Members of the Atlantic Rotary Club hosted their annual High School Senior Recognition Luncheon, on April 21st.  The event was attended by the Atlantic High School Seniors in vocal music, band, drama/debate and the top 10 academic students. Rotarians and the students were entertained by a piccolo solo, vocal duet and a contest winning speech. The top 10 academic students were introduced to the group.

Dolly Bergmann, Rotarian introduced the 2021 Atlantic Rotary Club Scholarship recipients. Individuals receiving $1,000 scholarships attending a Community College, Vocational or Technical College were Taylor McCreedy and Dazia Sorensen. The four-year University or College Scholarships were awarded to Molly McFadden and Craig Alan Becker. Each will receive $1,000. The Rex Moorman Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to Shayla Luke.

Pictures from left to right are Shayla Luke, Dazia Sorensen, Molly McFadden and Rotarian Dolly Bergmann. Taylor McCreedy and Craig Alan Becker were unable to attend the luncheon. (Photo courtesy Dolly Bergmann)

The Iowa Department of Public health Wednesday, reported 172 new COVID-19 positive tests, and one additional death. The death was reported in Pottawattamie County, and brings the pandemic total in the County, to 166. It brings the statewide death toll during the pandemic, to 5,960. The health department reports 395,910 total positive tests since the start of the pandemic.

Iowa reports 2.4-million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 1.11-million total vaccine series completed. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is 4.0%. The seven-day rate is 4.2%. Both are unchanged since Monday.

Hospitalizations across the state have declined slightly, from 195 Tuesday to 192 on Wednesday. Iowa reports also: there are 47 patients in ICU; 36 people with symptoms of COVID were admitted to a hospital, and, 20 patients are on ventilators.

In RMCC Region 4 (hospitals in western/southwest Iowa), there are 12 COVID patients hospitalized; five remain in an ICU; three people were admitted, and two people remain on a ventilator.

There remains also, one long-term care facility outbreak. The Urbandale Care Center has 19 positive cases and 17 recoveries. The state reports 2,321 care facility deaths since the pandemic began, that’s unchanged from Monday.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

Cass, 1,458 cases; {+0}; 54 deaths
Adair, 980; {+1}; 32
Adams, 349 {+0}; 4
Audubon, 520 {+1}; 9
Guthrie, 1,288 {+3}; 29
Harrison County, 1,921; {+0}; 73
Madison County, 1,737; {+1; 19
Mills County, 1,781; {+0}; 21
Montgomery, 1,102;{+0}; 37
Pottawattamie County, 12,116; {+6}; 165
Shelby County, 1,363 {+1}; 37
Union County, 1,354; {+0}; 32

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities investigating a fatal weekend plane crash in eastern Iowa have released the name of the man killed. Johnson County sheriff’s officials have identified the victim as 73-year-old Dale Bieber, of Coralville. They say Bieber was the only occupant of the single-engine aircraft that went down in a farm field near the Green Castle Airport northwest of Iowa City Sunday afternoon. Authorities say Bieber died at the scene.

Officials don’t yet know why the plane crashed. The cause is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.