10:22-a.m. today) Officials with the AHSTW School District said this (Sunday) morning, the AHSTW School Board will meet 3-p.m. today in the Avoca Elementary School Library. The purpose of the meeting is to receive information about, and discuss, the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

No action item was indicted on the agenda.

The Pottawattamie County COVID-19 Response Task Force met on Saturday, March 14th to discuss the data and recommendations presented at both the State of Iowa’s and Nebraska’s press conferences. Officials say “Being part of a larger metro area, we are evaluating all of the effects of community spread of the COVID-19 virus so that we can take proactive steps to flatten the expected curve. The task force will continue to meet daily to discuss the rapidly evolving situation and will provide updates as they become available.

As community spread has been identified in the Omaha metro area, the following guidance for community spread mitigation is vital.

Community: A group of people living in a defined geographic area, who are linked by social ties and engage in joint activities, such as work or recreation.
Community Spread: Occurs where individuals have been infected with the virus in an area and cannot specifically identify the source of the infection, or do not know how or where they became infected (e.g., cannot tie the illness to a specific event, like a cruise).
Community Spread = 1-2 identified community spread cases
● Individuals sixty years of age and older with underlying conditions should stay at home and avoid gatherings or other situations of potential exposures, including travel to affected areas.
● Implement personal protective measures. Encourage people to:
○ Stay home when sick
○ Wash their hands
○ Cover coughs and sneezes
● Clean frequently touched surfaces daily
● Reduce activities (e.g., group congregation, religious services), especially for organizations with individuals with underlying health conditions.
● Ensure hand hygiene supplies are readily available inbuildings.
● Cancel large gatherings (e.g., >250 people, the specific threshold is at the discretion of the
community) or move to smaller groupings.
● Consider personal social distancing measures: avoid large gatherings (e.g., assemblies), limit the number of attendees per gathering, and consider distance or working remotely or online learning when possible.
● Encourage staff to telework (when feasible), particularly individuals at increased risk of severe illness.
● Limit non-essential work travel and gatherings.
● Follow CDC guidance regarding school closures. If a school based case is identified, implement short-term suspension for school cleaning and contact tracing. Alter schedules to reduce mixing (e.g., stagger recess, entry/dismissaltimes).
● Cancel extracurricular activities as needed.
● Find local information on COVID-19 and local trends of COVID-19 cases at the IDPH web page.
Underlying Health Conditions: Health conditions that may increase the risk of serious COVID-19 include individuals with:

● Blood disorders (e.g., sickle cell disease or on blood thinners).
● Chronic kidney disease as defined by your doctor. Patient has been told to avoid or
reduce the dose of medications because of kidney disease, or is under treatment for
kidney disease, including receiving dialysis.
● Chronic liver disease as defined by your doctor. (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis) Patient
has been told to avoid or reduce the dose of medications because liver disease or is
under treatment for liver disease.
● Compromised immune system (immunosuppression) (e.g., seeing a doctor for cancer
and treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation, received an organ or bone marrow
transplant, taking high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant
medications, HIV or AIDS).
● Current or recent pregnancy in the last twoweeks.
● Endocrine disorders (e.g., diabetes mellitus).
● Metabolic disorders (such as inherited metabolic disorders and mitochondrial disorders).
● Heart disease (such as congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure and coronary
artery disease).
● Lung disease including asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (chronic
bronchitis or emphysema) or other chronic conditions associated with impaired lung
function or that require homeoxygen.
● Neurological and neurologic and neurodevelopment conditions [including disorders of
the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerve, and muscle such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy
(seizure disorders), stroke, intellectual disability, moderate to severe developmental
delay, muscular dystrophy, or spinal cord injury.

Reminder: If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) call your physician’s office ahead of your arrival. More resource information can be found at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

There will be no masses at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic and Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Anita.  Bishop Joensen has cancelled all Sunday Masses. The faithful are dispensed of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.

Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber this (Sunday) morning, announced today’s performance of the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Atlantic High School, has been called for this afternoon. Barber said in his statement, the move was due to “Precautionary measures and updated guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health.”

Saturday night, Governor Kim Reynold said in a rare weekend Press Conference, that Iowans should not gather in crowds of 250 people or more, to hep prevent the spread of COVID-19 (The Coronavirus).

The was an 18th confirmed case of the virus announced Saturday, in a person 60-to 81-years of age, in Dallas County. The case was NOT connected to the other, cruise ship-related incidents of COVID-19.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, says “If you are heading out to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration this year, make sure you have more than just the luck o’ the Irish on your side.” This holiday, March 17, 2020, is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year and this, unfortunately, means more impaired drivers on the roads. Drunk driving accounts for nearly one-third of vehicle related fatalities in the United States. Nationally, in 2018 alone, 73 people (39% of all crash fatalities) were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period and 33% of the pedestrians aged 16 and older killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08. In 2019 in Iowa, there were two crashes over the holiday which killed four people.

To combat the increased impaired driving around the holiday local law agencies will be stepping up traffic enforcement now through March 17, 2020. Officers will especially be watching for drunk and drugged drivers and anyone not wearing seat belts. Drinking and driving should never be combined. It’s essential to plan a sober ride in advance if the holiday celebration will include alcohol. The alternative could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, pedestrians, or other drivers and passengers nearby. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day responsibly!

The Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau remind you, driving while impaired is illegal!

Police in Red Oak arrested a Pottawattamie County woman early this (Sunday) morning, on an OWI charge. 58-year old Dawn Leann Wells, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody at around 1:15-a.m. following a traffic stop in the 2400 block of N. 8th Street, in Red Oak. Wells was charged with OWI/1st offense, and held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Officials with the United Methodist Church said Saturday, that “Effective immediately, the congregations of the Manning United Methodist Church in Manning, and the United Church of Manilla, in Manilla, have suspended worship services through the end of March.” The move officials said, was in response to COVID-19 concerns. Pastor Joel Sutton said in the statement, “No one in our congregations have knowingly been exposed to this virus. This action is being taken simply as a recommended preventative measure of limiting social contact in large crowds.”

The suspension also includes Friday night worship at The Source. The regular worship schedule will resume April 5th. If you have any questions, contact the church office at 712-655-3928.