(Radio Iowa) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the estimated new H-I-V infections have fallen nationwide from 2017 to 2021, while Iowa’s new infection rate has remained virtually unchanged. State medical director Robert Kruse says about 14-percent of Iowans with H-I-V are unaware they’re living with the virus. “Public health officials are really recommending, along with the C-D-C, that those groups, ages 15 to 64, get a once in a lifetime test, just to check their status, regardless of risk,” Kruse says.

Kruse says the rate of new HIV diagnoses have increased among many vulnerable groups, including Iowans born outside the U-S. “It’s essential for public health authorities and communities in Iowa to really continue prioritizing H-I-V prevention and treatment efforts, maintaining consistent and accessible H-I-V testing, promoting education awareness, really ensuring access to preventive measures,” he says.

Kruse says Iowa has historically had a low H-I-V rate as compared to the rest of the country.

(Radio Iowa) – Lutheran Services in Iowa is celebrating the opening of an office in Sioux City. The agency provides services in immigrant and refugee resettlement, early childhood needs, and foster care and adoption. Nick Wuertz is director of refugee services at L-S-I and says they provide help to people who come to northwest Iowa from all over the world. “We are proud to have welcomed 150 people here to the Siouxland community over the last year from places like Syria and Afghanistan and Somalia, Ethiopia, Honduras, El Salvador,” Wuertz says, “and we’re planning to continue to welcome others that come here over the year to come.”

Mallory Berkenpas oversees a variety of efforts as the agency’s service coordinator for early childhood programs. “In-home visitation with our Healthy Families America program,” Berkenpas says, “and we recently expanded into new counties. It’s really exciting for us. We also do group-based parent education and adolescent pregnancy prevention work.” Sarah Green, the vice president of philanthropy and church relations with L-S-I, says they need more people to help with their services and to donate supplies for the refugees.

“We’re looking for individuals who can volunteer with our apartment setups, organizing in-kind donations, transporting our resettlement clients to medical appointments or to work,” Green says. “We’re also looking for support for foster care and adoption in early childhood services. We always have a need for in-kind items like car seats, diapers, baby wash formula, things like that.”

Learn more about the organization at lsiowa.org.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a man on a trio of charges late Sunday evening. Authorities report 18-year-old Logan Patrick Hastings, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8:33-p.m. in the 100 block of A Street, on charges that include: Interference with Official Acts; Harassment in the 1st Degree, and Assault While Displaying a Dangerous Weapon. Hastings was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond. Police said a juvenile was also arrested for Harassment/1st Degree. The individual was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs.

(Radio Iowa) – Eight Republican presidential hopefuls spoke to about 900 likely Iowa Caucus goers this weekend.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst hosted the event. It started with a convoy of motorcycles riding from a Harley-Davidson dealership to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Former Vice President Mike Pence gave a preview of the campaign he intends to launch this week in Iowa. “I believe we have to resist the politics of personality and the siren song of populism unmoored to timeless conservative principles,” Pence said. “We need to stand firm on the conservative agenda…that has always led us to victory.” Pence mentioned the role Iowa’s first in the nation Caucuses play in determining who will be the G-O-P’s nominee.

“I have to tell you over the last two years Karen and I have spent a lot of time reflecting and praying about everything this country is dealing with and what I might do to serve. andI don’t have anything to announce today, but when I’ve got time to announce the coming Wednesday, I’m announcing in Iowa,” Pence said, to cheers. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis  says he’s not making idle promises on the campaign trail that he’d forget as president.

“The one thing you know about me from Florida is when I tell you I’m going to do something, I’ll do it,” DeSantis said. “…I will be an energetic executive. I will go on offense. I will lean to all the issues that matter.” South Carolina Senator Tim Scott announced at the event that he’ll be on “The View” today (Monday), after a co-host of the show said he doesn’t understand systemic racism because he’s a Republican.

“I scare the dickens out of the radical left and Joe Biden,” Scott said. “The proof of my life destroys their lies.” Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley indirectly criticized the debt ceiling deal Iowa’s Republican congressional delegation supported. “We are almost $32 trillion in debt,” Haley said. “…I don’t know that our kids are going to forgive us for this.” Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, businessmen Vivek Ramaswamy and Perry Johnson and former radio show host Larry Elder also spoke at the event. Former President Donald Trump was invited, but chose not to attend. Ernst says Trump has a strong base of support in the state.

“But at the same time, people don’t want to hear about what has happened in the past…They want to know: What are the future decisions that will turn our country around? And who is going to lead us forward? So whether that’s President Trump, whether it’s one of the candidates we saw on the stage, they’re hungry to hear about the future,” Ernst said. Ernst was asked if she’d consider an invitation to serve in a Republican president’s administration or the party’s VICE presidential nomination.

“I have visited with various candidates just about their prospects, OK?” Ernst said, laughing. “But I will do whatever I am called to do and continue to serve Iowa and strengthen our country — that’s my role. That’s what I will do.” Trump considered Ernst as a running mate in 2016, but Ernst said at the time she had a lot more to do in the U.S. Senate. In July of 2016, Ernst was in the middle of year two of her first six-year term.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democratic Party leaders have unanimously approved a plan to hold Caucuses on the same night as Iowa Republicans, but have Iowa Democrats use a mail in card to express their presidential preference.

