Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Unions representing workers at 10 chicken processing plants in six states are suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to challenge a policy that allows companies to increase production speeds that the unions say puts workers at risk. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and local unions representing plants in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri joined with nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen to file the lawsuit in federal court in Washington. The lawsuit alleges that the waivers first allowed in 2018 violate the Administrative Procedure Act, endanger worker health and put them at risk during the coronavirus pandemic by making adequate distancing nearly impossible.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Corrections Department announced the death of another inmate who was infected with the coronavirus. The department says 48-year-old Timothy Louis McGhee Jr., was pronounced dead Monday night. After an examination by the Johnson County medical examiner, the department concluded Tuesday that the death was likely due to the coronavirus and other preexisting medical conditions. McGhee’s death is the third of an Iowa Corrections Department inmate that was likely related to COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. McGhee was serving a 15-year sentence for three convictions of second-degree theft from Linn County. His sentence began Oct. 31, 2018.

ELDORA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have reported an outbreak of coronavirus at Iowa’s center for male juvenile offenders in Eldora. Television station KCCI reports that 12 students and five staff members at Eldora Boys State Training School have tested positive for the virus. The first case at the facility was reported last week. Officials say all students and staff at the facility are now being tested. The school holds about 70 youth from across the state. News of the outbreak comes as state health data released Tuesday showed seven more COVID-19 deaths and another 253 confirmed cases from the day before.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa City and the University of Iowa have worked out a deal that will preserve a 177-year-old house and provide space for the university’s Nonfiction Writing Program. The Gazette reports that new location would be part of a “writing neighborhood” near two other historic buildings that house the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Iowa’s International Writing Program. The city is offering the $1 million piece of property, which is currently a parking lot, at no cost to the university. But a city assessment put the cost of moving and renovating the Sanxay-Gilmore House at over $1.23 million. University officials say the school plans to cover those costs with a “substantial gift.” Officials declined to give details on the donation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 28, 2020) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig confirmed today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is aware that individuals in Iowa have received unsolicited seed shipments from China and other countries.

The Department is asking anyone who receives unlabeled seed from an unknown origin to retain the original packaging and report it immediately at 515-281-5321. Recipients should not open the seed packet, plant the seed or attempt to destroy it. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will collect, analyze and properly destroy the seeds.

“The Iowa Department of Agriculture is working closely with the USDA to trace, collect and properly destroy these unknown seeds to protect our agriculture community from plant and seed-borne diseases,” said Secretary Naig.

Unlabeled seeds and seeds from unknown origins should never be planted. They pose the risk of introducing an invasive plant species or seed-borne diseases that do not currently exist in the United States. APHIS is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection and State departments of agriculture to prevent the unlawful entry of prohibited seeds and protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and noxious weeds.

The USDA APHIS issued a news release stating this may be a “brushing scam,” where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost online sales.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa City and the University of Iowa have worked out a deal that will preserve a 177-year-old house and provide space for the university’s Nonfiction Writing Program. The Gazette reports that new location would be part of a “writing neighborhood” near two other historic buildings that house the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and Iowa’s International Writing Program.

A general view of the Sanxay-Gilmore House is seen, Tuesday, July 28, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. The city of Iowa City plans to give the property to the University of Iowa in exchange for a campus commitment to move the historic house to a new site, where it would be renovated and become home to the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. (AP Photo/Ryan J. Foley)

The city is offering the $1 million piece of property, which is currently a parking lot, at no cost to the university. But a city assessment put the cost of moving and renovating the Sanxay-Gilmore House at over $1.23 million. University officials say the school plans to cover those costs with a “substantial gift.” Officials declined to give details on the donation.

WAVERLY, Iowa — Wartburg College President Darrel Colson announced Monday that all students enrolled full-time during the 2020-21 school year will be eligible for a fifth year at the college tuition free. The offer was extended to ensure all current students impacted by the changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic could get the full Wartburg experience, which extends beyond the academic programs to include co-curriculars like student government, student media, music ensembles and intercollegiate athletics.

Wartburg College President Darrel Colson

“At Wartburg, we take pride in our holistic approach to education; we offer a rigorous academic program with an emphasis on living one’s learning,” Colson said. “Because the pandemic has interrupted so many of our normal activities, we want to ensure that our graduates receive the full benefit of a Wartburg education. Offering free tuition for a fifth year seems to fit the bill; students can return for another semester or year to complete any activity they feel as if they left unfinished.”

In mid-March, as the coronavirus began to spread worldwide, Wartburg pivoted to remote learning, canceling all spring athletic events, concerts and other gatherings on campus. Though the college plans to resume in-person classes in late August, campus life will continue to be impacted as students, faculty and staff work to keep the campus and Waverly communities safe.

“We cannot be sure what to expect this year, and therefore we cannot be sure that the year will meet our students’ and their families’ expectations,” Colson said. “Whether they are first-year students just beginning their journey as a Knight or seniors contemplating that next step, we want to ensure that all of our current students are given every opportunity to live the fullness of the Wartburg experience.”

