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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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An accident in Creston Thursday afternoon resulted in one person hurt and an estimated total of $30,000 worth of damage to the vehicles involved. Creston Police report a 2011 Chevy Traverse driven by 36-year-old Troy R. Howard, of Creston, was traveling west on Highway 34 at around 2:30-p.m., when a 2015 VW Jetta driven by 56-year-old Jans Visker, Jr., of Creston, pulled out in front of the Chevy in an attempt to turn left from Elm Street onto Highway 34.
The Chevy struck the VW on driver’s side. Visker complained of pain and was suspected of having minor/non-capacitating injuries. He was transported by EMS to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston. Both driver’s were wearing their seat belts. No citations were issued.
The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Friday, 10-a.m.), reports there have been 2,132 new, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in test results received since 10-a.m. Thursday, for a pandemic total to-date, of 282,435. IDPH says there had been 7 additional deaths recorded statewide since Thursday, for a statewide death toll of 3,898. Of Iowa’s pandemic-related deaths, COVID-19 is reported as the underlying cause for 3,578 deaths, while 320 are listed as a contributing factor.
The Iowa DPH today reports 109 COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities in the state (2 less than Thursday). Those outbreaks account for 4,558 of Iowa’s current positive cases. COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities account for 1,139 of the state’s total deaths. Health officials say 3,025 LTC patients/staff have recovered from the virus.
Iowa DPH reports hospitalizations were down from 600 Thursday to 575 today. There are: 117 patients in an ICU (17 less than Thursday); 83 were admitted to hospitals (compared to 76 Thursday), and 63 patients are on ventilators (6 less than Thursday). Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 32 hospitalized; 13 are in an ICU; 2 people were admitted to a hospital, and 8 people are on a ventilator.
According to the state’s website, a total of 1,359,657 Iowans received COVID-19 tests. Iowa’s average reported positivity rate is 12.7% over the last 14 days. That’s up from 12.2% a day earlier. The health department says 241,228 Iowans have recovered from COVID-19. All TestIowa sites will be closed Friday for the holiday. They will reopen and resume testing Monday. The State Hygienic Lab is also closed New Year’s Day but will resume processing COVID-19 test samples Saturday.
In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:
You’re invited to join Cass County Conservation (CCC) Staff at Atlantic’s Schildberg Recreation Area- Lake number 4 on Saturday, January 9th, for “Soiree with the Swans.” CCC Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m., with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m. There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions.
Hot chocolate, cookies, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care). The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, Lake 4 is on the north side of Highway 83. Atlantic is celebrating 21 winters of the Trumpeter Swans wintering here.
IF THE WEATHER IS “BAD” OR THE SWANS ARE NOT AT THE PARK…the program will be CANCELLED. This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
(Radio Iowa) – Women will be the majority of Iowa’s congressional delegation in this new year. Mary Ellen Miller is the former executive director of “50-50 in 2020” — a group formed in 2010 to encourage women to run for office. “The reason we set up the program to recruit and train women was because Iowa was in a unique situation as being only one of only two states that had never sent a woman to congress or elected a woman governor and in 10 years that has all been turned around,” Miller says. “I’m just, of course, very proud of our work, but also amazed at how quickly it has all changed.”
Members of the U.S. House and Senate will be sworn into office on Sunday, the 3rd. Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines then will be the dean of the Iowa delegation in the U.S. House, where she’ll be joined by two other women and a man. Joni Ernst will be sworn in for a second term in the U.S. Senate, too, so women will hold four of the six seats in Iowa’s D.C. delegation. 50-50 in 2020 aimed to have Iowa women serving in at least half of elected roles and disbanded last January. Miller says there are now several organizations doing the same work of encouraging and coaching women to run for office. “Very proud of our work, very excited,” Miller says, “but also kind of blown away by the speed at which the whole landscape reversed itself.”
Miller says the landscape has shifted partly due to generational change. “If you at the age of women running, they’re much younger. They grew up in a time of post-women’s liberation, post birth control,” Miller says. “They’re of an age that really are not intimidated by the customs, so to speak, of our public servant environment. It was always the ‘good old boys’ club’ and they just don’t have any patience with that.” Another contributing factor is the increasing numbers of women running for office. “Once women see other women running then they go, ‘Oh, I can do that,’ but at the beginning they just didn’t have those role models,” Miller says. “They didn’t have those images that looked like them.”
Miller predicts the next shift in Iowa and elsewhere will be toward electing more people of color and new American citizens who become active in the political process.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa has moderate vulnerability to the health impacts of climate change, according to a study from a non-profit, non-partisan health policy, research and advocacy group. Matt McKillop, senior researcher at Trust for America’s Health, says the report found many states are woefully unprepared to protect their residents. “Iowa is in the middle of the pack,” McKillop says, “both from the standpoint of its level of vulnerability and the extent to which it is prepared for the public health impacts of climate change.”
