Police in Red Oak, early this (Tuesday) morning, arrested 38-year old Joseph Aaron Nelson, from Red Oak. Nelson was arrested at around 3:45-a.m. in the area of N. 2nd & Elm Streets, for Theft in the 5th Degree. His bond was set at $300. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police in conducting the arrest.

The State of Iowa’s COVID-19 dashboard indicates that from 10-a.m. Monday until 10-a.m. today (Tuesday), there were 11 more deaths attributed to the virus, for a total of 1,399, and 522 more Positive cases, for a total of 93,423. Deaths attributed to a pre-existing medical condition number 953. There have been 3,312 lab results returned since 10-a.m. Monday, with 2,968 coming back Negative for the virus, and 328 positive. The total number of tests administered to-date, amount to 827,307, with 732,313 total Negative results. The 14-day rolling average is 8.6%. Health officials say 72,173 Iowans have recovered from the effects of COVID-19.

In the KJAN listening area, there are: 18 new, positive COVID-19 cases in Pottawattamie County; 12 more in Mills County; seven more cases in Harrison County; six new cases in Madison County; five new cases in Guthrie County; four new cases in Montgomery County; three more in Audubon and Union Counties; two additional cases in Adair and Shelby Counties.

Hospitalization data due to COVID-19 show: 413 are hospitalized (compared to 389 Monday); 104 patients are in an ICU (compared to 99 previously); 61 people have been admitted to a hospital (previously 54), and 43 COVID patients are on a ventilator. In western/southwest Iowa, 22 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, 10 are in an ICU, five were admitted since Monday, and after several days with no one on a ventilator, one person was put on one of those machines.

There are currently 55 long-term care facilities with coronavirus outbreaks, in Iowa. IDPH reports 1,137 positive cases and 643 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 716 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities, five more than yesterday.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began:

• Cass, 194 cases; 173 recovered; 2 deaths
• Adair, 79; 52; 1
• Adams, 43; 28; 0
• Audubon, 107; 39; 1
• Guthrie, 297; 179; 11
• Harrison County, 333; 183; 5
• Madison County, 272; 186; 2
• Mills County, 233; 143; 1
• Montgomery, 113; 95; 5
• Pottawattamie County, 2,368; 1,831; 41
• Shelby County, 288; 265; 1
• Union County,  155; 106; 3

The Atlantic Police Department reports they have registered with the “Pink Patch Project,” to promote awareness for breast cancer, as well as other forms of cancer. During the month of October, which is known as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Officers may be seen wearing pink uniform patches on their duty uniform. This is done to support those who have gone through or are currently going through, treatment for this disease and diseases similar.

In addition, the Atlantic Police Department will sell pink uniform patches as a fundraiser. Funds raised from the sales of pink uniform patches will be donated to the Cass County Relay for Life, benefiting the American Cancer Society. Patches can be purchased for $10 per patch, and are available during normal business hours at the Atlantic Police Department, Atlantic City Hall, and the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports four juveniles ranging in age from 13-to 17, face charges in connection with a carjacking incident Friday night, in Harrison County. At around 9-p.m., a surrounding counties broadcast was put out for an SUV commandeered by four persons in Harrison County. The broadcast gave information that the 2005 gold-colored Ford Escape that was taken, was being tracked by GPS, which provided real-time locations as it was southbound on Interstate 29. Deputies from Pottawattamie County, along with the Iowa State Patrol and Council Bluffs Police, assisted in locating the vehicle. After a short pursuit, the four subjects were detained and subsequently transported to the southwest Iowa Juvenile Detention Center.

The 17-year old male driver faces charges that include Eluding while speeding over 25-mph, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. Two of the female juveniles, age 13 & 16, were listing as valid missing juveniles. The driver, the two girls, and a 15-year old male, were held pending authority of other agencies.  The vehicle was released to the owner after and evidence was logged-in.

