CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids police are investigating the shooting death of a 21-year-old man. Police said Jayson Lee Jones, of Cedar Rapids, was shot early Sunday at a Cedar Rapids home. He was taken by private vehicle to Mercy Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Police have not released any further information about the shooting or any potential suspects.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds appears to be prepared to push schools to return students to classrooms this month, reinforcing her plans to prioritize in-person learning even when a local school board believes it’s too risky.

The Des Moines school district’s request on Dec. 28th was the first to be rejected since August. Des Moines Superintendent Tom Ahart says the school board is concerned about the safety and well-being of its students and employees based on local virus conditions.

Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo rejected the request on Dec. 30. Lebo echoed Reynolds’ recent statements that students engaged in remote learning are falling behind academically and that schools are not primary drivers of spread of the virus.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports his deputies today (Monday) arrested 36-year-old Zachary Michael Anderson, of Sidney (Iowa). Anderson was taken into custody on two counts of Violating a Protection Order (Simple Misdemeanors) and three Class-D Felony counts of Violating the Conditions of the Sex Offender Registry 2nd or Subsequent Offense.

Zachary Anderson (Photo courtesy Fremont County S/O)

Anderson wasbeing held without bond pending initial appearance with the Fremont County Magistrate.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economy continues improving in nine Midwest and Plains states but business leaders are less optimistic after the latest surge in coronavirus cases in the region, according to a new monthly survey released Monday. The overall index for the region suggests strong growth even though it dipped to 64.1 in December from November’s 69. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth, while a score below 50 suggests recession.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, said the survey’s confidence index suggests business leaders are worried about the economy after the recent growth in virus cases across the region.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a life prison sentence for an influential Iowa youth basketball coach who used his position to sexually exploit more than 400 boys over 20 years. A panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Gregory Stephen’s argument that his 180-year sentence was excessive because he did not kill or physically injure his victims. The panel agreed with U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams “that the harm to the children was ‘incalculable and profound’ and radiated to their families.”

Stephen amassed a digital collection of thousands of sexual images of his players and their friends. He also molested some boys during trips to basketball tournaments and professional games.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate has steadily dropped back down after hitting a peak when the coronavirus hit — but the pandemic has still left a hole in the state’s workforce. Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson says most of the drop is not from people getting back to work — it’s from people giving up their job search. “The most important factor driving that rate down is not more people working, it’s people leaving the labor force and not working or not looking for work,” Swenson says.

The unemployment rate in Iowa is three-point-six ( 3.6) percent — about one percent above the level before the pandemic — and down from a high of 11 percent in April. Swenson says the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics data tell the story of what is happening. “Even though the number of jobs has gone up the number of people that are participating actively in the economy, according to the B-L-S survey, has continued to go down,” according to Swenson.

That survey shows the number of people counted as unemployed in Iowa has fallen by more than 130-thousand since April, while the state has added only about 37-thousand jobs. Swenson says the leisure and hospitality industry leads the state for job losses over the past year followed by the education and health care sector, and government. He says nationally women have been most likely to leave the workforce during the pandemic. He believes the numbers are also likely to include many small business people forced into retirement.

(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors held their first meeting of the new year, Monday morning (today), both in-person and electronically. It was also the first meeting for Bernard Pettinger, of Anita, who was selected by voters during the November General Election, to succeed Frank Waters.  Waters did not run for re-election. During their meeting, the Board voted to keep Steve Baier as Board Chair, and Mark O’Brien as Vice Chair.

During the session, the Board voted to: keep their meetings on Tuesday’s at 9-a.m.; Set the mileage reimbursement rate at 45 cents per mile, for the use of personal vehicle to conduct County business; They set the Medical Examiner’s fee at $200 per call; and after much discussion, and by a vote of 4-to1, adopted the holiday schedule. The 2021 (2022 New Year’s Day) Holiday Schedule for County employees not covered by bargaining agreements for the year 2021:

• Memorial Day, May 31
• Independence Day, July 4 (Monday, July 5)
• Labor Day, Sept. 6
• Veterans Day, Nov. 11
• Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25
• Christmas Day, Dec. 25 (Friday, Dec. 24)
• New Year’s Day 2022 (Monday, Jan. 3)
• 2 Personal days

The Cass County Supervisors approved the appointments of deputies/assistants and /or Clerks to the Auditor and Sheriff, including:

• Mary Anstey and Sheri Karns, Auditor’s Office
• Benjamin Bartholomew, Corey Larsen and Josh McLaren, Timothy Olsen, Kyle Quist, Tyler Shiels as Deputy Sheriff’s, with Jon Westering as Chief Deputy.
• Sheriff’s Assistants: Joni Knudsen, Billie Taylor-McLaren and Steph Witzman.

Sheriff Darby McLaren, last month requested the Board approved the designation/promotion of Sergeant certain deputies. The Board today (Monday) approved the promotion and pay increases for Kyle Quist, and Tyler Shiels. Deputy Shiels is also the County K9 Officer, with supplemental pay. And, they approved the 2021 Annual Livestock Construction Evaluation Resolution (Master Matrix).