Officials with the Creston Police Department report 26-year-old Michael Skylar Ross, of Creston, was arrested at around 8-p.m. Wednesday, for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. Ross was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until seen by a judge.

And, a Creston man reported to police Wednesday afternoon, that someone stole a Baby Jesus display and power cord from the First Presbyterian Church, in Creston. The loss was estimated at $56.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest Covid patient count in Iowa hospitals marks another record high for 2021. The 777 figure announced Wednesday is a seven percent increase since Dec. 1st. Theresa Brennan is the Chief Medical Officer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. “We continue to struggle, as many hospitals in Iowa have continued to struggle, with making sure that we have beds for the patients that need them,” she says.

Brennan says the hospital continue to prepare for more Covid patients — including transfers from other hospitals — while employees are exhausted from the pandemic. “We’re working with the hospitals in Iowa to try to make sure that the sickest patients have the right bed to get the care that they need, but it is a struggle,” she says.

On Tuesday, the hospital on the University of Iowa campus had 40 adult Covid patients and three pediatric patients, under the age of 18, with the virus. Nearly 120 other patients with flu and Covid symptoms were screened by telephone or video conference Tuesday, according to the hospital’s website.

(Radio Iowa) – A key senator says he’ll propose charging educators with a felony if they provide obscene materials to students. Republican Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale is chairman of the committee that would vote on the bill. Zaun says he’s concerned about two books in particular that central Iowa school boards have discussed banning. “It was brought to my attention by several parents, some of the garbage that is being taught to our kids,” Zaun says. “It is not appropriate.” Zaun says passages in the books describe unhealthy sexual situations. “All I want our schools to do is teach our kids to be successful when they get out of school, give them the tools that they need,” Zaun says, “and I think we need to put a stop to that garbage.”

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says this debate makes Iowa less attractive to people who might move here for work. “Saying that we’re going to go after teachers and librarians is not going to make Iowa’s public education stronger,” Wahls says. Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights, the Democratic Leader in the Iowa House, says book banning discussions aren’t helpful to companies trying to attract new workers. “Iowa’s brand gets damaged when stories are out there about things that fringe elements in the state are doing or proposing,” Konfrst says.

The legislators made their comments Wednesday morning, during a forum organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership.