Iowa Senator Joni Ernst is part of a bipartisan group pushing to get some of the federal pandemic response money directed to local media outlets. She says “The federal government, if we are supporting different efforts to get information out, those are the sources of information your communities will go to, those local newspapers, local TV stations, local radio stations.” Ernst says the group has asked federal agencies to spend money allocated for public service announcements about COVID-19 with local media.

“If the federal government is contributing to media to support our efforts to fight COVID-19, then it should be going down to the very people that are most connected to their audience and their communities,” Ernst says, “and that would be local media.” In addition, local radio and T-V stations and local newspapers with a small staff cannot qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program if they are owned by a larger company with more than 500 employees.

The Local News and Emergency Information Act Ernst is co-sponsoring would make those local stations and publication eligible for the program.

Iowa’s top academic students have been chosen for the 2020 Governor’s Scholar Program. The Governor’s Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association, and its title sponsor, the Iowa Farm Bureau, are presenting this recognition which began in 2003.

The 425 seniors being honored were selected by their high schools as the highest academic achievers. All students will receive a recognition plaque and certificate to commemorate their achievement. The in-person ceremony for this year was canceled due to COVID-19 and the ongoing guidelines concerning public gatherings. With that in mind, the student honorees are being announced via news release, social media and the IHSAA website.

The recognition plaques and certificates are being sent to their home address this week.

“Iowa has a proud history of educational excellence, and this year’s honorees are a product of that tradition,” said Governor Kim Reynolds in a letter to the students. “You are a role model for your community and all students across the state. In these unprecedented times, it is your generation who will lead us into new opportunities in science, technology, agriculture, education and business in the coming years.”

Students have been encouraged to share their award utilizing #iahsseniors and the #IAGovScholar with social media posts. To date, the online footprint celebrating the students includes more than 140,000 people across Iowa.

“With schools closed, friends and family being kept at a distance and our lives abruptly put on hold, I can imagine how disheartened this year’s senior class feels,” said Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau president, in remarks to the student honorees. “Please know it does not take away from your accomplishments or the incredible things you will achieve in the future.”

In addition to being recognized as the state’s brightest students, more than 99 percent of the group participates in school activities. More than 60 percent plan to pursue their post-secondary education in Iowa.

“The principles learned through academic success, like those learned from participation in school activities, help develop outstanding young leaders,” said IHSAA executive director Tom Keating.  “The partnership between the IHSAA and the Iowa Farm Bureau, along with the great cooperation of the Governor’s Office has made this prestigious program possible for many years.”

In addition to being recognized as the state’s brightest students, more than 99 percent of the group participates in school activities. More than 60 percent plan to pursue their post-secondary education in Iowa.

Local scholars on the list:

ACGC: Bryce Littler
AHSTW: Kaitlynne Henriksen
Ar-We-Va: Dalton Ehlers
Atlantic: Evan Brummer
Audubon: Bree Andreasen
Bedford: Brennan Sefrit
Boyer Valley: Kelsey Tremel
CAM: Benjamin Tibken
Carroll: Owen Perrin
Clarinda: Dara Brandt
Coon Rapids-Bayard: Colby Heithoff
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln: Jared Kaufman
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln: Taylor Wilson
Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson: Desrei Arbolente
Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson: Bryan Renteria Hernandez
Creston: Eli Loudon
Denison-Schleswig: Joshua Ahrenholtz
Denison-Schleswig: Sahira Vergara
Earlham: Olivia Nicholson
East Mills: Emma Seipold
Essex: Kelli Baker
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton: Kami Waymire
Fremont-Mills, Tabor: Lillian Mahaney
Glenwood: Delaney McMullen
Glenwood: Jaeda Wilson
Glidden-Ralston: Luke Handlos
Griswold: Kamryn Howell
Harlan Community: Lucy Borkowski
IKM-Manning: Will Jorgensen
Kuemper Catholic, Carroll: Kamryn Schreck
Lenox: Jaela Cox
Lewis Central: Phillip Cooper-Ohm
Lewis Central: Isabella Smith
Logan-Magnolia: Violet Lapke
Martensdale-St. Marys: Grace Wood
Missouri Valley: Emma Anunson
Mount Ayr: Jaycee Knight
MVAOCOU: Cody Rosburg
Nodaway Valley: Reagan Weinheimer
OABCIG : Sarah Petersen
Panorama, Panora: Molly Simmons
Paton-Churdan: Kaleb Fisher
Red Oak: Sophia Walker
Shenandoah: Roxy Denton
Sidney: Olivia Larsen
Southwest Valley: Adam Harris
St. Albert, Council Bluffs: Abby Barnes
Stanton: Easton Hultman
Treynor: Clarissa Weitzel
Tri-Center, Neola: Amanda Brich
Underwood: Zachery Teten
West Central Valley, Stuart: Kaila Findley
West Harrison, Mondamin: Karter Nelson
Winterset: Mikaela Hunter
Woodbine: Adam Sherer

