(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa office of the U-S Small Business Administration is reporting the just-ended fiscal year saw upturns in both the amount of money lent and the number of loans made. District director Jayne Armstrong says the Iowa S-B-A made 263-million dollars in loans, an increase of almost 30-million, while the number of loans rose to 476, a boost of 43 loans over the previous year.

“It’s a nice surprise to see the increase, especially the large number of startups and business acquisitions that we’re seeing,” Armstrong says. “It’s a sign that the economy is really rebounding.” The S-B-A loans created more than two-thousand Iowa jobs, she says, while retaining another 34-hundred. There were no trends as far as rural versus urban, Armstrong says, nor were there any particular business types that sprang up or expanded in the past fiscal year.

“We’ve been doing a lot of work in underserved markets where there were gaps before,” Armstrong says. “Working with immigrant entrepreneurs and minority-owned businesses and everything that we traditionally do, too, with veterans and women-owned businesses and across the board with every sector we work with.” Armstrong says she’s thrilled with the work of her staff in providing so many traditional business loans, while at the same time administering all of the federal pandemic programs, like P-P-P and the Economic Injury Disaster loans.

“That really helped a lot of businesses with their cash flow to get through the tough months of the pandemic,” Armstrong says. “It really helped them to keep the lights on and to make it through it. It may’ve been the worst year that they’ve ever had but they’re still standing.” Polk, Linn and Black Hawk counties had the most loans during the year, while Polk County also had the highest amount of loans at more than 53-million dollars, followed by Linn and Scott counties.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s once-a-decade redistricting process has officially concluded. Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the lengthy bill that explains which county borders, highways, streets and roads are the new boundaries for Iowa’s congressional and legislative districts. The legislature overwhelmingly approved the new maps a week ago and Reynolds quickly announced she’d do so, too, whenever the bill reached her desk.

Governor Reynolds signs the redistricting plans into law. (photo from Governor’s Twitter feed.)

“I think it’s an indication that the process worked,” Reynolds says. “Lots of fear-mongering about gerrymandering that certainly didn’t play out and never really could in the State of Iowa.” Reynolds made those general comments about redistricting during a news conference on Wednesday. The new maps for Iowa’s four congressional districts, 50 state senate districts and 100 Iowa House districts will be used for the 2022 election, all the way through the 2030 election.

The redistricting process will start all over again in 2031 after the next U.S. Census.

(Radio Iowa) – Two students have been accused of murdering a 66-year-old Fairfield high school teacher. On Tuesday, Nohema Graber was reported missing by family members. Her remains were discovered Wednesday in a local park. Authorities have charged Willard Miller, age 16, and Jeremy Goodale, age 16, with first degree homicide, a Class A felony. According to a news release from the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office, the case against Miller and Goodale will be handled in adult court.

Graber was a Spanish teacher at Fairfield high school, where the two teenagers accused of her murder were students.

ATLANTIC- Cass County Public Health is holding a vaccination clinic on Wednesday, November 10th at the Cass County Community Center from 9 am to noon. This walk-in clinic will provide Moderna booster shots only to those who are eligible for a booster dose. Please note that vaccine availability is limited at this time; the boosters will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Patients need to bring their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card with them to the event. If you have lost your card, please call 712-243-7443 and Public Health staff will assist you. The required consent forms can also be printed from casshealth.org/covidvaccine, saving patients time on the day of the clinic. Masks will be required during the clinic.

Booster Dose Eligibility:

You may have a preference, but you can receive get any booster shot. If it has been at least 6 months since you received your Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series, then you may be eligible for a booster. Those eligible include individuals:

• 65 years and older
• 18+ and live in a long-term care setting
• 18+ with underlying medical conditions
• 18+ who work or live in a high-risk setting

Patients are always encouraged to talk to their primary care provider about their questions and concerns regarding vaccines. More information about booster shots can be found at cdc.gov, vaccines.gov, or casshealth.org/covidvaccine.

(Glenwood) – Sheriff’s officials in Mills County today (Thursday) released information about a collision that had taken place at around 2:30-a.m Oct. 31st. The accident happened on the Wabash Trace Bicycle Trail somewhere south of Malvern, where a vehicle struck a bridge. Deputies located the unoccupied vehicle on the trail between 330th and 350th Streets near the bridge that crosses the Nishnabotna River. The vehicle sustained significant disabling damage. The wooden bridge sustained the same level of damage.

Photo courtesy Mills County Sheriff’s Office

The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as 18-year-old Isaac Lopez, from Sidney, Iowa. He suffered minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital. Authorities cited Lopez for reckless driving and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Anyone with additional information about the incident is urged to contact the Mills County Sheriff’s Office.

[11/5 – slight edits throughout] (Atlantic, Iowa) – A jury in western Iowa, Thursday, was unable to come to an agreement in the first degree murder trial of a Cass County woman charged in the Oct. 7, 2019 death of an infant male in her care. Judge Amy Zacharius declared a mistrial and the jurors were released.

The Defense Attorney for Alison Dorsey, of Anita, DeShawne Bird-Sell announced the judge’s decision, and explained what happens next..

Dorsey remains free on bond until the case is tried again. Bird-Sell says it’s too early to say when and where that trial will be. Bird-Sell said she was disappointed by the outcome.

Bird-Sell could not speak to what parts of the evidence presented to the jury that they could not come to an agreement on. Bird-Sell was asked is she’s ready for another fight to prove Dorsey’s innocence.

The announcement, which came in the corridor outside of the courtroom, brought those who had attended the six-day trial, to tears. Alison Dorsey was 36-years-old when 11-week Luka Hodges presented labored breathing and showed signs of unresponsiveness at a home daycare she ran in Massena. The child and his brother had been dropped-off by their father, Nick Hodges, a little before 8-a.m., that day. About three hours later, Luka was gasping for air.

Dorsey called Hodges, who arrived moments later. Just as he walked through the door, Luka, who was being held by Dorsey, went limp and stopped breathing. Nick Hodges immediately began infant CPR. An on-duty Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived soon after and continued CPR. Additional EMS personnel quickly arrived on the scene.

Luka was transported to the Cass County Hospital in Atlantic, and then to Children’s Hospital in Omaha, where he died. His death was initially declared Shaken Baby Syndrome, but the Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office report on the cause of death was inconclusive.

In addition to 1^st Degree Murder, Dorsey was charged with Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury resulting in death. Both are felonies. A guilty verdict on the murder charge would likely have resulted in life in prison, had she been convicted. The second charge carried a maximum of 25-years in prison.