(Updated) – Officials in Montgomery County said Thursday (Today), government buildings that have been closed to the public since March 17, in effort to combat the spread of COVID-19 and to protect the health of the community and county employees, are set to reopen normal business hours on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

The Board of Supervisors, in collaboration with county elected officials and department heads, determined that the county is ready to reopen facilities, and they are encouraging the public to continue to respectfully follow safety procedures to make this transition a smooth and safe one.

Auditor Stephanie Burke said “Health screenings will no longer be conducted at the buildings; however, we are encouraging the public to wear masks, use available hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving buildings, and practice social distancing by maintaining at least six feet distance from others. Also, we ask that only customers that are directly required to complete the transactions enter the building. For example: one parent per minor for consent, no other guests including children, etc.”

The Board of Supervisors will work closely with Montgomery County Emergency Management and Montgomery County Public Health to monitor the situation in the community and determine the best way to serve the public during this time. Continuing to access county government services by phone, e-mail, online, or the courthouse drop box is strongly encouraged.

Officers with the Melcher-Dallas Police Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched at around 11:21-a.m., today (Thursday), to 502 D Main Street East, on a report of a deceased adult. Inside the home, law enforcement found a deceased adult female.

The Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Major Crime Unit is working with the Melcher-Dallas Police Department, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and Marion County Attorney’s Office to identify the circumstances surrounding the death.

The Office of the State Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of death. Pending notification of family, the name of the womane is not being released.  Law enforcement is not aware of any threat to the public related to this death.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department has announced that playgrounds, shelters, and the skatepark will all be re-opened on Monday, June 1st.

They are asking users to continue to social distance and follow other CDC guidelines within the parks in order to have fun and be safe.

Oakland Mayor Brant Miller issued a letter to residents on Thursday stating that following a special session of the City Council on Wednesday night, the decision has been made to not open the city pool for the 2020 season.  The closure is not necessarily due to the pandemic but due to a lack of lifeguard applicants to operate the pool this season.

The city advertised for lifeguards for nearly a three month period and only received three applications. Miller said, “We cannot safely operate the pool with only three guards. It was our intention to open the pool and follow CDC guidelines for disinfection in relation to the COVID-19 virus.”

After discussion the council voted 5-0 to close the pool for the 2020 season due to lack of guards to safely operate the pool. Miller said it is the goal of the council and himself to resume normal pool operation in the summer of 2021.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new reports shows Iowa saw a jump in the number of people filing for unemployment last week compared to the week prior as the country deals with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. A report released Thursday the by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 14,586 new claims filed between May 17 and May 23. That was an increase from the previous week, when 13,040 people filed unemployment claims in Iowa. The release says more than $661 million in benefits has been paid out since April 4. Those industries with the most claims last week included manufacturing, which saw more than 3,800 claims, health care and social assistance, with right at 1,400 claims and retail, with more than 900 claims.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s two U-S senators are asking the Food and Drug Administration to clarify its policies on making alcohol-based hand sanitizer during the pandemic. Iowa ethanol producers were initially given the go ahead to use some of their ingredients to make sanitizer, but Senator Chuck Grassley says the F-D-A later changed its guidelines. Now, it’s unclear if ethanol can be used in the process. “Ernst and I want clarification from FDA so that people that are involved in this good faith effort to help out during the pandemic,” Grassley says. “I’d suggest they can’t be making much money at it, just a good faith effort.”

Ethanol producers got involved with the sanitizer to both provide a valuable commodity during the health crisis and also to have a marketable product, since fuel sales dropped dramatically with so many people staying home. Grassley says the F-D-A’s revision of guidelines left many in the industry mystified about what standards need to be met for hand sanitizer. “We’re in a situation where there’s questionable activity going on but that nobody has ill intent,” Grassley says. “We’re trying to clarify things so that people can continue to do their good work in good faith and not get in trouble for it.”

As the economy slowly reopens, Grassley notes the need will continue to grow for hand sanitizer at schools, restaurants, churches, factories, and other locations. Iowa is the nation’s number-one biofuel producer with 43 ethanol plants and 11 biodiesel plants supporting 43,000 jobs throughout the state’s economy.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Thursday press conference on COVID-19. We will have live audio on KJAN as well with the presser set to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Wednesday in an electronically conducted session. On their agenda is approval of  28E “Articles of Agreement for Workforce Development Chief Elected Official (CEO) Consortium,” merging present Regions 8, 12 and 13 (the counties of Cherokee, Ida, Plymouth, Monona, and Woodbury and comprise Region 12; the counties of Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, and Sac comprise Region 8; and, the counties of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby comprise Region 13).

The Board will also discuss and possibly act on approving a 28E agreement for sharing cost of provision of ambulance services (Cass County Memorial Hospital, Cass County and Atlantic), as well as approving the employment of an additional jailer, the Secondary Roads Dept. Employee Bargaining Agreement for FY 2021, and act on a Resolution to vacate a portion of untraveled county roadway (an untraveled portion of former Primary Road No. 414 lying in the west part of the E 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 10 of Cass Township.  The traveled portion of roadway will not be affected by this road vacation.)

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors will consider a complaint received regarding abandoned, junked or inoperable vehicles parked near a State roadway, on privately owned rural property.

On May 26, 2020, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation extending the declaration of a public health emergency until June 17, 2020 and allowing certain business to open with restrictions beginning May 28, 2020, and ending June 17, 2020. Increased hygiene, social distancing, and public health measures must be implemented within the businesses. Individuals
should stay home if you are sick. A quick reference guide is below for convenience, courtesy Mills County Emergency Management.

A man and a woman from Omaha were arrested Wednesday night in Council Bluffs, following the pursuit of a stolen vehicle. Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in the chase as the vehicle, a 2010 Ford F-150,  entered Iowa on Interstate 480. The vehicle was stopped on River Road. Taken into custody on Felony Eluding and Theft of a motor vehicle charges, was 32-year old Brandon Lee McKinley, who was also charged with Possession of a firearm or offense weapon by a felon. His bond was set at $15,000. 35-year old Jherri Rae Stabler also faces Theft/motor vehicle charges, and Possession of a firearm or offense weapon by a felon. Her bond was set at $10,000.

At around 12:30-a.m. today (Thursday), Pott. County Deputies arrested 30-year old Ross Michael Weaver, of Missouri Valley, following a pursuit over a protection order violation. Weaver was taken into custody in the 21,000 block of Old Lincoln Highway, on a felony charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree/motor vehicle, Eluding; Domestic Abuse Assault by strangulation/bodily injury; Violation of a No Contact Order/Contempt of Court and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $7,300 altogether.