In other news, the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says:

• 32-year old Kirk Kencaid Kinser, of Oakland, was arrested Monday afternoon in Oakland, on a warrant for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. His bond was set at $2,000.
• 35-year old Mary Ann Whittington was arrested Monday afternoon, after she turned herself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Assault Causing Injury or Mental Illness/without intent.
• 37-year old William Joseph Bullock, of Carter Lake, was arrested Sunday night in Treynor, for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. His bond was set at $2,000.
• At around 1:20-a.m. Sunday, 31-year old Anthony Russell Schierbrock was arrested in Walnut, for Driving While License Suspended or revoked.
• At around 3:30-p.m, Saturday, 38-year old Jasper William Daniel was arrested by Pott. County Deputies in Carson, for Driving While License Suspended or revoked. Daniel was cited and released at the scene.
• Early Saturday morning, 20-year old Holly Lynn Adkins was cited in Crescent, for Possession/Purchase of Alcohol by a person underage.
• Friday afternoon, an inmate at the Pottawattamie County Jail, was served with two warrants for Violation of Probation. 25-year old Robert Larry Holeton, of Council Bluffs, was then returned to the custody of corrections staff. He was being held in the jail on a $300 bond.
• Late Friday morning, 37-year old Terence Chevy Magill, who was wanted on a warrant for Parole Violation, turned himself-in to the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office.
• And, Thursday morning, 40-year old Mindy Lee Bunch, who was wanted on a warrant for Forgery, turned herself-in to the sheriff’s office.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge blocked Iowa’s secretary of state Monday from enforcing an order that barred counties from sending absentee ballot applications to voters with their identification information already filled in. Judge Robert Hanson ruled in favor of state and national Democratic Party groups, who contended that Secretary of State Paul Pate exceeded his authority when he told counties that absentee ballot request forms must be blank when mailed to voters. Hanson ordered Pate to put enforcement of his directive on hold. Local elections officials said they were studying the ruling to determine the impact, including whether they could take steps to mail ballots to thousands of voters whose requests were previously invalidated based on Pate’s directive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five Des Moines Black Liberation Movement protesters have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block Iowa State Patrol troopers from arresting them for trespassing if they return to the Iowa State Capitol or property surrounding it. The four women and man were among 17 people protesting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the Capitol on July 1. They were arrested after a scuffle broke with officers. They were told by troopers they couldn’t return, some for six months and others for a year. They claim the ban blocks their fundamental constitutional rights of free speech and assembly. A spokesman for the Iowa Attorney General’s office, which will represent the troopers, says they will respond in court.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa public health officials reported 356 new positive coronavirus cases on Monday, significantly lower than the daily average last week of more than 1,000 new cases and likely a reflection of lower testing over the weekend. There also were seven additional deaths. The state now has 92,901 positive cases since March and 1,388 deaths. The seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks and was 17.64% on Sunday, according to an Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University. That is the fifth-highest positivity rate in the nation.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The family of a Tyson Foods worker who died of the coronavirus in April has filed a lawsuit claiming his plant took few safety precautions before he and others became infected. Pedro Cano worked on the kill floor elbow-to-elbow with others at Tyson’s pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, Iowa. A wrongful death lawsuit filed by his three adult children says that Cano developed COVID-19 symptoms April 2, days before Tyson announced that two dozen workers had tested positive and that production would be suspended. The lawsuit says Cano died April 14 at age 51. The plant resumed production with new safety measures a week after his death.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a central Iowa man died Monday, when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle that turned in front of him. 42-year old Joshua Wayne Levi Hollingsworth, of Indianola died at the scene of the crash in Warren County, at around 2:37-p.m., Monday.

Authorities say Hollingsworth was eastbound on Highway 92 at the intersection with County Road R-57, when 72-year old Dennis Alan Walker, of Red Oak, failed to yield the right of way. His 1973 Chevy custom pickup turned from westbound to southbound, in front of the 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle, causing the cycle to strike the pickup on the right front side.

Indianola Fire & EMS assisted at the Iowa State Patrol scene.

Council Bluffs Police said late Monday evening, an accident Monday afternoon resulted in the death of a man and injuries to a woman, both of whom are from Tennessee. Officers were called to the area of I-29 southbound at the 9th Avenue exit in Council Bluffs, at around 3-p.m., Monday.

