Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As coronavirus deaths push past 1,200 and cases continue to rise Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds stands firm in her opposition to requiring masks or authorizing local cities and counties to enforce face covering mandates widely viewed by medical professionals and scientists as an effective way to slow COVID-19 spread. Reynolds encourages Iowans to wear masks but says orders are not enforceable. She’s been photographed recently at GOP events hugging and talking closely with others without a mask but claims she does wear one and says photo snapshots aren’t reflective of her practice. Community virus spread continues to be high in some counties which lead to a government recommendation of a statewide mask mandate, but Reynolds has declined to enact one.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says there is nothing inappropriate about her decision to spend nearly $449,000 in federal coronavirus relief money on salaries for aides in her office, including her chief of staff and spokesman. Reynolds responded at a press conference for the first time about a report posted Sunday by the online blog Bleeding Heartland. The report indicated 21 employees on Reynolds’ staff will have more than 60% of their salary paid by the federal emergency funds from March 14 through June 30. Reynolds says federal rules clearly allow salaries to be paid for workers whose job requirements are significantly changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

KEYSTONE, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Patrol says one person died and five juveniles suffered minor injuries when a van hit a school bus in northeast Iowa. The crash happened Wednesday morning on a county road in Benton County. The patrol says a person driving a van veered onto the road’s shoulder then over corrected and hit the school bus. The driver of the van died at the scene. Five students on the bus were injured. The bus driver was not hurt. No names have been released and the investigation is continuing.

(Radio Iowa) – Northwest Iowa’s Sioux County continues to have the highest coronavirus positivity rate in Iowa. At 5 p.m. today (Wednesday), the state’s online dashboard indicated Sioux County’s Covid positivity rate was 27 percent. Reporter Mark Buss has checked with the county’s public health agency, which is called Community Health Partners:

In an email response from Community Health Partners, officials there say they’ve been closely watching the 14-day positivity rate over the last month and are very concerned about it. They say they have been working with the Iowa Department of Public Health to help evaluate what is driving Sioux County’s percentage rates up. They know for sure the county’s experiencing community spread. At this time, however, they do not have any data to support that there has been a specific outbreak, nor do they have any data to suggest the colleges are driving this number. CHP will make a statement when they have those answers.

Two of the counties that are adjacent to Sioux County have the second and third highest Covid positivity rates. Lyon County’s rate is nearly 22 percent. Plymouth County’s is 16 percent.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, took action on some matters before them and failed to approve other measures. The Council first-off denied a Tree Trimmer permit for Cook Hauling and Tree Service. City Clerk Barb Barrick said Cook has insurance, but has not provided insurance for his independent contractors. If he provides proof of the required insurance, the Council can reconsider the permit request at a future meeting. Tree Trimmer permits were approved for two other businesses: Steve’s Tree Service, and Hotze Tree Service.

The Council rejected a second reading of Ordinance #998, which would amend the City’s Code of Ordinances with regard to “Sanitary Sewer System” hook-up requirements. City Administrator John Lund said the Personnel and Finance Committee objected to wording in the amendment that was not agreed to by a consensus of the committee, yet still made it into the Ordinance. More specifically: a property with a septic system that is sold, must be hooked-up to the sewer. With no action taken on the Amended Ordinance, it officially died and will have to be re-written entirely before it can be presented before the Council again.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved by a vote of six-to-one (with Gerald Brink opposed), a request from the Fireside Lounge, to close the alley behind the business on Sept. 26th, from 11-a.m. until midnight. The owner wishes to use the space for additional motorcycle parking, during a fundraiser for Ryan Ward. Around 100 motorcycles are expected to be arriving for the event. The Mayor noted this was the third alley closure the Fireside owner has requested in the past couple of months. The Council approved requests for separate events during their meetings in July and August.

Mayor Jones said “I think we’re going to ask for a Community Protection meeting next Tuesday night, if we need to address this and maybe put some limits on….basically what happens, if you’ve got a business, we shouldn’t be closing the streets down in front of your business.” Councilman Dick Casady wondered who would monitor six-feet social distancing during the event. Councilman Pat McCurdy assumed the owner would, but Barb Barrick said she presumed it would be the Police Department.

