(Radio Iowa) – The mother of two young students in Council Bluffs is suing Governor Kim Reynolds over the law she signed that bans schools from requiring masks. Fran Parr has twin sons in first grade. Parr says she’s fighting for the safety of in-person learning. “I hope we get some recognition of the risk that this Delta variant is to the unvaccinated and to children,” she says.

Parr’s lawsuit also names the Iowa Department of Education as a defendant. It’s the first lawsuit filed to challenge the law Reynolds signed in May. Parr says thousands of kids under the age of 12 aren’t eligible for the Covid vaccine and Iowa is poised for super-spreader events in every Iowa school.

“So if my kids were in class, a kid had Covid or was found to be Covid-positive, but he was masked, that would make me feel a lot more comfortable that we’re still managing this, we’re still doing the best that we can.” Governor Reynolds has said it should be parents who decide whether their children wear masks at school.

Neola, Iowa – August 25, 2021 – NAMI Southwest Iowa is expanding their programming beginning in September!  Two new monthly NAMI Family Support Groups will begin in Atlantic and Clarinda.  In addition, a NAMI Family-to-Family Class will begin October 2nd in Atlantic. Anna Killpack, Executive Director at NAMI Southwest Iowa, says “When families are struggling to cope with loved ones that have challenging mental health conditions, it can feel very isolating and overwhelming.  Families and caregivers need to know that they are NOT ALONE!”

NAMI Family Support Group is a peer-led support group for any adult with a loved one who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Participants can gain insight from the challenges and successes of others facing similar experiences. 

NAMI Family Support Group will be held the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm in Atlantic at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, 102 Chestnut Street starting September 7th.  Also, NAMI Family Support Group will be held the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm in Clarinda at Southwest Iowa Families, 215 E. Washington starting September 21st.

NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others, and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program. This means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. NAMI Family-to-Family class will take place Saturday mornings from 9:30am-11:30am beginning October 2nd in Atlantic.  Call 712-542-7904 to register.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.  NAMI Southwest Iowa is an affiliate of NAMI and NAMI Iowa.  For information on ALL of NAMI Southwest Iowa’s programming, visit the website at www.namisouthwestiowa.com or call 712-542-7904.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reported at the close of their business day, Wednesday, they had received papers filed from a candidate to fill the vacancy position of Mayor, in Anita. John Knutson is running for the top position in Anita.

No other candidates had filed for various City seats in Cass County, on Wednesday. As previously reported, three Atlantic City Councilpersons are running for Mayor, and one person is running for the Parks and Rec Board, in Atlantic.

The deadline to file nomination papers with the Cass County Auditor’s Office is 5-p.m., September 16.

(Des Moines, IA) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health say, like most of the country, Iowa has experienced an increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in recent weeks. In their statement issued Wed. evening, the IDPH says “Because of the success of our vaccine campaign, current numbers are a fraction of what they were in November 2020, when the state experienced its highest level of virus activity.”

Health officials say the majority of current COVID-19 hospitalizations are among unvaccinated Iowans. On August 25, 79% of individuals hospitalized with a primary COVID-19 diagnosis were not vaccinated and 86% of patients in the ICU were not vaccinated before becoming infected. The hospitalization rate is currently highest among middle age to older adults. 87% of those hospitalized are age 40 and older. Children under the age of 18 account for just 2% of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Iowa Department of Public Health interim director Kelly Garcia says “We have many tools we need to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and the single most important tool we have is the vaccine, which is highly effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death. For anyone who was waiting for the assurance of full FDA authorization, I urge you to schedule your appointment today.”

Preventing avoidable COVID-19 hospitalizations also helps preserve health care resources for other needs, including illnesses, injuries and emergencies. Some Iowa hospitals have recently reported an increase in hospitalizations among children with RSV, limiting their bed capacity for other patients.  As of Wednesday, IDPH was reporting 42 additional deaths due to COVID-19. These deaths occurred over a four-week period from July 24-August 22, 2021.

There are a number of things Iowans can do to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 and prevent spreading the virus in their communities:

Get vaccinated

According to the CDC, over 60% of Iowans 12 and older are fully vaccinated and there have been recent increases daily vaccine administration rates. All Iowans over the age of 12 are eligible to get the COVID-29 vaccine. Vaccines are free, safe and available statewide. Find a vaccine provider at vacccinateiowa.gov. Iowans with questions about the vaccine should contact their healthcare provider. Click here for information on who is currently eligible for an additional dose of the  COVID-19 vaccine.

Get Tested

If you or a loved one are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, get tested as soon as possible. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell. Testing is widely available with many convenient options.

Iowans can access testing at the following locations:

• Primary Care Providers
• Urgent Care
• Local and national pharmacies
• Private labs in local communities

Test Iowa At Home:

IDPH and the State Hygienic Lab are partnering to provide Iowans free at-home test kits. These test kits are ideal for a proactive diagnosis. Examples of proactive testing:

• Before upcoming travel, or returning from travel.
• Ensuring negative status before attending events.
• Recent COVID-19 positive and want to ensure a negative result before returning to normal activities.
• To have on hand for family members in case of exposure.

Go to testiowa.com for more information, to order a test kit or find a pick-up site near you.

Iowans are urged not to visit a Hospital Emergency Room for COVID-19 diagnostic testing, unless experiencing severe symptoms. An ER visit may expose others in a medically fragile state to the virus as well as place additional strain on hospital resources.

Seek Treatment

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, you may be able to reduce the severity of your symptoms and prevent bad outcomes by receiving Monoclonal Antibodies. These antibodies can reduce the amount of virus in your body. Monoclonal Antibodies do not contain the virus that causes COVID-19. It’s important to do this before your symptoms progress to ensure the best possible outcome. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether this is the right option for you. Find options near you by visiting here.

While there are multiple tools available to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the vaccine remains the strongest and Iowans should get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of 37-year-old Kaleb L. Wagaman of Bedford on a valid Montgomery County warrant for an original charge of Criminal Mischief 5th degree. Wagaman was arrested at 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday and later released after posting $300 bond.