(Updated) The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Monday (Today), heard request from the Cass County Firefighters Association for support of their efforts to obtain a grant amounting to roughly $343,000, which if approved, would help to pay for 700 megahertz (MHz) radios, as part of the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS). Part of the grant requirement is a five-percent local match. CCFF President JC Wyman said the system is superior to what they departments currently use, judging by the few radios they have on-hand.

The combined efforts of all area departments, he said, makes their chances of getting a grant better than if they had tried individually. Wyman said the cost of 45 mobile radios with 14 handhelds, is $341,265. The Federal Government requires a five-percent local match, or $17,064.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon said the EMA and 911 Center fully support the grant application. He said the State built the system used by the State Patrol and DOT. Cass County he said, is taking steps to integrate the communications system into ISICS.

Getting the radios for the County fire departments, he said, would complete that process. Local law enforcement are already using the system. The Supervisors did not set a dollar amount for the County’s share during Monday’s meeting, did but unanimously support the CCFA’s application, and will act on a funding level during their budget meetings. The State has locked-in a price with Motorola, so regardless of when the radios are actually purchased, the price will not increase.

In other business, the Board approved (on a case-by-case basis), family farm credits, and agricultural land credits, in accordance with the Code of Iowa. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken informed the Board the Secondary Roads Department is continuing with projects such as installing driveway pipes, tree clearances and ditch work, while the weather is still good. He said also, there’s been no word from the DOT, with regard to the proposed closing of 570th Street, under Interstate 80.

Supervisor John Hartkopf reported that the CABEDA (Cass Audubon Border Economic Development Agreement) Board met Nov. 19th to discuss a potential client for the Valley Business Park, and that there is another client interested in pursuing financing for the same area. If the two interests could be combined, Hartkopf that it would bring a lot of tax dollars to the County. Negotiations and other details are still being worked out.

(Radio Iowa) — A southeast Iowa man who served nearly three decades as a state senator has died of Covid-related complications. Eugene Fraise of Fort Madison — known to his colleagues around the state capitol as Gene — was 88. He died at the hospital in West Burlington on Friday. Fraise was a farmer who served as a Lee County Supervisor for seven years before winning a state in the Iowa Senate. He did not seek reelection in 2012 after serving 27 years in the legislature.

Fraise is survived by his wife, Faye, who was his clerk in the senate. The couple were married for nearly 71 years. They married on New Year’s Eve, 1949. Fraise is also survived by three sons, 14 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents in Des Moines say they caught an Oklahoma man with a .380 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets, plus an additional 13 bullets in his carry-on bag at Des Moines International Airport. KCCI reports TSA agents said the incident happened on Nov. 24, just two days before the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period. Des Moines police were notified and confiscated the firearm from the traveler before citing him on a weapons charge. The name of the individual with the weapon was not released.

TSA officials said this is the sixth firearm confiscated at the Des Moines International Airport in 2020. There were 12 guns found there in 2019. Authorities say the first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100, but that can go as high as $13,669 depending on any mitigating circumstances. The rule applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.

A traffic stop just before 1-a.m. last Wednesday on Adams County, resulted in a Lenox man being charged and cited. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office report 18-year old Colton Lawrence Vieux, of Lenox, was stopped for speeding 88 mph in a 55 mph zone. During an investigation, an Adams County Deputy located alcoholic beverages inside the vehicle, with one opened and in the driver’s side door jamb.

The Deputy conducted a Field Sobriety Test on Vieux, who showed signs of impairment. He was transported to the Adams County Jail and consented to a test which indicated his Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) was .052. Vieux was booked into the Adams County Jail and held to see the magistrate. He faces a charge of OWI/1st offense, and citations for Minor In Possession (MIP) of alcohol/2nd offense, and speeding. A passenger in the vehicle, Jessica Elizabeth Anderson, of Lenox, was also cited for MIP/2nd offense. She was released on the citation.

(Radio Iowa) Gunfire sent Davenport shoppers scattering on the busiest holiday shopping weekend of the year. Davenport police say two groups of people were arguing just before noon Sunday at NorthPark Mall when one person pulled a gun and fired at least two shots. No one was reported hit and everyone involved and nearby fled. Police and Scott County Sheriff’s deputies responded, shut down a section of the mall and found multiple shell casings. No arrests were made and NorthPark, once the largest mall in Iowa, has fully reopened.

