BELLEVUE, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports authorities have identified 36-year-old Iris Merfeld, of Zwingle, as the woman involved in the fatal fall at Bellevue State Park this past weekend. According to authorities, Merfeld had been visiting an overlook known as Pulpit Rock in Bellevue State Park in the early morning hours of Sept. 18, when she fell an estimated 150 feet from the bluffs to the rocks below. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities believe alcohol may have played a role in the incident. No foul play is believed to be involved. The Jackson County Sheriff, Bellevue Police Department, Bellevue Fire Department and Maquoketa Police Department assisted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources with the incident.

Bellevue State Park remains open for visitors.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s said Monday (Today), one person was injured during an accident Thursday evening. Authorities say a 2008 Dodge driven by 32-year-old Nicholas Carlson, of Council Bluffs, was found to have gone out of control, entered a ditch, went over a culvert, and struck a power pole before crashing into a residential yard in the area of 221st and Barrus Road.

During the incident, the vehicle struck two trees, causing minor damage to one of them, while the other was split in-half and rolled onto its side. Carlson initially claimed to have no injuries, but was assessed by EMS personnel and transported by Silver City Fire and Rescue to the hospital to be checked out.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Sept. 15th, of man from Cass County (IA). 42-year-old Shawn Glen Wolverton, of Atlantic, was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $2,000.  On Sept. 17th, 53-year-old Mark David Clemmer, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault w/intent, and interference with official acts. Clemmer was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

On Sept. 18th, 47-year-old Timothy Wesley Ford, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County on a U-S Marshal’s warrant. He was being held without bond. Also on the 18th, 27-year-old Shawna Marrie Watson, of Glenwood, was arrested for Assault w/bodily injury (Bond $1,000). There were two people arrested late Sunday night, in Mills County: 28-year-old Mariah Kay Bernita Swanson, of Mead, NE and 51-year-old Richard Dean Weaver, Jr., of Creston, were each arrested for a Controlled Substance Violation and Possession of Controlled Substance (Bond $6,000 each).

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds and 25 other Republican governors are asking to meet with President Biden to discuss security at the U-S/Mexico border. Governor Reynolds says what’s happening at the southern border is affecting all 50 states. Reynolds says Iowa’s dramatic increase in meth and fentanyl seizures this year is connected to drug smuggling from Mexico.

This summer, Reynolds sent 28 Iowa State Troopers and Department of Public Safety officers south for two weeks to assist Texas authorities. Reynolds says Biden Administration policies have led to a border crisis and the federal government has a duty to solve it. The governor of Vermont was the only Republican governor in the country who did not sign the letter.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Anyone seeking healthcare services recently has likely noticed increased wait times, limited appointments, and full parking lots. Cass Health Chief Clinic Administrator Tamara Bireline, ARNP, says “Volumes are very high everywhere, whether it’s in the hospital, emergency department, or your doctor’s office. There isn’t one single illness to blame here, either. We’re seeing high volumes for lots of reasons, including RSV and COVID.” As a nurse practitioner, Bireline also works as a frontline provider in the emergency department. She recently noted that both the Cass Health Emergency Department and the AMC Rapid Care clinic have seen record-setting numbers of patients in the last few weeks.

According to Bireline, “We are seeing huge numbers of patients, and we’re in the process of increasing our staffing levels. We are adding providers, adding nurses – all measures to help us cope with this increased volume.” Ronnie Ross, Cass Health Safety Officer and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, holds weekly calls with other hospitals in this region, and has communicated that all the hospitals are working through the same issues. “We talk weekly with Region 4 SWIPP [Southwest Iowa Preparedness Partners] hospitals to discuss and coordinate the current and future mitigation needs for the surge of patients,” said Ross.

Testing Shortages Continue

“Historically, our influenza, RSV, and COVID supplies have all been provided by the same vendor. Given the continued need for high volumes of COVID-19 testing coupled with the recent increases in RSV cases, testing needs continue to exceed our capacity. We have worked hard to increase our ability to offer COVID-19 testing and have partnered with another vendor to increase our in-house test availability. However, there aren’t a lot of alternative options for influenza and RSV testing for us to bring on that would increase capacity for those tests without compromising the quality of the test. Until vendors are able to increase production to satisfy the increased demand, we expect the availability of influenza and RSV testing to be limited,” said Cass Health Laboratory Director Mitch Whiley.

With a high number of local patients needing testing for respiratory illnesses, the tests have to be prioritized for those who are moderately to severely ill.

“What this means for our patients is that we will be able to test them for COVID-19. If that test comes back negative, and the patient is only mildly ill, then we will likely not recommend or be able to do any further testing to verify RSV or influenza. Because of the shortages on the RSV and influenza tests, we must reserve these tests for those children who are moderately to severely ill because knowing that result may determine the need for admission or transfer to a higher level of care,” said Bireline.