The plan is being presented to the Democratic National Committee, which has already already voted to deny Iowa Democrats the first go at voting in the 2024 presidential campaign. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says the new schedule of early voting states is still in flux, however, and the mail-in plan offers new flexibility. Iowa G-O-P chairman

Jeff Kaufmann says the mail-in idea is a charade and will do nothing to ensure both parties retain first-in-the-nation status for their Caucuses Governor Reynolds has signed a law that makes it illegal to use a mail-in system for the presidential delegate selection that starts with the Caucuses, but Iowa Democratic Party chair Hart says Democrats are united in conducting the most inclusive Caucuses in history with mail-in participation — no matter what.

(Cass County, Iowa) – **SEE A SEPARATE STORY UPDATE, POSTED AT 10:40-A.M. MONDAY ** The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports Anita, Wiota, and Adair Fire and Rescue battled multiple sheds/hog barns that caught fire Sunday afternoon, east of Anita. Authorities said the heat of the fire could be felt from the roadway, and firefighters had to contend with 90 degree weather in their turnout gear.

Additional details were not immediately available. Video via the Cass County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In an update to our previous post, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Nebraska was seriously injured and flown from Cass Health in Atlantic to a trauma center, following an accident north of Atlantic, Sunday morning.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with Cass EMS and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene at the 57 mile marker on-ramp to I-80 eastbound at around 11:10-a.m. A Chevy Blazer rolled multiple times. Another vehicle was involved in the accident, but no serious injuries were reported to the occupants of that vehicle.

Photos are courtesy the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

LifeNet1 helicopter out of Des Moines flew the male crash victim from Atlantic to an undisclosed hospital. The Sheriff’s Office reports alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash. The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol.

Traffic on the interstate was stopped or slowed near the scene soon after the crash. Additional details are currently not available.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Fire and Rescue along with Cass EMS and law enforcement are on the scene of a vehicle rollover accident at the on-ramp to I-80 and the 57 mile marker eastbound. According to reports, one vehicle rolled multiple times. A woman and child were in one vehicle. The woman complained of neck. A male subject was also injured. Initial reports said two vehicles were involved. LifeNet1 helicopter out of Des Moines was requested, and was enroute to Cass Health instead of the scene. (update 11:45)

Traffic on the interstate was stopped or slowed near the scene. The accident happened at around 11:10-a.m.  Additional details are currently not available.

(Red Oak and Atlantic, Iowa) – The Montgomery and Cass County Boards of Supervisors will hold their regular (separate) meetings, Tuesday morning. In Red Oak, the Montgomery County Supervisors meet at 8:30-a.m. in their courthouse Boardroom  On their agenda is a weekly report from County Engineer Karen Albert, and action on: Moving the July 4th regular meeting, due to the holiday; approving the Recorder’s report of fees in the amount of $18,656.88 for the month of May, and approval of the Sheriff’s report of fees in the amount of $12,409.18, also for the month of May.

In Atlantic, the Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet at 9-a.m., Tuesday, in their Boardroom at the Courthouse. On the agenda is approval of a petition for the suspension of taxes for 207 W. 7th Street, in Atlantic, as allowed under the Code of Iowa. The Board will then hear a report from Cass County Zoning Administrator Mike Kennon, with regard to a fee schedule. And, Jotham Arber, Guthrie/Cass County Environmental Services Director will present to the Cass County Supervisors, a revised 28-E (cost sharing) agreement, and monthly billing plan rather than quarterly.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken will present his weekly report on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Wed., June 7th, in their Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is action on passing a Resolution “Setting the dates for Fourth of July Fireworks Use.” During their meeting on May 17th, the Council discussed and determined the dates for fireworks will be expanded, effective June 30th through July 4th, from Noon until 11-p.m. each day.

The Council will then act on passing a Resolution “Authorizing and Approving a Loan Agreement and Providing for the issuance of a $90,000 General Obligation Solid Waste Management Note,” with regard to the City’s annual $85,344 fee ($12 per capita) with the Landfill, as stipulated in a 28-E agreement. That amount is payable in four-equal payments over the course of the fiscal year. City Administrator John Lund says since the City does not have the ability to shoulder the annual obligation out of the General Fund over the long-term, and bonding is “Not logical,” an agreement with a local bank (or banks) is arranged. In this case, First Whitney Bank and Trust, which has agreed to offer that service for free, thereby keeping the taxpayer costs to a minimum, according to Lund. Since the Note is still debt, public hearings and paperwork are required, under the Code of Iowa.

The Atlantic City Council will also act on a Resolution appointing Chelsie Rush, Jess Larsen and Chelsi Huddleson as Sunnyside Pool Management Board Team Leaders, making them eligible for $2,500 in an annual stipend pay, in addition to $15/hour as Pool Co-Managers, for hours worked. Another Resolution to be considered and acted upon by the Council, is that which grants compensatory hours to Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue, who has had to assume duties as a Patrol Lieutenant for an extended period of time, due to staffing issues. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee met May 31st, and unanimously endorsed the granting of 158 compensatory hours to Chief Hogue, at his current rate of pay, to be used as either paid time-off or cashed out (with a value of $6,406.90).

In other business, the Council will act on the third and final reading of an amended ordinance with regard to Special (downtown) Parking Permits, and the first readings of: An ordinance discontinuing the Cable Television Commission, and the Community Promotion Commission, for reasons previously explained.