Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System is preparing for all scenarios and possible surge of patients related to COVID-19. As we continue to care for the ongoing healthcare needs of the community, both COVID-19 related and regular needs, we need your help in conserving our resources. There are several ways employers can help:

• Do not ask your employees to go to a healthcare provider for a return to work clearance related to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or exposure.
• Do not ask your employees to present to the clinic for us to determine whether or not they are a high risk employee.
• Do not require employees to be tested for COVID-19. The need for testing will be made by the healthcare provider.

These measures help us all stop the spread of COVID-19 while also helping us conserve our supply of gloves, masks, swabs, and other critical supplies. Businesses are also encouraged to consider donating personal protective equipment (PPE) to your local hospital. This could include gloves, gowns, N95 respirators, and face shields.

Most mildly ill Iowans do not need to go to their healthcare provider or be tested to confirm they have COVID-19. Approximately 80% of Iowans infected with COVID-19 will experience only a mild to moderate illness. Sick Iowans must stay home and isolate themselves from others in their house. Stay home and isolate from others in the house until:

You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use of medicine that reduces fevers) AND Other symptoms are improving (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved) AND At least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the IDPH webpage at https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus and follow the department on Facebook at @IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth and on Twitter at @IAPublicHealth.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds received notification last night (Tuesday night), that President Trump has approved her request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19, removing a $5 million cap on federal funds as well as making available the Community Disaster Loan program.

“I want to thank President Trump for his quick response in approving Iowa’s disaster declaration because it will open up federal resources to Iowa as we combat the spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Reynolds. “This outbreak is an unprecedented crisis for the entire nation and it’s going to take a whole-of-government approach to limit the spread of the virus and provide economic relief to all of those impacted.”

The declaration provides assistance for work and services to save lives and protect property, to include emergency protective measures.  Gov. Reynolds had also requested activation of the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance and Crisis Counseling programs and statewide Hazard Mitigation Assistance funding. Those portions of her request are still under consideration.

Two arrests have been reported in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office says a man and woman from Ringgold County were arrested March 17th at the Ringgold/Union County line. 34-year old David Wayne Giles and 36-year old Nichole Jean Ott, both of Diagonal, were arrested on Union County warrants for Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Both were later released on $5,000 bonds, each.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, a woman from Creston reported Sunday afternoon, that while her 2013 Chevy Equinox was parked on Kingfisher just south of Highway 34 due to a flat tire, it was vandalized. The damage was estimated at $1,000.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 21 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 145 positive cases. There have been a total of 2,578 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs. The virus has hospitalized 23 Iowans, a number that’s increasing daily.

Iowa Department of Public Health data says Wednesday that 12 people have been released and are recovering at home. The virus is now in 31 of Iowa’s 99 counties. On Tuesday evening Reynolds announced the state’s first death from the viral disease. An adult between 61 and 80 years old in Dubuque County died.

According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the (new) 21 individuals with positive test results include:

• Allamakee County 1 middle-aged adults (41-60 years)
• Benton County, 2 middle-aged adults (41-60 years)
• Hancock County, 1 middle-aged adults (41-60 years)
• Johnson County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Linn County, 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years)
• Muscatine County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Polk County, 3 older adults (61-80 years)
• Poweshiek County, 2 older adults (61-80 years)
• Scott County, 2 middle-aged (41-60 years)
• Washington County, 2 adults (18-40 years)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The staff adviser to Iowa State University’s student government has resigned and received a $47,000 severance payout, weeks after student activists demanded his firing over an old social media post showing him in blackface. A separation agreement shows that Alex Krumm and university President Wendy Wintersteen agreed that his continued employment was no longer “in their best interests” and he resigned March 1.

His departure came days after administrators met with a group called Students Against Racism to discuss its demand for Krumm’s termination and other changes. Krumm came under fire for a 2015 Instagram post that showed his face painted black when he played a mime in a student production at Wartburg College.

(Radio Iowa) — Residents of more than 100 Iowa communities will get out the paint brushes and rollers once the weather warms up after being awarded grants in the “Paint Iowa Beautiful” program. Keep Iowa Beautiful associate director, Bill Jackson, says they partner every year with Diamond Vogel Paints to give communities free paint for projects. “The projects include anything from swimming pools, park benches, park tables, restroom facilities, city halls, anything that the public is involved in and invited to participate in,” according to Jackson.

Jackson says the idea is to help spruce up communities and get people involved. “In most cases, it’s volunteers for the local theatre or city hall — in some cases, a professional painter comes in. This year, we had probably a dozen to a dozen and a half requests for murals. And that requires an artist to be involved,” Jackson says. He says the cities will visit Diamond Vogel to get the paint, and projects will get started as soon as the weather allows. “Once they’ve bought the paint, have the project completed, they send the invoice to us at Keep Iowa Beautiful, and we reimburse them for the paint,” Jackson says.

He says it’s a great partnership with a company that makes the paint right here in Iowa. “Over the 17 years, Diamond Vogel has awarded over 11-thousands gallons of paint — for about one-thousand community project sin Iowa,” he says. Diamond Vogel was created in 1926 in Orange City as the company website says. You can learn more about the grants on the Keep Iowa Beautiful website at: www.keepiowabeautiful.com

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones has joined in spreading the message being promoted by the IDPH and Governor Kim Reynolds: Wash your hands frequently and practice social distancing. He said right now there are no positive cases of COVID-19 in Cass County, and he’d like to keep it that way. He said also, residents need to get their census survey’s filled out and sent in. Jones asks you to be sure and count everyone in your household and return the form or fill it out online, because it helps in funding programs for local economic development.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones

Jones added, that the next City Council meeting on April 1^st, with be done via Zoom, due to the restrictions on how many people may gather at any given time and place. The Mayor, City Administrator John Lund, City Clerk Barb Barrick and Nick Kern, meeting photojournalist will be at the meeting, along with Police Chief Dave Erickson, who will ensure not more than 10 people will be present.

The Mayor urges anyone who wants to view and/or join the meeting on April 1^st, use the Zoom link which will be provided in the days before the event takes place and passed along by KJAN and other media.

The Griswold School Board, Tuesday evening, held hearings on the 2020-21 Budget and School Calendar. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said both were approved after the hearings.

They also approved a Pandemic Pay Resolution for the District’s contracted/salaried employees.

Henrichs said there are some stipulations to the Resolution.