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.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Lawmakers across all 50 states seeking to limit the public’s access to information will soon have more eyes watching their work. The National Freedom of Information Coalition is launching a new bill-tracking program that aims to identify, in real-time, all pieces of legislation that would affect government transparency in the states.

At a time when the number of reporters covering state government has dropped significantly, transparency advocates hope the program will allow them to more easily identify bills that harm or help the public’s right to know.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — A Dallas County resident who hadn’t traveled out of state has tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first “community spread” of the virus in Iowa. Speaking at a news conference in Johnston, Gov. Kim Reynolds said the 18th person who has tested positive for the COVID-19 was 61 to 80 years old. While others who tested positive had been infected after being in regions where the disease was more widespread, the latest case indicates the virus was becoming more common in Iowa. Reynolds said people should avoid gatherings of more than 250 people but she declined to cancel K-12 school unless more people tested positive.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal courts in Nebraska are nixing all jury trials and grand juries for the rest of the month in a move to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, state courts in Iowa and Nebraska are taking some precautions. An order from Nebraska’s Supreme Court chief justice says those at elevated risk of transmitting COVID-19 are barred from attending trials. In Iowa, state courts may conduct meetings and hearings remotely. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for some people, it can lead to more severe illness, including pneumonia.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Wet, heavy snow blanketed much of Nebraska overnight into Saturday morning as a late winter snowstorm swept the state and headed into Iowa.  In eastern Nebraska’s Omaha, between 2 and 4 inches of snow fell overnight into late Saturday morning as the storm headed east in Iowa. Some areas southwest of Omaha saw event higher snow totals.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Omaha District says it has reached its goal of having the Missouri River mainstem levee system restored to its full height following massive flooding a year ago that devastated levees in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. The Corps said in a news conference Friday that while there is still much work to be done throughout the region, crews had closed 24 breaches along the main river system, spending more than $400 million to date on the work. District commander Col. John Hudson said crews have moved 4.73 million cubic yards of sand in the effort, “equal to two Empire State Buildings.”

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Corrections has been implementing measures, policies and protocols to prevent the spread and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in the state prisons.

Effective immediately, visiting has been cancelled at all state prisons until further notice. This is being done out of an abundance of caution for the department’s vulnerable population.

While most other correctional departments across the country have also suspended visiting, this decision is rarely easy. The DOC realizes the impact this can have on institution morale over time, and also knows the value of keeping inmates connected with their families. To help address this concern, the department has been exploring reduced cost or free phone calls, reduced cost O-mails, and is working to establish the capability for video visitations.

Regarding the department’s efforts to mitigate the impact of the virus on the prison population, Director Dr. Beth Skinner commented, “Our staff are taking every precaution within our power to ensure that the prisons are ready to prevent and respond to the introduction of COVID-19.” She also went on to say, “we are working closely with all relevant state agencies such as Iowa Dept. of Public Health and Homeland Security Emergency Management to ensure that we’re taking every step we can to minimize the impact that this virus will have on our population.”

The Griswold and Exira-EHK Community School District Boards of Education will hold their regular (Separate) meetings, Monday evening, in Griswold and Elk Horn, respectively.

The Griswold Board meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. in the Conference Room at the High School. New Business on their agenda includes (But is not limited to):

• Considering approval of: A Resolution in Support of the 2020 Census; The 2020-21 Preschool Handbook; Middle School/High School Reward Day Changes; The purchase of a Middle School Gym curtain, and consider approval of the 2020-21 Technology Budget.
• The Board will discuss Technology/Book fees for 2020-21.
• They’ll also consider approval of mowing bids.
• Act on setting Driver’s Education fees.
• Approve the 1st reading of 200 series Board Policies, and review other policies.

The Griswold School Board will act on approving: the GCEA Master Contract; The 2020-21 MS/HS Vocal Teacher Sharing Agreement with Villisca; a 2020-21 Elementary Guidance Sharing Agreement with Riverside; and, an Industrial Tech Program Sharing Agreement with Atlantic. The Board will consider terminating the shared Elementary Art Teacher agreement with CAM for 2020-21, and discuss a Middle School/High School Principal Search.

In Elk Horn, the Exira-EHK Board will discuss and/or act on approving:

• A 20/80 sharing agreement with IKM-Manning, and an 80/20 Assistant SBO/HR Position sharing agreement.
• A Budget Guarantee Resolution to levy property tax for FY 2020-21, for the Regular Program Budget Adjustment (as allowed under IA Code).
• Approve publishing the proposed 2020-21 Budget and Set a Public Hearing date for 6-p.m. April 13th.
• Approve a Waiver for Spanish IV (It was offered, but no one registered for the course)
• and, act on approving: A flooring bid for the High School Hallway & Exira Cafeteria, along with Personnel matters (Hires, Transfers, Resignations, etc.).