(Radio Iowa) – While Thanksgiving is usually a time of gathering for feasts with friends and families, this year’s pandemic has demolished many of those hopes and happy times. Mary Limas  is a therapist with the Senior Life Solutions program at Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City. Limas says we all need to be watchful of warning signs in those around us, especially our older loved ones.  “When you know someone might be depressed, you want to be there for that person and it may mean more than being there to listen,” Limas says. “If they need treatment, it’s important to be supportive. Help them stick to the treatment plan. Make sure they stay in touch with the professionals, the therapists.”

Time is one of the most valuable commodities we can share, she says, and if you can even make a brief call to someone who’s isolated, it could help them a great deal.  “Whether it’s during the holidays or once a week, if you’re able to take the time to visit with them, it’s important,” Limas says. “Take any threats or casual mentions of death or suicide seriously. Know important emergency phone numbers, such as the hotlines, the hospital, 911.”

Due to COVID-19, many of us have lost friends or relatives to the disease and we’re missing out on our usual activities — and special events, like a big Thanksgiving dinner. Limas says loss can be a significant stressor.  “For many, it’s a loss of loved ones but also a loss of tradition and routines,” Limas says. “Many people can feel more isolated and alone and they may feel bombarded by messages about the way of life and how families should be this time of year.”

She says to try and focus on positive memories as well as the here-and-now and zero in on the blessings of today.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – More than 21-hundred students will be graduating from Iowa State University this weekend and each of them will be given what’s being called a Graduation CY-lebration Box. Since the commencement ceremonies and convocations will all be virtual due to the pandemic, university registrar Jennifer Suchan says the boxes are a tradition that started with I-S-U’s spring graduation and will be repeated now in the fall. “Some of the items we are going to have in the box include the souvenir cardinal-and-gold tassel, their diploma cover or diploma tube as well as the commencement program,” Suchan says. “They’re getting a six-month free membership to the alumni association, as well as an Iowa State lapel pin.”

The boxes will also include an “I-State” window sticker, a musical greeting card from I-S-U President Wendy Wintersteen that plays “Pomp and Circumstance,” and other thoughtful treats.  “We want to be able to bring a bit of the ceremony to the students,” she says, “and really give them those mementos that they typically would walk away with that are just such an iconic part of a commencement experience for these students.”

Students are being asked to stop by the registrar’s office prior to graduation weekend to pick up their CY-lebration box — or if the student can’t be in Ames in person, the boxes will be mailed to them. For those who come in person, Suchan says students really appreciate the extra effort on behalf of the institution to make a personal connection. “They’re just absolutely thrilled when they’re able to pick up their honor cords and their box,” Suchan says. “They open the commencement program and quick flip it open and start looking for their name. It’s just a nice opportunity for the team just to be able to congratulate them on this momentous event in their life.”

I-S-U will be honoring the 2,171 graduates in two commencement videos that will be available for viewing at 10 a.m. Saturday on the virtual graduation website: https://virtual.graduation.iastate.edu/fall2020

(Radio Iowa) – Many of us will enjoy a Thanksgiving meal today (Thursday) prepared at home — while some have purchased a prepared meal and will have it delivered. The Iowa Farm Bureau’s director of agriculture analytics and research, Sam Funk, says it is important as we move past the holiday to continue supporting local restaurants and other businesses. “I think there is a lot of that food service sector right now who are depending on people being able to use carry out and bringing those cash flows into your local community,” he says. Funk says it helps those businesses — and it also helps those ag producers who supply food to them. “We depend on all segments of our food service industry in order to make for a strong and thriving community. And frankly, to strengthen the opportunities that we have to be able to market products all throughout that supply chain,” according to Funk.

Funk says the U-S has one of the lowest costs of food in the world — but there are still people struggling — and that is important to remember. “I’m hopeful that we will all remember those that might not be as fortunate as even we are. And at the same time, if we have a warm place to be able to lay our heads at night and a roof over our families, hopefully, we will be able to think about those who are having a tougher time right now,” Funk says. He says the pandemic has forced us to become isolated from others and limited the opportunities to go out and volunteer. But he says that doesn’t mean we still can’t help out by donating to food banks and to organizations that help others. “There’s still opportunities that we have to be able to give. And if there is an opportunity that we have to be able to volunteer again — I think that’s an important aspect to carry forward,” Funk says.

Funk says he is confident Iowans will continue meeting the challenges we are facing and will continue helping others as well.

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (Thursday), indicates 41 people have died from complications of COVID-19 since yesterday’s record 47 deaths, for a total of 2,312. There is one more death to report in Shelby County, where the total now stands at nine. The number of deaths attributed to a pre-existing condition statewide are at 1,327, while deaths at Long-Term Care facilities amount to 1,038, 15 more than on Wednesday. Three more long-term care facilities report COVID-19 outbreaks, bringing the total to 152. Those care facilities report 4,647 positive cases and 1,796 recovered. Cass County’s three LTC facilities have a total of 208 confirmed positive cases and 123 recovered.

Officials say there have been 3,331 new confirmed, Positive cases of the virus reported since yesterday, for a total since the pandemic began, of 222,278. Cass County has 12 new positive cases, for a total of 797. Mills County crossed the 1,000+ mark for positive cases, at 1,012. Pottawattamie County positive cases continue to grow exponentially, to 6,081 as of today.

