The Polk County Board of Supervisors announced Sunday evening a curfew for the county. KCCI reports the announcement states, “Due to the violent outbreak of civil unrest that has taken place in the past two days, Polk County is issuing a mandatory stay-at-home curfew effective immediately.” The curfew begins 9 p.m. Sunday and goes until 5 a.m. Monday.

According to the statement, Gov. Kim Reynolds has supported this notion.

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports Interstate 480 eastbound at Exit 53 (Highway 6, in Council Bluffs), is blocked by emergency vehicles until 5-a.m. Monday. A curfew is in-place for Council Bluffs from 8-p.m. Sunday (5/31) until 6-a.m. Monday (6/1).

Atlantic Fire Department personnel were called to the scene of a residential structure fire Sunday afternoon. At around 5:41-p.m., a caller reported flames visible from 60091 Boston Road. The person didn’t think anyone was at home when the call was made.

(Ric Hanson photo) Picture taken from Chicago Road, about 1 mile south of the fire.

Firefighters reported at about 5:55-p.m., the home was fully engulfed in flames, and called for Marne Fire to bring their tanker truck. The flames were easily visible from Chicago Road, which is about one-mile south of the burning residence. Smoke was visible for as much as three-miles away.

Additional details are currently not available.

HIAWATHA, Iowa (AP) — A shooting in eastern Iowa killed one man and injured three other people. Authorities say the shooting happened at a mobile home park in Hiawatha around 11:40 p.m. Saturday. Police arrived to find four people with gunshot wounds, and 31-year-old Joshua Lathrop died at the scene.

The three other victims were taken to the hospital for treatment. Their names weren’t immediately released. Police did not announce any arrests in the case Sunday. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska officials are imposing a curfew and the Nebraska national guard is being mobilized to help police after a man was killed during a demonstration in downtown Omaha over the death of George Floyd. Mayor Jean Stothert is declaring a State of Emergency in Omaha and is implementing an 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew starting Sunday night, she announced during a news conference Sunday. It will last for 72 hours, she said. The order also prohibits gatherings of 25 or more and is punishable by misdemeanor, fine of up to $500 or not more than 6 months in jail.

The shooting occurred at around 11 p.m. Saturday in the city’s Old Market area and within a couple of blocks of where protesters had gathered. Police said they arrested someone within the hour in connection with the shooting of 22-year-old protester James Scurlock.  Officials didn’t say what led to the shooting during the protests. The protest in downtown Omaha followed one hours earlier a few miles away that started peacefully but devolved into clashes between protesters and police.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said police made 51 arrests Saturday night. Schmaderer said the majority of those arrested were white suspects and they are in the process of compiling information on arrests to be set to media. The FBI will do background on all suspects arrested, he said.

Police in Council Bluffs said Sunday that the City of Council Bluffs has implemented a curfew of 8-p.m. Sunday (tonight). In their social media statement, authorities said, “We have received several messages, calls, and emails from concerned citizens about planned protests and/or riots happening tonight in Council Bluffs. We have taken all of your information seriously and we can provide the following information:
1. There are no active permits in place for lawful protests scheduled for today.
2. The City of Council Bluffs has implemented a curfew of 8 p.m. tonight.
3. We will have additional staff available to address issues as they arise.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State health officials say two more people died with COVID-19, so the state has had 533 deaths as part of the coronavirus outbreak. The Iowa Department of Public Health said Sunday that 19,488 people had tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of 245 since Saturday. More than half of the state’s confirmed cases were concentrated in seven counties: Polk, Woodbury, Black Hawk, Linn, Marshall, Dallas and Buena Vista.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness and death.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police arrested more than two dozen people after using tear gas to break up a protest and stop vandalism near the Polk County Courthouse in downtown Des Moines. Live video from WOI-TV showed a small group of people spraying paint on the courthouse and breaking at least one window on the building’s first floor. Police arrived about 9:40 p.m. and shot tear gas about 10 minutes later, causing what appeared to be about 250 protesters to scatter.

