(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a House committee have voted for a bill that would ban mask mandates and any future vaccine mandates in schools — including colleges, as well as in businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Republican Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs says the bill prevents discrimination and protects personal medical information. “The people of Iowa want action on this,” Jacobsen says. “…They’ve lost their jobs. They’ve lost their livelihoods.”

The bill would forbid employers from firing a worker because of their vaccination status. All the Democrats on the panel voted no. Representative Bruce Hunter, a Democrat from Des Moines, says it’s a dangerous bill. “We’re a country torn apart not just by a virus, but by conspiracy theorists who fundraise and demagogue that wearing a mask at the grocery store will somehow lead to the rebirth of the Third Reich,” Hunter says.

The bill is now eligible for debate in the full House.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, received a Housing Committee report from several of the Committee’s team leaders. Former City Councilperson Kathy Somers, who Chairs the group, said because of the progress that’s being made by the Committee to address the housing needs, the City is eligible for a $10,000 grant. If the grant is received, the Council will have to follow-up and put the funds to good use, with regard to housing initiatives, etc.

Somers said the 26 member Committee was formed after a task force was established by the Atlantic Community Development Group in November, 2020. She credited long-time Atlantic resident and businessman Bob Camblin with kick starting the initiative because, as he said, “housing is a very important issue.” Somers said the Committee divided into several working groups, each tasked with different aspects of finding ways to fill the housing gap in Atlantic.

The groups included: Land Subcommittee, lead by Christina Bateman; Infill lots, lead by Baily Smith; Home Builder Recruitment, under the Direction of Randy Watts; Housing Rehab Program, lead by Rylea Anderson, and the City-lead initiatives group, under the directive of Heather Santi-Brown. Most of the group leaders were present to a brief description of what they have done so far, and continue to work on accomplishing.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved a joint Airport Road/Bridge rehab project with Cass County, and the plans and specifications for the Bull Creek Improvement Project. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm report said the Army Corps of Engineers threw-in some last minute additions, but the City can still solicit bids for the work and does not need a revised permit. The work includes reshaping the banks of the creek, installing “rock ripples” to allow for the formation of silt to eventually, and naturally raise the stream bed.

Tree removal and trimming along the creek will take place soon, under a separate contract. Sturm said also, a couple of culvert outlets will be fixed, replacing a culvert where the trail crosses Buck Creek, and replacing a portion of the Buck Creek Trail. The project is still coming in at under $500,000, with the bids expected to be received by the first week of March. A public hearing on the project is set for March 16th.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council also set March 16th as the date for a Public Hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation, Solid Waste Management Loan Agreement (and to borrow money) not to exceed a principal amount of $90,000. That’s with regard to the City’s 28-E agreement to support the Cass County Landfill. The Council’s meeting on March 2nd will include a public hearing on the Maximum Tax Dollars.

And the Council approved the renewal and updating of a City Clerk Services Agreement with the City of Marne, extending the services for five-years, with a $150 increase in the fee for each of the five years. Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick said the City has been providing City Clerk services to the City of Marne for the past two-years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, administered the Oath of Office to the City’s newest Police Officer. Anthony Snyder comes to the City from Lake City, Iowa (in Calhoun County). He completed the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy last August 28, 2021. He hails from California, where he was a manager for The Walt Disney Company.

He has two girls, ages 14 and 11, and is looking for a house in Atlantic. Snyder said he’s ready to go, and said of his fellow officers, “It’s a very great team we have.”

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett administers the Oath of Office to Anthony Snyder. (2/16/22)

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs report that at around 1:45-p.m. Wednesday (today), officers responded to 1030 Veterans Memorial Highway, the Casey’s gas station for a robbery call. Prior to officers arriving at the scene they were informed that the suspect had fled the area on foot, southbound from the business. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male wearing a mask, blue hoodie and gray pants.

The suspect was said to have displayed a knife during this incident and took several items from the business. Officers arrived in the area and were unable to locate the suspect. Criminal Investigations detectives arrived at the scene and are conducting the investigation into this robbery.

There were no reports of persons involved being injured, the suspect is currently at large and the identity is unknown. Anyone with any information that was in the area at the time of this incident is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728 or they may call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Attorney General has reached a settlement with a Florida company that was accused of sending mailers that appeared to be from government agencies. Attorney General Tom Miller says Centurion Filing Services and owner Dean. Marshlack used the name “IA Certificate Service” to send out mailers that looked like invoices requesting 67 dollars for an “Iowa Certificate of Existence. ”

The Iowa Secretary of State provides them for only five dollars. The certificates are not required to do business in Iowa, although companies may need them to do business out of state. Centurion has agreed to provide nearly 79-thousand dollars in refunds to more than 12-hundred Iowa business owners and charity operators — and will also not send mailer solicitations to Iowans or from any Iowa location.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Wednesday) released its first weekly COVID-19 data update after the state’s emergency proclamation expired Tuesday night. The new data dashboard reports 7,375 positive virus tests in the last seven days, down from 8,370 on Monday. IDPH reported there were 119 additional deaths since the last report on Feb. 9. That brings the total number of virus deaths to 8,948 since the start of the pandemic.

The new weekly dashboard features several changes. There are links to federal government websites for hospitalization and long-term care facility data. The state is no longer requiring entities to provide positive COVID-19 test results, and long-term care facilities are no longer required to report then they have three or more infections to the state. Officials said in a news release, “IDPH began collecting COVID related data from Iowa hospitals in March 2020 to satisfy state and federal data reporting requirements throughout the pandemic response. The state is no longer requiring this reporting to occur. However, the US Department of Health and Human Services will continue to require hospital data reporting, and Iowans can access that information here.”

Health officials said the state identified an additional 6,700 positive COVID-19 tests that had not been previously reported when people received both a positive and negative test in the same day. That data has since been added to the totals reported on the new dashboard. A new feature on the health department’s website shows COVID-19 variants detected by month. The new graphic shows how alpha, delta and omicron variants moved through the state since March of 2021.

Find the new IDPH dashboard here.