DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 73 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 497 positive cases. One death was reported in Muscatine County, of a middle-aged (41-60) resident. There have been a total of 6,888 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.  51 people remained hospitalized as of the latest report.

According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 73 individuals include:

• Black Hawk County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Cedar County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Clay County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Clinton County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Dallas County, 4 adults (18-40 years)
• Harrison County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
• Iowa County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Jasper County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Johnson County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-age (41-60 years)
• Jones County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age (41-60 years)
• Keokuk County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Linn County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 7 middle age adults (41-60 years), 7 older adults (61-80 years), 2 elderly (81+)
• Marshall County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Muscatine County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Polk County, 1 child (0-17), 5 adults (18-40 years), 3 middle age adults (41-60 years), 4 older adult (61-80 years), 2 elderly (81+)
• Pottawattamie County, 1 middle-age (41-60 years)
• Scott County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years)
• Sioux County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Tama County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Warren County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years)
• Washington County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years), 1 elderly (81+)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has set a hearing for Wednesday to consider whether to block an order by Gov. Kim Reynolds halting abortions in the state. State district court Judge Andrew Chappell signed an order Monday setting the telephone hearing to consider arguments by abortion providers and the Iowa attorney general’s office, which is representing Reynolds. Abortion providers say Reynolds violated the state constitution by including abortion in an order enacted Friday halting non-emergency medical procedures to preserve medical equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. Judges in Texas, Alabama and Texas on Monday halted similar efforts in those states.

(Radio Iowa/KJAN) — Traditional Easter egg hunts in communities across Iowa are cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but non-traditional Easter egg hunts are already underway. In fact an Easter Egg Hunt in the Atlantic area is underway now through April 12th. Residents who wish to participate should create an Easter Egg poster and hang or tape it to a window that’s easily visible from the street. Contact Carol at 712-304-5377 to be listed as a participant. From now through April 12th, talk a walk or drive through town to “hunt” for those Easter Eggs. The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce will have a list of participating addresses.

Easter Eggs at 111 Locust Street in Atlantic (from the Entertain the town Cass Co. Facebook page)

Katie Nola, spokeswoman for the Iowa Egg Council, the activity gets people out and about, and keeps them active with at the same time practicing “social distancing.” Not only does it get people outside, getting some fresh air and keeping them active, it’s still keeping the spirit of Easter alive for the little ones,” Nola says. “They can walk through their neighborhoods and point out, ‘Oh, there’s an Easter egg on that person’s window,’ and just have some fun.”

Families are encouraged to visit the Iowa Egg Council website to download and print an Easter egg coloring sheet to decorate. “It can just be a coloring contest, too,” Nola says. “If they just want to submit the Easter eggs that they’ve colored and share them on our social media, Facebook or Twitter or Instagram, and I will re-share them.”  Use the hashtag “#IowaEggHunt.” The deadline to enter the contest is April 12th. A statewide winner will be named April 17th who will get an “egg swag bag” which includes a tote bag, an Amazon gift card, a t-shirt, a coloring book, a stress egg and more.

More online at www.iowaegg.org

(Radio Iowa/KJAN) — Governor Kim Reynolds says private businesses and volunteers are stepping up to deal with shortages of medical supplies. “If we know something about Iowans, it’s that we are at our best when times are tough,” Reynolds said. “…Now, even as our resolve is being tested in ways like never before, Iowans are more determined to step up and care for their own.” Reynolds says increasing the number of face shields will give health care workers more flexibility in the type of masks they use and several Iowa companies are starting to produce face shields. “Metalcraft in Mason City and Wheaton Capital in Fairfield are developing prototypes, securing materials and gearing up for large-scale production,” Reynolds says “John Deere is making face shields at its various plants across the state and donating them to health care providers in their local communities and Iowa City Fab Lab is making face shields for the University of Iowa.”

Troopers with the Iowa State Patrol deliver much needed PPE and other medical supplies to hospitals this past weekend, including the Audubon County Memorial Hospital (Photos from the ISP Facebook page)

The “Stitchcraft” division of Winnebago Industries in Forest City usually makes seats, sofas and cushions for motorhomes — but switched to sewing masks for MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City. The governor says other companies are preparing to produce masks and gowns, too. “Without adequate masks, gowns and face shields that serve as a barrier between a provider and a patient with COVID-19, our health care professionals are risking their own health to serve those who are sick and we must do everything we can to protect them,” Reynolds says.

The governor says small projects are yielding big results, like a Cedar Rapids project launched last week.  “Eric Engelmann of NewBoCo in Cedar Rapids enlisted the help of his coworkers, his network and an assembly line of 3D printers to create and deliver 3000 face shields to health care providers across the state,” Reynolds says.  The governor says the all-hands-on-deck approach is crucial because Iowa is competing with other states for these limited medical supplies. A pattern for fabric face masks has been posted on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website and Reynolds is putting out the call to Iowans with a sewing machine. “If you’re willing and able, we need your help,” Reynolds says, “so thank you for considering to be a part of the solution at hand.”

Reynolds says these fabric masks can be worn under a face mask by health care workers and can be reused if properly cleaned and disinfected. Over the weekend, the Iowa State Patrol delivered much needed personal protective equipment and other medical supplies to area hospitals, including the Audubon County Memorial Hospital.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors held their second broadcast meeting via Zoom, today (Tuesday). During their electronically transmitted session, Board Chair Steve Baier (Buyer) expressed his appreciation to the public for their patience and understanding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baier reminds persons with paperwork for the various county offices, of the drop-box in front of the courthouse, near the mail box. One is easily distinguishable from the other.

The Board today acted on approving a Resolution to appoint a Cass County representative/commissioner to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA) for a three-year term that begins April 9, 2020.  They appointed Tracey Bell to the position. Bell has a background in real estate and housing. The Board also appointed Tracey Lett, of Anita, as an additional member to the Cass County Food Policy Council. Lett runs the Anita Food Pantry. Her appointment runs through December 31^st, 2022.

In other business, the Cass County of Supervisors acting on approving certain Property Tax exemptions, as recommended by the Soil and Water Conservation District Commission and County Assessor, and an application from the Cass County Wellness Coordinator and Secretary of the Cass County Food Policy Coordinator, Brigham Hoegh, for CDBG funds to support Infectious Disease Response. If granted, the funds would amount to $173,160. The County would act as a fiscal flow-through agent for the funds.

OELWEIN, Iowa (AP) — A tornado that ripped off part of a wall from a northeast Iowa apartment building has been rated EF1, with peak winds of 107 mph. The National Weather Service says the funnel touched down around 6:30 p.m. Saturday near the Fayette-Buchanan county line and ran north along the western edge of Oelwein. Authorities reported no injuries other than a foot cut for a woman. Another tornado first appeared around 6:40 p.m. southeast of Maynard. It jogged east and north, damaging farms before lifting.

Two juveniles, one male, the other female, were injured Monday afternoon during a collision between two ATV’s near Wiota. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says rescue crews were called at around 4:45-p.m. to the scene on Golden Road, about one-eighth of a mile north of White Pole Road, where two northbound ATV’s had collided before ending up in a ditch. The male and female were thrown from one of the ATV’s.

The female was transported by the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance, and later transported to the UNMC in Omaha. The accident remains under investigation. No names were released.