(Radio Iowa) –  Governor Kim Reynolds predicts the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations will not be slowed by the two-week suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as possible health complications are carefully studied. “While the White House reported yesterday on its weekly call with governors the temporary pausing the use of the vaccine should not impact supply going forward,” Reynolds says. “Fortunately, additional doses of Pfizer and Moderna will be available for nationwide distribution next week and we’ve been receiving an ample supply of both here in Iowa.”

None of the six women who have had adverse reactions to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine were Iowans. Reynolds says the decision to put administration of that vaccine on pause was sudden and surprising. “While news of a serious reaction to the J and J vaccine is concerning, it’s important that we don’t jump to conclusions prematurely before more details are known,” Reynolds says. “Nearly 7 million doses of J and J vaccine have been administered in the United States and at this time, we’re aware of only six cases resulting in the rare blood clots. Currently the odds of this happening are literally one-in-1,000,000.”

IA Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a Press Conference (File Photo)

State health officials redistributing the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to adjust and the governor is again calling for Iowans to be patient as details are finalized.  “Even though Johnson & Johnson doses are on hold right now, we were already planning for a minimal supply over the next few weeks due to the slowdown in manufacturing that had been anticipated,” Reynolds says. “The immediate impact of this decision on our vaccine supply should be manageable.” The state was only expecting to get 18-hundred doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine next week.

“Putting even one vaccine on hold is disappointing, especially as we’re fast approaching 2 million doses being given and administered in Iowa,” Reynolds says, “but ensuring a safe vaccination process, one that everyone can be confident in, will continue to be a top priority.” Reynolds and her husband got the Johnson and Johnson shots on March 3rd on live T-V and the governor says she had mild symptoms: a dull headache and fatigue.

“But I was still able to report to work the next day and within 24 hours I was back to feeling 100%, so I’m glad that I did have the opportunity to have the J and J vaccine. I would do it again,” Reynolds says. “Vaccination is the best defense against the virus and, as you’ve heard, the reward far outweighs the risk.” Reynolds is praising Linn County Public Health officials for setting up a 24-hour mass vaccination clinic.

State officials say 20 county health departments refused the doses of Pfizer and Moderna they could have received this week, so those doses have been reallocated to other counties, according to the acting director of the IDPH

In western/southwest Iowa, those counties include:

• Adair
• Cass
• Sac
• Union and
• Woodbury

There’s a new person in charge of the Audubon Police Department. The City Council, in Audubon, Monday, approved Coby Gust as Chief of Police. Gust will succeed Police Chief Matt Starmer, who announced in February, that he would be retiring effective June 1^st, or as soon as his replacement was hired. According to City Clerk Joe Foran, Gust has been with the Audubon Police Department since 2005. His starting salary will be $70,000.

Gusts’ hiring creates an opening for a Police Officer withing the department.

A man being held at the State Penitentiary in Anamosa, was arrested Tuesday on a Page County warrant. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports 28-year-old Richard Osmond McLachlan, Jr., was arrested on an

Richard O. McLachlan, Jr.

active Page County Warrant for Possession of a controlled substance and Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Institution. His cash-only bond was set at $6,000.

April 5, 2021 —Did you receive a text with a survey about your vaccine? The Better Business Bureau says it’s one of those scams that just keep reappearing… each time with a new twist. This time, the phony survey claims to be from pharmaceutical company Pfizer, with questions about their COVID-19 vaccine.

How the Scam Works:

You receive an email or text message that claims to be from Pfizer, one of the pharmaceutical companies producing an approved COVID-19 vaccine. In some versions, the message claims that you will receive money for completing a quick survey. Other versions offer a “free” product.

It sounds easy, but don’t click the link! These survey scams have a variety of tricks. The link may lead to a real survey, which upon completion, prompts you to sign up for a “free trial offer.” Victims reported to BBB Scam Tracker that they entered their credit card information to pay what they thought was a shipping fee. Instead, the scammers billed them many times more and never sent the product.  In other versions, the form is actually a phishing scam that requests banking and credit card information.

Just because scammers are currently impersonating Pfizer doesn’t mean the other COVID-19 vaccine producers are off the hook. Watch out for variations claiming to be from Johnson & Johnson and Moderna, too.

How to Spot a Survey Scam:

In general, it’s best not to click on links that come in unsolicited emails. Here are some more ways to spot a malicious email just in case your spam filter doesn’t catch it.

The email claims to have information about you, but you never signed up for it. Scams often pretend to be personalized for you, but they are actually blast emails. Don’t fall for this! If you never signed up for emails from a company, you shouldn’t be receiving them.
Pushes you to act immediately: Scammers typically try to push you into action before you have had time to think. Always be wary of emails urging you to act immediately or face a consequence.
Watch for typos, strange phrasing and bad grammar. Scammers can easily copy a brand’s name, but awkward wording and poor grammar are typically a giveaway that the message is a scam. For example, one version of the survey scam impersonating Pfizer uses the wrong company logo.
Hover over URLs to reveal their true destination. Typically, the hyperlinked text will say one thing, but the link will point somewhere else. Make sure the links actually lead to the business’s official website, not a variation of the domain name.
For More Information

Read more about coronavirus scams on the Federal Trade Commission’s website and on BBB.org/coronavirus. Learn more about the disease at the CDC’s FAQ page. The BBB has identified many ways in which scammers are cashing in on the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about clinical trial scams, contract tracing cons, counterfeit face masks, and government agency impostors. If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams. Find more information about scams and how to avoid them at BBB.org/AvoidScams.

(Radio Iowa) – House Republicans are proposing to more than double the amount of state money for so-called challenge grants to build or renovate space for child care centers. The grants have been available to businesses, non-profits and organizations that are retrofitting or building new child care facilities.

