(Updated 12:25-p.m., Radio Iowa/KJAN) – Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowa school districts given permission to conduct ALL classes online due to high COVID case counts may do so for 14 days. Districts will have to AGAIN get state officials’ permission for subsequent weeks. Reynolds held a news conference today (Thursday), emphasizing the importance of statewide standards for schools — and getting kids back in the classroom. “After six months of pandemic, there’s also mounting research that shows children are less likely to transmit and contract Covid-19,” Reynolds said.

State Epidemiologist Caitlyn Pedati says districts must notify the state if a child, teacher or school staff member tests positive – and public health officials will notify those who were in close contact to quarantine for 14 days.

The teachers union immediately pushed back, saying the lives of children and teachers are at stake and science not politics should guide decisions.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year old Damion James Sadler, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Wednesday morning in Council Bluffs, for Felony Forgery by altering a financial document. His bond was set at $5,000.

And, 31-year old Jabon Allen Lee Dierks, transported from the Union County Jail to the Pott. County Jail, Wednesday, to address a warrant for Ongoing criminal activity, Credit card fraud (Over$1,500 but under $10,000) – ATM related, and Theft in the 2nd Degree/Larceny.

(Radio Iowa) – A state agency will take “additional steps” to enforce social distancing in Iowa bars and restaurants — and that includes shutting a business down for violations. The announcement from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division includes a warning from its director that businesses need to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 — and bars and restaurants that choose not to will face consequences.

Businesses are to provide six-feet of social distancing between customers and patrons cannot roam, but must be seated to be served. A bar or restaurant that serves liquor faces a thousand dollar fine on a first offense — a business that just serves food will first get a warning. On a third offense, the state will revoke the operating license for the bar or restaurant.

UPDATE 9:42-a.m.:  The student has surrendered to the Academy Staff. He reportedly came out of the cornfield and turned himself-over to officials***

Original post follows:

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports a student at the Clarinda Academy absconded from the facility at around 9:20 this (Thursday) morning. The student was last seen running into a cornfield near the Academy. Clarinda Police , Page County Sheriff’s Office and Page County EMA are responding to the area now to assist the Clarinda Academy staff in searching for the student. No additional information is available at this time.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Education Association says 36-thousand people have signed an online petition opposing Governor Kim Reynolds’ requirement that 50-percent of school instruction be in-person. Some districts planned to keep classes mostly, or completely, virtual to start the year to protect teachers and students from coronavirus. Davenport adjusted its plan so students are in-person five out of every ten days, but high school language-arts teacher Maggie Rietz says that means students will be packed in some buildings. “Many of our classrooms are small, like my husband’s classroom that is crammed with 32 desks with only enough space to scoot in between the aisle to get to a desk,” Rietz says, “and it also has no windows and poor circulation.”

Sioux City art instructor Lesa Banks is concerned that some teachers may leave their jobs if districts can’t decide locally. “We already have positions that we haven’t been able to fill,” Banks says. “If we try to keep the class sizes down, how do we do that if there’s not enough people?” The governor’s order also lowers the requirements for substitute teachers, something the ISEA is also against. Governor Reynolds has said she made the order requiring face-to-face classes because isolation could harm students’ academic progress and mental health. It also allows parents to choose an all virtual option.

(By Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Two Creston women were arrested on separate charges Wednesday, in Creston. 39-year old Jennifer Lynn Beard was arrested for Violation of a Protective Order. Beard was transported to the Adams County Jail and held without bond for Montgomery County, until seen by a Judge. And, 37-year old Casey Georgia Corkrean was arrested in Creston Wednesday, for Public Intoxication and Simple Assault. She was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $600 cash or surety bond.

And, a Creston woman reported to Police on Wednesday, that her 2000 Chevy Impala had been vandalized. The entire vehicle had been keyed, resulting in about $300 damage.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Sheriff’s officials in Madison County report an investigation into the July 21st shooting death of Jonathan Hoffman, of Des Moines, has culminated with the arrest of a man from Union County. Madison County Deputies, Wednesday, arrested 41-year old Gerald Parker, of Creston, on one count of Murder in the 1st Degree. Parker was booked into the Madison County Jail. An investigation into the incident is on-going.

Authorities say 39-year old Jonathan Hoffman was found shot to death in rural Madison County at the intersection of Grandview Trail & Macksburg Road at around 3:30-p.m. on July 21st, after a delivery driver found him face down in the intersection.

Gerald Parker (Madison County S/O photo)

(Updated 10-a.m.) – The State of Iowa’s Coronavirus/COVID-19 dashboard, today (Thursday), shows 582 additional, Positive cases of COVID-19 since Wednesday’s report, for a total of 43,778. And, 15 more deaths have been attributed to the virus, for a total of 854.

IDPH reported 469,563 Iowans have been tested for the virus. One of 7 Iowans have been tested and 1 of 72 have tested positive. IDPH reported 6,792 individuals tested Wednesday, with an 8.6% positivity rate.

There are currently 237 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 246 the previous day. IDPH data shows 76 patients listed in intensive care, unchanged from the previous day. There are 31 patients on ventilators, down from 32 the previous day. There were 33 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, up from 23 the previous day.

Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa report: 13 people are hospitalized with COVID-19; eight are in an ICU; one was recently admitted, and three people are on a ventilator (2 more than yesterday).

There are coronavirus outbreaks in 22 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. IDPH reports 710 positive cases and 277 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 465 deaths in Iowa’s long-term care facilities.

IDPH Dashboard current County/Positive Case count/reported recoveries (   ):

• Cass: 38 [2 more than yesterday] (31)
• Adair: 20 (16)
• Adams: 15 [1 more than reported Wed.] (9)
• Audubon: 27 [2 more than yesterday] (15)
• Guthrie: 122 (77)
• Montgomery: 40 (22)
• Pottawattamie: 1,104 (765)
• Shelby: 146 [6 more than Wed.] (127)