(Radio Iowa) — Residents of more than 100 Iowa communities will get out the paint brushes and rollers once the weather warms up after being awarded grants in the “Paint Iowa Beautiful” program. Keep Iowa Beautiful associate director, Bill Jackson, says they partner every year with Diamond Vogel Paints to give communities free paint for projects. “The projects include anything from swimming pools, park benches, park tables, restroom facilities, city halls, anything that the public is involved in and invited to participate in,” according to Jackson.

Jackson says the idea is to help spruce up communities and get people involved. “In most cases, it’s volunteers for the local theatre or city hall — in some cases, a professional painter comes in. This year, we had probably a dozen to a dozen and a half requests for murals. And that requires an artist to be involved,” Jackson says. He says the cities will visit Diamond Vogel to get the paint, and projects will get started as soon as the weather allows. “Once they’ve bought the paint, have the project completed, they send the invoice to us at Keep Iowa Beautiful, and we reimburse them for the paint,” Jackson says.

He says it’s a great partnership with a company that makes the paint right here in Iowa. “Over the 17 years, Diamond Vogel has awarded over 11-thousands gallons of paint — for about one-thousand community project sin Iowa,” he says. Diamond Vogel was created in 1926 in Orange City as the company website says. You can learn more about the grants on the Keep Iowa Beautiful website at: www.keepiowabeautiful.com

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones has joined in spreading the message being promoted by the IDPH and Governor Kim Reynolds: Wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing. He said right now there are no positive cases of COVID-19 in Cass County, and he’d like to keep it that way. He said also, residents need to get their census survey’s filled out and sent in. Jones asks you to be sure and count everyone in your household and return the form or fill it out online, because it helps in funding programs for local economic development.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones

Jones added, that the next City Council meeting on April 1^st, with be done via Zoom, due to the restrictions on how many people may gather at any given time and place. The Mayor, City Administrator John Lund, City Clerk Barb Barrick and Nick Kern, meeting photojournalist will be at the meeting, along with Police Chief Dave Erickson, who will ensure not more than 10 people will be present.

The Mayor urges anyone who wants to view and/or join the meeting on April 1^st, use the Zoom link which will be provided in the days before the event takes place and passed along by KJAN and other media.

The Griswold School Board, Tuesday evening, held hearings on the 2020-21 Budget and School Calendar. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said both were approved after the hearings.

They also approved a Pandemic Pay Resolution for the District’s contracted/salaried employees.

Henrichs said there are some stipulations to the Resolution.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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NASHUA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 77-year-old man was fatally injured when an all-terrain vehicle rolled onto him in northeast Iowa. The accident happened Tuesday afternoon near Nashua. The Iowa State Patrol says Larry Moine was igniting some grass fires on his property when he tried to ascend a steep embankment. The ATV didn’t make it and instead rolled atop him. Authorities say he was pronounced dead later at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City.

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

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DES MOINES, Iowa (The Des Moines Register) — One of Des Moines’ taller and more colorful office buildings will house hotel guests by 2022 under a plan being developed by its owner. Floors one through 13 of the Financial Center would become the hotel with 190 guest rooms and include a food market, coffee shop and an upscale restaurant. Floors 14 through 25 would be upgraded for office tenants and have separate elevator access. Wells Fargo announced last year that it was leaving 13 floors in the Financial Center, which is known for lights that change with current events. It opened in 1972.

An investigation into numerous complaints of vehicle and garage break-in/thefts over the past couple of months in Red Oak, has culminated in an arrest. Authorities say 19-year old Nicholas Alan Foster, of Red Oak, was arrested Tuesday night on 14 counts of Burglary in the 3rd degree/vehicle related (aggravated misdemeanors), and one felony count of 3rd Degree Burglary of a building, Foster was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Nicholas Alan Foster

Red Oak Police said also, 57-year old David Lawrence Howe, of Red Oak, was cited into court for Theft in the 5th Degree (value less than $200), Tuesday evening.

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

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced the state’s first death linked to the coronavirus outbreak. In a statement Tuesday night, Reynolds identified the deceased as a resident of Dubuque County who was between 61 and 80 years old. Reynolds and the Dubuque County Public Health Department said that no other information would be released about the individual. The announcement came hours after a news conference in which Reynolds and a top state public health official said they had no plans to issue a “shelter in place” order like those in place in some neighboring states.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Public Employment Relations Board has overturned the firing of a workplace safety inspector, finding that he unfairly faced retribution after reporting a hostile work environment inside the agency. The board found that managers at the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration acted with “express bias” when they opened a disciplinary investigation into Travis Stein for missing a meeting in November 2018. The decision found that the agency had never before punished a worker for missing a meeting and that the investigation of Stein was unfair and incomplete. Stein says the ruling backs his claim that his January 2019 firing was motivated by retaliation and built on false statements.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids is stopping its transit service at the end of Tuesday to help halt the spread of COVID-19. City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said Monday plans are to resume service on April 13. He says the city has been regularly cleaning and sanitizing buses, but they are still confined spaces that fill with many people throughout the day. He says it’s vital for the city to take the actions needed to protect the community. In Des Moines officials are cutting route frequency and service starting Thursday as ridership continues to drop.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Chicago woman has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison on charges stemming from the beating death of her 5-year-old son in Iowa. Jacqueline Rambert was sentenced Friday in Davenport. She pleaded guilty to two child endangerment charges and under state law, must serve at least 20 years of her sentence. Her co-defendant, Tre Henderson, was convicted of murder and will be sentenced April 1 to life in prison. Prosecutors say Ja’Shawn Bussell had 17 broken ribs and bruises all over his body after Henderson beat him in April 2018. Henderson and Rambert were living in Davenport when the boy was beaten.

[Council Bluffs, IA] — Businesses and organizations are urged to donate personal protective equipment, or PPE, by contacting the 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 and health care facilities responding to COVID-19.

Any type of health care PPE will be welcomed, especially gloves, gowns, eye protection, and masks. Local emergency management officials continue to address resource needs locally and beyond.

To donate, please register the available items by clicking on the ‘Donate PPE Here’ icon on the Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Website or directly on the Pottawattamie County COVID-19 Information Site. After your registration a member of the logistics support operation will contact you