The protest Saturday night started at the Des Moines police station and later moved across downtown. That incident and an earlier peaceful march were held to protest the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The Primary Election is set to take place Tuesday. Winners of any contested races advance to the General Election in November. In Cass County, here are the candidates for Office:

On the Republican Ballot:

• Supervisor/District 1 – Incumbent Stephen S. Green, of Atlantic.
• Supervisor/District 4 – Incumbent Steve Baier, of Griswold; Travis Erickson, of Cumberland
• Supervisor/District 5 – Bernard Pettinger, of Anita; Linda Reineke, of Massena.
• County Attorney (To fill a vacancy) – Vanessa Strazdas, of Atlantic.
• County Auditor – Incumbent Dale Sunderman
• County Sheriff – Incumbent Darby McLaren

U-S Senator: Incumbent Joni Ernst

U-S Representative/District 3: Bill Schafer; David Young (Winner faces Cindy Axne in November)

State Senator/District 10: Incumbent Jake Chapman

State Representative/District 20: (Incumbent) Ray “Bubba” Sorensen

State Representative/District 21: (Incumbent) Tom Moore

On the Democrat Ballot:

• Supervisor/District 1 – No candidate
• Supervisor/District 2 – No candidate
• Supervisor/District 4 – No candidate
• Supervisor/District 5 – Russell Joyce, of Atlantic
• No Democrat candidates have filed for the offices of County Attorney, Auditor and Sheriff.

U-S Senator (Winner faces Senator Joni Ernst in November)

• Michael Franken
• Kimberly Graham
• Theresa Greenfield
• Eddie J. Mauro
• Cal Woods (he ended his campaign in early May)

U-S Representative District 3: Incumbent Cindy Axne

State Senator/District 10: Warren Andrew Varley, of Stuart.

State Representative/District 20: Ryan Morrison

State Representative/District 21: No candidate

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials reported another 345 coronavirus cases Saturday, surpassing 19,000 total for the pandemic. It also reported another nine COVID-19-related deaths Saturday. The state Department of Public health reported that the number of coronavirus cases rose 1.8% since Friday afternoon to bring the total to 19,243. The department said the number of COVID-19-related deaths in the pandemic rose 1.7% to 531. More than half of the state’s confirmed cases were concentrated in six counties. They are Polk, Woodbury, Black Hawk, Linn, Marshall and Dallas counties. While adults 61 and older accounted for 19% of confirmed cases, they were 87% of the deaths.

In updated information this (Sunday) morning, the IDPH says:

• 154,109 Iowans had been tested for COVID-19.
• 19,336 tested Positive
• 134,339 have tested Negative
• 11,059 have recovered from the virus, and 533 have died.
• Across the State: 341 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID-19; 116 are in an ICU, and 23 were admitted over the past 24-hours. Officials said also, 70 of the hospitalized patients are on ventilators.
• Regional Medical Coordination Center (RMCC) Region 4 (southwest/western IA) data show: 17 Iowans are hospitalized; 9 are in an ICU; 4 were admitted over the past 24-hours; 3 are on ventilators.

As for Long-Term Care Facility Outbreaks: Officials report the number of outbreaks is unchanged, at 39; 7 more LTC facility patients/staff were diagnosed as COVID-19 positive (for a total to date of 1,5600; 711 have recovered (9 more than Saturday), and 250 have died (3 more than Saturday).

In the immediate KJAN listening area, there have been few changes in the number of positive cases and those recovered, since Saturday. The only differences are: In Adair County, where three people have recovered from COVID-19 (down 2 from Saturday); Adams County saw two more recoveries; and in Pott. County, which recorded two more positive cases (for an IDPH dashboard total of 259).

A reminder also, that a TestIowa Covid-19 test site is operational in Council Bluffs. The site, located at the Western Historic Trails Center (3434 Richard Downing Ave.), is open by appointment, on June 1^st, from Noon until 6-p.m., and from Tuesday through June 12^th (Monday thru Friday) from 8-a.m. To 6-p.m.