DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a woman has been found dead in a Des Moines, and investigators are questioning a man about the crime. Police say officers were called to the home around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check on a resident at the home. Officers who arrived at the home found the woman dead.

Police have not released her name or revealed how the woman died, but say her death is being treated as a homicide. Police had initially said they were searching for a 32-year-old man who may be a witness in the case, but later announced the man had been found.

Two men from Cass County face multiple charges stemming from an incident last week involving what they thought was a suspicious vehicle traveling through the area. According to a Criminal Complaint and Affidavit, 54-year old Steven Darrell Funk, of Griswold, who was initially cited into court for False Imprisonment, was also cited into court for Aiding and Abetting in the commission of going Armed with Intent.  Another Griswold resident, 61-year old Mark Funk, faces a charge of Going Armed with Intent.

Authorities say a woman, her husband and two small children, were traveling in the vicinity of 640^th Street and Tucson Road on March 11th, when Steve and Mark Funk boxed the family’s vehicle-in with a pickup and an SUV. The victims said both men then exited their vehicles and surrounded them before Mark Funk alleged pointed a firearm at the family’s vehicle. Both men have admitted to “boxing in” the car.

Mark Funk was transported to the Cass County Jail, and posted a $6,000 bond the next day.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports an additional filing for the November General Election: Dan Schrier has filed to run for Edna Township Trustee (a non-partisan position). The filing deadline is this Friday, March 20th.

Officials with the CAM School District report, during the school closure, the CAM Community Schools Food Service Department will provide an opportunity for families to drive through or walk up to pick up free meals for their families. Pickup will occur two times a week on Mondays and Thursdays.

Monday’s pickup will include 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches and Thursday’s pickup will include 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches. Meals will be distributed between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm in front of the High School in Anita, Middle School in Massena and in front of the Methodist Church in Cumberland.

Please stay in your car and wait for the meals to be brought to your car and passed through the window. You will be given a number of meals based on the number of children in ages 2-18 based on your household. The first pickup date is Thursday, March 19th.

Meal Sites and Times:
CAM High School
1000 Victory Park Road
Anita, IA
11:00 am – 12:00 pm

CAM Middle School
207 East 6th Street
Massena, IA
11:00 am – 12:00 pm

In front of the Methodist Church
302 5th Street
Cumberland, IA
11:00 am – 12:00 pm

If this time creates a hardship for you to pickup the meals, please call 712-762-3231or e-mail twilliamson@cam.k12.ia.us to see if we can arrange another time for pickup.

A link to sign up for the FREE meals is on the CAM homepage www.camcougars.org

The Page County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, charged 35-year old Travis Robert Mayer, of Essex, with 23 counts of Violation of a protection order. Mayer allegedly violated the protection order after he was served March 13, 2020 in the Page County Jail, where he is being held on a charge Of Domestic Abuse Assault.

The charges stem from an investigation between the Page County Jail and Page County Sheriff’s Office.

A traffic stop Monday in Clarinda resulted in the arrest of a woman on a drug charge. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports 24-year old Jodee Jean James, of Clarinda, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana).

James was transported to the Page County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have issued a Disaster Declaration due to the current COVID-19 pandemic event. Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says “A Disaster Declaration does not mean any increase in risk to residents of Cass County. What the Declaration does is open the door for the County to access possible Mutual Aid, Regional, State and Federal resources should the County exhaust all of its resources.”

CASS COUNTY DISASTER DECLARATION

• WHEREAS confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the State of Iowa are posing a serious threat to the public health and safety of the residents of Cass County, Iowa; and
• WHEREAS community spread of COVID-19 has occurred in the State of Iowa; and
• WHEREAS the CDC has recommended that people should not congregate in gatherings of over ten people to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19; and
• WHEREAS the Hon. Governor Kim Reynolds has issued a State of Public Health Disaster Emergency in the State of Iowa and has recommended that all school districts within the State of Iowa close for a period of four weeks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the State; and
• WHEREAS the Cass County Board of Supervisors has restricted public access to all county offices with those services available by appointment only; and

NOW, THEREFORE the Cass County Board of Supervisors hereby declare a State of Emergency in Cass County, Iowa, authorized under Iowa Code and will execute the expenditure of emergency funds from all available sources, the invoking of Mutual Aid agreements , and applying to the State of Iowa for assistance in response to this disaster.

(Radio Iowa) — The U-S Senate is preparing to vote on a three-phase plan to address the problems created by the coronavirus pandemic. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says one of the items being discussed is a plan by the U-S Treasury to send a one-thousand dollar direct payment to everyone. “We are looking at that in phase three, so that will be direct support to Americans,” Ernst says.

Ernst in her weekly conference call with reporters was asked if she supports the plan. “There will be a number of discussions surrounding that, “Ernst says. “What we do know is we need to find the most effective and efficient way to deliver immediate relief to our families in Iowa. And it is something I will consider. I can’t say whether I will support that right now — but it is something for our discussion in phase three.”

Ernst says they are also considering help for non-profit groups. “There are a number of those groups that do have mortgages, they do have leases that need to be covered. So, what I would recommend to all of our great Iowa folks who want to continue with their charitable giving — is to go ahead and give to those organizations — as they would with any type of gathering or fundraiser.”

The airline industry has been hard hit as well with the cancellation of flights. “Travel is very important, we do use the airline industry as a way to maintain a mobile society. So, we will look at that and have some pretty heavy discussions with the airline industry and where we go with their particular asks,” Ernst says. “But in my mind, it always needs to be our American workers, our families, those small businesses that are very important to Iowa, they need to come first.”

Senator Ernst says the U-S economy has taken a big hit — but she says the silver lining in the whole thing is the economy was doing very well before the virus struck. She says that gives hope that things can turn back around. “This is a pandemic. This is going to be a very tough time. And I hope that we are all wrong and that we bounce right back and this virus goes away,” according to Ernst. “But, what we can do is do the best we can to stop the spread. And if we can stop the spread we can do the best that we can get our economy right back on track.”

The recovery plans being discussed could spend as much as one TRILLION dollars.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Employees at Iowa’s public universities may get an additional 80 hours of paid sick leave under an emergency measure to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Board of Regents President Mike Richards used his new emergency powers to authorize the universities and special schools to provide the extra leave.

He also waived limits on employees’ ability to use accrued sick leave to care for family members and to provide child care for their dependents. In addition, he relaxed limits on an employee’s ability to donate or receive vacation time to be used as sick leave.