(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines police are now releasing the name of the man who was shot to death over the weekend in the capitol city’s first homicide of 2021. Des Moines police were called to a residential neighborhood near Drake University late Friday night to investigate a report of shots fired. First responders found 52-year-old Darrell Merriwether, of Clive, suffering from a gunshot wound. He died at the hospital early Saturday morning. Police say they’re interviewing witnesses, examining evidence and following leads, but as yet, no arrests are made.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests. On Feb. 27th, 39-year old Ronald Wayne Reid, of Omaha, was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $5,000. And, 56-year old Kevin Lynn Nicks, of Clarinda, was arrested on a Page County warrant for two counts of Failure to Appear.

On Feb. 25th, 24-year old Billie Jean Fouts, of Weeping Water, NE., was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office on a warrant for Harassment. And, 35-year old Matthew Paul Dennis, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Driving While License Denied or Revoked. Bond was set at $1,000.

On Feb. 24th, 27-year old James Aloysius Maschka, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Mills County Jail, for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, with bond set at $2,000.

With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced its 20^th Take Back Day will take place April 24th. At its last Take Back Day in October, the DEA collected a record-high amount of expired, unused prescription medications, with the public turning in close to 500 tons of unwanted drugs. Over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, DEA has brought in more than 6,800 tons of prescription drugs. With studies indicating a majority of abused prescription drugs come from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets, clearing out unused medicine is essential.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 83,544 Americans overdosing during the 12-month period ending July 1, 2020, the most ever recorded in a 12-month period. The increase in drug overdose deaths appeared to begin prior to the COVID-19 health emergency, but accelerated significantly during the first months of the pandemic.

The public can drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at collection sites which will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations in order to maintain the safety of all participants and local law enforcement. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted. DEA will continue to accept vaping devices and cartridges at its drop off locations provided lithium batteries are removed. A collector site locator tool will be included soon on the website www.deatakeback.com.

Helping people dispose of potentially harmful prescription drugs is just one way DEA is working to reduce addiction and stem overdose deaths. Learn more about the event at www.deatakeback.com, or by calling 800-882-9539

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey shows continued economic improvement in nine Midwest and Plains states, but business leaders expressed concerns about rising inflation and bottlenecks in the supply chain causing delays. The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions for February released Monday came in at a strong 69.6 from January’s 67.3. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth, while a score below 50 suggests recession.

But Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, said more than eight out of 10 supply managers reported supply bottlenecks and delays of up to five months. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

ELK HORN – Danish Windmill Manager Lisa Steen Riggs, Monday (today), announced that the organization has contracted with Acme Sprinkler Company of Omaha, to install a new fire suppression system in the historic 1848 windmill museum. The project is being funded in part by grants from the Shelby County Community Foundation, the Mike and Lou Howard Endow Iowa Fund and generous donations from members of the community.

Representative Greg Higginbotham from Acme Sprinkler Company reviews the blueprints for the Mill’s new fire suppression system. (Photo submitted)

Riggs said “We are very excited to launch this project. The old dry pipe fire suppression system functions by compressed air, rather than water, being forced through a dry pipe that runs throughout the 60-foot windmill, museum and gift shop on the interior and exterior of the buildings.” Dry pipe sprinkler systems are advantageous for protecting collections and other water sensitive areas, as well as areas that are exposed to the cold where freezing is possible. The biggest concern is that corrosion can cause a sprinkler system to fail.

According to Riggs, “Research shows that 73% of dry systems have significant corrosion issues in only 12.5 years and our system is 32-years old. The number and frequency of repairs has increased in the past few years, so a new system is needed as an item of permanence to protect this valuable Western Iowa icon. “

The Danish Windmill was built in Denmark in 1848. In 1975, the community of Elk Horn purchased the mill, dismantled it, moved it and reconstructed it to working condition as a tribute to the area’s Danish ancestral farmers. To learn more about the Danish Windmill and how you can support the organization and about the projects, visit danishwindmill.com or contact the Danish Windmill at 712.764.7472.

