(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has temporarily banned debt collectors and banks from seizing wages and funds from Iowans’ bank accounts. The order putting a hold on all garnishments, except those related to family support, is in effect until May 27th. Iowa Legal Aid’s litigation director, Alex Kornya, says before this order, there appeared to be an uptick in garnishments as COVID-19 was being detected in the state. Kornya says there could be a lot of difficulties with implementing this pause on garnishments.

“It’s important that people who are currently under a continuing garnishment try to contact their bank or employer and let them know that this proclamation has been issued which stops ongoing and new garnishments. So, that should be enough for most employers and banks to just voluntarily release funds,” according to Kornya. Adunni Noibi, in Iowa City says it happened to her as she tried to pay her mortgage in mid-March and wasn’t able to transfer funds. She found out a debt collector had frozen her accounts.

“This was when everything was coming up with corona, and everyone was out buying groceries, stocking up-we didn’t know what was going to happen. I tried to explain this is all the money I have. They didn’t care,” Adunni says. Noibi got a court hearing and her student debt was forgiven. Iowa Legal Aid is recommending those with existing garnishments notify their bank or employer about the governor’s order to get their money released.

(Radio Iowa) — While several tax filing deadlines have been pushed back by the state and federal governments, other tax deadlines are still in place and Iowans are warned to be aware. John Fuller, spokesman for the Iowa Department of Revenue, says one such deadline that remains unchanged is tomorrow (Thursday).

“Estimated Income Tax is a method used to pay tax on income that’s not subject to withholding,” Fuller says. “A lot of people use that, a lot of business people use that. That deadline has not changed and we’ve tried to let everyone know that, the deadline is still April 30th.” There are also deadlines on Friday, May 1st, for Iowa residents who’ve put in solar energy systems or geothermal heat pumps.

“More and more people are installing geothermal heat pumps in their homes,” Fuller says, “and if they did that in Calendar Year 2019, they can get a tax credit for that but they have to go online and apply.” In addition, there’s a Thursday deadline for businesses to file their sales taxes and withholding taxes, but Fuller says many extensions have been granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of business owners have asked the department for a deferral which we’ve granted to thousands of business owners,” Fuller says. “That gives them a little bit of relief in how they can file their sales and withholding tax.” For most Iowans, the big deadline is usually tomorrow for state individual income tax returns, but that’s been moved from April 30th to July 31st. Fuller says many Iowans have already filed them anyway, even though they’re not due for three months.

For more questions, visit the Iowa Department of Revenue website: tax.iowa.gov.

One person was injured during a single-vehicle accident Tuesday morning, in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2015 Buick Enclave registered to 31-year old Justin Windrum, of Omaha, was at a gas pump at the Taylor Quick Pick in Missouri Valley, when the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward and struck a diesel pump on the west side of the parking lot, and store employee, 43-year old Shawn Squier, of Missouri Valley. The accident happened at around 9:55-a.m.

Squier suffered serious head injuries and was transported by LifeNet helicopter to Bergen-Mercy Hospital. Windrum was not injured during the incident. The crash remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Missouri Valley P-D and Missouri Valley Fire & Rescue.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, today (Wednesday) reported three recent arrests. On Tuesday, 36-year old Kenton W. Schreiner was arrested for OWI/1st offense, after Deputies investigated unknown  injury accident east of Council Bluffs in rural Pott. County, at around 8:45-p.m.

Authorities say 30-year old Dakota J. Beadle was arrested Monday for Eluding While Exceeding the Speed Limit by 25 mph or more, and OWI/1st offense. And, 33-year old Robert Dale Hackwell, of Walnut, was arrested at around 5:30-p.m. Sunday, after Deputies were called to a verbal disturbance in Walnut. Hackwell was charged with Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislative Council has voted unanimously to continued the suspension of the legislative session until at least May 15. Meeting by telephone, the 24-member council agreed to reconvene at 10 a.m. May 15 unless they meet earlier and set a different date.

