Mills County Public Health along with Mills County Emergency Management Agency today (Wednesday) announced the first death associated with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the county. The individual was in the age range of 61-80 and was the 42nd positive case in Mills County. The person passed away in a hospital setting. The disease was originally contracted by community spread.

Mills County Public Health Administrator Julie Lynes said “It is with a heavy heart I make this announcement and we wish to extend our sympathy to this individual’s family. Mills County Public Health and all of our key partners throughout the county and state continue to work to limit the spread and impact of this virus in our communities.”

Officials say preventive health measures are still the best defense against COVID-19. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces. Wear a face mask and maintain social distance when in public. If you are sick, stay home. Carefully consider whether certain social or recreational activities are worth putting yourself or your family at risk.If you or someone you were in close contact with tests positive for COVID-19 and told to quarantine, take it seriously.

By isolating yourself from others during the full 14-day incubation period you will be doing your part to effectively stop the spread of the virus. For further information on COVID-19, visit the Mills County Public Health webpage at http://covid19.millscoia.us.

For additional statistical data,in near real time, visit the Iowa Coronavirus webpage at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov

(12-p.m. News) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests and one property damage accident. Authorities say today (Wednesday), 32-year old Cory Robert Kyle,  of Avoca, was arrested on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony) and Driving While Barred (D Felony). Kyle was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,000 bond. And, on Tuesday, 41-year old Shawn Glen Wolverton, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Parole Violation. Wolverton was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held without bond.

Sunday morning, just before 9-a.m. Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a one-vehicle accident on 670th Street in Cumberland. A 2014 Chevy Silverado owned and driven by 35-year old Christopher Anderson, of Cumberland, was northbound on 670th Street when Anderson lost control. The pickup entered the east ditch, but Anderson was able to move vehicle back onto the roadway. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $3,000. Anderson was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Harlan Police Department reports two recent arrests. On Tuesday, 27-year old Adam Paul Mason was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. And, on Sunday, 34-year old Brian William Messinger, of Harlan, was arrested on an active warrant. Both men were transported to the Shelby County Jail.

There were also two, non-injury accidents in Harlan over the past week. The drivers in one of the collisions were identified as Michael Heithoff, of Harlan, and JoAnn Schuemann, of Avoca. In the other accident, a vehicle driven by Clara Milks-Zimmerman, of Harlan, hit a legally parked car registered to Peyton Schlater, of Irwin.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Democratic Party’s signature annual fundraiser will see a major change next month in the wake of a global coronavirus pandemic. For the first time since it began in 1972, the party’s Steak Fry event will be held as a drive-in. The Steak Fry will be held at the Airplane Field at Des Moines Water Works Park. Attendees will be able to watch the program on a large screen and listen in through the radio. Steak, chicken, and vegan dinners will be delivered directly to attendees’ cars. Social distancing rules will be enforced and face masks will be required when attendees are outside of their vehicles. The event drew more than 12,000 people last year.

Cass County residents and visitors celebrated Christmas in July at Lake Anita State Park and by joining in the Cass County Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange facilitated by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

A child talks to Santa at Lake Anita State Park, in July 2020 (Photo submitted)

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says at Lake Anita State Park, campers participated in a campsite Christmas decorating contest, and children got the chance to talk to Santa. Even though it was typical July weather, Santa still wore his red suit. Many people spending additional time at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19 have been baking, so the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce facilitated the Cass County Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange.

Lake Anita State Park Christmas in July campsite decorating contest first place entry.
(Photo submitted)

Here are two of the shared recipes:

Decorated Sugar Cookies
Submitted by Beverly Johnson
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon soda
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1. Cream together sugar and margarine
2. Beat in egg, vanilla, and lemon zest
3. Stir in sour cream
4. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, soda, nutmeg
5. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture
6. Chill dough (this is a rich dough and must be chilled)
7. On lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick and cut into desired shapes and place
   on ungreased cookie sheet
8. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes – makes 1-2 dozen depending on size of cookie
   cutters.

NOTE: Before refrigerating, you can color the dough with a soft gel paste. Before baking, sprinkle with
colored sugar. Tips: It is a rich dough, so it is very important the dough is chilled and try to not use too much flour.

Grandma Suiter’s Gingersnap Recipe
Submitted by Ardyth Harris Gillespie
Ingredients:
• 1 c sugar
• 3/4 c butter
• 1 egg
• 1 T ginger (dried, ground)
• 1 t soda
• 3 ½ c sifted flour
• 1/4 t salt
• 3/4 c sweetened molasses

Directions:

1. Cream sugar and shortening.
2. Add well beaten egg.
3. Combine molasses and soda and add sifted dry ingredients.
4. Chill, then roll into balls and bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees.