A witness told police there was a group of 3 motorcycles southbound on I-29 in a row in the inside lane, when a light blue vehicle came from I-480 east onto I-29 south and attempted to merge to the inside lane. The suspect vehicle only let the 1^st motorcycle pass and then merged over striking the 2^nd motorcycle causing it to be pushed into the median and striking the guardrail.

The adult male driver and his adult female passenger on the motorcycle were transported to Nebraska Medicine where the man died from his injuries. The adult female passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries. No names have been being released at this time. The suspect vehicle was a small light blue vehicle that fled the area. If anyone was in the area and saw the accident or you have any information you are asked to call the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit at 712-328-4948.

Members of the Griswold School Board met during a special session Monday evening and approved separate mask mandates for inside the school and during activities. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said there have been two positive cases of COVID-19 in the Griswold School District. One case the district was notified of came in at around Noon on Friday that affected a student in quarantine, and one notification after school about an affected staff member. 35 students and two staff were essentially affected by the results, or a total of 37.

Henrichs said some of the students were previously exposed due to outside exposure. “If we had the mask mandate,” Henrichs said, “In theory, if it’s worn consistently and properly, our number of people impacted would potentially be zero.” He said the question is, “Do we want to keep our school open, and do we want to provide our kids as many opportunities as possible?”

After considerable discussion, Board Member Ryan Askeland made a motion to “Require all students, staff, and visitors to wear CDC approved face coverings while inside school facilities during the hours of 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during school days, when social distancing is not possible, extending to school transportation,

Griswold School Board mtg. 10/5/20 (Ric Hanson, photos)

regardless of the time of day or if school is in session including required mask breaks for a minimum of 5 minutes not to exceed 10 minutes each hour, while also allowing students one week or until October 14, to determine their virtual learning status.” The mandate goes into effect this Wednesday, October 7th, 2020 and continues through the end of the semester to be revisited at the December Board meeting.

The motion was seconded and approved by a vote of 6-to 1, with Scott Peterson the lone “nay” vote. The Board then continued with discussion on a mask mandate with regard to school-related activities for PARTICIPATING students and staff. Board member Scott Hansen motioned to require masks for activities, “Including both practices and competitions, when social distancing is not possible.” There is an exception however for football, due to mouth guard requirements.

That portion of the mask mandate is also effective as of Wednesday, October 7, 2020, and continuing through the end of the semester. It will be revisited at the December Board meeting. It was agreed also, “The district will follow the conference activity guidelines for spectators.” The motion passed unanimously.

In other business, the Griswold School Board approved a virtual format for Parent-Teacher Conferences, via Google Meet during the same time as previously scheduled, but the meetings will be booked so that sessions do not overlap or multiple parents are not conferencing at the same time. Parents who absolutely must have a face-to-face conference with a teacher, should contact the district and work out a time to do so.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Five Des Moines Black Liberation Movement protesters have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block Iowa State Patrol troopers from arresting them for trespassing if they return to the Iowa State Capitol or property surrounding it. The four women and man were among 17 people protesting in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the Capitol on July 1.

They were arrested after a scuffle broke with officers. They were told by troopers they couldn’t return, some for six months and others for a year. They claim the ban blocks their fundamental constitutional rights of free speech and assembly. A spokesman for the Iowa Attorney General’s office, which will represent the troopers, says they will respond in court.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge blocked Iowa’s secretary of state Monday from enforcing an order that barred counties from sending absentee ballot applications to voters with their identification information already filled in. Judge Robert Hanson ruled in favor of state and national Democratic Party groups, who contended that Secretary of State Paul Pate exceeded his authority when he told counties that absentee ballot request forms must be blank when mailed to voters.

Hanson ordered Pate to put enforcement of his directive on hold. Local elections officials said they were studying the ruling to determine the impact, including whether they could take steps to mail ballots to thousands of voters whose requests were previously invalidated based on Pate’s directive.