With Ric Hanson.
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The Iowa Department of Public Health reports there are less than 100 persons hospitalized with COVID-19 across the State. Officials say there are 95 people affected by the virus, who are in a hospital, down from Sunday’s reported 104. The latest figure is the lowest since April 2nd, 2020. The state started reporting hospitalization figures on March 30, 2020. The highest number of hospitalizations reported was 1,527 on Nov. 17, 2020.
There were 42 additional COVID-19 positive tests reported over the previous 24-hours, and NO additional deaths. The health department Monday, reported 401,821 total positive tests, and 6,055 total deaths since the start of the pandemic, including 2,365 at Long-Term Care facilities. Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is holding stead at 2.4%, and the 7-day average is steady at 2.0%.
Iowa reports 22 patients are in a hospital ICU, 13 patients with COVID or its symptoms were admitted to a hospital, and 10 patients are on ventilators. In RMCC Region 4 (hospitals in western & southwest Iowa), there are: three patients hospitalized with COVID or symptoms of the virus; one person with COVID was in an ICU; There were no new admissions or persons on a ventilator to report in Region 4.
There remain three long-term care facilities that are reporting active COVID-19 outbreaks, with a total of 24 positive cases among patients/staff at the those facilities, and eight persons who have recovered from the virus. Health department data shows nearly 1.36-milion people have completed a vaccine series in Iowa. There have been almost 2.77-million total doses administered. A reminder: The five state-operated Test Iowa drive-thru sites and the State Hygienic Lab are closed today for the Memorial Day holiday.
In the immediate KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County (since the beginning of the pandemic) and the total number of deaths (Since the beginning of the pandemic) in each county to date:
Cass, 1,472 cases; 54 deaths
Adair, 992; 32
Adams, 354; 4
Audubon, 535; 10
Guthrie, 1,311; 32
Harrison County, 1,932; 73
Madison County, 1,780; 19
Mills County, 1,796; 23
Montgomery, 1,111; 38
Pottawattamie County, 12,293;171
Shelby County, 1,373; 37
Union County, 1,374; 34
Jim Field speaks with Steve Livengood about today’s Memorial Day Ceremony at the Atlantic Cemetery.
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The Atlantic City Council will hold its first meeting of JUNE this Wednesday, beginning at 5:30-p.m., in their Chambers at the Atlantic City Hall. First up on their agenda, is the review of a permit request by Wild Willy’s for a Community Fireworks Demonstration scheduled for June 12th. If the permit is approved, the demonstration will take place at the Little League diamonds across from the KJAN Studios on north Olive Street. It’s intended to be a family friendly event, with the possibility of food vendors on site. Wild Willy’s is owned by local business owners, and as such, subject to the Local Option Sales Tax, which benefits the City. City Administrator John Lund says “If residents desire to buy fireworks, we [The City] should encourage them to buy locally.” Under an agreement, the debris afterward, would be cleaned-up by the Boy/Girl Scouts.
The Atlantic City Council will also act on an order with regard to an application for the closing of East 6th Street between Chestnut and Poplar, from 10-a.m. until 12:30-p.m. June 13th, for the benefit of children during a church service. The Council has traditionally allowed requests for street closures that benefit small community events like block parties. City Administrator John Lund says “A closure for a religious event would be similar in nature,” and should be approved.
The Council, Wednesday, is expected to set June 16th as the date for a Public Hearing on the passage of an Ordinance (#1009), that would amend Chapter 6 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, changing the method of election to runoff elections. John Lund says Atlantic currently has a “plurality-takes-all” system, where someone only needs to get the most votes on the first and only ballot, to win. As such, only 50.01% of the vote is required to become Mayor, a member of the Council, and Park Board. Iowa allows for two types of elections, either the current system, or an alternative where a true majority of voters is required to win. Lund says the benefits of changing to a majority system, include: The winner of the final vote has a genuine mandate to lead the City by a majority of the voters, and can claim their leadership and priorities are what Atlantic wants; and, it prevents a scenario where the Mayor is the plurality winner, not because they are a respected individual in the community, but because they have a devoted base of support and respected candidates divide the vote. In this scenario, according to Lund, someone could become Mayor for four-years that half Atlantic or even a super majority activity opposes.
