IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — After facing a workforce shortage for months, Iowa has awarded an emergency $2.3 million contact-tracing contract to a company owned by a Republican Party insider. The Iowa Department of Public Health selected Iowa City-based MCI for the contract out of 14 companies that applied, saying it submitted the best proposal and that political considerations did not play a role. The company is expected to supply 200 contact tracers to supplement the hundreds of public health workers who have failed to keep up with Iowa’s fast-growing virus caseload.

The first 60 graduated training and were beginning state work Friday. MCI is owned by GOP donor Anthony Marlowe, and has done work for President Donald Trump and Gov. Kim Reynolds’ political campaigns.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The FBI is pleading with the public for any information on a missing Iowa girl on what is her 11th birthday. The FBI field office in Omaha, Nebraska, posted a plea on its Twitter page Friday asking for any information of Breasia Terrell, who has been missing since July 9. Authorities say she was last seen at a Davenport apartment complex with her half-brother and his 47-year-old father.

Breasia Terrell

Police have not made any arrests in the girl’s disappearance but have labeled the father of Breasia’s half-brother a person of interest. The man was convicted of a sex crime in 1990 when he was 17. A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to her location. If you have any information, please call the FBI in Omaha at 402-493-8688.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man convicted of a hate crime for tearing down and burning an LGBTQ flag hanging outside a Des Moines bar has been sentenced to time served. The Des Moines Register reports that Daniel Rosemark was sentenced last month to the 361 days he had already served while being held on charges in the case. He pleaded guilty in October to reckless use of fire or explosives as a hate crime and drug possession.

A criminal mischief charge was dropped in exchange for his plea. Police say that in November 2019, Rosemark torn down a rainbow pride flag that had been outside The Blazing Saddle in the East Village.

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System (CCHS) officials announced Friday (today), that Dr. Bethel Kopp will join the CCHS medical staff in January 2021. Dr. Kopp is an internist who has been in practice for more than 30 years. A native of Anita, Dr. Kopp is a graduate of Creighton University. She has practiced in the Corning area since 1986. Her family includes her husband Dr. Stephen Gruba who is a retired family medicine physician.

Beginning in January, she will provide care for patients at the Massena Medical Center two days each week, and at the Anita Medical Center one day each week. She will also offer telehealth appointments. Dr. Kopp provides care primarily for adults but will also offer appointments for adolescents. In addition to providing care for patients, Dr. Kopp will be teaching part-time at the Creighton University School of Medicine.

Dr. Kopp says “I think the reason that I really enjoy medicine is that it’s one of those things that I look forward to, and I can’t imagine not going to work. It’s not really work! It’s being with people and trying to help. I love that I’ve been able to take care of parents, grandparents, and all the generations in a family.” CCHS Chief Clinic Administrator Tammy Bireline echoed Dr. Kopp’s excitement. “Her addition to our team will allow us to enhance access to care for patients living in eastern and southern parts of our service territory. We are very fortunate to welcome her to our family of experienced and skillful clinicians,” Bireline said.

More information about appointments with Dr. Kopp will be available in late December.

Des Moines – The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau reports a Union County man, 48-year-old Joseph Scott Waigand, of Thayer, was recently charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information (a Class-D Felony). The charges against Waigand stem from an investigation which began in August 2020. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Insurance Fraud Bureau, Waigand made false statements on an application for life insurance.

On November 30, 2020, Waigand was arrested by the Union County Sheriff’s Office after an arrest warrant was issued by the Union County District Court. Waigand was booked into the Union County Jail, posted bond and was released. Trial will be set at a future date.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

(9-a.m. News) The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston man reported the morning of Nov. 27th, that sometime overnight Nov. 26th-27th, someone entered his vehicle while it was parked at his residence and stole multiple firearms and outdoor items, including:

• A Smith & Wesson Deluxe 357 magnum
• A .9mm Sig Sauer P365
• A Sig Sauer P226 Emperor Scorpion
• A Rock River .223 AR with Leopold scope;
• A Savage Smokeless Muzzleloader 10ML Stainless Steel barrel with a Nikon Omega scope
• A Remington 870 Pump 12 gauge
• Ammunition
• A Matthew VXR 31.5 bow
• A Tenzing hunting pack
• Vortex binoculars
• A Vortex range finder
• A range bag
• And, a Surface Pro lap top.

