CENTERVILLE, IA (IRN) – Schools in Centerville went in lock-down status on Thursday. According to the Centerville School District, law enforcement was trying to locate and apprehend a person considered potentially dangerous. In response, all school facilities were locked down. Police were able to take the person into custody and no further security measures were needed. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – The Dubuque County Recorder is warning the public to “stay away” from county offices. Recorder John Murphy says there has been a recent COVID outbreak in numerous departments. He says the departments work closely together and their department head does not require staff to wear masks, yet they are still working with the public on a daily basis. Murphy says he is “incredibly disappointed with the county response to COVID.” AMES, IA (IRN) – Elementary school students in Ames will be going back to class full-time. One reason was class scores, specifically for first graders. Literacy assessment benchmarks for first graders went from 75% in 2019 down to 50% this year. HIAWATHA, IA (IRN) – The Hiawatha Police Department is warning people to watch out for a large bobcat or a mountain lion. Two people who saw the animal described it as light brown or blonde about three feet long with a two foot long tail. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A Mason City police dog was able to find a 2-year-old boy who wandered away from his family’s rural home and through a wooded area along a creek on Tuesday. Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s deputies searched the property and called in a drone to help search for the boy, but it was Mason City K-9 Kilo who tracked the boy along a creek to a neighbor’s property. Police believe the boy was following the family dog when he wandered off. He’s OK.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – There are now 70 long-term care facilities reporting coronavirus outbreaks in Iowa. There have been 790 deaths within those facilities. The Iowa Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 1,401 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional deaths. There has been 1,594 total deaths since the pandemic began. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A split Iowa Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a new Republican-backed law that could bar county elections commissioners from mailing absentee ballots to thousands of people who omitted information on their applications. The ruling means that voters who want to cast mail-in ballots in the Nov. 3 election must complete their absentee ballot applications before Saturday’s deadline. Auditors will not be allowed to use the state’s voter registration system to fix any deficient applications, as they have done in prior elections. Voters must do so themselves. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds says her administration will try to convince federal auditors to allow its plan to spend $21 million in coronavirus relief funds on a long-planned information technology system. She said that if auditors disagree, the state will change course. State Auditor Rob Sand concluded Monday that the use of funds for the Workday project was inappropriate. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – An 18-year old from Ely has been arrested for robbery after stealing a belt. Cortez Jacobi Riggins, Jr. met with a 17-year old male for an arranged sale of a belt for $150. The arrangement was made online and they agreed to meet in a school parking lot. During the meeting Riggins allegedly threatened the victim, took the belt and didn’t pay. The suspect lifted his shirt in a way that made the victim believe the suspect had a gun. Riggins then drove off. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – MidAmerican Energy has idled nearly four dozen power-generating wind turbines after huge blades broke off of two turbines in recent weeks. MidAmerican has paused the use of 46 turbines it has identified as having similar blades, which are about 177 feet long and weigh 18,000 pounds.

CLEAR LAKE, IA (IRN) – A Clear Lake bar is now closed for the next 21 days. The Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division accused Surf District Rock n’ Roll Grill of refilling old liquor bottles. The division said the bar filled old bottles with less expensive liquor. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The White House Coronavirus Task Force says reports of COVID-19 cases in the state of Iowa are worsening week to week. It lists Iowa being in the “red zone” for new cases with the eighth-highest rate in the country. Polk County, Woodbury County, and Dubuque County had the highest rates for new cases during the reporting period, DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – Election day is just under two weeks away, and across the country, about 29 million votes are already in. More than half a million Iowa voters have cast their ballot. Nearly 800,000 absentee ballot requests have been processed in the state – more than double as many requests by this date in the 2016 election DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Seven of the 10 most expensive Senate races are happening in 2020, and experts say one of those races is taking place in Iowa. Iowa’s Senate race between Republican Sen. Joni Ernst and Democrat Theresa Greenfield is the second most expensive political race in U.S. history, according to Advertising Analytics. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Several Hawkeye football players plan on kneeling for the national anthem Saturday when the season begins at Purdue. Coach Kirk Ferentz has told his players to do what they feel is right, but to support each other.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More Iowans are now hospitalized with coronavirus than at any point of the pandemic. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 501 Iowans hospitalized with the virus, a record. Iowa on Tuesday reported 727 new COVID-19 cases and 14 additional deaths. As of 10 a.m. there have been 1,548 total deaths since the pandemic began. CLIVE, IA (IRN) – The Clive Police Department said a death investigation is underway after a body was found in a wooded area Saturday. The body appears to have been in the area for an extended period of time. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds misused $21 million in pandemic relief funds to implement a new software system for the state government, according to a report from the state auditor. State Auditor Rob Sand said the governor directed $21 million of CARES Act funding to implement Workday, an HR/accounting computer system intended to replace the state’s old system. This is not an allowable use of the funds, according to Sand. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Central Iowa kicked off the week with a healthy dose of October snow. The National Weather Service issued a snow squall warning for Dallas, Jasper and Polk counties due to heavy snow and poor visibility. There were reports of up to nine inches of snow in Polk City and five inches snow in Ankeny. In eastern Iowa, there were reports of up to five inches of snow. WEST LAFAYETTE, IN (IRN) – Purdue coach Jeff Brohm is expected to miss Saturday’s season opener against Iowa after a second test confirmed he has COVID-19. Big Ten protocol requires players who test positive to sit out 21 days but staff members are required to isolate 10 days. Brohm will not be on the sideline this weekend.

ALGONA, IA (IRN) – An investigation is underway into the death of a Kossuth County Jail inmate. The Sheriff’s Office says jailers found an unresponsive male prisoner in his private cell Saturday morning. Jail staff attempted life-saving measures and Algona EMS was called to the jail but the man was pronounced dead. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Two sisters died and three others were injured Sunday when two vehicles collided in Des Moines. The crash happened around 5 a.m. Sunday after a northbound Toyota car crossed into the southbound lanes and collided with a Jeep SUV. About one inch of snow fell in the area overnight, and the weather appears to have contributed to the crash. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Three men were placed into police custody after a late-night fight at Noonan’s Tap in Dubuque ended with two people injured. One man bit off another man’s nose during the fight. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Multiple former University of Iowa athletes have requested $20 million from the university, athletic director Gary Barta, head football coach Kirk Ferentz and offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz. They also want the three fired for racial discrimination. The University declined to meet the demands. AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State has moved up in the latest AP Top 25 football rankings. The Cyclones moved up from No. 20 to No. 17 in the poll released on Sunday. Iowa State had a bye week this weekend but has beaten TCU, Oklahoma and Texas Tech for the team’s best start in Big 12 play in 18 years.