DES MOINES – A lecture and recital series that traces the origins of various musical genres created by women. An exhibition about the earliest sketches and paintings of central and western Iowa paired with contemporary photos of the same locations. Another exhibition about underrepresented communities in Iowa. These are three of the 31 projects that will receive a Humanities Project Grant, according to an announcement today from the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. The statewide grant program supports public humanities projects and educational programs that encourage contemplation, spark conversation and invite communities to explore the human experience.

The department received 40 eligible applications and awarded a total of $364,769 in grants. Funding for the new program comes from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency, which last year recognized the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs as its interim state humanities council partner in Iowa. The list of grant recipients spans 17 Iowa cities, including Arnolds Park, Council Bluffs, Dubuque and Muscatine. Grants were awarded to historic sites, museums, community groups, colleges and universities, libraries, and organizations that focus on culture and art.

Among the notable projects that received funding, is the Historic General Dodge House in Council Bluffs, which was awarded $2,600 to develop an exhibit of 40 sketches and paintings by George Simons, which are among the earliest images of central and western Iowa. These images will be displayed with contemporary photos Buck Christensen shot of the same locations.

To date, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, in its role as the state’s interim Iowa Humanities Council, has awarded more than $1.6 million to support the humanities in Iowa, through multiple rounds of relief and recovery grants and the new project grants.

(Radio Iowa) – The Covid patient count in Iowa hospitals continues to escalate. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there were 823 patients with Covid in Iowa hospitals by the middle of this week, a six percent increase from last Wednesday. More than 100 of those patients are on ventilators and nearly 83 percent of Covid patients in intensive care units in Iowa have not been vaccinated against the virus.

The death toll from Covid in Iowa is approaching 77-hundred. IDPH reports 130 additional deaths, bringing the statewide total to 7,680 since the start of the pandemic. The additional deaths were reported between Oct. 6 and Dec. 9. The number of new positive tests in the last seven days is down from 9,736 on Monday to 9,012 on Wednesday. The state’s 14-day positivity rate decreased from 11.7% to 11.3%.

The number of long-term care facilities reporting outbreaks increased from 15 to 16. There have been 4,432,001 vaccine doses administered in Iowa, with 69.7% of those 18 and older fully vaccinated and 73.3% of those 12 and older with at least one dose

(Bedford, Iowa) – Authorities are investigation the circumstances surrounding a southwest Iowa death. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the State Division of Criminal Investigation are conducting an investigation into a death that occurred over the weekend, in New Market. Darrell Simmons, DCI Special agent in charge, said additional information was being withheld, pending the results of an autopsy by the State Medical Examiner’s Office.

Those results are expected later today (Wednesday).

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has rejected an application to make a woman convicted of murdering her nephew eligible for parole. Iowa governors have the power to grant clemency, converting a life sentence to a period of years in prison, so an inmate would be eligible for parole. The Board of Parole had unanimously recommended Governor Reynolds consider the case of Denise Rhode. Rhode was sentenced to life in prison for the 1989 death of her nephew. The baby suffered a brain injury while she was babysitting him at her home in Norwalk. Governor Reynolds says it remains unclear whether Rhode has truly accepted responsibility for her actions nearly 33 years ago.

Reynolds says there was a difference in how Rhode described the crime on her clemency application form and what Rhode said during an interview with the Board of Parole. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports Iowa governors have commuted the sentences of just 40 people in the past 52 years.

(Adair County, Iowa) – Iowa State Patrol Trooper Ryan DeVault reported today (Wednesday) on Twitter, “And so it begins.” Pictures he provided in his post showed a straight truck with damage from straight-line winds. The caption read “The top on this box truck was ripped open by the already strong winds this morning, along Interstate 80 in Adair County!” Trooper DeVault urged those who must travel today, to “Drive safe and as always and most importantly, keep both hands on the steering wheel!”

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), authorized Board Chair Steve Shelley to sign a Wellness Participation Program Agreement. Adair County District 3 southwest Supervisor Jerry Walker mentioned the County has received some good news with regard to a reduction in insurance costs, thanks in-part to an increase in the average number of employees and counties that are participating. According to Steve Shelley said he’s pleased with the results, not only for the health of County employees, but because it benefits the taxpayers. Walker agreed.

In other business, the Board acknowledged the hiring of a person for the County Treasurer’s Office. Treasurer Brenda Wallace reported the new employee, Bethany Smith, will officially begin in her position on December 28^th. The Board received from Jayne Lents, the Adair County Compensation Board’s recommendation for elected officials.

The Board took no action other than to acknowledge receipt of the recommendation. And, they tabled action on setting the date for a Public Hearing on a FY22 Adair County Budget Amendment until their meeting next week, because County Auditor Mandy Berg is waiting to receive more information on matters affecting the amendment.