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 Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports the Tornado Siren warning system will be tested today, across Shelby County. The test begins at 12:30-p.m. No severe weather is expected today. Again, the Tornado Warning sirens will sound at 12:30-p.m., across Shelby County.

(Radio Iowa) – Three free, virtual workshops are planned over four days this week that are designed to connect beginning farmers with experienced farmers and landowners who are working toward farm succession. Sally Worley, executive director of Practical Farmers of Iowa, says this is the group’s third annual Next Generation Summit. “There are a lot of aspiring farmers out there but land is one of their biggest barriers,” Worley says. “At the same time, there are a lot of people retiring from farming who are trying to figure out what to do to leave a legacy for their land that matches their goals. This series of workshops is trying to get at both of those things.”

Farming is often billed as being one of the nation’s most difficult and dangerous jobs, yet many young people continue gravitating toward agriculture as a career. “Farming isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a lot of hard work, physically and mentally,” Worley says, “but farming is such a fulfilling career for people who are able to provide food to their communities and to care for the land.”

The first day of workshops is for farmland owners who are considering a transition, while the second day targets aspiring and beginning farmers to help them set goals, determine their farming purpose, and plan ways to acquire farmland. “A lot of people are seeking that kind of vocation,” Worley says. “It comes with a lot of challenges but it’s also not just a day job. It’s a passion for many people.”‘ The final workshop will zero in on networking opportunities to match up aspiring farmers and landowners. Worley says the aim is to connect all the generations that make farming possible and support those from the next generation. “This is our third year of doing this, but because of restrictions on in-person gatherings, we are doing this virtually, which brings with it some new opportunities including being able to bring in a speaker from Oregon,” Worley says. “We are super-excited about that and we have a lot of good, engaging things planned for these three days of workshops.”

The free workshops will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Pre-registration is required. Sign up here: practicalfarmers.org/next-generation-summit

(Radio Iowa) – Physicians from around the state gathered on the Iowa Capitol steps this weekend to call on Governor Reynolds to either issue a statewide mask mandate — or at least allow local officials to require face coverings in public places. Dr. Brian Privett, an ophthalmologist in Cedar Rapids, is president of the Iowa Medical Society. “Our message is clear,” he says. “The benefits of wearing masks and mandating the use of masks far outweigh the downsides.”

Austin Baeth, an internal medicine doctor from Des Moines, says Iowa is one of only two states in the country without a public policy on masks. “Iowa is on the cusp of catastrophe and we need to do everything we can do now,” he said. “…Face masks work.” Iowa Public Health Association Lina Tucker-Reinders says too many Iowans are not wearing a mask in public. “We, your public health and health care communities of Iowa, are calling on Governor Reynolds to do the right thing: ‘Support a mask mandate, ideally statewide,” Tucker-Reinders said, “but minimally allowing local authorities to have local control.'”

Last Thursday, Reynolds said a lot of the states with a mask mandate aren’t enforcing it. “If you look at some of the states and the timelines that they actually issued a mandate, the cases are still rising, so you know it’s just there’s not a silver bullet,” Reynolds says. “There’s not a single answer.” Reynolds says she’ll continue with a public service campaign encouraging Iowans to “mask up” as an effective way to slow the spread of Covid-19, but she says while medical professionals say mask use is effective, there are people who “would tell you just the opposite.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

PELLA, Iowa (AP) — Two workers installing internet cables in Pella, Iowa, died after striking an underground, high-voltage electrical cable. Pella Police Lt. Paul Haase said the workers died Saturday morning after striking the electrical line. Haase said residents nearby reported hearing a loud boom at the time. A third worker for Excel Utility Contractors suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital. The crew was installing internet cables for Pella Fiber. Haase said 35-year-old Genis Urgell Rueda and 20-year-old Nelson Joani Figueroa died. They were both from Richmond, Virginia. People who lived near where the electrical line was struck were evacuated for about an hour

