(Radio Iowa) – The Centers for Disease Control estimates the vast majority of Iowa kids have had COVID. The C-D-C analyzed samples from children between the ages of six months and 17 years who had blood drawn at commercial labs for non-COVID tests in May and June. The C-D-C estimates 84-and-a-half percent of Iowa children had COVID or were recovering from an infection in late spring. Having had COVID indicates a person likely has antibodies against the virus that prevent reinfection. A U-C-L-A study of mild cases of COVID has found antibodies against COVID drop after about three months and disappear after a year. The Mayo Clinic’s website shows the number of daily cases of COVID in Iowa has been dropping since the end of July.

The C-D-C estimates just under 80 percent of U.S. children had COVID or were recovering from an infection this spring. An earlier estimate from the agency indicated that by the end of April about 60 percent of ADULTS either had an active case of COVID or had recovered from one recently.

(Iowa DNR News) – LOGAN, Iowa – The Harrison County Attorney’s Office, Monday (Aug. 22nd) charged a Fremont, Nebraska man, 22-year-old Garret Vanderheiden, with involuntary manslaughter, a class D felony, and boating while intoxicated – first offense, a serious misdemeanor. The charges stem from a boating incident that occurred May 29th, and that resulted in the death of 20-year-old Emma Olsen, from of Omaha.

Vanderheiden is accused of being the operator of a 30-foot red and white Scarab that sank in the Missouri River, near Mondamin, Iowa. The charges are the result of an extensive investigation by Iowa conservation officers.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors (this) Tuesday morning, passed a Resolution with regard to ARPA funding for the Cumberland Youth Fitness Program. The Board during their meeting on August 16^th, approved a request to equip the facility with a cross-fit training machine, at a cost of $4,919. In other business, the Board continued their discussion from last week, with regard to the potential sale of County-Owned farmland, in the area of Willow Heights. Cass County resident Cary Short commented on the value of the land, and the financial loss the County would take by selling it, instead of continuing to lease it.

He said the taxpayers would lose $29,522 this year alone, if the property is put back on the tax rolls.

He even suggested that if the County wanted to save taxpayers money, it should pass a Resolution to eliminate one of the Supervisor’s jobs and go to a three-member Board, like other Counties have done, and as authorized by the Code of Iowa. That suggestion didn’t sit well with Vice-Chair Mark O’Brien.

Supervisor Bernard Pettinger and O’Brien mentioned going to a three member board could pose a problem as far as transparency is concerned.

Supervisor Steve Green said a good portion of the land is above average in the CSR, which will bring the price up. Land is always an investment, he said, and…

Supervisor John Hartkopf said without the proper guidance, the County could be looking at a “Huge Capital Gains Tax,” if it decides to sell the land. The Board took no action on the sale during their meeting, while they continue to gather information. Certified letters were mailed on August 22, 2022 to the current tenants.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue reports as part of an ongoing investigation, the Atlantic Police Department executed three search warrants on Monday, August 22nd. The warrants were served on residences at 405 Peach Street, 511 Walnut Street, and 706 Palm Street. As a result of the investigation two men were arrested: 19-year-old William Freemark, of Atlantic, was arrested for: Possession of a controlled substance/1st offense – marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; 19-year-old Tanner Glines, of Atlantic, was arrested for PCS/2nd offense – marijuana, and poss. of paraphernalia.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending. Atlantic Police were assisted in their investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol Tactical Team, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Cass County Drone Team.

No other details are being released at this time. If you have information regarding the incident, please call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

(Radio Iowa) – Many thousands of refugees from Afghanistan have found new homes in the U-S in recent months, with several hundred settling in Iowa, and now Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says there’s new evidence several dozen of them should never have been allowed into the country. Grassley says, “At least 70 of these people have been identified as maybe possible national security threats and does the FBI know where they are?” F-B-I Director Chris Wray appeared before a senate panel earlier this month and Grassley asked him where those Afghans who are possible security threats were located. Grassley says Wray didn’t know, but promised to find out and get back to them. Grassley says the security screenings were insufficient.

“We’re also concerned the extent to which their proper vetting of everybody that came to the country and everybody should be properly vetted,” Grassley says, “but we think that 70 had been either vetted or had other suspicions of them being possible national security threats, and that’s what we’re trying to find out.” Grassley says there needs to be more transparency about the Afghan refugees who were flagged by the National Ground Intelligence Center as potential security threats. Grassley says there’s no way to know if any of the Afghans who now live in Iowa are among those who are potential security threats. Still, he says he’s confident the vast majority of the refugees are “hard working” people and will contribute to Iowa’s economy.

“A little bit like we have learned, maybe at the time the Vietnamese boat people came to Iowa 40-50 years ago,” Grassley says. “We probably had some doubt about whether we should be doing that, but for the most part, they’ve turned out to be very contributing people to the economy of Iowa and really good Iowans.” At least 700 Afghan refugees have settled in Iowa in the past year, according to the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, Tuesday morning, unanimously passed a motion to hire Snyder and Associates Engineers for inspection services, with regard to the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline. The proposed pipeline would run 18-miles through the western portion of Montgomery County, to Green Plains Renewable Energy, LLC.

As of the last report, Summit had received nearly 40% of the required land for the project through voluntary easements in Iowa, but building permits have yet to be submitted in Montgomery County. Supervisor Donna Robinson said she preferred Snyders as the Inspecting Engineer because of the completeness of their presentation and past experience the County has had with the company.

Board member Charla Schmid says she too, was impressed with the company. The Board had discussed waiting until next week to act on approving an inspection service, because some members wanted to get additional input from Supervisors attending the upcoming ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) meeting.

Proposed Summit Pipeline

But in the end, they didn’t want to wait much longer to get the ball rolling, but that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to get more information and opinions.
Donna Robinson…

The next step is for the County’s Letter of Intent to be updated by the County Attorney and submitted to Snyder’s for their approval.