The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday) announced in a social media post, “The unexpected passing [on Thursday] of Sergeant Donavon Dontje. Sergeant Dontje started his career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2006 and was a vital member of the office.
Sgt. Donovan Dontje
“He touched many lives throughout his career and will be sorely missed. We ask for privacy for the family at this time and send our sincere condolences to all that had the privilege to know and love him.” Condolences flooded the Shelby County Sheriff’s and City of Audubon’s Facebook pages.
Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer said “Donovan Dontje is a part time police officer for the Audubon Police Department since 2008 and most importantly, a great friend. Our condolences to his family, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and to everyone that knew him. He will be missed greatly.”
Additional information concerning Sgt. Dontje’s death was not provided.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa center Luka Garza will be going through a unique experience as he tests out the NBA Draft. There is even some doubt the drafty will remain on its original date of June 25th.
Garza believes most of the evaluations leading up to the draft will be on-line.
Garza doubts he will get a chance to even workout for teams.
(Radio Iowa) — Iowa All-American Kathleen Doyle hopes to hear her named called during Friday night’s WNBA Draft. Doyle averaged more than 18 points and six assists this past season in being named the Big Ten player of the year. She is projected as a second or third round pick. Rebecca Lobo is an analyst for ESPN.
Lobo says because of free agency several teams have more spots available. With leagues overseas shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic there will be more competition for roster spots.
Lobo says the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament prevented many players from showcasing their talents.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Unemployment claims continued to surge last week in Iowa as more workers lost their jobs amid efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but the numbers came in lower than the previous week’s record high. The U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday that 46,356 people in Iowa filed for unemployment benefits in the week that ended April 11. While high, the number is a drop from the record 67,334 people who filed in the first week of April and the 58,000 who filed the week before that. Pandemic-related layoffs in several industries, from health care to manufacturing and food services, were driving factors behind Iowa’s claims.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new survey of bankers in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states shows the vast majority expect the coronavirus outbreak to push their local areas into recession. The overall index for the region plummeted to 12.1 in April from March’s already anemic 35.5. It was the lowest index recorded since the survey began in January 2006. Any score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss said more than nine in 10 bankers surveyed expect the measures being taken to fight the coronavirus to lead to a recession. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 46-year old Brimer Presley Buliche, of Atlantic, was arrested Saturday, for OWI/1st offense. Buliche was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on his own recognizance. And, as we reported Wednesday, at around 7:50-p.m. Tuesday, a Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted a traffic stop near 585th Street and Highland Road. The subjects fled and pursuit ensued. The chase ended near 585th Street and Lansing Road, and involved numerous juvenile subjects. The incident remains under investigation.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Thursday), updated the latest COVID-19 data from across the State.
The northeast region of the State (RMCC Region 6) is being ordered to follow more stringent guidelines for social distancing, due to the number of COVID-19 cases, which have reached a predetermined threshold for action.
(She said the region was elevated to Level 10 in large part due to the Long Term Care Facility (LTC) outbreaks, the severity of the illness, and the rate of hospitalization.”)
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds updates the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center, Thursday, April 16, 2020, in Johnston, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, pool)
It also takes into account the increase in virus activity in that area of the State. RMCC Region 6 includes Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek counties.
Reynolds said effective tonight at midnight (11:59-p.m. Thursday), all counties in Region 6 must cease through April 30th, all gatherings for social, community, recreational, leisure or sporting activities.
All Iowan’s she said, should continue to practice social distancing and follow the previously recommended spread prevention strategies. The Governor reports also, there are:
146 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 2,141.
Zero new counties added to the list of counties with COVID-19, for a total of 82.
There were 660 COVID-19 Negative cases, for a total of 18,543.*(Corrected ‘total’ figure from earlier)
The State Hygienic Lab has 2,588 tests available.
987 people have recovered, for a recovery rate of 46%.
Seven people have died since the last press conference on Wednesday, for a total of 60.
(Updated) The additional 7 deaths were reported in the following counties:
Allamakee County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Linn County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Polk County, 1 adult, 1 older adult, 1 elderly adult (81+)
Louisa County, 1 middle-age (41-60 years)
Tama County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
49% of those deaths in Iowa were connected to Long Term Care Facilities.
There were two new LTC outbreaks: Linn Manor Care Center in Linn County, and Lutheran Senior Campus in Muscatine County. That brings the total number of LTC outbreaks to nine.
Across all of the RMCC Regions, Wednesday, there 175 COVID-19 patients hospitalized; 24 were admitted over the past 24 hours; 84 were being treated in ICU’s; 48 patients are on ventilators. Governor Reynolds also spoke about a new program being launched a few days, called “Test Iowa.”
The state of Iowa has released an updated dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov that will be updated daily to include comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa.
Hours at the Atlantic Medical Center have changed slightly during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Tammy Bireline, Chief Clinic Officer at Cass County Health System said “We have adjusted our provider locations and clinic hours to best meet the needs of our patients while also utilizing our staff effectively.” Those changes have included dedicating Atlantic Medical Center Suite C, which has a private entrance, for COVID-19 screening and care.
Atlantic Medical Center is open Monday – Thursday, 7 am – 7 pm; Friday 8 am – 5 pm; and Saturdays 8 am – noon. Patients who are seeking care for COVID-19 symptoms or questions should call 712-243-2850or 712-243-3250 for directions on what to do. As always, care is available in the CCHS Emergency Department, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
(Radio Iowa) — We’re almost four weeks into spring but Iowa’s southern half is quickly looking more like mid-winter. Up to a foot of snow is in the forecast for some areas of Iowa today (Thursday) and a Winter Storm Warning is posted for two-dozen counties. Meteorologist Kenny Podrazik, at the National Weather Service, says snowplows are already out, working to keep the roads clear. “The heaviest snow is going to fall across far southern Iowa, the southern two tiers of rows towards the Missouri border,” Podrazik says. “There’s already been a couple of reports down there of two-to-five inches near Lamoni and there’s additional snow that’ll be falling throughout much of the day and into the afternoon.”
Just a few days ago, on Easter Sunday, parts of northern Iowa were walloped by record-setting snowfall, with the Emmet County town of Ringsted reporting 11-inches of snow. Podrazik says today’s snowfall could bring multiple new records, too, especially if the region sees a full foot of flakes fall.”Anywhere from Creston to Chariton, down to Lamoni, all the way to Ottumwa, even as far east as Burlington, they could definitely see eight to ten or even up to that 12-inch range,” Podrazik says. “It’s going to be that wet, sticky, sloppy snow. There’s definitely the potential it could stick to a lot of trees and power lines and maybe cause some issues with that.”
If you just don’t feel like shoveling that snow or maybe you’ve already drained the gas from your snowblower, never fear, as those deep drifts won’t last long. “We’ll have one more cold day tomorrow when we’ll be stuck in the 40s for much of the state and then we’ll be back up into the mid- to upper-50s around 60 on Saturday and Sunday,” Podrazik says, “and then even warmer on Monday and then Tuesday, we’re talking possibly mid-70s across central and southern Iowa.” Forecasters say the majority of northern Iowa should get missed by this snowstorm. The latest prediction calls for at least some snow to fall as far north as Carroll, Ames, Waterloo and Dubuque, while the worst of it should stay generally south of Interstate 80.
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