(Radio Iowa) – With the arrival of March and the one-year anniversary of sweeping COVID-19 shutdowns across the state, more people are getting vaccinated which is prompting some Iowans to consider Spring Break trips or summer vacations. Bao Vang, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau, says if you’re planning to get away, be sure to take a “pandemic bag” with you. “A pandemic bag includes staples like hand sanitizer, face masks, disinfecting wipes, health insurance cards, all good things to have,” Vang says. “Other items, a thermometer, latex gloves, hand soap.”

You may want to opt for a road trip instead of flying, she says. While road travel carries risks along with flying, it’s much easier to mitigate risks from within a smaller space you and your family control. Vang reminds, the pandemic isn’t over and there are still multiple risks associated with travel. She encourages you to do your homework ahead of time. “Research travel restrictions,” she says. “Now, every single state has unique mandates and recommendations as those items about mask-wearing or whether businesses are open and at what capacity, they will impact your plans.”

Vang says flexibility is key. Be willing to pay extra for fully refundable flights, car rentals, and accommodations, plus, recognize your plans may change last-minute due to an unexpected lockdown or infection.

(Radio Iowa; updated) – Tyson Foods has announced Covid-19 vaccines will be available later this week for all meat processing workers at its plants in Iowa. Last Thursday, the governor announced Iowa would be getting nearly 26-thousand doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week. Public health officials indicated that supply of the new single-dose vaccine would be enough for ALL frontline workers at the state’s meatpacking plants. Tyson is the first company to announce that its 13-thousand Iowa employees will have a chance to be vaccinated later this week. Mass vaccination sites will be set up at or near the company’s plants in Columbus Junction, Council Bluffs, Independence, Perry, Storm Lake and Waterloo.

A site in Sioux City will be set up for Iowa residents who work at Tyson’s Dakota City, Nebraska plant. Essential workers are now eligible for vaccinations. State officials say employees in meatpacking plants are classified as essential workers because they work in close proximity to others and cannot maintain six-feet of separation.

The Iowa Department of Public Heath at 10-a.m., Monday, reported an additional 238 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Sunday, for a pandemic total of 363,707. There was also one additional death reported, for a total of 5,472. Long Term Care facility deaths account for 2,168 of the State’s total number of deaths.

The number of Long-Term Care facility COVID-19 Outbreaks are unchanged, at 19. Hospitalizations increased slightly, to 197. COVID patients in an ICU decreased from 50 to 48. There were 31 patients admitted to hospitals over the 24-hour reporting period, and 15 patients on a ventilator.

Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: 11 people remain hospitalized for COVID; five COVID patients are in an ICU, there were three new admissions for patients with COVID from 10-a.m. Sunday through 10-a.m. Monday, and one person remained on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is up a bit, to 4.3%, while the seven-day rate increased from 4.2% to 4.5%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,331 cases; {+0}; 51 deaths
• Adair, 920; {+0}; 28
• Adams, 326 {+1}; 4
• Audubon, 485 {+0}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,164 {+1}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,793; {+1}; 69
• Madison County, 1,542; {+0}; 18
• Mills County, 1,631; {+2}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,037; {+0}; 36
• Pottawattamie County, 10,756; {+0}; 143
• Shelby County, 1,206; {+1}; 33
• Union County,  1,262; {+1}; 31

A man who suffered from a medical condition was injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday afternoon on I-29, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 46-year old James Bushey, of Council Bluffs, was traveling south on I-29 at mile marker 27 at around 1:25-p.m., when he lost control of his 2008 Toyota Tundra, while suffering from a medical episode. The pickup crossed the median and both northbound lanes before entering a ditch, hitting a barbed wire fence, and coming to rest in a farm field.

The vehicle sustained minor damage. Bushey was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to Bergan-Mercy Hospital in Omaha. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office and Glenwood Rescue assisted at the scene.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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