(Radio Iowa) — As more businesses reopen in Iowa, a supply chain management expert at Iowa State University predicts more disruptions and shortages are coming, much like we saw with toilet paper and cleaning supplies in recent weeks. Scott Grawe, associate dean of the I-S-U College of Business, says rebounding from the coronavirus pandemic won’t be as simple as switching on the neon “OPEN” sign. “One of the challenges a lot of these businesses are going to face is trying to figure out how many people are going to be coming back into these businesses,” Grawe says. “Whether it’s a restaurant or a retail business, as they try to predict their inventory levels and what they’re going to need to serve their customers, there’s a great deal of uncertainty and uncertainty is one of the biggest enemies to an efficient supply chain operation.”

A few months ago, demand for toilet paper and cleaning products in Iowa and nationwide was quite steady. With the sudden spike in demand, those items quickly became almost impossible to find. While some of the hysteria has died down, Grawe says significant problems remain in the supply chain, especially with toilet paper. “One of the supplies that goes into creating toilet paper is recycled office paper and as people spend less and less time in their physical offices, there’s less recycled paper to be used,” Grawe says. “They’re not just necessarily dealing with a demand issue but they’ve got a supply issue as well.”

Like with the run on toilet paper, Grawe says it’s very difficult to predict consumer behavior. While there’s much outcry for restaurants and retailers to reopen, he says it’s not certain whether customers will return — and oversupply could rapidly become a problem. “Although there’s a huge demand for these restaurants to open back up, if the people don’t actually show up and if they’re a bit more nervous about setting foot inside those restaurants, restaurants could be forced into a situation where they’ve ordered more food than what they’re actually able to deliver and sell to the customers,” Grawe says. “That’s a big investment that they’re not going to be able to get their return on.”

Since there are no case studies and there’s no past experience to help guide this recovery, Grawe says it’s very difficult to predict what new troubles may loom. Grawe says, “Supply chains thrive on predictability and yeah, there’s a lot of uncertainty with regard to what the next thing, what the next ball to drop might be.” While it’s hard to see farmers leaving vegetables to rot or dumping milk, when food pantries are seeing record demand, Grawe says it’s often the most cost-effective option. Donating milk or produce to those in need isn’t so simple, Grawe says, as most food banks aren’t set up to take in huge quantities, especially food that needs temperature control.

A call about an assault in Council Bluffs, Wednesday morning, resulted the arrest of a man on burglary and assault charges. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 51-year old Erik Allen Patomson, of Underwood, was taken into custody for Assault with intent to inflict – but without, serious injury ($2,000 bond), Burglary in the 2nd Degree resulting in bodily injury ($10,000 bond), and Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense, causing bodily injury (A serious misdemeanor).

And, two men being held on separate charges in the Nebraska State Penitentiary were transported to the Pott. County Jail Wednesday to face charges in Iowa.  30-year old Nicholas Christopher Iwersen was wanted for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd and 4th Degrees, Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense, Harassment in the 1st Degree, and on a hold for another law enforcement agency.

28-year Anthony Keith Stokes was transported to Pott. County, for Theft in the 2nd Degree, on a hold for another agency, and Ongoing criminal activity.

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 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Atlantic Schools Superintendent Steve Barber reviewed the district’s Return To Learn plan at Wednesday’s school board meeting.

“Return to Learn,” he said, may include options for summer school, enrichment activities, or other opportunities designed to address the needs of learners. Barber said school Districts are required to have a continuous learning plan (for online learning), as well as a “Hybrid” and “traditional” plan.

In addition, districts must have a “Re-opening” plan. Those are specific actions outlined by the Iowa Department of Public Health. Barber said also, through the Federal Cares Act, the district received a one-time payment of $218,675. Those funds can be used for expenses that were incurred to the closure of schools as the result of COVID-19, including health and safety expenses, technology needs, requirements for IDEA (equity), and to pay for specific building needs.

