(Radio Iowa) – Everyone who sees the damage from last week’s derecho is coming to the same conclusion — it is one of the worst natural disasters ever in the electrical industry. Hundreds of crews have traveled from across the U-S and Canada to help restore power in the wake of the storm that caused extensive damage to the electrical grid and left hundreds of thousands in the dark.

Alliant Energy’s Joel Schmidt has spoken with many of the utility crewmembers. “Comments we’re hearing from contractors, frontline, tree-trimmers, people that are working in emergency ops centers that have come from long distances: worst I have ever seen, unbelievable, toughest conditions by far,” he says.

Schmidt says some homes are so damaged it’s still unsafe to restore their electricity. As of this (Friday) morning, more than 14,000 customers across the state were still without power.

(reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

One person suffered a laceration to their arm and shoulder pain, during a single vehicle accident early this (Friday) morning, in Montgomery County. According to dispatch reports, the accident happened at around 5:27-a.m. west of Elliott, near 110th and Avenue F. The female accident victim was said to be unable to get out of her vehicle. Griswold Rescue responded to the scene. Additional details are currently not available.

(Updated 10-a.m., 8/21) Here’s the latest information from the State of Iowa’s Coronavirus website (The COVID-19 Dashboard): The IDPH says there are two more, positive COVID-19 cases in Cass County, for a total of 102, and four more people have recovered for the virus, for a total of 79. Adams County has two more cases, for a total of 20. There were three more cases reported in Guthrie County (155 total), 13 additional positive cases in Pottawattamie County (1,484 total), and 20 more recovered (total of 1,155). And, Shelby County has four more cases, for a total of 203, and a total of 183 recovered.

Statewide, there have been an additional 823 positive test results, for a total of 54,533, and 5,653 negative test results, for a total of 517,395, and a positivity rate of 9.3%.  Officials say a total of 585,493 Iowans have been tested, so far. And five more deaths were reported since 10-a.m. Thursday, for a total of 1,017.  The Iowa Department of Public Health reports of those who died, 721 had a pre-existing medical condition. Officials say 545 of the deaths occurred at long term care facilities. Recoveries from the virus number 42,826.

There are currently 293 COVID-19 patients hospitalized across the state, six fewer than Thursday. IDPH lists 81 patients in intensive care, eight less than reported Thursday. There were 43 people admitted to hospitals across the state, and 32 patients on ventilators. In western/southwest Iowa: Three less people were hospitalized, for a total of 14; Six are in an ICU, and one person was admitted to area hospitals. There is no one on a ventilator, according to the latest data.

There are coronavirus outbreaks in 34 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. The IDPH reported 1,009 positive cases and 607 recoveries, from within those facilities.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa since 10-a.m. Thursday (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}. Counties with changes have highlighted numbers over the previous 24-hours:

• Cass County: 102 cases; (79); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 42 cases; (20); 1 death
• Adams County: 20 cases; (16)
• Audubon County: 30 cases; (22); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 155 cases; (118); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 66 cases; (55); 4 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,484 cases; (1,155); 31 deaths
• Shelby County: 203 cases; (183); 1 death.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say an Essex man, 42-year old Jerry J. Richardson, was arrested Thursday afternoon, following a traffic stop. Richardson was taken into custody for Driving While Barred. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 bond.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a traffic stop Thursday on a speeding vehicle resulted in the arrest of a Montgomery County man on numerous charges. Thomas Anderson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense – Methamphetamine, and Introducing contraband into a jail (a Class-D Felony). He was also cited for Speeding, Failure to Provide Proof of Insurance, failure to carry a registration card, and stopped a vehicle on a paved roadway.

(Radio Iowa) – The White House Coronavirus Task Force is recommending that Iowa officials order bars to close in certain areas of the state and establish face mask mandates in more than a dozen of the state’s cities. State medical director Dr. Caitlin Pedati met privately last week with Dr. Deborah Birx, a key advisor on the White House Task Force.

“We shared with her, you know, our testing and some of the information and trends that we’re seeing,” Pedati says, “some of the ways that Iowa functions, right? Because each state might have a slightly different public health system, either local or centralized.” This spring, Governor Reynolds issued tougher restrictions in counties where Covid case counts were higher, but her existing orders are statewide in scope and she has resisted calls to let local governments enact face mask mandates. Reynolds will issue an updated public health emergency proclamation today (Friday). A spokesman for the governor says it will mainly extend current regulatory relief and maintain existing guidelines for businesses like bars, restaurants and hair salons. Dr. Pedati says she has not seen an updated draft of the proclamation.

“Unfortunately, like other states we have seen a young adult population reporting social interactions and we do want to emphasize that we need people to follow the recommendations that we’re providing,” Pedati says. “…If people were to follow those recommendations, you really take away the ability for that virus to move between people.” The pandemic-related proclamation the governor signed July 24th frequently mentions the need for social distancing, enhanced hygiene and other public health measures in all sorts of settings, but it directly mentions requiring face coverings just once — for gamblers playing poker, black jack or roulette at the state-licensed casinos.