Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has urged Des Moines school officials to give up their effort to educate all students remotely because of the coronavirus after two judges decided the state can impose its rules on school districts. Reynolds on Thursday said the state’s largest district is alone in refusing to develop a plan for in-person instruction. She says judges in Polk and Johnson counties ruled that the state can require local districts to hold in-person classes, even if there are increased health risks from the coronavirus. Iowa on Thursday reported 819 confirmed new coronavirus cases and 20 additional deaths.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A sprawling former industrial site on the edge of downtown Des Moines would be transferred to city ownership and prepared for future development under a plan set for a vote next week. The City Council will vote Monday on whether to join a consent decree that if approved by the U.S. District Court would eventually lead to the transfer of the 43-acre Dico property to the city. For 25 years, the site has been vacant, frustrating city boosters who have been embarrassed about the deteriorating, rusting buildings so close to an area being transformed with new housing and offices. Development proposals have been complicated by soil contamination left after manufacturing and other uses at the site.

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Bettendorf police have identified an officer who shot a man to death as a seven-year veteran of the eastern Iowa department. Police on Thursday identified the officer who fired the shots on Sept. 3 as Patrick Mesick. Police say 53-year-old Timothy Alan Clevenger, of Silvis, died after being shot by Mesick. The shooting happened after officers were called to a Bettendorf home and saw that Clevenger was holding a sharp-edged weapon near children. Mesick has been interviewed by state investigators and remains on paid administrative leave.

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) — The city of Maquoketa and Jackson County in eastern Iowa will pay $4.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a man killed during his arrest last year. An attorney for the family of 22-year-old Drew Edwards said in a news release Wednesday that the payment will settle a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations and excessive police force against Edwards. Edwards died on June 15, 2019, after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun and suffocated as a Maquoketa police officer and a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy sat on his head, neck and body for over 10 minutes. The officers had been trying to arrest Edwards for simple assault following a domestic dispute.

Officials with the Carstens 1880’s Farmstead (located between Minden and Shelby) have announced the annual potato harvest, or digging, has been postponed due to the recent heavy rainfall. Officials had announced last June that the Annual Carstens Farm Days would be postponed until 2021, but the potato harvest would go on this Saturday, Sept. 12th. However,the weather has forced the event to be delayed until Saturday, Sept. 19th.

Those who attend Carstens Farm Days know that the soil on the farm grows a large crop of flavorful potatoes each year.  The public is invited to come to the farm on Sept. 19th, and gather the freshly dug potatoes.

Carstens Board of Directors President Mel Hursey says that the farm’s gate will be open to the public from 10 am – 4 pm on Saturday, September 19.  Potatoes will be on the ground and on a trailer as in past years.  Hursey said “The rain has been good to get but it is too muddy in the potato patch now.  We’re postponing the potato digging until we’re able to take a tractor and potato digger through without getting stuck.”

The Carstens Board of Directors is asking that a donation be made to the farm by anyone who gathers potatoes.  The donation will be used to help with the maintenance of the farm.  Hursey added, “We’ve got a bumper crop of potatoes.  We’ll welcome folks to come out, keep a safe social distance and gather a supply of good spuds.”

BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) — Bettendorf police have identified an officer who shot a man to death as a seven-year veteran of the eastern Iowa department. Police on Thursday identified the officer who fired the shots on Sept. 3 as Patrick Mesick. Police say 53-year-old Timothy Alan Clevenger, of Silvis, died after being shot by Mesick.

The shooting happened after officers were called to a Bettendorf home and saw that Clevenger was holding a sharp-edged weapon near children. Mesick has been interviewed by state investigators and remains on paid administrative leave.

The Audubon Community School District was recently the benefactor of a generous gift. School officials says 1992 graduate, Jeanette LaFoy, passed away on April 1st, 2019. In her will, she left her home in Washington State to the district. The home has been sold and the district received a check for $191,000.

Photograph: Board President Mark Nissen, Jeanette’s Aunt Denise England, Superintendent Eric Trager (Photo via ACSD Facebook page)

District officials say while there are no definitive plans for the money at this point, the district administration and Board would like to use the money for specific projects that have a direct effect on students and can be credited to Jeanette.

The district says it is very appreciative of this generous gift and is committed to using it to make a positive impact.

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (AP) — The city of Maquoketa and Jackson County in eastern Iowa will pay $4.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of a man killed during his arrest last year. An attorney for the family of 22-year-old Drew Edwards said in a news release Wednesday that the payment will settle a lawsuit alleging civil rights violations and excessive police force against Edwards.

Edwards died on June 15, 2019, after being repeatedly shocked with a stun gun and suffocated as a Maquoketa police officer and a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy sat on his head, neck and body for over 10 minutes. The officers had been trying to arrest Edwards for simple assault following a domestic dispute.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man initially arrested for public intoxication now faces felony counts and possible prison time after police say he spit on and threatened to rape the woman officer who arrested him. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that 43-year-old Scott Allen Thelke, of Clear Lake, has been charged with first-degree harassment, assault on an officer, public intoxication and a parole violation.

Police say the incident began Monday when the Clear Lake officer responded to a call from a local restaurant that Thelke was drunk and causing problems. Police say that as the officer placed Thelke under arrest, Thelke spat on her and threatened to rape and kill her.

DES MOINES–Gov. Kim Reynolds has extended a disaster proclamation for counties impacted by the Aug. 10 derecho. The proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather in Audubon, Benton, Boone, Cass, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Dallas, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Madison, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, Tama, and Washington counties.

In addition, the proclamation temporarily suspends regulatory provisions pertaining to weight limits and hours of service for disaster repair crews and drivers delivering goods and services and the movement of loads related to responding to the severe storm system throughout the state of Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says five of Iowa’s most populous counties continue to have the highest number of new COVID-19 cases: Johnson, Polk, Story, Linn and Black Hawk. Still, she says the number of positive cases is trending down for each county, while the positivity rate is dropping in all but Linn County. The governor says Iowa’s young adults remain the trouble-spot in the past two weeks:

The White House Coronavirus Task Force is again calling for Iowa officials to close more bars and to enact a mask mandate to prevent further spread of the virus. A federal report now shows Iowa has the third-highest percentage of new COVID-19 cases in the country, down from first in the nation a week ago.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests took place last week. On Sept. 4th, 24-year old Jesse Scott Oles, of Hamlin, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Oles was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $10,000 bond. On Sept. 3rd, 31-year old Justin Kyle Patton, of Atlantic, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Patton was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

And, 43-year old Jason Richard Tasto, of Atlantic, was arrested Sept. 3rd on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Tasto was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — After two judges found the state has the authority to impose its rules on local school districts, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds urged Des Moines school officials to give up their effort to educate all students remotely and develop a plan for children to return to in-person classes. Reynolds on Thursday said the state’s largest district is alone in refusing to develop a plan for in-classroom instruction and noted that judges in Polk and Johnson counties this week affirmed the state has the authority to require local districts to hold in-person classes, even if there are increased health risks from the coronavirus.

The governor spoke on a day when Iowa saw 819 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours and 20 additional deaths.