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

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(Corrected spelling on Barnes’ name) The Creston Police Department Monday (Today), reported three arrests. Sunday evening, 21-year old Jeffrey Arnold and 23-year old Tylea Barnes, both of Creston, were arrested at the Creston Wal-Mart, for 5th Degree Theft. Both were cited and released on a Summons to Appear in Court. And, Saturday night, 29-year old Jessica Schalpia, of Creston, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order. She was being held in the Clarke County Jail, while awaiting a bond hearing.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Iowa News Service) DES MOINES, Iowa — Non-profits are navigating a path of financial stress and uncertainty amid the pandemic and the economic crisis it’s causing. In Iowa, a key health organization said it’s seeing the effect and making changes. The American Heart Association (AHA) division that serves greater Des Moines is expanding a key fundraising initiative to run year-round. David Stark, president of UnityPoint Health and an AHA board member, said money that’s still coming is prompting a shift in priorities. He noted there’s a lot of focus right now on short-term research looking at the effects of the coronavirus. “[For example], the impact of high blood pressure as it relates to susceptibility for coronavirus,” Stark outlined. “So very specific, very focused effort on hypertension.”

Fundraising Concept Closeup on Laptop Screen in Modern Office Workplace. Toned Image with Selective Focus. 3D Render.

Some short-term research is being done in Iowa, and Stark said that means donations can have a local impact. Hypertension awareness is part of the group’s annual “Heart Ball” campaign, which now runs an entire year to maximize donor potential. A report released this fall by the Charities Aid Foundation of America showed 9 in 10 nonprofits worldwide are being squeezed by the crisis.  Stark explained other priorities, such as childhood obesity outreach, are on the back burner for now, in part because safely connecting with students in schools isn’t possible.

Bob Montgomery, vice president and general manager of OnMedia, chairs the Heart Ball campaign and works with other local non-profits. He said there’s been consistent declines in contributions.  “It’s interesting really because what I have seen in most of these is that the number of supporters if you will – people who make donations and support the cause – is actually up for most folks,” Montgomery observed. “But the size of those donations is down and in some cases, considerably.”

He added they hope by making this year’s Heart Ball a 12-month campaign, they can attract enough support so there won’t be a drastic reduction of outreach and research done in Iowa. The actual event, the Ball, has also been pushed back from February to June.

Iowa coronavirus deaths continued to increase in the past two weeks as the state ends November posting 687 deaths. That’s a 34% increase from the 512 deaths reported in October. Iowa reported 28 additional deaths on Monday (Today), pushing the state total to 2,403. The IDPH says 1,336 of those who died had a preexisiting medical condition. Long-Term Care (LTC) facility deaths account for 1,063 deaths statewide.

There were 1,200 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours,  for a pandemic total of 228,996. Hospitalizations continued to fall but some health care officials are expressing concern that they may rise again if Thanksgiving gatherings caused additional virus spread as expected. Hospitalization data show: 1,162 Iowans are in a hospital facility; 224 COVID patients are in an ICU (Compared to 235 Sunday); 138 were admitted (compared to 131 Sunday), and 147 COVID patients are on a ventilator. Hospitals in southwest/western Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 63 hospitalized (Compared to 56 yesterday);  16 are in an ICU; nine were admitted (Compared to 7 Sunday), and eight COVID patients are on a ventilator.

LTC data show: a record 156 current outbreaks; 4,950 patients/staff have tested positive; 2,077 have tested negative. Area LTC data show: 211 positive cases and 129 recoveries at the three facilities in Cass County; 127 positive and 22 recovered in Shelby County (2 facilities); 139 positive and 117 recovered in Harrison County (1 facility); and 232 positive cases along with 75 recoveries at three LTC’s in Pottawattamie County.

Iowans who have recovered from the virus number 132,210, while 1,211,086 have been tested, to-date. There were 3,786 lab results returned yesterday, with 2,923 negative results and 853 positive. The individual positivity rate is 18.9%, and the 14-day rolling average is 17.8%. Cass County’s positivity rate is 19.2%. A total of 979, 932 negative results have been returned since the pandemic began. The IDPH says 132,212 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,

• Cass, 816 cases {+8}; 507 recovered; 23 deaths
• Adair, 441;{+1} 229; 8
• Adams, 170 {+1}; 87; 2
• Audubon, 296 {+1}; 195; 2
• Guthrie, 754 {+2); 439; 15
• Harrison County, 1,077 {+10}; 723; 29
• Madison County, 686 {+6}; 398; 4
• Mills County, 1,048 {+8}; 488; 7
• Montgomery, 463 {+1}; 212; 11
• Pottawattamie County, 6,319 {+74]; 3,594; 70
• Shelby County, 765 {+3}; 443; 11
• Union County,  772 {+5}; 303; 6