McKillop says climate change is not something looming in the distant future — it’s already here and is a current threat to the health of people in all 50 states. While Iowa is less vulnerable than many other places, he says there are still concerns here. “The impact that residents feel from flooding stood out to us as something the state has to continuously work to prioritize and prepare for,” McKillop says, “and the state has taken a number of steps related to identifying threats that will be felt most acutely in the populations and communities at highest risk.”
The report says Iowa has not laid out specifics on how any intervention methods could be put in place to keep people safe. That’s an area of improvement McKillop says state leaders should focus on. In addition to the derecho that hit Iowa with winds up to 140 miles an hour in August, he notes wide sections of the state were also suffering from drought – both of which likely stem from climate change. “Certainly the extreme heat is a major threat from climate change. That is something that Iowa needs to focus on,” McKillop says. “Other types of impacts include record-breaking storms and wildfires as well as mental illness that can come from these impacts.”
The full report, “Climate Change & Health: Assessing State Preparedness,” is online at https://www.tfah.org/
A Red Oak woman arrested Thursday night for Interference with Official Acts (a simple misdemeanor), was subsequently charged with felony offenses for possession of contraband and possession of a weapon in a correctional facility (The Montgomery County Jail). 41-year-old Brianna Nedean Gasper was taken into custody at around 9:42-p.m. The felony charges followed a search of her possessions and person at the Montgomery County Jail. Her bond was set at $10,000.
Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa reported 3,891 coronavirus related deaths on the final day of 2020, ending the year with the 15th highest death count per capita in the United States. But with a lag time of reporting deaths of up to two weeks, it’s likely not all have been accounted for by Thursday. The state reported an additional 69 deaths on Thursday ending December with a staggering one-month total of 1,382 deaths reported during the month, about 35% of the entire year’s total deaths and twice the number reported in November. The high number is likely reflective of the escalation of virus transmission in early to mid-November when daily new case counts surged to between 4,000 and 5,000 a day.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. farmers are expected to end the year with higher profits than last year and the best net farm income in seven years thanks to the government paying nearly 40% of their income. That’s according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest farm income forecast. Farmer challenges in 2020 included the impact of trade disputes, drought and wind damage, and low prices for corn, cotton, wheat, chicken, cattle and hogs. Farm cash receipts are forecast to be the lowest in more than a decade. But farmers are expected to receive $46.5 billion from the U.S. government. That’s the largest direct-to-farm payment ever. It lifts net farm income to $119.6 billion. And that’s the highest profitability since 2013.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials say the number of initial unemployment claims increased slightly last week. Iowa Workforce Development said Thursday that 7,644 Iowans filed initial unemployment claims in the week ending Saturday. That’s an increase of 373 from the previous week. A total of 38,296 continuing weekly unemployment claims were recorded last week, an increase of 804 from the prior week. Unemployment claims are generally higher between November through February because of seasonal layoffs in construction, agriculture, landscaping and manufacturing. The agency said 70.6% of claimants who filed last week indicated their claims were not COVID-19 related, an increase from 68.9% the previous week.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state House ethics committee has dismissed an ethics complaint against a Scott County lawmaker. The panel found on Tuesday that a complaint against Republican state Rep. Ross Paustian of Walcott did not meet content requirements and did not warrant further investigation. The panel voted unanimously with little discussion. The Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund had argued that Paustian, a crop and livestock farmer, used his position as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee to block legislation to strengthen regulation of livestock confinement operations. They alleged Paustian also promoted support for legislation that protects factory farms. Paustian called the ethics complaint a “political stunt” by a “rogue group.”
(Updated 1/1/21) –
The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Thursday, met with Curt Holste and Corey Kirchhoff, representing the Secondary Roads Employees Bargaining Unit group, to discuss an apparent breach of\ the current employee agreement. Board Chair/Supervisor Steve Baier told KJAN News, the issue began when one of the Secondary Roads Department’s Shop Foreman developed medical issues that are in the process of being taken care of. In the meantime, he is unable to perform his duties.
Since the Foreman became ill in mid-October, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken proposed having the person who fills the position become the Interim Foreman, and be paid accordingly.
So, if a laborer works at a yardman’s position for at least eight-hours, the pay would be bumped to yardman’s wages, but, because of the classification as written, in the past, there was no extra pay to perform the duties of foreman.
The Board agreed to his proposal, and a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) was drawn-up confirming their approval. The MOU is set to expire at the end of the current Fiscal Year (June 30, 2021). The bargaining group, Baier said, questioned why the change was being included now, when it hasn’t been before. The discussion, Thursday, he said, included whether or not the matter would at least be considered for part of the permanent contract, in the future, going forward.
The Board and the Bargaining Unit Representatives set a date in the first full week of this month (January, 2021) to meet and begin work on a fiscal year 2022 bargaining agreement.
Baier says it is an unusual situation, for sure, but one that will be worked out.