Mills County Public Health officials today (Tuesday), said that they are strongly encouraging Mills County residents and all visitors to the County to wear face coverings while in public around other people who do not live in your household, especially when social distancing measures cannot be maintained. Cloth masks reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19.

The Center for Disease Control states, “The science shows face masks work to protect the wearer and to protect others from coronavirus and everyone needs to wear one when around other people in public.”

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 has more than doubled in Mills County over the past 30 days. Large scale events are being strongly discouraged in Mills County. Officials say “Based on known evidence of how COVID-19 spreads among mass gatherings of people, along with community spread of COVID-19 from others, we know that the harmful health impact on our county citizens who attend these large events could be substantial. We strongly encourage citizens to protect themselves and others and avoid mass gathering and crowds while this virus is still active and spreading in Mills County and the State of Iowa.”

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Unions representing workers at 10 chicken processing plants in six states are suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to challenge a policy that allows companies to increase production speeds that the unions say puts workers at risk. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and local unions representing plants in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri joined with nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen to file the lawsuit in federal court in Washington.

The lawsuit alleges that the waivers first allowed in 2018 violate the Administrative Procedure Act, endanger worker health and put them at risk during the coronavirus pandemic by making adequate distancing nearly impossible.

DELAWARE COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa DNR officials report that at around 7:30-p.m. Sunday (July 26), DNR Conservation Officer Dakota Drish responded to a personal injury accident involving a water craft (PWC) on Lake Delhi. Authorities say Gavin Cooper, of Monticello, was operating the PWC, when he hit a wave. The impact caused Cooper’s face to hit the handlebars causing facial injuries. The impact also knocked him off of the PWC, landing face down and unconscious in the water. He was rescued by nearby witnesses and pulled from the water.

Cooper was wearing a life jacket. He was transported to a Manchester hospital for treatment of his injuries. The Iowa DNR continues to investigate and was assisted by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office in response.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources say the Wilson Island State Recreation Area near Missouri Valley, will remain closed through 2020 while the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to outline the cleanup and repair plan for the popular public area, north of Council Bluffs. Wilson Island was closed in March 2019, when Missouri River flood waters covered the area, then stayed for more than nine months. Once the waters receded, state park officials found the area covered under a blanket of silt ranging from inches deep in some locations to more than eight feet in others and the equivalent of hundreds of dump truck loads of debris that had washed in to the park.

Chris Anunson, state park ranger with the Iowa DNR, said while there was some damage to the electrical system, most of the infrastructure survived the flood. “Following the high waters in 2011, we redesigned much of our park infrastructure based on minimizing flood damage and that paid off,” he said. “Our biggest issue right now is dealing with silt deposits. We hope to get the majority of the work done this fall and winter, then get the area reseeded this spring. This is a tentative timeline, but I believe it is obtainable.  We know people want us to reopen – we do too – but we have to do that responsibly, for the resource and for our visitors.”

While Wilson Island is closed, the DNR has been reviewing the layout of the 550-acre area that sits on the inside curve of the Missouri River, for opportunities to further reduce the impacts of flooding from Big Muddy.  State park officials are considering different clean up and redevelopment plans based on what FEMA provides as its costs estimates and guidance. “We are taking a hard look at our campground footprint to determine what should be where, to minimize damage from future flooding. Hopefully what comes out of this is a plan where the campground and the park as a whole, can live with the river,” he said.

Students in the Audubon Community School District can expect to return to the classroom when school resumes August 17^th, but that won’t be their only option. During their meeting Monday evening, the Audubon School Board discussed the District’s Return-To-Learn plan, and came up with three scenarios, depending on what happens between now and the middle of August, with regard the Coronavirus, and any changes that are required after school begins.

The District will start with on-site, face-to-face learning, yet still allow families the option to keep their students home, as part of remote learning. Classes will be Monday-Tuesday-Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday’s being used to deep clean the building, and as a time for teachers to work with those students who opt for remote learning, as well as any other students in need of extra attention so they don’t fall behind in their studies. Wednesday’s will also be used for small group learning as needed, for those at risk of falling behind.

Another scenario the Board envisions, is if the District needs to go the 50% class week. In that case, there would be an A-Day/B-Day set-up, where some students attend on Monday-Tuesday (A-Day), while B-Day students would attend Tuesday & Friday. Wednesday’s would alternate for those groups.

Superintendent Eric Trager says the third option is remote learning only, and then only if local public health makes the request or if there is Proclamation by the Governor or IDPH order to that effect. And, as with other districts, the Audubon School District will use mitigation efforts to limit the spread of the virus, clean surfaces and other plans to keep students and staff as safe as possible during the school year.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers says his officers late last Friday morning arrested 24-year old Brook Levi Stephens, of Clarinda. Stephens was arrested at his residence for aggravated domestic abuse assault. He was taken into custody under a warrant stemming from an incident that occurred in Clarinda on July 6th.

Stephens was arrested without incident and booked into the Page County Jail, where his bond was set at $5,000. Clarinda Police were assisted by the Page County Sheriff’s Department in conducting the arrest.