The Walnut City Council will meet in a regularly scheduled session, 5-p.m. today at the Walnut Community Center (or, online via GoToMeeting). On their agenda is discussion with regard to:

• The Sesquicentennial Celebration
• The Walnut Community Facilities
• Property Maintenance
• The City Budget
• Fire Department
• and, the annual evaluation of City Employees along with salary discussion.

The Walnut City Council will also receive an update on Ramsey’s Market, and a Housing Rehabilitation Grant. They’re expected as well, to set the date for a Public Hearing on the proposed FY City Property Tax Levy, among other matters.

Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (as of 10-a.m., Thursday), indicates there are 2,926 new, Positive cases of COVID-19, and 70 additional deaths. The total number of Positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic, amount to 236,792. Deaths total 2,519. The IDPH says one more death was reported in Adair and Mills Counties, and there are two more deaths in Harrison County. Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities report 1,097 deaths, and deaths attributed in-part to preexisting conditions number 1,352.

Hospitalizations statewide fell from 1,162 on Wednesday to 1,124, today. Health officials say 224 COVID patients are in an ICU, 136 were admitted, and 131 patients are on a ventilator. Hospitals in southwest/western Iowa (RMCC Region 4) report: 63 hospitalized; 17 are in an ICU; four were admitted, and eight COVID patients are on a ventilator.

Long-Term Care facility outbreaks are up again, to 169 today. The IDPH says 5,306 patients/staff have tested positive; 2,367 have tested negative. Area LTC data show: 217 cases among three facilities in Cass County, and 135 recovered; 139 cases in Harrison County (1 facility), with 120 recovered; 240 cases in Pottawattamie County (3 facilities), and 104 recovered; and, 113 cases among two facilities in Shelby County, with 23 recovered.

Iowans who have recovered from the virus number 147,152, while 1,229,582 have been tested, to-date. There were 7,190 lab results returned yesterday, with 5,609 negative results and 1,524 positive. The individual positivity rate is 19.3%, and the 14-day rolling average is down to 16.8%. Cass County’s positivity rate is up slightly, from 16.8% Wednesday to 16.9% today. A total of 990, 579 negative results have been returned since the pandemic began.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,

• Cass, 840 cases {+15}; 535 recovered; 24 deaths
• Adair, 449 {+4}; 261; 9
• Adams, 181 {+4}; 95; 2
• Audubon, 306 {+4}; 217; 2
• Guthrie, 772 {+4); 479; 15
• Harrison County, 1,112 {+6}; 770; 32
• Madison County, 717 {+4}; 437; 4
• Mills County, 1,091 {+13}; 584; 8
• Montgomery, 499 {+8}; 249; 11
• Pottawattamie County, 6,709 {+136]; 3,934; 71
• Shelby County, 798 {+12}; 480; 11
• Union County,  836 {+28}; 333; 6