More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson
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More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson
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The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Friday), reports 316 additional, positive cases of COVID-19, for a total of 21,022. The number of deaths since Thursday, increased by 10, to a total of 589. Out of the 179, 808 Iowans tested for the virus, 158,391 proved to be Negative. And, 12, 436 people have recovered from the virus. RMCC data show 299 are hospitalized with COVID-19, 102 are in an ICU, 23 were admitted over the past 24-hours, and 62 were on ventilators. The IDPH said also, the number of Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks went back down to 40. At those facilities, 1,535 patients/staff have tested positive for the virus, 768 have recovered, and 294 have died.
Here are the latest numbers for Cass and surrounding counties [the number of positive COVID-19 cases, and the (number who have recovered)]:
The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.
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The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday, 39-year old Kathleen Ann Beckmann turned herself-in to the Sheriff’s Office in Council Bluffs, late Wednesday morning. Beckmann was wanted on warrants out of both Pottawattamie and Muscatine Counties, along with a non-extraditable warrant from State of Illinois. Beckman was transported to the Pott. County Jail.
In addition, three inmates at the Pott. County Jail were presented with additional arrest warrants before being turned over to Corrections Staff. And, two men held in other jails, were transported to Pott. County to face separate charges in the County.
Creston Police arrested a Red Oak man Thursday morning. 52-year old Jeffrey John Lusk was arrested at a residence in the 800 block of Birch St., in Creston, on a charge of Failure to Appear on a prior charge, of Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree. Lusk was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2,000 cash only bond.
The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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Strong storms blew through parts of west-central and central Iowa early this (Friday) morning, causing power lines and tree limbs to fall. The National Weather Service reports winds blowing from 55-to 70 mile per hour spanned the State from Humboldt to Des Moines, affecting Humboldt, Jefferson, Bagley, Bayard, Des Moines and Murray, to name a few of the communities. Hail ranging in size from an inch to 1.5 inches accompanied the storms in Humboldt, Murray and Dakota City. 20,000 homes were said to be without power this morning in central Iowa, according to Mid-American Energy,
The storms began at around 2:30-a.m. and picked up intensity as they rolled through the area and finally fizzled out in central Iowa before moving into southeastern Iowa. There were no reports of injuries.
(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says state officials are providing new guidelines so nursing homes may reopen to visitors. In early March, long term care facilities were closed to visitors, to reduce the risk that residents would contract COVID-19. “This time of separation has been extremely difficult for residents of long term care facilities and their loved ones,” Reynolds says. “I’ve heard stories of spouses that have been married for over 60 years who have rarely spent a day apart until these last three months, of sons and daughters who worry they’re missing precious time with an elderly parent.”
The governor says there are also concerns about how social isolation is impacting the mental health of nursing home residents. Dr. Caitlin Pedati, the state medical director, says facilities will get advice from the state on how to handle easing some of the COVID-related restrictions. “Visitation of family as well as of health care personnel, trips outside of a facility, dining practices and group activities,” she says.
Dr. Pedati says facilites will be advised to consider virus activity in the vicinity before making changes.
(Radio Iowa) The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission has approved betting on E-sports through sports contests — but not at the state’s casinos. Draft-Kings spokesman Chris Cippola asked the commission to approve E-sport wagering through his company’s contests. “E-sports are organized multiplayer video game competitions in which competitors from different teams compete against each other in tournaments and leagues — in which participants exhibit elite physical talent and skill,” according to Cippola.
Cippola says E-sports have many of the same characteristics as regular sports. “Professional players receive lucrative salaries, endorsements and prize money and teams are sponsored by Fortune 500 companies,” he says. “E-sports competitions have filled the world’s largest sporting arenas and are widely viewed on an international level via popular streaming mediums like Twitch and YouTube.” He cited one example of a popular E-sports. “Rocket League is a competitive video game where players drive vehicles that compete in a soccer match,” he explains, “It is cars playing soccer that are controlled by human participants.”
The commissioners approved the request to allow sports betting on games involving E-sports. They were then asked by Iowa Gaming Association president Wes Ehrecke to approve the same for casinos and their sports betting parlors.”We believe that E-sports clearly fits well in this category for casino sports books to offer wager options on these events. They have a sanctioning governing body — the World E-sports Association for the national level, a national association for college E-sports at the collegiate level,” Ehrecke says.
Assistant Attorney General, Jeff Peterzalek told commissioners that wagering on sports contests and actual sports are governed in separate sections of the law — and the language doesn’t match. “What you just approve in the prior agenda item wasn’t because E-sports were a sport or an authorized sporting even. It was because they are a simulated game or contest — which is expressly allowed in 99-E — but there is no such language in 99-F,” according to Peterzalek.
He says the sports betting definition is very specific and doesn’t include E-sports. “It does not meet the definition of authorized sporting events. I would also note that the definition of authorized sporting events expressly excludes — excludes fantasy sports as defined in chapter 99-E,” he says. “It doesn’t meet the other definitions of professional sporting events, international sporting events, or any of the other definitions that would be needed.” The issue failed after no one made a motion on it. Peterzalek says the casinos could petition the I-R-G-C for a legal opinion on sports betting on E-sports as one option.
(Photo by Ric Hanson/KJAN)
Four area fire departments were called to assist Adair Fire, after a semi struck a gas pump, sparking a fire at the Kum & Go, at around 2:45-a.m. today (Friday), in Adair. No injuries were reported. Fire officials report the semi hit the diesel/gas pump, causing electrical wires to spark and ignite. Kum and Go employees were able to act quickly and perform the emergency shutdown, which authorities says helped tremendously.
Photo from the Adair & Guthrie County EMA Facebook page
Within a few minutes, Adair Fire was on scene and was able to get a quick knockdown on the flames, and preventing the fire to reach any nearby buildings. Due to water tower maintenance, water pressure was low, so several area departments were called-in to bring in their tanker trucks and other equipment. Among the agencies assisting at the scene, was the Anita, Casey, Greenfield and Stuart Fire Departments, Adair County Ambulance, the Adair County Sheriff’s Department, Adair Police, and Richter and Son Towing. (Images below are from the Adair Fire & Rescue Facebook page)
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