That’s Representative Phil Thompson of Jefferson, who says House Republicans propose three million dollars worth of these grants for the next state budgeting year. Representative Tracey Ehlert, a Democrat, is an early childhood instructor who has operated a child care center in Cedar Rapids. Ehlert says it’s exciting to have state grants for child care infrastructure.

Increasing the number of child care slots by expanding the physical space is a goal Ehlert supports, but she says state policymakers must do more to address the worker shortage.

The three million dollars for Child Care Challenge grants proposed by House Republicans would be distributed, as it is now, by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Last month, the agency distributed 13 million dollars in FEDERAL pandemic relief money to 64 current or under construction child care centers in the state.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, continued down the road to establish a Solar Panel Ordinance, by tweaking wording in a DRAFT of the same ordinance they have been working on for a couple of weeks. County Attorney Melissa Larson read a motion by Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer, for the Ordinance that pertains to the occupied residence setback from a Solar Farm.

The motion passed 5-0. Larson said the amended section applies to only to commercial solar farm operation.

A second motion by Supervisor Jodie Hoadley for a 400 acre cap on the amount of property a commercial solar farm owner (Such as MidAmerican) can take over in Adair County, passed by a vote of 3-to 2, with Supervisors Shelley and Twombly voting against. John Twombly said the distance as currently proposed is sufficient.

The Ordinance will be edited and posted for publication when it’s ready, prior to a Public Hearing. It’ll be at least two more weeks before a hearing could be held.  In other news, the Adair County Supervisors approved a recommendation by County Engineer Nick Kauffman, for the hiring of Bobby Jeane, and the approved a “No Spray” agreement for the City of Fontanelle’s well site. Supervisor Shelley explained the agreement stipulates no chemicals are to be applied near wells six and seven, with the exception of de-icing chemicals, which would not be used on a gravel road anyway.

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard, as of 10-a.m., Wednesday, indicated that for the third day in a row, there were no additional deaths from COVID-19 to report. The pandemic total remains 5,857. Long-Term Care facility deaths account for 2,296 of the total number of deaths across the state. That is unchanged from Monday’s report.

There were 733 additional positive test results for COVID-19 returned from the labs, for a total of 387,202. There remain three Long-Term Care facility outbreaks, with 31 positive cases among residents and staff within those facilities.

Health officials say COVID-related hospitalizations stand at 218, and there are 57 COVID patients in an ICU. The IDPH says 46 people were admitted to a hospital across the state, compared to 31, Tuesday, and 14 patients remain on a ventilator, compared to 20 in the previous report.

RMCC Region 4 hospitals (those in western/southwest Iowa) show: There are 21hospitalized with COVID; 13 COVID patients are in an ICU; two people were admitted with symptoms of COVID, and there remain two COVID patients on a ventilator.

The 14-day positivity rate is 4.7%. The seven-day rate is also 4.7%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,421 cases; {+2}; 54 deaths
• Adair, 961; {+1}; 32
• Adams, 335 {+0}; 4
• Audubon, 511 {+0}; 9
• Guthrie, 1,253 {+2}; 28
• Harrison County, 1,880; {+0}; 73
• Madison County, 1,668; {+9; 19
• Mills County, 1,744; {+2}; 20
• Montgomery, 1,080 {+4}; 37
• Pottawattamie County, 11,723; {+35}; 160
• Shelby County, 1,326 {+3}; 37
• Union County,  1,321; {+0}; 32

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 26-year old Nikki Lee Phipps, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 7:50-p.m. Tuesday in Council Bluffs, on a simple misdemeanor warrant for Contempt of Court on an original, Disorderly Conduct charge. 29-year-old Jacob Kyle Eric Caudill was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for allowing animal(s) to run at large, and Failure to properly license an animal. He was turned over to staff at the Pott. County Jail.

Monday night, 44-year old Matthew Joseph Gardner, and 22-year old Grace Anne Hall. Both face charges that include: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 1st offense. Hall was additionally charged with Willful failure to stop for law enforcement. The pair were arrested following an call about trespassing at Loves Travel Stop, in Shelby. Dispatched advised law enforcement that Gardner had been banned and barred from the business. When a deputy arrived, employees pointed to the vehicle Gardner was in, which was driving out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed.

After observing traffic violations, the deputy conducted a traffic stop on the car on Interstate 80. The vehicle did not stop for some time, according to the report, but eventually pulled over. Gardner was a passenger in the vehicle driven by Hall. The vehicle, and a dog inside it, were released to a friend of the owners. Both parties were also cited. And, Monday afternoon, a Pott. County Jail inmate, 41-year-old Bernie Dwayne Hathaway, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was presented with a warrant for Assault with Intent to Commit Sex Abuse. He was then returned to the custody of correction staff.

(Radio Iowa) – Welcome home ceremonies continue today (Wednesday) for Iowa National Guard soldiers. Ninety soldiers from the 113th Calvary Troop C based from the Le Mars return from a ten-month deployment. National Guard spokesperson Major Katheryn Headley talks about that mission.

The soldiers will arrive by plane at the Sioux City Gateway Airport at approximately 12:20 p-m. with a small welcome home ceremony scheduled to start at 12:30 p-m. The buses carrying the National Guard soldiers are expected to leave the Sioux City airport by 1:00 p-m. heading north to Le Mars. Headley says due to the concern of the COVID-19 virus the homecoming ceremony at the Sioux City Armory is not open to the public.

She says the ceremony will be open to the media. Major Headley says there are ways the public can show support on the return route

Soldiers will be released to their families once the official welcome home ceremony is over.