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KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
Interstate 80 is blocked this at the 63 mile marker westbound in Cass County, due to an accident involving a semi and a car. The incident took place in the construction zone. The driver of the semi reportedly hit his head on the steering wheel and requested to be checked out. The other vehicle was in the median. Cass EMS, Anita Rescue and Wiota Fire were dispatched to the scene at 6:49-a.m.
No other details were immediately available.
The Iowa Coronavirus dashboard today (Thursday), shows there are 1,401 more positive cases of COVID-19, compared to Wednesday’s 1,276 (a total of 110,974 to-date). There are also 15more Iowans whose deaths have been attributed to the virus, for a total to-date, of 1,594. Of that number, 1,060 deaths occurred for patients with a pre-existing medical condition. The IDPH says the number of persons hospitalized with symptoms of the virus declined slightly from Wednesday. The data (as of 10-a.m.) showed 530 Iowans are hospitalized, as compared to 535 previously. Intensive Care Unit numbers are up from 134 to 135. Officials say 85 people with COVID symptoms were admitted to an Iowa hospital, since 10-a.m. Wednesday, compared to 90 previously. And, there are 53 patients on a ventilator, compared to 49 yesterday.
Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa report 45 people with the virus are in a hospital facility, compared to 48 yesterday. There are 13 people in an ICU, compared to 15 previously, three persons were admitted, compared to nine the previous day, and one person remains on a ventilator. Health officials say a total of 918,078 COVID-19 tests have been completed, with 4,586 Negative test results returned over the past 24-hours (for a total of 805,458), and 738 positive results. The IDPH says 85,599 Iowans have recovered from the virus.
In the KJAN listening area, there are: 10 more Positive cases in Cass County, for a total of 350; 63 more in Pottawattamie County; 20 new cases in Harrison County; nine additional cases in Mills County; eight more cases in Audubon County and five more cases in Adair County. There are four or less new cases in Guthrie, Madison, Montgomery, Shelby and Union Counties.
There are 70 Long Term Care facility outbreaks in Iowa, two more than on Wednesday. The IDPH reports: 1, 783 patients/staff at those facilities have tested positive for COVID; 720 patients/staff have recovered, and LTC deaths are up four, to 790.
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,
A traffic stop at around 8-p.m. Wednesday in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of a Red Oak man on an OWI charge. According to Red Oak Police, 21-year-old Nathan Andrew Fournier faces a charge of OWI/1st offense after being pulled over at 3rd and Elm Streets, in Red Oak. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30 a.m. CDT
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A split Iowa Supreme Court is upholding a new Republican-backed law that will bar county elections commissioners from mailing absentee ballots this week to thousands of people who omitted information on their applications. The 4-3 ruling means voters who want to cast ballots by mail for the Nov. 3 election must complete their absentee ballot applications before Saturday’s deadline in order to qualify. Auditors will not be allowed to use the state’s voter registration system to fill in any blanks on submitted applications. Dissenting justices contend that the ruling will “likely cause thousands of voters to not receive their ballot in time to use it.”
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says her administration will try to convince federal auditors to allow its plan to spend $21 million in coronavirus relief funds on a long-planned information technology system. Reynolds says the state believes spending federal virus aid to purchase and implement a new accounting and human resources system for the executive branch is “an allowable expense.” State Auditor Rob Sand has said the use of federal funds for the Workday project is inappropriate. He warns that Iowa will be on the hook to repay $21 million to the federal government if it’s not diverted to an allowable use.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents dying from the coronavirus is quickly rising again after weeks of increasing hospitalizations and outbreaks at nursing homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 31 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, the most confirmed in a 24-hour period since the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that 31 people died in one day. Instead, it means that the state received 31 new reports of confirmed COVID—19 deaths through medical examiners and death certificates. Many of the deaths happened a few or several days ago.
While some cities, including Audubon, have cancelled Halloween this year over fears of spreading the Coronavirus, Atlantic still plans to hold trick-or-treating on Oct. 31st, from 4:30-until 6-p.m. Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones said during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, things will be a little different this year, however, than in years past.
(Updated) Trick-or-Treating in the downtown business district is from 2-until 4-p.m., Oct. 31st. In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed by a vote of five-to two, the second reading of an Ordinance amending the City’s Code of Ordinances, with regard to the expansion of a two-way stop at 22nd and Olive to a four-way, and from a two-way stop at 32nd and Chestnut, to a three-way stop. The proposed changes is to encourage traffic to slow down before entering the city. Councilpersons Casady and Somers voted against the measure.
Atlantic residents Dale Gross and Dale Retallic spoke out against the plan, which the Mayor contends will prevent accidents from happening at those intersections. Gross said there’s no evidence or records he could find, of 22nd and Olive being a hot spot for accidents. He says the 35 mile per hour speed limit is enough to prevent any crashes.
Retallic reiterated his statement from the last Council meeting two weeks ago, in agreeing that if the City’s goal is to reduce speeding, increase the number of tickets, and/or install speed bumps. Councilman Pat McCurdy who voted to approve the second reading, said he’s spoken with four people who live in the area are in favor of the 4-way stop at 22nd and Olive, because of what is perceived to be increased truck traffic, especially from the new rock quarry. McCurdy also pointed out that snow plows have a tendency to knock out speed bumps. The third and final reading of the ordinance will take place in two weeks.