The stolen items were valued at $9,450 altogether.

(Des Moines, IA) The state of Iowa has updated the positive case analysis dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov to include new data for total tests, in addition to individuals tested, providing the public more comprehensive testing data that more clearly illustrates recent virus activity and testing volume.  The information for tests and individuals is displayed in total and by day, by test type (PCR and antigen), and by county.   Also included are the current 14-day and 7-day averages for positivity rate and individuals positive per population of 100,000 at statewide and county levels. These trends are more comprehensive indicators of recent virus activity than daily cases and positivity rates alone.

County maps display data for both the 14- and 7-day averages. Each map shows the total and percent positive cases when you hover over the county. If you click on the county, it will filter other data on the page, displaying information only for the county selected.  Data for total tests shows the complete volume of testing that has been reported in Iowa. It includes all tests reported, including multiple tests for an individual. Approximately 36% of Iowans who have had a COVID-19 test, have tested at least twice and many have tested multiple times. More Iowans are testing more regularly now that testing resources and availability continue to expand.

Reporting total tests provides a more accurate reflection of current virus activity and provides Iowans with more comprehensive data.  While the percent positivity of total tests is lower than that of individuals, all positivity rates, including those by county, will continue to be calculated based on individuals tested.  Daily lab results have been removed from the dashboard, but can be found within the bar graphs displayed on the page.   COVID-19 data is reported differently by states. The state of Iowa has regularly updated its website to ensure it provides timely, relevant data that informs the state’s public health response and updates Iowans about the situation.

Iowa’s COVID-19 website also includes data on regional medical coordination centers (RMCCs), hospitalizations, long-term care facilities, Test Iowa, serology testing, county positivity and corresponding school districts, recoveries and deaths. The website is available at coronavirus.iowa.gov and is updated in real-time throughout each day.

(Radio Iowa) – The five state-operated “Test Iowa” sites will continue to offer drive-through screenings this winter, but not in open parking lots. Governor Reynolds says sites in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Waterloo have already relocated to enclosed spaces test-takers can still drive through.  “The sites range from industrial buildings to a Windsor Lions bus facility and a former Sears Auto Center,” Reynold says. “The site in Council Bluffs has been the only one remaining without an enclosed building secured for winter operations, until now.”

Today (Friday) will be the final day of testing for the Council Bluffs site at the Western Trails Historic Center. It will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday in the Southwest Iowa Transit Agency facility in Council Bluffs.  “As the seasons began to change, we knew it would be critical to maintain operations of the five drive-through sites located in some of our states most populated areas throughout the winter months, but recognized that adjustments would be necessary to accommodate the weather and protect Test Iowa staff as well as those being tested.”

Last week, more than 19-thousand Iowans were screened for Covid during the four weekdays the five Test Iowa sites were open. Reynolds says on the Monday before Thanksgiving, a record six-thousand-seven-hundred-three (6703) test kits were collected at the five locations. The sites were closed on Thanksgiving Day.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Now that the calendar says December, Iowans will start autographing their holiday letters and getting packages ready to mail to far-away friends and family. Nicole Hill, a spokeswoman for the United States Postal Service, says Iowans will need to remember a couple of key deadlines. “So, we’re looking at December 18th, send your greeting cards, send your Christmas cards out to your loved ones,” Hill says. “Get those in the mail. Make sure they have the right postage, make sure that the addresses are legible.”

For Iowans who want to send a package Priority Mail, the deadline is just one day later if you want that gift to arrive before the 25th. “December 19th is when we’re looking at that Priority Mail service,” she says. “So, if you’re sending a Priority Mail flat rate to a loved one somewhere else, make sure that you’re Priority Mail package is in the mail stream by December 19th.”

Hill says if you’re sending something via Express Mail, it has to go out by December 23rd at the latest. For more information about packaging or postage, visit usps.com.