A Continuous Learning Plan must be approved by the Department of Education (DOE) by July 1, 2020. Barber says there are no voluntary options, and the plan must include grades along with attendance information. Steve Barber says the biggest challenge for the off-site learning experience is the need for accessibility and equity. He said he and Information Technology Director Roger Warne, have been exploring options for wireless internet “hot-spots.” One option is a wireless transmitter on-top of the nearby water tower.

The other option is a proposal from Mediacom to install internet in homes currently without wi-fi, for just $10 per month.

Barber said if the District goes with Verizon, it would cost $30 for the device & $40 per month for each hot spot, for a minimum of six months. The district would then own those “hot spots.” He said the idea that the district does not have accessibility “Is really not a choice right now, if we’re going to get an approved plan by the DOE.”

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Department of Transportation plans to release an updated proposal by the end of this month that reduces the number of full-service interstate rest areas targeted for closing from 11 to eight. The D-O-T’s Brad Hofer says they used public input and did some more study of the rest areas and truck parking to come up with the revised cut list. “There’s several along I-29. There’s only a couple along I-35. There’s no closures recommended along I-80. And then there’s two aging sites on I-880 just north of Council Bluffs that are being proposed for closure,” he says. He says they got a lot of public feedback after the original plan came out in 2013, which led to the decision to keep three rest areas open.

“The two Osceola’s south of Des Moines — we heard some pretty substantial feedback on those — as well as the eastbound Davenport site. And because of that and kind of the spacing of those sites — we opted to keep those as ones that we are now going to keep,” Hofer says. The new plan also goes from closing 16 parking only sites to only closing 10. Hofer says that decision comes after a survey of available truck parking. The six parking only sites that stay open will be upgraded. “Overall we are adding a net 247 additional truck parking spaces with those upgrades,” Hofer says. “Even with those closures, we are adding enough parking spaces to compensate for those ones that are lost — as well as adding 247 more.”

Hofer says the did a lot of study on the 38 rest areas to decide which ones close. “We did look at spacing, we looked at usage, we looked at age. There were I think about seven or eight criteria that we use to prioritize their criticality — I’ll call it that,” according to Hofer. Hofer says one of the things that people didn’t understand after the first survey is they will use the money saved from the closings to help maintain and improve the remaining sites. “Those eight full-service sites we are proposing to close are all approaching 50 years in age. And then there’s 12 more aging full-service sites that will need to be upgraded in addition to those — and we are proposing on doing that between 2022 and 2033,” Hofer says.

Travel patterns have changed and there are now more amenities available from the private sector along the interstates, but Hofer says many people like being able to pull off quickly and use the state rest areas. “They’re very convenient, easily accessed, and well-maintained sites that make it easy for folks to take a rest,” he says. “What we tried to do with this study — some of the existing rest areas are oddly space along the system — some of them are kind of a short distance between another one or a short distance between a big truck stop or another private service area. So what we tried to do is make it a little more evenly spaced out throughout the system.”

Hofer says they will release they hope to release the new proposal before the end of this month and get more input before bringing the final proposal to the Transportation Commission.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report a Corning man was arrested early Tuesday morning following a domestic disturbance. Aaron Michael Gray was taken into custody at around 1:53-a.m., for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was initially held without bond in the Adams County Jail, but later appeared before a magistrate and was released on his own recognizance.

(Radio Iowa) – A group of Iowa labor and community organizers is calling for state and federal agencies to boost oversight of factories and meat packing plants. Gayle Warner’s husband has worked at a Whirlpool factory in Amana for 30 years. She says the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is failing to ensure the safety of her husband and his co-workers.

“I’m filled with anger and sorrow,” she said, as she cried. “Instead, I would like to be filled with hope and to get help from our leaders in government.” Black Hawk County Supervisor Chris Schwartz says OSHA guidelines should be enforced at places like Waterloo’s Tyson plant, as county officials say more than a thousand of the plant’s workers have tested positive for COVID-19.

“Things have quieted down a little bit,” he says, “but not enough to the point that we should be relaxing all these measures that the governor did put in place and so we’re very worried about the very real possibility of a second surge, ’cause we’re not even through our first.” Thirty residents of Black Hawk County have died of COVID-19. That’s nearly 10 percent of all the deaths recorded in Iowa.

The League of Latin American Citizens is planning a protest Friday at the Tyson plant in Waterloo.