(Radio Iowa) — It’s RE-opening day for some Iowa businesses. The governor’s order that restaurants, fitness centers and retail businesses close to slow the spread of COVID-19 has been lifted in 77 of Iowa’s 99 counties. “Iowans in many communities will have an opportunity to shop on Main Street, eat at their favorite local restaurant or attend church on Sunday if they choose,” Reynolds says.

The governor’s order limiting public gatherings to 10 or less has been lifted for religious services STATEWIDE, but many denominations do not plan to resume in-person worship. That includes the West Des Moines church Reynolds attends which is sticking with online services. Reynolds says it’s time for Iowans to learn how to manage the virus in the course of their daily lives.

“Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere anytime soon,” The virus will continue to be in our communities and unfortunately people will still get sick until a vaccine is available. Keeping businesses closed for weeks or months longer won’t change that fact and it simply is not sustainable.” Some are expressing concern that residents of the 22 counties where business closures remain in force will travel to the 77 less-populated counties and spread the virus.

Pella, for example, cancelled its annual Tulip Festival, but residents say tourist traffic increased significantly last weekend. Reynolds says she trust Iowans to do the right thing. “I believe that we can begin to get life and busienss back to normal in a safe and responsible way if we all continue to work together and to do our part,” Reynolds says. The latest state report indicates 162 Iowans have died of COVID-19 since the first fatal case was reported in early March.

Test results produced from Sunday through Wednesday morning identified more than 16-hundred new cases. Testing has been prioritized for Iowans who work in meat packing plants or health care settings, including nursing homes where outbreaks have been identified. Iowans with COVID-19 symptoms or those who’ve spent time near someone who has tested positive may also be tested.

Two Pottawattamie County men were arrested Thursday night in Fremont County, after the vehicle they were in was stopped for traveling at approximately 124 miles per hour on Interstate 29. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says deputies pulled the vehicle over at around 8:10-p.m., near mile marker 14.

Grennell

Pond (Photos courtesy the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office)

After they made contact with the driver, 20-year old Eric Pond, of Council Bluffs, Deputies observed the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.  And, after a search of the vehicle, deputies discovered approximately 67 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia consistent with distribution of controlled substances.  Property reported stolen out of Omaha, Nebraska was also located in the trunk of the vehicle.

Pond was arrested for speeding, 124 MPH in a 70 MPH zone, Reckless Driving, Theft 5^th Degree, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana. A passenger, 19-year old Cortez Grennell, also fromCouncil Bluffs, was also arrested for Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana.

The Iowa State Patrol assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call.

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

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says testing for the coronavirus in the the new TestIowa program will be reliable and accurate once the machines Iowa bought for the program are validated and set up. Questions have been raised by the Salt Lake Tribune about the accuracy of tests used by the state of Utah and provided by the same company Iowa bought tests and equipment from earlier this month as part of a $26 million contract. Reynolds says the State Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa City has significant expertise in such testing and is validating the machines provided and she’s confident the FDA approved testing system will prove to be accurate.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a second person who works within the Black Hawk County Jail in north-central Iowa has tested positive for COVID-19. The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office says an employee of Summit Food Services, the company that prepares meals for inmates, has been infected with the virus. Sheriff’s Capt. Nathan Neff says the kitchen staff has very limited contact with jail staff and no contact with inmates. Earlier in the week, the jail announced that a nurse who works the overnight shift at the jail had also tested positive. Officials said the nurse had very little contact with staff and inmates.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Spirit Airlines fight was forced to land in Des Moines after a fight onboard that police say started because a passenger who wanted to sleep was upset with people being too loud. Des Moines police say a flight from Los Angeles to Detroit landed at Des Moines International Airport early Thursday. KETV reports the plane was on the ground for about two hours and a passenger was taken off before it continued to Detroit. Sgt. Paul Parizek says no one was arrested. He says the passenger who was removed from the plane was allowed to leave. The investigation is continuing.

NEW SHARON, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa have arrested a woman they say called 911 to report she had shot and killed her husband days earlier. The Des Moines Register reports that 69-year-old Carol Ann Davis, of New Sharon, called the emergency number Wednesday morning to report she had killed her husband at their home on Sunday. Deputies who later arrived at the home found 55-year-old Steve Davis dead with a gunshot wound to his head. Carol Ann Davis told investigators that she shot her husband in his sleep after he complained of issues at work and asked her to shoot him once he fell asleep. She’s being held on $1 million bond.

(Submitted by Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller) – On Monday, April 27th, Atlantic FFA members Malena Woodward and Bryan York participated in the 9th annual Iowa Youth Institute (IYI) hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation.  Woodward and York were part of the 264 students and 110 teachers from 93 Iowa high schools. This virtual, day-long event was the first of its kind for the IYI supported by over 90 experts from across Iowa.

Bryan York

Malena Woodward

Each year, the World Food Prize Youth Institutes convene high school students, teachers and experts to explore and solve local, national and global hunger and food security issues. In order to be a part of the Iowa Youth Institute, students research and write a paper on a global challenge related to hunger and food insecurity. Currently, 25 states, the Netherlands and Honduras host Youth Institutes, where students can be selected to serve as delegates at the Global Youth Institute as part of October’s Borlaug International Dialogue.

Woodward’s paper was on the devastating natural disasters that Puerto Rico has endured in the past few years.  Woodward said, “I had fun researching and learning more information about Puerto Rico. After their two natural disasters in the last two years I feel it is important to educate the local population to become self-sufficient in growing and producing their own food.”

York’s paper focused on the ongoing conflict in Somalia and how this affects the food insecurity problem. “ I addressed the problem of the Government, the Piracy problem, and the ongoing conflict with Ethiopia over the Ogaden Plateau.  If we can fix these problems, Somalia can focus on getting food and medicine back to their people.”  York stated, “It seems many of these problems are stemming from the root of a bad government. The government of some countries have disconnected themselves from their people and have instead focused on what is best for them.”

The day began with remarks from Madeline Goebel Director, Community Outreach for the Iowa Youth Institute and Wendy Wintersteen, President of Iowa State University.  The keynote address was provided by Matt Carstens, CEO of Landus Cooperative.  Once the opening session was complete Woodward and York began Roundtable Discussions.  Students presented their research in a roundtable fashion to ISU faculty and industry professionals by using Zoom Meetings. Students were also supportive of their peers and asked questions to provide a diverse array of perspectives to the discussion. During the afternoon session students and teachers participated in virtual Immersion Discussions with World Food Prize Partners.

At the end of the day, Woodward and York were declared Bourlag Scholars and awarded a $500 scholarship to Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.  Both Woodward and York are going to be Juniors next year and have the opportunity to participate again. When talking about her experiences Woodward said, “I really enjoyed the presentation.  I thought it was interesting hearing the ideas of other students and experts trying to solve world hunger as well as hearing their input and giving me more ideas about my topic.”

This one-day event is offered at no cost to teachers or students. More details are available at www.worldfoodprize.org/iowayouth.

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will begin re-opening County facilities on Monday, May 4, 2020, with restrictions. The Supervisors will take a phased approach to help combat the COVID-19 virus and help reduce the spread. Anyone needing in-person services with a County office will be by appointment only. Auditor Stephanie Burke says “We strongly encourage residents to continue doing business through email, phone, mail or drop box.”

There will be new safety procedures in place. Anyone that must do business in-person is required to make an appointment with the corresponding office prior to coming into the building. Visitors will be met at the door, and they must wear a mask or face covering to enter the building and are subject to other PPE requirements. The visitor will also be screened by a County employee with assessment questions that are recommended by the Center for Disease Control.

Burke said “We have to protect our employees from the public, and we have to protect the public coming in.” Only customers that are directly required to complete the transaction will be allowed. (Examples: only one parent per minor for consent, no other guests including children, etc.)

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will re-evaluate procedures on May 14 to see if the County needs to extend or soften the practices. The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors and all County departments thanks the community for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.

Assessor’s Office: 712-623-4171 General Assistance: 712-623-3848
Auditor’s Office/Board of Supervisors: 712-623-5127 Veteran’s Affairs: 712-623-3180
Treasurer’s Office: 712-623-3292 Option #2 Public Health: 712-623-4893
Driver’s License: 712-623-3292 Option #1 Conservation: 712-623-4753
Recorder’s Office: 712-623-4363 Secondary Roads: 712-623-5197
Clerk of Court: 712-623-4986 Mental Health: 712-623-6541

A Nebraska man was arrested Thursday following a pursuit that began when a Trooper from the Iowa State Patrol tried to initiate a traffic stop. The chase entered Tabor on Waubonsie Avenue.  Deputies located the vehicle, abandoned behind a church located at the intersection of South Street and Center Street in Tabor.

Shawn Tesori, of Omaha. (Fremont County S/O photo)

Tabor Police located a man running north between residences in the area of the Tabor City Park and he was taken into custody without incident. He was later identified as 25-year old Shawn Tesori, of Omaha. Tesori was found to be in possession of an items stolen from a vehicle in Tabor, as well as items reported stolen from a vehicle in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Fremont County K9 was deployed and located more items found to be stolen from both Tabor and Omaha.

The vehicle was found to be reported stolen out of Omaha. Tesori was placed under arrest for Theft 2^nd Degree, Eluding, Reckless Driving, Speeding, Fail to Obey Stop Sign, Burglary, and two counts of Theft 5^th Degree.  Additional charges are pending. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Tabor Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and Fremont County K9 Unit all participated in the arrest.

Firefighters from Tabor and Sidney battled a fully engulfed detached garage fire, Thursday, just south of Tabor. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, at blaze happened in the 1300 block of 280th Ave. Tabor Fire extinguished the flames a short time later.

The homeowner advised she believed the fire started near a four-wheeler located in the garage.  The garage and its contents were a total loss.  A nearby home also received heat damage from the fire.

(Radio Iowa) – The state’s small business grant program that handed out 24 MILLION dollars earlier this month has been revived with federal economic stimulus money. Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham says hundreds of small business owners shut out of the initial run are being notified by email that they ARE getting a grant. “We know that every day that goes by right now is a critical one for so many Iowans,” Durham says.

About 14-thousand Iowa small businesses submitted applications for 148 MILLION dollars in grants from the Iowa Small Business Relief Program. Durham says applications were “triaged” and more than 12-hundred business owners received grants in early April. Hundreds more have just been notified they’re getting grants. “As of today, a total of more than 2600 restaurants, breweries, florists, salons, boutiques, gyms and a wide array of other small businesses that line the streets of communities in all 99 counties have been awarded Small Business Relief Grants for a total of approximately $50 million,” Durham says.

Durham says the governor is seeking more federal money for the program. “I can tell you that the spirit of our business owners remains resilient, strong and hopeful for tomorrow,” Durham said, her voice breaking with emotion as she continued. “Our team is fueled from the notes that have been pouring in from all over our state from business that are telling us they are hanging on and hope they see us upon their reopening.”

Businesses are notified by email that a check is in the mail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KETV-TV) — A Spirit Airlines fight was forced to land in Des Moines after a fight onboard that police say started because a passenger who wanted to sleep was upset with people being too loud. Des Moines police say a flight from Los Angeles to Detroit landed at Des Moines International Airport early Thursday.

KETV reports the plane was on the ground for about two hours and a passenger was taken off before it continued to Detroit. Sgt. Paul Parizek says no one was arrested. He says the passenger who was removed from the plane was allowed to leave. The investigation is continuing.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Public Health Department have reported six new, positive cases of COVID-19, bring the total number of cases to 42. The information released today (Thursday) said 20 of the 42 individuals have recovered, 19 are self-isolating at home, one is hospitalized, and as previously mentioned, there have been two deaths.

The six new cases are residents of Council Bluffs and include two females and four males. Two are between the ages of 61-and 80. Three are between 41-and 60 years of age, and one is age 18-to 40. Four have pre-existing conditions. All six cases were the result of “Community spread, ” and all six are self-isolating at home.

Officials say as testing capacity increases, the number of positive cases reported will also increase. Contact tracing investigations are conducted any time a case of COVID-19 is confirmed.  That includes an assessment of risk to the general public. If there is no risk, Pott. County Public Health will communicate directly with specific contacts identified in the investigation.

If and when a risk to the general public is identified, public health officials will identify the location and communicate any plan of action those who may have been in the area, should take.