Lund says the Personnel and Finance Committee reviewed the options during their meeting on May 26th, and unanimously recommends the Council change the election system to a majority, run-off election. In order for a motion to that effect to pass, the Council must first set the date of a public hearing and pass each reading during their meetings on June 16th, July 7th and July 21st. In related business, the Council, Wednesday, will also set June 16th as the date for a public hearing on an ordinance amendment that would change the term for Park Board members from six-years to four-years, which the Park Board favors.
The Council will also act on the setting of wages for 2021 Pool personnel, and, review the contract and bonds for the West 22nd Street Sidewalk Project. Afterward, they will act on passing a Resolution approving the project contract and bonds. John Lund says the FY22 Budget calls for $117,500 to construct the walking path, which was awarded to Henningsen Construction during the Council’s meeting May 19th, and came in under budget, in the amount of $103,904.56.
Officials with the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation have announced the Foundations’ 2021 grant award recipients. According to their report, after a thorough evaluation process, the PCCF grants committee – a group of county residents and board members – elected to award 40 Community Impact Grants totaling $60,040 to area nonprofit and city organizations, a 10% increase in available grants from the 2020 grant cycle.
Annually, Community Impact Grants funding is eligible to any tax-exempt, nonprofit organization or governmental entity for creative or impactful projects that meet a clear, identifiable need in Pottawattamie County. Grants are allocated to projects in a variety of focus areas, such as: Arts & Culture, Community Betterment, Community Engagement, Education, Environment, Health, Human Services, and Youth. The list of grant recipients, their projects and award amount, can be found below:
Sheriff’s officials in Ringgold County, Sunday, said a central Iowa man died over the weekend during a canoeing accident on a farm bond. Sheriff Rob Haley says his office received a call at around 10:40-p.m. Saturday about Daniel Clint Ahrens, of Adel, who went missing during a fishing excursion on a rural farm pond near Ellston. Upon law enforcement and rescue crew’s arrival at around 11-p.m., a canoe was found upside down in the water, about 15-feet from shore. Ahrens’ body was found about 40-minutes later, also about 15-feet from shore, in about eight-feet of water.
The man was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, where the cause of death was pending results of an autopsy. The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Mount Ayr Fire, the Ringgold County Dive Team, Union Township Fire Department, Ringgold County Emergency Management, the Ringgold County Medical Examiner, and Ringgold County Ambulance.
Police in Red Oak arrested a man on an Adams County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Authorities say 29-year-old Nathan Allen Aldrich, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 9-p.m. in the 1300 block of N. Broadway. He was transported to the Adams County Jail, and held on a $300 bond.
(Radio Iowa) – The passport program that offers prizes when you visit state parks is back this year. Iowa Tourism Office spokesperson, Jessica O’Riley, says they launched the program last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the state parks. “It was such a phenomenal success that we thought we need to bring it back this year,” O’Riley says. “We had nearly 30-thousand check-ins at parks across the state with last year’s version. So now we have relaunched it with new prizes to entice people to get outdoors and explore again this year.”
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is partnering with the Tourism Office on the program. “If you check into ten of the 62 participating state parks — the first one-thousand people to do that — win a state park passport t-shirt. A highly coveted t-shirt I am sure,” O’Riley says. The prizes ramp up as your visits increase. She says if you check into 30 parks you can win one of four activity trackers and then your check-ins each month qualify you to win a larger prize, such as a paddleboard and watersport accessory in June.
You can find out more about the passport by visiting traveliowa.com/passport or by texting PARKS to 515-531-5995.