The Iowa Department of Public health (IDPH) and Audubon County Public Health, Saturday, identified one additional COVID-19 case in the County, bringing the total Audubon County positive cases to ten.
The new positive case is an adult (19-40 years).
Audubon County Public Health is conducting a contact tracing investigation on this case to identify close contacts who should monitor their health symptoms and self-isolate.
The City of Atlantic’s Board of Adjustment is slated to meet 7:30-a.m. Monday, May 11th, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda, is a Public Hearing during which the Board will consider a Conditional Use Permit Application by Zion Recovery Services, Inc., for the property at 2307 Olive Street, that would allow for the operation of a health and medical institution in an R-4 (Multiple Family Residential) District, as allowed by the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
Zoning Administrator John Lund says neighbors in the area have called City Hall to voice their objections to the application. Cass County Supervisor John Hartkopf has called with strong support from the Supervisors for Zion Recovery Services, and the City had received 77 letters of support for Zion’s application, as of May 6th. The letters came from several community leaders, business and economic development officials.
Zion’s Director says “Overall within a 12 month timespan, ZION Recovery Services and Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center (SWIM-HC) will provide vital mental health services and substance use disorder treatment to approximately 6,500 individuals which include adults, young children, adolescents, and elderly in Atlantic and surrounding counties. The number is projects to increase in 2020 as we all are experiencing a “New normal’ of social distancing and self-isolation due to COVID-19 Pandemic.” ZION and SWIM-HC in Atlantic combined, employ 30 qualified staff, with an annual wage totaling more than $1.2-million dollars. Out of the 30 staff, 19 are highly specialized in the field of mental health or substance use disorder.
Background:
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Council Bluffs man following a traffic stop early Saturday.
At approximately 1:23 a.m. Deputies executed a traffic stop on a 2013 Dodge Avenger for driving on the shoulder on 370th Avenue, north of Farragut. Fremont County K9 Roby was deployed, and a subsequent search uncovered marijuana concealed on the driver’s person.
The driver, 36-year-old Matthew Magers of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana 3rd Offense, Driving Under Suspsension, Driving on the Shoulder, and Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine under 5 grams.)
Magers was booked into the Fremont County Jail and held without bail pending an initial appearance with a Fremont County Magistrate.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak man on Friday night following an incident in the 2300 block of 190th Street. Deputies arrested 38-year-old Robert Surrell of Red Oak at approximately 6:15 p.m. for Domestic Abuse Assault (Impeding Airflow) and Interference with Official Acts. Surrell was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.
Skyscan Forecast Saturday, May 9, 2020 Dan Hicks
Today: Mostly sunny in the morning becoming partly cloudy. Few showers late. SW @ 10-15. High 64.
Tonight: Cloudy. Rain showers. NW @ 10. Low 37.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. NW @ 10-15. High 58.
Sunday Night: Widespread frost. Mostly clear. NW @ 10-20. Low 31.
Monday: Partly cloudy. High 60.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. A few isolated showers. High 60.
(KNOXVILLE, Iowa A-P) Kyle Larson returned to racing for the first time since he was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur in an iRacing event last month. Larson was one of 24 drivers to make the main event in Friday night’s World of Outlaws race at Knoxville Raceway. The $15,000-to-win Invitational was held without spectators on the dirt oval in Knoxville, Iowa. Larson drove a car fielded by Paul Silva with sponsorship from Tarlton & Son Inc. and Finley Farms. He finished 10th.
A crash Friday evening west of Orient in Adair County, has claimed the life of a Guthrie County man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 39-year old Jeremy Lane Trichel, of Menlo, who was not wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. 40-year old Elijah Daniel Davis, of Orient, was injured in the crash, and transported to the hospital in Creston by Orient EMS.
Authorities say a 2000 Ford Astro Van driven by Elijah Davis was traveling east on Highway 25 east of Orange Avenue at around 5:06-p.m., as Trichel was traveling westbound, driving a 1946 Ford F-100. The van crossed the center line of the highway and struck the pickup head-on. Both vehicles came to rest on the north ditch.
Trichel was ejected from his vehicle. Davis, who was wearing a seat belt, suffered serious injuries in the crash, which remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office and Orient EMS assisted at the scene.
(Radio Iowa) — Vice President Mike Pence’s Friday afternoon forum about the nation’s food supply featured the C-E-Os of two of the nation’s major meat packers, allegations of price fixing in the industry from other panelists and the revelation that another packing plant worker has died of COVID-19. Smithfield C-E-O Ken Sullivan was near the end of the list of speakers.
“I’d like to use the time I’ve got to thank our employees,” Sullivan said, “who are heroes.” Sullivan said he spent Friday morning visiting one of his company’s plants and just before the forum with the vice president stsarted, he’d been notified one of Smithfield’s employees had died.
“Our employees have been showing up day after day, in close quarters. They’ve been harvesting animals. They’ve been keeping the food supply in this country and they’re doing it in a selfless way and I think they deserve a lot of recognition for that,” Sullivan said. “It’s gutwrenching for us as companies to have the choice between maintaining the food supply in this country and asking our employees to go into plants to do that.”
Pence, who whispered an affirmation during Sullivan’s remarks, led the crowd in applause after Sullivan stopped his. “These employees really deserve a lot of gratitude,” Sullivan said, adding: “That’s all.” Pence responded: “Ken, I’m sorry for your loss. I hope you convey our deepest sympathies to the family of that employee, but I appreciate the strength of emotion in your voice and the American people are grateful.” Pence then began punctuating his remarks by thumping the table with his hand. “They’re grateful for the people that have been coming to work every day in our meat processing plants throughout this epidemic. They’ve absolutely been essential.”
Pence convened the event at HyVee headquarters in West Des Moines by praising grocery stores, truckers and meat packers. Pence said processors of beef, pork and poultry industry had faced coronavirus challenges, but 14 previously closed plants were resuming operations. “How about a big round of applause for all these great meat processing plants that have stepped up and partnered with us to keep our food supply strong?” Pence asked. The panel on stage, along with a crowd of about 70 Hy-Vee employees, joined Pence to applaud.
Tyson Fresh Meats C-E-O thanked Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who was also on the panel. “The safety of our team members are paramount to us,” White said, “and without your involvement providing the tests, supported by the federal government, the PPE that you’ve been able to provide has been paramount to us enabling to get back to work.” At least 730 employees at Tyson’s plant in Perry tested positive for COVID-19. Black Hawk County Public Health officials say more than a thousand employees at Tyson’s Waterloo plant tested positive for the virus. Both plants are back in operation.
Both of Iowa’s U.S. Senators and a national Farm Bureau leader were part Friday’s panel — and all three raised the issue of price fixing in the beef industry. Senator Chuck Grassley bluntly said farmers want an explanation from meat packers. “How come we’re losing hundreds of dollars on our cattle and the price (for) consumers are going up?” Grassley said. Zippy Duvall, the American Farm Bureau’s C-E-O, said farmers are frustrated by the “rock bottom” prices for live cattle and the “sky high” wholesale prices for beef carcasses.
“The farmers and ranchers are coming unhingened when they see that difference in that price because they’re facing losing their farms,” he said, “and it is a very difficult thing to explain.” President Trump this week said he’s asked the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of market manipulation by Tyson, Smithfield, J-B-S and Cargill. The four companies account for about 80 percent of the beef market.
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