Hospitalizations have fallen from 1,305 Wednesday to 1,269 today. There are: 271 patients in intensive care (2 more than Wed.); 193 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, down from 198 previously; and there are 142 people on a ventilator, Compared to 150 previously. In western/southwestern Iowa: there are 60 COVID patients in the hospital (down from 64 Wed.); 17 are in an ICU (two less than before); 10 people were admitted to a hospital, compared to six previously, and seve people are on a ventilator, one less than before.

The state’s data shows that 1,194,529 Iowans have been tested for coronavirus. Test results received yesterday amounted to 8,712, with 6,737 coming back Negative and 1,923 Positive. Iowa’s statewide 14-day positivity rate continues to decline, now at 18.6%. The Individual Positivity rate is also at 18.6%. Cass County’s Positivity rate remain at 20.3%. Taylor County has the highest rate in southwest Iowa, at 24.6%. Audubon County is the lowest, at 10.8%.  A total of 970,158 Iowans have tested negative for COVID-19.

The IDPH says 124,522 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, 797 cases {+12}; 497 recovered; 21 deaths
• Adair, 425 {+3}; 201; 8
• Adams, 164 {+3}; 84; 2
• Audubon, 293 {+8}; 166; 1
• Guthrie, 732 {+6); 410; 15
• Harrison County, 1,060 {+36}; 698; 28
• Madison County, 673 {+10}; 372; 4
• Mills County, 1,017 {+18}; 442; 7
• Montgomery, 449 {+13}; 203; 10
• Pottawattamie County, 6,109 {+184]; 3,457; 67
• Shelby County, 748 {+13}; 439; 9
• Union County,  750 {+16}; 283; 6

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The historically close race for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat has gotten even closer. Democrat Rita Hart has cut Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ lead to eight votes out of more than 394,400 cast, with recount boards in all but one of the district’s 24 counties reporting the results of their recounts. On Wednesday, Hart netted 26 votes in Scott County and another vote in Jasper County after their recount boards adjourned. Clinton County’s recount board will meet on Saturday to finish reviewing about 5,000 absentee ballots.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska is creating the nation’s largest tribal national park on a forested bluff overlooking the Missouri River and a historic site of its people. The tribe says the 444-acre park will allow it to tell the story of the Ioway people and provide a rustic getaway where people can hike, camp and bird-watch. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Ioway Tribal National Park will overlook a historic trading village once used by the Ioway people to barter for buffalo hides and pipestones with other tribes. That site includes three burial mounds that date back 3,000 years.

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa reported 47 additional deaths from COVID-19, Wednesday, the highest single-day toll. Deaths reported on an individual day can be effected by delays in completion of death certificates and other factors, but the data from the state Department of Public Health makes clear Iowa is continuing to see an increase in deaths from the virus. Johns Hopkins University says the seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from nearly 16 deaths per day on Nov. 10 to 28 deaths per day on Nov. 24. In the month of November alone, 555 people in Iowa have died of COVID-19. The state data shows 3,365 additional positive cases were reported in the past 24 hours.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A University of Iowa fraternity has been suspended for hazing, with a report citing verbal abuse and and an incident where new members were required to drink dangerously high amounts of alcohol. The university says the violations were by the Acacia Fraternity. The Cedar Rapids Gazette obtained an investigative report through a public records request. The suspension lasts through 2024. One allegation said that in the spring semester, new members were ordered to stay in the fraternity house attic until they consumed alcohol that included 60 to 90 cans of beer, along with vodka and a gallon of a drink called Jungle Juice. Several new members got sick.

A man from Nebraska was listed in serious condition following a shooting Wednesday evening, in Council Bluffs. Officers responded to the incident in the area of 800 N. 34th Street at around 6:20 pm, following a report of shots fired and a male subject who was possibly struck by a bullet.

Officers arrived and located the victim, 24-year old Daquon Berry, of Columbus, NE., suffering from a gunshot wound. The man was laying in the parking lot to the east of the apartment buildings in the area. Berrywas transported to UNMC.  As of the latest report, the suspect(s) is unknown and have not been identified. No other persons were injured during the incident.

The investigation is ongoing by the Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with any information that was in the area at the time of this incident is encouraged to contact this Division at 712-328-4728 or they may call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The historically close race for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District seat has gotten even closer. Democrat Rita Hart has cut Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ lead to eight votes out of more than 394,400 cast, with recount boards in all but one of the district’s 24 counties reporting the results of their recounts.

On Wednesday, Hart netted 26 votes in Scott County and another vote in Jasper County after their recount boards adjourned. Clinton County’s recount board will meet on Saturday to finish reviewing about 5,000 absentee ballots.

The Harlan Police Department reports two recent arrests. On Monday, 54-year old Roxanne Mare Poorker, of Harlan, was arrested on three charges, following a traffic stop. She was taken into custody for OWI, Violations of a restricted license, and failure to use headlamps when required. And, on Nov. 20th, 19-year old Randi Lynn Hess, of Harlan, was arrested on an Assault charge.

The H-PD says there were also two accident, one on Nov. 21st, the other on Nov. 23rd, neither of which resulted in any injuries. The accidents involved vehicles driven by: Jacqueline Larsen, of Avoca, and Tyler Thompson, of Harlan; and, Allan Watts of Harlan, along with David Benak, of Council Bluffs, respectively.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska is creating the nation’s largest tribal national park on a forested bluff overlooking the Missouri River and a historic site of its people. The tribe says the 444-acre park will allow it to tell the story of the Ioway people and provide a rustic getaway where people can hike, camp and bird-watch.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Ioway Tribal National Park will overlook a historic trading village once used by the Ioway people to barter for buffalo hides and pipestones with other tribes. That site includes three burial mounds that date back 3,000 years.