(Radio Iowa) – A famous Jones County landmark is no more. The Hula Hoop Tree has been cut down. Over the past few years, visitors have stopped to visit the old tree, which sat along County Road E-23 near Amber. The tree’s branches were filled with hula hoops. The Hula Hoop Tree’s Facebook page announced on Friday that the tree was taken down to keep the public safe. They say it was with “very mixed feelings and heavy hearts” that the tree will now just live in the memories, photographs, and videos of all who have visited.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has announced the availability of the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Action Plan.   The Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act passed by congress allocated $96,741,000 to the state of Iowa for purpose of assisting in long-term recovery from the major flooding disaster that took place in the Spring of 2019.   The Action Plan details how the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) plans to expend the CDBG-DR allocation.

The public is encouraged to comment through 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2020. The report may be obtained and comments accepted via the Internet at https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/our-agency-detail-resources/6501  or by contacting: Ann Schmid, Disaster Recovery Team Leader, IEDA, 1963 Bell Ave, Des Moines, 50315 or by e-mail at ann.schmid@iowaeda.com or phone (515) 348-6202.

In addition, a virtual public hearing will be held starting at 2:30 p.m. on May 20, 2020.  Please contact Ann Schmid at the email or phone number above to request a call-in number.  The purpose of the public hearing will be to receive public comments on the plan.

(Radio Iowa) — A judge has ruled the number of polling places in Woodbury County for the Primary Election on Tuesday, June 2nd and a special election Tuesday, July 7th must be increased from two to a minimum of five. The judge also ordered Woodbury County Auditor Patrick Gill to establish a polling place in each of the five state representative districts in Woodbury County. Gill says that’s a workable compromise. “Our focus has been, as it has been from the beginning, will still be to protect the voters and our precinct election officials,” Gill says.

At least five voting booths will be at each location. Iowa’s secretary of state is encouraging Iowans to vote by mail rather than in-person, to limit the spread of COVID-19. Gill says he decided to limit polling locations after his office staff talked with long-time poll workers in the county. “They’re all ‘Iowa Nice’ and they would like to work on Election Day, but they do have genuine concerns, as we do,” Gill says.

The judge’s ruling states that if the risk of exposure to COVID 19 subsides, Gill may increase polling locations and voter access throughout Woodbury County for the primary in June and the special election in July. Former State Senator Rick Bertrand of Sioux City filed the court petition asking a judge to order that all precincts polling sites be opened for upcoming elections in Woodbury County.

Bertrand’s attorney argued that with just two voting centers, voters would have to wait in long lines and be at greater risk of contracting the coronavirus. He also argued a large number of Republican and non-party male voters would be harmed by not being able to vote in person. Woodbury County has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, with 742 confirmed through testing through Thursday morning. A “Test Iowa” drive-through testing site will open in the county Monday.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — On the day Iowa began easing restrictions designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Kim Reynolds said increased testing was largely the reason for a record number of new COVID-19 cases. Health officials reported 739 new positive cases Friday, by far the most in a single day and bringing the state total to 7,884. Of the new cases, 516 were from four counties, including two that are dealing with outbreaks at meat processing plants. She also reported there were an additional eight deaths, bringing the state’s total to 170.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the coronavirus pandemic continues to force the closure of meatpacking plants across the country, hog farmers have had to respond quickly to a rapidly growing backlog of animals in their barns by killing and disposing of pigs. Many large-scale hog farmers have little choice once barns reach full capacity. Officials estimate about 700,000 pigs across the nation can’t be processed each week and will be euthanized if plants don’t resume operations. To help farmers, the USDA has set up a center that can supply the tools needed to euthanize hogs. That includes captive bolt guns and cartridges that can be shot into the heads of larger animals as well as chutes, trailers and personal protective equipment.

NEW YORK (AP) — “Field of Dreams” was No. 6 in The Associated Press sports writers’ favorite sports movies poll. It was released in April 1989, two weeks after “Major League,” 10 months after “Bull Durham” and eight months after “Eight Men Out.” It is a story of fathers and sons, phantoms and phenoms on an unlikely diamond in an Iowa cornfield. More than 30 years later, it still generates tears, setting loose emotions gushing like water across the fresh-cut grass. Director Phil Alden Robinson remembers a woman weeping at a test screening. When he realized the woman worked for the studio and had already seen the movie, he knew he had something special.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by an Iowa attorney who challenged a 2017 flight Gov. Kim Reynolds and her family took on a private jet to a football game in Memphis, Tennessee. Gary Dickey complained to the state ethics board, alleging the $2,880 claimed for the trip underestimated the flight’s value by thousands of dollars. The board dismissed his complaint, saying the estimate was reasonable. Dickey appealed and a judge in December 2018 dismissed the case saying he wasn’t injured by the campaign filing even if it wasn’t accurate. The Supreme Court agreed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by an Iowa attorney who challenged a 2017 flight Gov. Kim Reynolds and her family took on a private jet to a football game in Memphis, Tennessee. Gary Dickey complained to the state ethics board, alleging the $2,880 claimed for the trip underestimated the flight’s value by thousands of dollars.

