DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 52 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 549 positive cases. According to IDPH two more deaths were reported today (Wednesday). Both persons were over the age of 81. One lived in Washington County and the other in Polk County. Nine people in Iowa have died. The virus is now present in 60 of Iowa’s 99 counties. State health officials say 63 people are hospitalized in Iowa, 303 were never hospitalized and are self-isolating at home. As of last report, 287 women and 262 men tested positive for COVID-19.

There have been a total of 7,304 negative tests to date. Officials with the Madison County Health Care System said today (Wednesday), that Madison County has its first positive case of COVID-19. The individual in question is currently hospitalized in Polk County. They were said to be between 61 and 80 years of age.

***The latest data shows there are 10 COVID-19 cases in Harrison County; 5 in Pottawattamie County; 3 in Shelby County; 1 each in Audubon, Guthrie, Adair, Madison, Montgomery and Taylor Counties, and two COVID-19 cases in Page County; there are 5 cases in Monona County, 4 in Woodbury, and one each in Carroll and Crawford Counties.***

According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the other 51 individuals include:

Cerro Gordo County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
Clayton County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
Clinton County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
Dallas County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Des Moines County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
Dubuque County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
Harrison County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Henry County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Iowa County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
Jasper County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
Johnson County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Linn County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
Mitchell County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
Muscatine County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
O’Brien County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Polk County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 3 older adults (61-80 years), 1 elderly (81+)
Pottawattamie County, 1 child (0-17 years)
Poweshiek County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Scott County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 adult (18-40 years)
Story County, 2 older adults (61-80 years)
Tama County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
Van Buren County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Warren County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
Washington County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 5 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)

Audubon School District Superintendent Eric Trager reports a Public Hearing will be held 7-p.m. Monday, April 20th, on the proposed plans and specifications, form of contract, and estimate of cost, for the Audubon Community School District Middle School/High School Facility Improvements. The hearing will take place as part of a regularly scheduled Audubon School Board meeting on April 20th.

The projects include:

• A Roof Top HVAC Unit Replacement (referred to as the “Project”). The proposed construction project at the Audubon MS & HS will consist of replacing four Roof Top Units with four new upgraded units and adding one Energy Recovery Ventilation unit. A copy of the proposed Contract Documents will be on file for public inspection in the District office at the same location.

During the Public Hearing, any interested person may file written objections or present oral comments with respect to the subject matter of the hearing. At the conclusion of the Public Hearing the School Board will make a decision on putting the project out for bids for a summer 2020 implementation.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Residents gathered in downtown Marshalltown to cheer the return of the dome atop the tornado-damaged and time-ravaged Marshall County Courthouse. Streets around the courthouse were lined Tuesday with cheering people _ some shoulder to shoulder despite warnings about social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dome and building were damaged by a tornado that tore through Marshalltown on July 19, 2018, injuring several people. Falling debris broke three courthouse sprinkler lines, resulting in a flood of water entering the structure. The tornado damage exposed rot and wear and tear that needed repair. The building is more than 130 years old.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports two people from Minnesota died in the Tuesday afternoon crash of a helicopter. Their names were being withheld pending notification of family. Authorities say on Tuesday afternoon a person in the area of 240^th and Robin Avenue, heard a loud sound and observed a helicopter crashing. The individual called 911. Guthrie County received the call and relayed the information to Audubon County.

Audubon and Exira Fire and Rescue Departments were dispatched to the scene. Upon arriving, it was observed the helicopter and the area around it was on fire, due to a power line that had been taken down in the crash.  Witnesses have said the copter hit a power transmission line before crashing into the ground and bursting into flames. Debris from the crash struck a passing, nearby pickup truck, but no one in the vehicle was hurt.

The crash investigation and determination of cause is being handled by the FAA, assisted by the Iowa State Patrol Technical Investigation and the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office. Assisting Tuesday night was the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Guthrie County EMA, Audubon County EMA, Audubon Fire & Rescue, Exira Fire Department and Audubon County Secondary Roads crews.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) is deploying a comprehensive approach to address food insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, will continue for all current, and new or returning WIC participants. IDPH submitted and received approval of several federal waivers to Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) to ensure continued and expanded access to WIC foods.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act:

• WIC is available to support you. WIC benefits will continue as normal. Call your clinic with questions.
• April’s WIC benefits will be available for use on Wednesday, April 1.

Purchasing WIC Items in the Store:

When shopping for WIC items, please consider the following shopping tips during this time:

• When shopping, please be patient. Stores want to provide what you need, but they have been extremely busy and are working hard to stock the shelves as quickly as possible.
• When shopping, planning ahead and arriving at the store earlier in the day may help you find the products needed.
• When shopping, use the CDC guidelines for social distancing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV. At this time WIC food purchases can only be redeemed inside of WIC approved stores.
• Call ahead and be sure your store’s hours haven’t changed.
• WIC foods will be available throughout the entire month of April – the rumors that WIC foods will run out is not true.
• Purchase what you would normally purchase. There is no reason to stockpile food. Both your benefits and the food products in stores will be available throughout the month.

If you are having issues finding specific WIC foods, call your WIC clinic or the state WIC office at 1-515-281-6650 for assistance.

(Radio Iowa) — Pranksters may love today’s date, but it’s no April Fool’s joke that the rent is due and many Iowans are out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic. While most evictions in Iowa are being postponed, Iowa Legal Aid litigation director Alex Kornya says tenants should still pay their rent or work out an agreement with their landlord. “Landlords cannot terminate someone’s lease if they don’t pay rent,” Kornya says. “Now, this doesn’t mean that rent does not continue to accrue during this time, it just means that a landlord can’t terminate their lease during this time.”

While Iowans cannot be evicted for not paying rent, Kornya says they -will- have to pay, eventually. “The obligation to pay rent continues,” he says. “Rent will continue to accrue and at some point, when the moratoriums are lifted, the tenants are going to have to be able to either make arrangements with their landlords or pay all the rent that has accrued over this time.”

A state order postpones most evictions until April 17th, a date that may be pushed back still further. A federal moratorium on certain evictions extends until July, for people in qualifying housing programs and those living in properties with federally-backed mortgages. More information is available on the Iowa Legal Aid website: iowalegalaid.org

(Reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)