Tips: It takes about 6-8 minutes to bake for a chewy cooking. A little longer for a snap which is
harder and good for dipping in milk. A third variation, especially at Christmas time, is gingerbread men
and in my generation other cooking cutter shapes. It could be gingerbread women as well.
Depending upon the thickness, these take 4-6 minute.

For more information on local wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Fontanelle was arrested Tuesday morning in Adams County, on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear. 21-year old Tommie Lynne O’Neal was released from the Adams County Jail on her own recognizance.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 18-year old Adison Timothy Presley, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday night at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken into custody on a warrant for OWI/1st offense, and held in the Mills County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Bob Boots receives Certificate of Award (Ric Hanson photo)

A ceremony took place this (Wednesday) morning in the American Legion Memorial Building (AKA “The Armory”), in Atlantic, honoring a man for the work he’s done to restore American flags. Atlantic Rotarian and Military Veteran Bob Boots has collected more than 11,000 flags from the Atlantic Rotary Flag Drop Box since it was installed in front of the building in June, 2004.

During the ceremony, Jackie Beard, Regent Henry Knox Chapter of the DAR, presented Boots with a Certificate of award.

Bob Boots at work sewing an American Flag (Ric Hanson photo)

Boots knows how to sew flags from his years running an upholstery shop in town. He started his business after serving three years in the US Coast Guard, back in the 1950’s. The veteran flag repairman turned 88 at his last birthday. He was humble in his acceptance of the award.

The National Society for Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) encourages chapters to recognize people for the Proper Use, Correct Display, and Patriotic Presentation of The Flag of the United States of America.

Flag Room (ARISE photo)

A Flag Room (located in the remodeled former weapons vault) at the American Legion Memorial Building, is equipped with a sewing machine that Bob uses to repair worn flags. The flags that are too worn to repair are properly retired. Boots has repaired the flags that proudly at both the Atlantic Rock Island Depot and the American Legion Memorial Building.

Boots is the Vice President of ARISE [the Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise], which took control of The Armory years ago. Boots, along with ARISE President Steve Livengood are responsible for a majority of the work conducted inside the building to renovate the facility.

Jackie Beard (Center- left), Bob Boots and Members of the DAR.. (Ric Hanson photo)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of residents in Iowa’s three largest cities are without power two days after a rare wind storm hit the Midwest. The storm known as a derecho devastated the state’s power grid, flattened valuable corn fields and left two people dead in Iowa and Indiana. Major parts of Iowa suffered outages Monday as straight-line winds toppled trees, snapped poles and downed power lines. The storm had winds of up to 112 mph near Cedar Rapids, as powerful as an inland hurricane, as it tore from eastern Nebraska across Iowa and parts of Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, including Chicago and its suburbs. In Iowa, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport still had widespread outages Wednesday morning.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Transportation has released its updated long-range plan for the state’s rest areas system.

Highlights of the final recommendations are as follows:

• 30 of the 38 exiting full-service rest areas will remain open. Of those, 12 older sites to be upgraded prior to 2033
• Closure of eight full-service rest areas at the end of their usable life
• Closure 10 smaller parking-only rest areas
• Upgrade and expansion of truck parking at six remaining strategically located parking-only rest areas
• Addition of 247 truck parking spaces throughout the system

With this plan, all 10 parking only rest area site closures and seven of the eight full-service closures will occur before 2028 when the facilities reach the end of their useful life. DOT officials say “The process of determining the final outcomes began in 2012. The time came to re-evaluate the needs of rest areas in enhancing a modern transportation system balanced with the need for investment in these facilities.  The criticality of each rest area was systematically evaluated, and those aging and least critical sites were recommended for closure.   This will allow available funding to be used for the upgrades at more critical and strategically located rest areas sites that are also in need of upgrades.”

According to the Iowa DOT, “A number of rest areas in the state had reached an age of 50 years or older and required considerable expense to replace. The process has moved through several phases that included a study and documentation of customer needs and satisfaction with existing rest areas, two public input periods, and an initial implementation strategy for the rest area system.”

Officials say “Following the release of the initial implementation strategy, we heard significant feedback, especially regarding the need for increased truck parking along the transportation system. This allowed us to re-evaluate the implementation strategy and coordinate our plans with a freight truck parking study which assessed the current system’s truck parking needs. This study documented the need to add additional truck parking which is reflected as part of the final rest area plan.”

The full final rest area plan and other supporting information regarding the plan’s process can be found at https://iowadot.gov/restareaplan.