In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the third and final reading of an Ordinance vacating and conveying an alley between Hemlock and Sycamore Streets, south of E. 18th Street. The lot will be divided equally among the four adjacent property owners. The also passed a Resolution setting November 4th as the date for a Public Hearing on vacating a Right of Way for a stub (non-connecting) section of road, just east of 9th and Plum Streets.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents dying from the coronavirus is quickly rising again after weeks of increasing hospitalizations and outbreaks at nursing homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 31 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, the most confirmed in a 24-hour period since the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that 31 people died in one day. Instead, it means that the state received 31 new reports of confirmed COVID—19 deaths through medical examiners and death certificates. Many of the deaths happened a few or several days ago.
The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating an 11 year old female runaway from Children’s Square USA (500 North 7th Street). The child was last seen around 3:00 pm Wednesday, in the area of North 7th Street and Washington Street. She was walking southbound in Council Bluffs.
Peters is an Hispanic female, with long Brown hair wearing black leggings and pink t-shirt. If this child is located please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department 712-328-4728 or call
911.
Atlantic, IA – Officials with the Cass County Health System have announced Tammy Wyman, LPN was honored with the DAISY Award on Monday, October 12, 2020. Her nominators said, “I’m sure to Tammy it was just another day on the job, but to us, her empathy and warmth meant the world. Tammy’s passion for nursing comes through in her compassion for people. I want to thank her for making an extremely painful time, a little more tolerable. We left CCHS that day with permission to grieve a child we never knew, and that was a gift Tammy unknowingly gave us in and of itself.”
Tammy Wyman, LPN w/CCHS. (Photo submitted)
Tammy has been a nurse for 39 years, with the last 24 years spent at CCHS. It is her eleventh year of working with OB/GYN physicians. “I am so grateful every day. God’s allowed me to work in this job and to make a difference in their world. I try to care for women like my own daughters, mother, and it’s so important that we don’t lose that sense of personal connection. I’m the first to admit that I’ve had times that I didn’t do well. I called and apologized and tried to make it right. I’m not perfect! But moments like this, I think ‘I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.’ [The award] is affirmation that there are days that go badly but you can still make a difference. Those valleys in life when you feel like you’re drowning—you pour out yourself into people’s lives in order to make their days better,” said Tammy.
Tammy was initially drawn to nursing out of a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, even if there are difficult times. “Not every day is a good day as far as happy things happening; there are really hard days. I’m privileged to do this, and to be around the people that I work with. I work with so many amazing women that do great things every day. It’s an amazing work family, and there is something to be said for that. We all want to do the best we can.”
Nurses at Cass County Health System are honored twice annually with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.® The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award committee at CCHS wishes to thank all nominators for their submissions. Each nurse who was nominated will be presented with a special pin and a copy of the nomination.
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. An online nomination form is available at https://www.casshealth.org/daisy.
(Radio Iowa) – A Denison woman has admitted to stealing from the credit union where she worked. Fifty-three-year-old Brenda Jensen pleaded guilty in federal court in Sioux City to embezzling nearly one-point-five million dollars over several years. Jensen admitted in her plea agreement that from at least May 2012 to March 2018, she embezzled money from Consumer Credit Union (CCU) in Denison while working there as the head teller. The credit union served Crawford, Carroll, Shelby, Ida, Monona, Sac, and Harrison counties.
Jensen concealed the embezzlement by creating fake deposits into her personal accounts. The credit union’s cash loss caused it to be insolvent and forced merger with SAC Federal Credit Union. Jensen remains free on bond pending a sentencing date. She faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a one million dollar fine.
(Radio Iowa) – A-A-R-P has unveiled what it calls an online “dashboard” with Covid data from Iowa nursing homes, showing nearly 43 percent do not have a week’s supply of masks and other personal protective equipment for staff. The data is based on Iowa nursing home reports to a federal agency. It shows more than 39 percent of Iowa nursing homes had staffing shortages last month. Anthony Carroll of A-A-R-P Iowa says the data paints a horrifying picture of what’s happening inside Iowa nursing homes. “What’s a more dangerous job in the country than nursing home staff right now?” Carroll asks. “And frankly, an area that we should be getting it right, but our lack of a plan shows how poorly we are getting this.”
A-A-R-P is calling on elected officials to ensure that public funds provided to help nursing homes address the pandemic are being used for testing, P-P-E and staffing. The A-A-R-P dashboard shows that between August 30th and September 20th, more than 700 nursing home staffers tested positive for Covid. “We have to get better,” Carroll says. “This is the first indicator of how far we have to go.” Carroll says without adequate protective gear and an increase in pay, it will continue to be difficult for nursing homes to hire staff in the midst of a public health emergency. “How is it that we’re almost to October and we’re still having staffing shortages? When you think about it, it’s because these are people who are not being paid well at all,” Carroll says. “They don’t have access to sick leave and they may be working between multiple homes, multiple jobs to make ends meet and then unfortunately unknowingly transmitting the virus from nursing homes to nursing homes.”
Iowa CareGivers executive director Di Findley says the median pay for certified nursing assistants who help nursing home residents with daily tasks is less than 14-dollars an hour. “We’re asking people to put their lives on the line here, and many of them have literally put their lives on the line for $13.80 an hour,” Findley says. “About 10% of them don’t have health care coverage from any source.” Findley says many are struggling with child care costs as well.
The state’s coronavirus website shows there currently are Covid outbreaks at 68 Iowa nursing homes. The state declares an outbreak when at least three nursing home residents test positive for Covid. The website shows more than 17-hundred Iowa nursing home residents currently have Covid. A-A-R-P plans to update ITS dashboard monthly.