DES MOINES–Gov. Kim Reynolds has extended a disaster proclamation for counties impacted by the Aug. 10 derecho. The proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather in Audubon, Benton, Boone, Cass, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Dallas, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Madison, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, Tama, and Washington counties.

In addition, the proclamation temporarily suspends regulatory provisions pertaining to weight limits and hours of service for disaster repair crews and drivers delivering goods and services and the movement of loads related to responding to the severe storm system throughout the state of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says five of Iowa’s most populous counties continue to have the highest number of new COVID-19 cases: Johnson, Polk, Story, Linn and Black Hawk. Still, she says the number of positive cases is trending down for each county, while the positivity rate is dropping in all but Linn County. The governor says Iowa’s young adults remain the trouble-spot in the past two weeks:

The White House Coronavirus Task Force is again calling for Iowa officials to close more bars and to enact a mask mandate to prevent further spread of the virus. A federal report now shows Iowa has the third-highest percentage of new COVID-19 cases in the country, down from first in the nation a week ago.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests took place last week. On Sept. 4th, 24-year old Jesse Scott Oles, of Hamlin, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Oles was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $10,000 bond. On Sept. 3rd, 31-year old Justin Kyle Patton, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Patton was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

And, 43-year old Jason Richard Tasto, of Atlantic, was arrested Sept. 3rd on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Tasto was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — After two judges found the state has the authority to impose its rules on local school districts, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds urged Des Moines school officials to give up their effort to educate all students remotely and develop a plan for children to return to in-person classes. Reynolds on Thursday said the state’s largest district is alone in refusing to develop a plan for in-classroom instruction and noted that judges in Polk and Johnson counties this week affirmed the state has the authority to require local districts to hold in-person classes, even if there are increased health risks from the coronavirus.

The governor spoke on a day when Iowa saw 819 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and 20 additional deaths.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 26-year old Jacob David Jones, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday night at the Adams County Jail, on two Union County warrants for Assault, and Assault Causing Serious Injury. Jones was being held for Union County at the Adams County Jail, on a $5,300 bond.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA, September 12, 2020 – The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Harlan and surrounding area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, September 12th, beginning with a live stream at 10-a.m., a drive-by View-Only Promise Garden in the Harlan Pioneer Park, from 9-until 11-a.m., with the walk commencing anytime on and after Sept. 12th.

Details: The Harlan Walk to End Alzheimer’s continues, but instead of hosting large gatherings, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails in their community and post their Walk pictures on social media with #Walk2EndAlz and tag @alziowa. Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

You may do your part by walking on any and every sidewalk, track and trail in the Harlan area and surrounding communities.  It’s not too late to register at: act.alz.org/HarlanWalk to get the most out of Walk day and support the fight to end Alzheimer’s. This year, more than ever, Walkers across Harlan and beyond need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s  is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org/walk to register and learn more.

(Radio Iowa) – The number of ongoing unemployment claims have dropped for the eighth straight week. Iowa Workforce Development reports ongoing claims dropped by four-thousand-233 in the last week. Continuing claims are now just under 72-thousand — which is well below the 189-thousand peak 19 weeks ago in May.

The drop came despite an increase of nearly 57-hundred first-time unemployment claims last week.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa schools have only been back in session a few days and there are already multiple reports of vehicles passing stopped school buses. Iowa State Patrol Trooper John Farley says it’s a recurring problem as motorists break the law by passing a stopped bus with its lights flashing and stop arm extended.  Farley says, “I’ve taken two complaints in the last two days and investigated those incidents where somebody has passed a school bus.”

Farley says he’s repeatedly amazed by people who break this law. “The school bus is probably the most recognizable piece of equipment on our roadways,” Farley says. “It’s big. It’s yellow. It’s got lights all over it. We expect a school bus to stop either to let our youngsters off or have them board the buses in the morning. And we know that they’re always going to one place, they’re always going to school.”

Many Iowa schools have modernized the technology on their bus fleets, which is a big help for law enforcement. “School buses are equipped with video cameras not only inside but outside the buses,” Farley says. “When somebody does pass that school bus and the stop arm is out, the red lights are on, it’s clearly visible and we have that video, visual evidence when somebody passes a school bus.”

In recent years, Iowa legislators raised the penalties for breaking Kayden’s Law, named for a youngster who was killed by a motorist who passed a stopped school bus in Northwood. Violators can be fined between $250 and $675, plus, lose their drivers license for 30 days or get 30 days in jail.