Mayor Jones said the Committee should establish parameters for street/alley closures, and the number of times that is allowed per year. In other news, Councilman Jim Behrends said he spoke with Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel, who informed him the Annual Fireman’s Breakfast on Oct. 4th, has been cancelled. Earlier this month, it was announced the Atlantic Fireman’s Parade had also been cancelled.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday, officially designated Halloween Trick-or-Treating as October 31st, from 5:30-until 7:30-p.m.  He also set some guidelines for the event, in light of COVID-19. His statement says:

“Mayor Jones requests participation in the following guidelines for 2020 Halloween:
• Keep family/children in a group and do not mix/mingle with other children/families. Maintain a 6-foot distance if waiting to approach a house.
• Candy should be handed out, not presented in a container for everyone to put their hands in and choose from. Alternatively, participating households could set out individualized plastic or brown paper bags for children to take individually.
• Masks/face coverings should be worn when approaching houses to accept candy being handed out and should be worn by those handing out candy, or when within 6 feet of those outside your family/social circle.
• Houses that wish to participate should turn their outdoor lights on.”

Jones said also, the Chamber has looked at some alternatives, such as a virtual Halloween costume contest, street activities in the downtown area for children, and other possible alternatives. Nothing official has been released thus far, with regard to the other options mentioned.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds, Wednesday morning, said Des Moines Public School officials have made unacceptable decisions about starting the school year with online classes for most students.  “The board’s action last night was disappointing,” Reynolds says. “While the board voted 4-3 to prepare to implement a hybrid learning model, there’s no clear sense of how or when that might happen.”

Some members of the Des Moines School Board have said the district should continue online classes for at least the first nine weeks of the school year and in-person classes should only resume when the prevalence of Covid dips to certain levels in Des Moines. Reynolds says those metrics appear to be designed so students don’t come back to the classroom. “So to be clear, Des Moines Public School is no closer to compliance with state law than they were before last night’s vote, which I think is unfortunate for the students,” Reynolds said.

The time students have spent in online classes since the school year started in Des Moines last week may have to be made up later in the year, according to the governor. The district did not get a state waiver for internet-only instruction.  “326 out of 327 school districts have figured it out,” Reynolds says. “A lot of these school districts have been in school for three weeks!”

Ann Lebo

Iowa Department of Education director Ann Lebo says the state’s largest school district is in danger of losing its accreditation. “We were very hopeful to work with the district to find a solution,” Lebo says. “At this point it seems that they were well into a plan that is out of compliance and will continue to do so, so we will initiate that process on our end.”

The State Board of Education ultimately decides when school districts lose “accredited” status and are dissolved. School administrators accused of violating state standards go before a separate panel. The State Board of Educational Examiners can both sanction and revoke educators’ licenses.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Sept. 16, 2020 – The Iowa Dept. of Transportation’s District 3 Office reports workers have completed a project to replace a culvert on U.S. 59 south of Denison in Crawford County. The roadway will be reopened to traffic at 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, weather permitting.

Midwest Contracting, LLC was the prime contractor for the $805,159 project.

ATLANTIC- Cass County Health System (CCHS) is thrilled to announce that Jennifer Arp, RN, BSN has been selected as the winner of the Outstanding Iowa Quality Professional Award presented by the Iowa Association for Healthcare Quality (IAHQ). Arp says “I am so honored to receive this award. I couldn’t have done it without my team.”

Jennifer Arp

Arp has been recognized as a valued member of the CCHS Team since 1995. Her journey to quality began at the frontlines as a RN at in on the Med/Surg and Special Care Unit. Since that time, Arp has served CCHS as a nurse in Cardiac Rehab, Quality Coordination, and served as the Nursing Clinical Instructor. She found her passion in quality and performance improvement in 2004, which inspired her to receive her Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality certification in 2009. Arp was promoted into her current position as the Director of Performance Improvement in 2012.

CCHS Chief Nursing Officer Amanda Bireline says “Jennifer truly exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding quality professional. Regardless of workload, she is quick to accept new challenges and does so with a willingness to learn and challenge the status quo. Jennifer compels those around her to strive for high standards, keeping our patients as our catalyst for change. It has been a privilege to work alongside her and I can think of no one more deserving of this award.

The Iowa Association for Healthcare Quality (IAHQ) annually grants the Outstanding Iowa Quality Professional award to recognize a dynamic and passionate IAHQ member who has demonstrated enthusiasm and leadership with local, state and national healthcare associations and has made contributions to healthcare quality through healthcare consultation, publications and presentations.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says there is nothing inappropriate about her decision to spend nearly $449,000 in federal coronavirus relief money on salaries for aides in her office, including her chief of staff and spokesman. Reynolds responded at a press conference for the first time about a report posted Sunday by the online blog Bleeding Heartland.

IA Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during a Press Conference Sept. 16, 2020.

The report indicated 21 employees on Reynolds’ staff will have more than 60% of their salary paid by the federal emergency funds from March 14 through June 30. Reynolds says federal rules clearly allow salaries to be paid for workers whose job requirements are significantly changed due to the coronavirus pandemic.