Businesses and organizations are being urged to donate personal protective equipment (PPE), by contacting your local public health agency and county emergency management agency. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging Iowa businesses and organizations to donate extra personal protective equipment to assist health care providers, healthcare facilities and first responders who are actively responding to COVID-19.

Ken Sharp, division director of Acute Disease Prevention, Emergency Response and Environmental Health “This is an unprecedented public health disaster and stocks of personal protective equipment for health care providers and first responders are being used rapidly. Any organizations that have extra PPE supplies that aren’t immediately needed should consider donating them to help those on the front lines of this disease.”

Any type of health care PPE will be welcomed, especially rubber gloves, gowns, eye protection and masks. Both the Cass and Montgomery County Emergency Management Agencies are working to address needs locally and beyond. To donate PPE in Cass County, please contact the Cass County Public Health Department at 712-243-7552 or Cass County EMA at 712-254-1500.

In Montgomery County, contact Montgomery County Public Health or Montgomery County Emergency Management. Brian Hamman, Montgomery County Emergency Management Director, says “This is a worldwide pandemic, any and all donated supplies are extremely welcomed and will be distributed to our local health care facilities and local first responders to continue to respond to the active COVID-19 threat.”

For PPE donations in other area counties, contact your local Department of Public Health or Emergency Management Coordinator.

(Radio Iowa) — Most court proceedings in Iowa are on hold to prevent the spread of the coronavirus — but county clerk of court offices remain open to deal with legal emergencies. State Court Administrator Todd Nuccio says they are keeping a narrow scope. “At this point, we’re focusing on emergency matters. Things like domestic abuse, protective orders, elder abuse proceedings, child removal proceedings, hospitalization, mental health commitment-those types of actions that require immediate intervention by the court,” Nuccio.

He says the court system continues to accept all kinds of filings, but new in-person trials won’t be scheduled until early May.  “It’s just that you’re not going to be able to receive a bench trial or a jury trial any time for the near future.” Trials that were already in progress as of March 13th will continue. Even if county courthouse buildings are closed to the public, they’ll have information posted outside for contacting the clerk of court.

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education met this (Thursday) morning to act on Pandemic Pay Resolution for both the Hourly/Non-Exempt, and Contracted/Salaried Employees. Both Resolutions passed. Additional details were not immediately available. The meeting was supposed to have been conducted electronically live, on a You Tube channel, but technical difficulties prevented that from happening.

A video of the meeting will be posted on You Tube as soon as it’s available.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports the Cities of Atlantic, Griswold, Lewis and Cumberland will begin weekly testing of outdoor warning sirens this Friday at noon. The City of Marne will participate in this initial test, then their regular siren tests will only occur on the last Friday of each month at noon.

Sirens serve to alert residents to take shelter indoors and seek more information. While the outdoor warning system can be an effective method of notifying those that are outdoors, to seek shelter indoors, it is only one part of a comprehensive emergency warning system. To receive emergency information during severe weather or other hazardous event you should get a NOAA weather radio, sign up for local emergency notifications, and tune in to local media reports, from radio, television or social media.

To report a faulty siren please call 254-1500 or email mkennon@casscoia.us. In your message please include location of the siren and a description of the issues you believe are occurring.

To register for the Cass County Emergency Notification System, go to links located on the Cass County homepage (http://www.casscountyiowa.us/) or the Cass County EMA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CassCoEMA). If you need assistance, please contact Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator at 712-243-1500.

Riverside Community School District Superintendent Tim Mitchell report the District has been approved for Free Meals During the COVID-19 School Closure. Meals (Breakfast and Lunch) are available at four distribution points each school day from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM.  If someone wants a meal delivered, please call 712-249-7312 and meals can be delivered to your home.  The cost of meals is Free for all children in the Riverside Community School District ages birth to 18 years of age. This is a “Grab and Go Service”. Menus will consist of a fully reimbursable meal.

The four distribution centers are:

• Oakland Elementary School-Door F-East Door on North Side of Building
• Riverside Middle/High School-Front Doors
• Carson Elementary School-Door C on West side of building
• Post Office in Macedonia on Main Street-School Vehicle will be park on Main Street

On Monday March 23, 2020– School Meal Distribution-Riverside will transition to once per week distribution-Monday of each week.  All children Birth to 18 years of age will receive enough food to have 5 Breakfasts and 5 Lunches for the entire week on Monday.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office the November General Election will feature at least one contested township race. Keith Nelson filed nomination papers Wednesday for the Edna Township Trustee (non-partisan) position. Earlier, we told you Dan Schrier had also filed for the same post. The General Election filing deadline is Friday, March 20th.

Officials with First Whitney Bank & Trust, in Atlantic, said Thursday (today), “Is committed to the health and safety of our customers and employees. Coronavirus (COV-19) presents a unique challenge to all of us and we have business continuity plans in place to continue serving our customers during these times. Effective [today] March 19, 2020, [FNB] lobbies will be closed until further notice.”

The bank asks that you “Please utilize the Drive-Up facilities at both [the] Main and Branch Banks. [There] is also have an array of technology available at your fingertips. This includes on-line banking with bill-pay, mobile banking with mobile deposit and ATM access.” A secure letter drop is also available during business hours. Any other banking needs may be addressed over the phone. If you are not enrolled in any of their on-line services, call 712-243-3195 or visit www.firstwhitneybank.com.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds is asking Iowa families who’re returning to the state after spring break elsewhere to check the guidelines set up to try to contain the spread of COVID-19. “Check the CDC’s website to see if you’re been traveling in an affected area,” Reynolds says. “If so, you should follow the CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health guidelines to self-isolate at home for 14 days before returning to your normal routine.”

Most every college or university in the state has shifted to online classes for the rest of the academic year. College students returning from break may face a new deadline for retrieving their items from university-owned housing if they have not yet done so. Reynolds posted a brief video online late yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, outlining the closures she’s ordered. “As I’ve said, we all have a role to play and now is when our actions matter the most,” Reynolds says. “By working together, we can slow the spread of the virus and reduce its impact on Iowa and the nation. We can do this.”

Reynolds is scheduled to hold a news conference at 3 p.m. today (Thursday).