The board dismissed his complaint, saying the estimate was reasonable. Dickey appealed and a judge in December 2018 dismissed the case saying he wasn’t injured by the campaign filing even if it wasn’t accurate. The Supreme Court agreed.

(Radio Iowa) — A former Fairfield man will spend more than three years in federal prison for an investment scheme. Sixty-seven-year-old Bruce Hauptman pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud. The Iowa Insurance Division investigation found Hauptman convinced several people to invest money in promissory notes for a business he owned — with the promise of big returns.

Hauptman stopped paying the investors and the investigation found he was spending the money for personal expenses for multiple mortgages, vehicles, and credit cards. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay more than two-point-one million dollars in restitution.

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health, today (Friday) reported three new COVID-19 cases. The total of COVID-19 cases in Pottawattamie County is now 45. Twenty-three individuals have recovered, 19 are self-isolating at home, one is hospitalized, and there have been two deaths.

The three new cases are residents of Council Bluffs and include two males and one female. These individuals were tested for COVID-19 between April 28 and April 29. One of the cases is a child between 0-17 years old, one is between 18-40 years old, and the third individual is between 41-60 years old. Two of them have pre-existing conditions. All three new cases had contact with an existing COVID-19 case, and all three 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.

Authorities say “Because we have community spread of COVID-19, individuals should be taking precautions to protect themselves. Stay home as much as possible, limit travel and shopping. If you must leave home, practice social distancing, and stay at least six feet away from others. Implement excellent hygiene and disinfectant practices. Wash hands and disinfect frequently touched surfaces multiple times per day. And if you are sick, self-isolate at home.

Officials with the Guthrie County Public Health Department, Friday, have identified 7 cases of COVID-19 in an assisted living care facility in Guthrie County. The 7 cases include both staff and residents at Lakeside Village.

According to IDPH, an outbreak is when three or more cases of COVID-19 are identified among residents of a facility.The facility has notified residents and their families, and consistent with IDPH guidelines, the affected residents are in isolation. The Lakeside Village leadership team are working closely with Guthrie County Public Health to protect the health of all residents and staff with additional testing.

Guthrie County Public Health Director Jotham Arber says “Protecting the health and wellbeing of the residents and staff is of the highest priority. We know our older population is at the highest risk for serious COVID-19 illness, so we are monitoring the situation carefully and taking the highest precautions to prevent virus spread.”

Guthrie County Public Health is continuing to work very closely with all of our long term and assisted living facilities, in conjunction with our County Emergency Management Agency to provide guidance, personal protective equipment, medical resources and training as they are needed.As of today, 5/1/2020, there are 22 total cases of COVID-19 in Guthrie County. The Guthrie County Health Department continues to work closely with our state and local partners to respond to this ongoing pandemic.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, including an interactive map with county, regional and long-term care outbreak information, visit adairguthriecountycovid.org.

(Radio Iowa) — Some Iowans still haven’t gotten their pandemic stimulus checks from Uncle Sam. If you’re among them, an official from the Internal Revenue Service says you might need to contribute a little information. Christopher Miller, the I-R-S spokesman for Iowa, says there’s a short form to fill out on the agency’s website that will ensure you get your check for up to 12-hundred dollars.

“Put in some simple information, even if you don’t make enough to require you to file, or you have non-taxable income,” Miller says, “simply fill out a federal income tax return.” Miller says there’s a tool on I-R-S-dot-gov that will speed up the process if you’re still looking for that stimulus check.

“Not only will the information allow us to make sure that you’re eligible for the payment but it allows us to get it to you as quickly as possible,” he says. Just like when getting a refund from your federal tax return, Miller says the quickest way to get that stimulus check is through an electronic funds transfer, unless you want the actual paper check.

“Give us your direct deposit information, your bank account information,” Miller says, “otherwise, the IRS will mail your payment to the address that you provide.” While direct deposit is faster, the I-R-S says it will be mailing out as many as five-million paper checks each week.