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of coronavirus cases reported in Iowa reached 45,481 Sunday after it increased 544 since Saturday. Iowa officials also reported two more deaths linked to COVID-19, which gives the state a total of 874 deaths linked to the virus. Hospitalizations for the virus remain at an elevated level across the state. As of 10 a.m. Sunday, 231 people were hospitalized. That’s down from Saturday’s 242 people hospitalized but still higher than what had been seen in recent weeks. Yet the number of people hospitalized with the virus remains far below the state’s peak of 417 on May 6.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police officers could be wearing body cameras by the end of the year. Police Chief Rex Mueller says the city council will be asked Monday to approve spending $260,000 for 120 body cameras. Mayor Bob Scott said he would be shocked if the proposal doesn’t pass unanimously. Mueller said after training, officers could be wearing the cameras late this year. Purchasing cameras is voluntary for Iowa law enforcement agencies, Sioux City has been considering them for several years but Mueller said the financing was never available because of other city priorities.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — One influential pork company has received the vast majority of payments from an Iowa program designed to support farmers who euthanized their hogs after the coronavirus devastated their industry. Newly released data shows that Christensen Farms has received $1.86 million from the Iowa Disposal Assistance Program. That’s 72% of the $2.6 million the program has paid to date. Christensen Farms is one of the nation’s largest family-owned pork producers, The Sleepy Eye, Minnesota-based company has received reimbursement payments for disposing of 46,599 euthanized hogs. The 15 other companies and farmers who have received payments reported euthanizing about 18,000 hogs combined.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County, Saturday, arrested a man from Carbon on numerous charges.

Jerry Mack Anderson

81-year old Jerry Mack Anderson faces charges that include three Class-C felony counts of enticing a minor, one Class-D Felony count of enticing a minor, four-counts of indecent exposure, and four-counts of 3^rd Degree Harassment.

Anderson was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $40,200 cash bond.

PELLA, Iowa (AP) — Two workers installing internet cables in Pella, Iowa, died after striking an underground, high-voltage electrical cable. Pella Police Lt. Paul Haase said the workers died Saturday morning after striking the electrical line. Haase said residents nearby reported hearing a loud boom at the time. A third worker for Excel Utility Contractors suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital. The crew was installing internet cables for Pella Fiber.

Haase said 35-year-old Genis Urgell Rueda and 20-year-old Nelson Joani Figueroa died. They were both from Richmond, Virginia. People who lived near where the electrical line was struck were evacuated for about an hour

The Iowa Department of Public Health Sunday, reports that as of 10 a.m. there were 544 additional COVID-19 cases over the past 24-hours. The COVID-19 dashboard indicates 45,481 cases have been confirmed statewide since Iowa’s outbreak began. Iowa’s reported positivity rate is 9.4% compared to 8.1% Saturday. Of the state’s confirmed cases, 32,918 Iowans recovered. There are 5 new cases in Cass County, for a total of 47.

The Iowa DPH reported two additional COVID-19 deaths for a statewide death toll of 874. The website said 606 of the state’s deaths involved Iowans with preexisting conditions. COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities account for 471 of the state’s total deaths.

Iowa DPH reports 231 hospitalizations, of which 75 patients are in intensive care. The Iowa DPH said hospitals admitted 28 new COVID-19 patients in the past 24 hours compared to 36 on Saturday. Polk County reports the most cases in the state, with 9,658 cases. Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa report: 13 people are hospitalized with COVID-19; seven are in an ICU; one person was recently admitted, and three people are on a ventilator.

The IDPH Dashboard current County/Positive Case count/reported recoveries (   ), and the number of deaths to date (if any)  {    }:

• Cass: 47 (34) {1}
• Adair: 20 (16)
• Adams: 16 (10)
• Audubon: 28 (15) {1}
• Guthrie: 126 (80) {5}
• Montgomery: 43 (29) {3}
• Pottawattamie: 1,206 (781) {21}
• Shelby: 158 (132) {1}

Atlantic, IA— As we reported yesterday on the KJAN.com News page and our morning broadcasts today (Sunday), Cass County Public Health has confirmed the first death associated with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) for a resident of Cass County.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathy to this individual’s family,” said Cass County Public Health Director Beth Olsen. “We know this is a difficult time for them, and we honor their right to privacy. The only details about the patient we are able to disclose is the age range, which is 61-80.”

“We continue to work daily with key stakeholders in the county and state to limit the spread of COVID-19, so that we can decrease its impact on our residents, families, businesses, and everyday life. Our call to action and plea to every Iowan is still the same; we need everyone’s help in practicing social distancing, mask wearing, and staying home when ill so that we can hasten the end of this pandemic.”

All residents should:

• Practice social distancing whenever possible and mask wearing when in close contact or in public.
• Call your healthcare provider before you go into any healthcare facility if you have respiratory symptoms.
• Stay home when even mildly ill (the kind of illness that normally wouldn’t prevent you from your everyday activities).
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Take the online assessment at testiowa.com to see if you should be tested for COVID-19.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit coronavirus.iowa.gov or the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov.