DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A dispute between Iowa’s governor and the state’s largest school district could mean summer school for students and crippling bills for the school system. Des Moines school officials have repeatedly refused to abide by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order that districts hold at least half their classes in-person, saying it’s not safe. After the district last week again voted to violate Reynolds’ order, the governor called their action “unacceptable.”

The state Education Department is beginning the process for punishing the district. If they find the district is out of compliance, state officials could take a variety of actions, including requiring the district to keep students in classes until the end of June. Each additional day would cost the district about $1.5 million.

Police in Red Oak report the arrest Saturday night, of 28-year old Eric David Taylor, from Red Oak. Taylor was arrested in the 500 block of E. Washington Avenue, in Red Oak, for OWI/1st offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

A single-vehicle accident early this (Sunday) morning in Madison County has claimed the life of a Winterset man. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 58-year old Rustin Wade Tuttle, who was not wearing a seat belt, died when the 2008 Cadillac DTS he was driving went out of control, southbound on Pamel Park Road, southeast of Winterset. The vehicle entered the west ditch and went airborne over a culvert before hitting a tree and coming to rest on its passenger side. The accident happened at around 2:15-a.m.

Authorities say the results of a Blood Alcohol Test (BAC) are pending.

Kansas City, MO — Every day in America, millions of parents and caregivers travel with children in their vehicles. While some children are buckled in properly in the correct car seats for their ages and sizes, many are not, if they are buckled up at all. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half (46%) of
car seats are misused.

To help combat this issue, NHTSA is sponsoring Child Passenger Safety Week from September 20-26, 2020, a campaign dedicated to helping parents and caregivers make sure their children
ride as safely as possible — every trip, every time. “Every 32 seconds in 2018, a child under 13 was involved in a passenger vehicle crash. Using car seats that are age- and size-appropriate is the best way to keep your children safe,” said Regional Administrator, Susan DeCourcy. “In 2017, there were 312 children under the age of 5 saved because they were using car seats. Car seats matter and having the right car seat installed and used the right way is critical.”

Too often, parents move their children to the front seat before they should, which increases the risk of injury and death, even if they’re buckled up. The safest place for all kids under 13 is in the back seat. In 2015, about 25.8% of children 4 to 7 who should have been riding in booster seats were moved too early to seat belts, and 11.6% were unbuckled altogether. “As parents and caregivers, we have a long list of things we do for our children to show our love. One of the simplest and most important things on the list should be to make sure our kids are in
the right car seat for their age and size,” DeCourcy said. “Get your car seats checked. Make sure they’re installed correctly, and that your kids are in the right seats and are buckled in correctly.
Get your car seat checked with a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, so you can be sure that your child is the safest while traveling.”

Remember to register your car seat or booster seat with the seat manufacturer to get notifications in the event of a recall. Parents and caregivers can view more information on car seat safety and locate a certified technician at www.nhtsa.gov/therightseat.

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating an accident Saturday evening that resulted in serious injuries to a motorcyclist. Authorities say at around 7:40-p.m., a collision occurred between a motorcycle and a truck, at the intersection of S. 24thStreet and the Veteran’s Memorial Highway (Vets Hwy).

A preliminary investigation revealed that the 2018 GMC Sierra 1500 truck was eastbound on Vets Hwy making a left turn onto S 24thStreet. The 2017 Harley Davidson motorcycle was westbound on Vets Hwy. The truck turned in front of the motorcycle causing the collision. The driver of the truck was uninjured.

The driver of the motorcycle suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital. No names have been released as of this (Sunday) morning.

One person was killed during a single-vehicle accident Saturday morning, in northern Iowa’s Cerro Gordo County. The Iowa State Patrol says a 1998 Chevy Corvette was traveling northbound on Balsam Avenue just south of B-14 in the northwest part of the County, and was passing other traffic when the car went out of control.

The vehicle entered the west ditch, rolled and came to rest. The driver’s identity was being withheld, pending notification of family. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, DNR, Mason City and Hanlontown Fire Departments.

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

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

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The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard today (10-a.m., Saturday), shows there were 901 new (Positive) COVID-19 cases reported since 10-a.m. Friday, and six additional deaths. As of this morning, the IDPH reported 79,128 total COVID-19 cases, 57,227 recoveries and 1,264 deaths since the pandemic began. There have been 732,186 Iowans tested for the virus. IDPH reported 6,247 lab test results received in the previous day, with 692 positive results and 5,539 negative results. IDPH reports a positivity rate of 8.5% over the last 14 days. One of four Iowans have been tested for COVID-19, while 1 of 40 have tested positive.

The state reports nine Iowa counties with a positivity rate greater than 15% over the last 14 days, up from eight the previous day. That means public schools in Sioux, Lyon, Crawford, Osceola, Plymouth, Winnebago, Henry, Sac, and Carroll counties can apply for a waiver to offer 100% virtual learning. Sioux, Lyon, Crawford and Osceola counties report a rate greater than 20%, with Sioux County reporting a 29.5% positivity rate.

In the KJAN listening area, Cass County, Madison Counties and Mills Counties each have two new COVID-19 positive cases each. There are three new cases in Audubon and Harrison County, four more cases in Guthrie County, six more cases in Union and Shelby Counties, and 19 more cases in Pottawattamie County.

IDPH reported 39 long-term care facilities with coronavirus outbreaks, unchanged from the previous day. There are 891 positive cases and 463 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 664 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

Across the State, hospitalizations are up slightly, to 282. The number of patients with COVID-19 who are in an ICU is down to 81; 34 people were admitted to a hospital with symptoms of the virus, 19 fewer than on Friday, and 40 patients were on ventilators. In western/southwest Iowa, hospitals report nine people are hospitalized with COVID-19; six are in an ICU; two people were admitted to an area hospital with symptoms, Friday, and one person remains on  ventilator.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}.

• Cass County: 128 cases; (114); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 62 cases; (42); 1 death
• Adams County: 27 cases; (23)
• Audubon County: 56 cases; (35); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 213 cases; (157); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 85 cases; (79); 5 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,953 cases; (1,601); 37 deaths
• Shelby County: 241 cases; (227); 1 death.
• Madison County, 200; (155); 2 deaths
• Harrison County, 169 cases; (152); 2 deaths
• Union County: 120 cases; (85); 3 deaths.
• Mills County: 164 cases; (117); 1 death.