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.

A Public Hearing is set for this evening at the Courthouse in Greenfield, as part of a special Adair County Board of Supervisors meeting, and with regard to the first reading of Solar Energy Systems Ordinance #38. The hearing begins at 7-p.m.  Officials say the Courtroom at the Adair County Courthouse will be available for the Board meeting and the public will be allowed to attend in person. Public in-person attendance will be limited to 21 people, however, to allow for social distancing.  Any person or organization desiring to be heard will be afforded an opportunity to be heard, for a duration of 3 minutes. You will need to sign up to speak prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Written comments can also be submitted to the Auditor’s Office for the Board’s review. The Courthouse will be open beginning at 6:30 p.m. to allow time for individuals to sign up to speak. If you would like to speak and want to attend via conference call, please contact the Auditor’s office at (641) 743-2546 or email auditor@adaircountiowa.org to sign up.

If you will be attending the hearing in-person, you are asked to please wear a mask, and sign in before entering the courtroom.  The conference phone will still be used for those who cannot attend in person and can be accessed by using the following dial in information: Dial in Number: (605) 313-6157 Access Code: 526272#

Following the Hearing, the Board will hold the second and third readings of the Ordinance, and act on a Resolution to Approve Ordinance #38.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has filed charges against a Pleasant Valley man in connection with a fatal boat accident on the Mississippi River near LeClaire in August of 2020. Conservation officer, Travis Graves, says 44-year-old James Theil is charged with two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. “One for the death of Craig Verbeke, one for the death of Anita Pinc,” Graves says.

Thiel was also charged with two aggravated misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of reckless use of a watercraft, and one count of operation of an unregistered watercraft. Graves says Thiel allowed a minor to drive the boat, and the minor was driving when the accident happened, which violates Iowa law.