House Speaker Pat Grassley and Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver faced questions by Democratic senators about the criteria they’re using to evaluate whether it’s safe to come back to the Iowa Capitol. Whitver says leaders are talking with Gov. Kim Reynolds and state health officials to ensure it’s safe.

The Iowa State Patrol, Wednesday afternoon, released the names of the victims involved in a single-vehicle crash northeast of Jamaica, in Dallas County, that claimed the lives of two children and injured five other juveniles. Five-year old Claire Brown and 10-year old Lindsey Brown, both of Perry, died in the crash that happened at around 11:30-a.m. Tuesday. Claire Brown was wearing a seat belt, Lindsey was not. The driver of the vehicle, 16-year old Michael Marie Crane, and four other passengers, were injured.

The injured passengers included Five-year old Carter West and 11-year old Randy Seratt, both of Dawson, and from Perry, 11-year old Katelyn Brown, along with 7-year old Eli Brown. West, Seratt, Crane and Eli Brown, were wearing seat belts. Katelyn Brown was not buckled-up. Crane and the others suffered severe injuries in the crash and were transported to area hospitals, with Eli and Katelyn Brown transported to Blank Childrens Hospital in Des Moines. Katelyn was transported by LifeFlight.

Authorities say the accident happened as a 2014 Toyota Sienna driven by Michael Crane was traveling north on Beaumont Place, and went out of control as the vehicle crossed over a bridge. The minivan impacted the south side of a field drive, traveled over the drive, and came to rest upon the field drive, facing east. The accident remains under investigation.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Department of Public Health confirmed a report released from the IDPH, with regard to a second COVID-19 related death. An adult male between 18-40 years old has become the second COVID-19 death in Pottawattamie County. He did not have pre-existing medical conditions, nor did he have contact with another COVID-19 case. He was tested on April 24 and passed away on April 28.

In addition, Pottawattamie County Public Health reports five new COVID-19 cases. The total of COVID-19 cases in Pottawattamie County is now 36. Seventeen individuals have recovered, 16 are self-isolating at home, one is hospitalized, and (counting today’s report), there have been two deaths.

The five new cases are residents of Council Bluffs and include three females and two males. These individuals were tested for COVID-19 between April 24 and April 28. Two individuals are in the 41-60 age range, and three are in the 18-40 age range. Two of them have pre-existing conditions. One of these individuals had contact with an existing COVID-19 case, and four were the result of community spread. Four of these individuals are self-isolating at home.

Pottawattamie County Public Health continues to conduct contact tracing investigations for each COIVD-19 case. A part of contact tracing is assessing risk to the general public. If there is not a risk to the general public, Public Health will communicate directly with the specific contacts identified in the investigation. If and when a risk to the general public is identified, Public Health will publicly identify the location and communicate any actions the public should take.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds is responding to questions about why she decided NOT to heed the advice of a University of Iowa report on COVID-19. U-I researchers advised the governor NOT to relax social distancing rules, warning the state could suffer a “catastrophic loss of life.” Reynolds says the 77 counties that will partly reopen on Friday are practically coronavirus-free:

Reynolds says she shouldn’t punish half the state when the spike in COVID cases is in just eight more-heavily populated areas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police in Des Moines say a worker has been killed in a construction zone crash in the northern part of the city. Police say the crash happened around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, when first responders were called to the site. Police say officers arrived to find that a car had lost control, jumped a curb and hit 41-year-old Jorge Lopez Guillen, of Des Moines, who was working within a construction site at the time. Guillen was taken to an area hospital, where he died of his injuries. Police cited the driver, 72-year-old Eugene Davis, of Des Moines, for driving on a suspended license and having no insurance, misdemeanor vehicular homicide and failure to maintain control.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports residents of Atlantic may have noticed an unusual amount of thick dust in town late this morning. The dust is being blown-in thanks to northwest winds gusting up to 30 mph. The dust is coming from the corn pile at the ethanol plant. Anything south of there can expect to see the dust continue until crews at the plant have a chance to water down the source.