Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, today (Monday), said four more Iowans have died from the COVID-19 virus, for a total of 188. The deaths occurred in Appanoose, Jasper, Poweshiek and Wapello Counties. Three were older adults (61-t0 80) one was over the age of 81. All four were residents of Long Term Care Facilities. The Governor said also, one new LTC facility outbreak was reported: at Accura Healthcare, in Marshalltown. The total number of LTC outbreaks currently stands at 28.

There were 534 NEW, positive test results return for COVID-19 in the current report, for a total of 9,703. Reynolds said 85% occurred in the 22 Iowa Counties with restrictions in place. There were 3,441 negative test results returned, for a total of 47, 458. In addition, 57,161 tests have been taken, to-date, or 1-in-55 Iowans, per capita. The recovery rate is 36%, as 3,486 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

The Governor said also, the IDPH and the State Hygienic Lab are working tirelessly to improve the timeliness in processing and reporting the results. Still, not everyone who has taken the TestIowa assessment, has received their results back from the State. Normally, she said individual test results would normally be available within 72, but the backlog caused the high volume of tests has pushed the timeline back just a bit. Reynolds said “Again I want to re-assure Iowans that this is a short-term issue, as we ramp-up testing and process and complete the TestIowa validation process.”

She said if you were tested late last week, your results will still be on the way. Watch your e-mail for results. The governor says the backlog should be resolved today and she reminds, until you know the results of your test, it’s important that you stay home.

Across the RMCC’s:

• 389 Iowans are hospitalized
• 37 were admitted over the past 24-hours
• 143 COVID-19 patients are in the ICU
• 93 are on ventilators.
• There are 4,179 In-Patient COVID-19 beds available.
• 552 ICU beds available.
• and 666 ventilators available.

WOODWARD, Iowa (The Des Moines Register) — Iowa Department of Human Services officials say six residents at a central Iowa facility for people with intellectual disabilities have tested positive for the new coronavirus, although none have shown symptoms of COVID-19. The first resident at the Woodward Resource Center tested positive for the virus on April 26. By Saturday, officials said, five more residents — all tied to one home on campus — had tested positive for the virus.

Three employees at the multi-building campus have also tested positive. DHS spokesman Matt Highland says the state is working to get more COVID-19 testing on the campus. Those who have tested positive have been moved to an isolation area, and the home has been cleaned.

(Atlantic, Iowa May 4, 2020) Effective Immediately: The SWIPCO and SWITA offices in Atlantic have re-opened for essential visits by the public. Essential visits are those that cannot take place via phone, email, fax, or mail. Visitors are asked to call ahead before coming to the office, to wait in the reception area, utilize the hand sanitizer available, and to not come in if they are feeling ill. Business with visitors will only be conducted in the reception area or the conference room, visitors will not be able to go to staff offices. A drop box has been set up and many interactions will still continue to utilize this drop box. Many staff are still working from home, so if you need to meet with a specific staff member you should call ahead at 712-243-4196 to make an appointment.

Effective Wednesday, May 6, 2020: SWITA taxi service will resume in Atlantic, Missouri Valley, Harlan, , Glenwood, Red Oak, and Shenandoah. For the safety of the public and SWITA drivers, please only schedule essential trips. When possible, please ride behind the first row of seats on a bus or ride in the rear of vans. Riders should wear a face mask if at all possible. Riders in mobility devices such as wheel chairs are asked to please turn their face away from the driver while their device is secured. All vehicles have been sanitized and are cleaned daily. The service is open to the public and fares are $2.50 each way in-town for the general public and $2.00 each way in-town for age 60+. Taxi tickets that normally would expire July 1, 2020 will be honored until June 30, 2021. Tickets may be purchased directly from the drivers. If it is necessary for riders to purchase tickets from the office in Atlantic, please call beforehand at 712-243-4196 and they will be ready for you. Additional information is available on www.swipco.org.

Taxi trips may be scheduled by calling the following numbers:

• Atlantic: 712-249-0566 or 712-250-1200
• Missouri Valley: 712-642-4489
• Harlan, Glenwood, Red Oak, Shenandoah: 800-842-8065
• Deaf or hard of hearing should call 711 or 800-735-2943.
• Rides may be scheduled in Clarinda by calling Clarinda Area Volunteers at 712-542-4915 and in Fremont County by calling Faith in Action at 712-313-0131.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three people who were arrested over the past week, were subsequently released from the scene with a citation. At around 3:30-a.m. Saturday, 33-year old Roger Joseph Draman, of Casey, was pulled over by an Adair County Deputy for having an improper brake light on the passenger side of his car, and failure to give a continuous signal. A check of Draman’s license revealed his driving status was revoked until Nov. 2020.  Draman is scheduled to appear in court May 28th.

On April 29th, 38-year old Michael Gail Steward, of Orient, was arrested at around 3:15-p.m. and then released on a citation, for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Authorities allege Steward caused damage to property in the 1500 block of 310th Street in Adair County, and owned by Gail and Sharon Steward. About $300 damage was done to walk-in door to the residence.

And, 21-year old Rayvon Dawn McFarland, of Fontanelle, was cited April 26th for Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia, after authorities investigated a single-vehicle  accident at the intersection of 220th Street and Pinewood Avenue, in Adair County.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowans are finding ways to salute “essential workers” during this pandemic. In eastern Iowa, Greg Preussner helped organize a convoy of semi tractors through Dubuque and Delaware Counties on Saturday. “For the medical, law enforcement, EMS, fire fighters, farmers, truckers, military, grocery store workers, convenience store workers — every body that you don’t think of all the time,” Preussner says. “Radio, TV — everybody there — no matter through this pandemic, they’re there every day for us.” The Honor Cruise began in Farley and wound through 14 other towns, covering about 110 miles. “We honor and respect these people that are out there working,” Preussner says. “And the ones that haven’t been able to, we’ll be there for them when they do open up.”

In western Iowa on Friday, truckers making a required stop at an Iowa D-O-T’s weigh station got a free lunch, courtesy of a company that provides commercial trucking insurance.  “When the government told everyone to go to shelter-in-place, they told the truck drivers to keep on trucking.” That’s Great West Casualty Company C-E-O Jim Jensen. He was on site, helping distribute the sack lunches to truckers. “Our hats off to the men and women making a difference,” he said, “stocking our shelves, bringing medical supplies, doing everything possible to make our lives better in this time of crisis and this time of need.”

The lunch line set up at the Iowa D-O-T’s weigh station on southbound Interstate 29 between Salix and Sloan served about 200 truckers over a three-hour period on Friday.

DEWITT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in eastern Iowa have identified two people killed when the motorcycle they were riding veered off the road near DeWitt. Clinton County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Scott Reyhons said Monday in a news release that 63-year-old David Boettcher and 61-year-old Vickie Boettcher, both of Lowden, died in the the Saturday afternoon crash. Authorities say the crash happened around 4:15 p.m. Saturday. Deputies who responded to the crash found that the pair’s motorcycle had left the road and struck a farm fence in a field. Both died at the scene of the crash. The sheriff’s office says it is trying to determine whether the victims were married.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Monday press conference on COVID-19. We plan on having live audio on KJAN as well with the conference set to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.

(Radio Iowa) — This summer’s first scheduled county fairs must decide how to continue while COVID-19 is still a threat. Some counties have partially reopened, but large crowds are still banned. Tom Barnes, volunteer manager of the Mighty Howard County Fair, says they’re working on backup plans to judge livestock and other exhibits if the fair, opening June 23rd, is cancelled. If it can continue, he says they need guidance on managing crowds. Barnes says, “If we’re asked by the government or the health department to maintain some sort of surveillance as they come onto the grounds that’s quite a bit of work in a short period of time to get set up.”

The Howard County fair is one of eight Iowa fairs scheduled to open in June. Barnes says they’ll decide what to do by mid-May. The Linn County Fair is scheduled to kick off on June 24th and fair board member Jennifer Dunn says keeping people in the crowd at a safe distance would be difficult to manage. “I think we all understand that fairs won’t look like it did in 2019,” Dunn says. “I think we’ve all come to that realization of how things are.”

Dunn says the fair board is creating backup plans for everything from virtual livestock judging to remote grandstand events. Dunn says, “Maybe there’s a truck and tractor pull but there’s nobody in the crowd and we just stream it virtually.” Dunn says the Linn County fair will work with local health officials to decide how to move forward.

(Reporting by Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

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

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Creston Police report three arrests took place over the past few days. Saturday afternoon, 47-year old Shawn Connelly, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Barred. She was released from the Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) on a Promise to Appear (in court). Friday evening, 23-year old Cody Lamaak, of Afton, was arrested at the Union County LEC on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance – charge. He was later released a Promise to Appear.Friday afternoon, 37-year old Candace Russell, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. She was also released on a Promise to Appear.

And Creston Police says a man reported that sometime between 7-and 10-a.m. Friday, his belongings were taken from a shelter house at McKinley Park, in Creston, The missing items included: clothing, paperwork and medication that were contained in a large backpack and smaller bag. The loss was estimated at $600.