For those patients who test negative for COVID, and who are mildly ill, providers will recommend that they manage their symptoms at home. “Fluids, rest, and over-the-counter medications are still going to be the right prescription, regardless of what the test result may show,” said Bireline.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor/Elections Commissioner Mark Maxwell has provided KJAN with a list of candidates whose names will appear on the November 2nd City/School Election ballots.

City of Shelby

Mayor – Ron Kroll

City Council (vote for 2) – Jackie Hursey & Pat Honeywell

City of Tennant

Mayor – James Brantner

City Council (Vote for 2) – Todd Hively & Dennis Oellerich.

City of Harlan

Mayor – Michael Kolbe

City Council – Ward 1: Jay Christensen.

City Council – Ward 3: Jeanna Rudolph.

At Large Center: Sharon Kroger.

City of Irwin

Mayor – James Borcher

City Council (Vote for 3): Lana Schwieso; Greg Gaer; William D. McMahon.

City of Westphalia

Mayor – Jerome Gross.

City Council (Vote for 3): Julie Goetzinger; Ed Goetzinger; Brian Arkfeld.

Cities of Defiance and Panama: Mayor – OPEN               City Council (Vote for 3): OPEN (No candidates have filed)

City of Earling

Mayor – Janice Gaul.

City Council (elect 3) – Troy Langenfeld; Jackie Frum; OPEN

City of Elk Horn (No Mayor elected until 2023 – 4 year term)

City Council (elect 2): Jerry Hoffman; Derick Hogberg; Nolan Teegerstrom.

City Council – To fill a vacancy: Kendall Petersen.

City of Kirkman: Mayor – OPEN; City Council (elect 2) – No candidates filed.

City of Portsmouth

Mayor – Donald Kenkel

City Council (elect 3): Dustin Kleffman; Tim Blum; Jill Prososki.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS

AHSTW Director District 2, 3, 5 and At-Large (Pottawattamie County will provide the information)

Harlan Community Schools – District 1: Alan Hazelton; Missy Cox

HCS – District 2: Mathew Worthey; Jade Albertsen.

HCS – District 3: Mark Sorfonden; Seth Piro; James Reischl.

HCS – District 4: Gregory Bladt; Chris Swensen.

HCS – District 6 (To fill a vacancy): Joseph D. Herzberg.

Exira-EHK Schools Director – Vote for 4: (Information to be provided)

IKM-Manning CSD Director At Large – Vote for 2: Phil Stracke Luke Potthoff; Sam Hansen; Mike Blum.

IKM-Manning Director, District 1B: Megan Reis; Amy Ferneding.

IKM-Manning Director, District 2B: Josh Linde; Steven A. Wiskus.

Information on the Tri-Center and Woodbine CSD Directors, Boyer Valley Director District’s 1 & 2 (Vote for 2 in each), Des Moines Area Community College District 3 and Iowa Western Community College District 9, will be provided by those schools.

In addition, voters in the City of Harlan will vote on Public Measure TE: Shall the following public measure be adopted? “Shall the Board of Trustees of Harlan Municipal Utilities, City of Harlan, in the County of Shelby, State of Iowa, be authorized to discontinue and dispose of the municipally-owned communications utility by sale?”

The polling stations are as follows:

Absentee: Shelby County Courthouse

Fairview-Shelby precinct: Shelby Community Hall in Shelby; Clay-Monroe precinct: Elk Horn Town Hall; City of Harlan, Wards 1,2,3,&4: Therkildsen Center; Cass-Lincoln-Center-Jackson precincts: Therkildsen Center; Greeley-Jefferson-Douglas-Polk precincts: Irwin Community Building; Grove-Union-Washington-Westphalia precincts: St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, in Earling. For more information, contact the Shelby County Auditor’s Office at 712-755-3831. Select option 6.

The Clarinda Police Department has issued a notice as a reminder to the citizens of Clarinda, that NO PARKING is allowed on the following streets from 7:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 2nd , 2021 for the 66th Annual Southwest Iowa Band Day Jamboree Parade:

• The 100 through 800 block of W. Main Street
• The 100 block of E. Main Street
• The100 block of N. 15th St.
• The 100 block of E. Washington Street
• The 100 block through 300 block of W. Washington Street
• 24th Street (Cardinal Drive) from Garfield Street to State Street (*SCHOOL BUS PARKING*)

Photo via Travel Iowa

The police department appreciates the cooperation of all citizens in removing their vehicles from the parade route. Vehicles that are not removed from the parade route by 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 2ndmay be towed at the expense of the vehicle’s registered owner.