Community News Stories

UPDATE – April 17, 2020

We regret to announce, after much deliberation, the Board of Directors and Staff of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Laura Days festivities (originally scheduled for June 27/28) in consideration of everyone’s health and safety.

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum will remain closed until further notice, due to the COVID-19 virus. We hope to open in the near future but will continue to monitor the situation.

Further updates will be posted on Facebook (Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum – Burr Oak, Iowa) and on our website (www.lauraingallswilder.us)

https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WIGOV/2020/04/16/file_attachments/1428995/EMO28-SaferAtHome.pdf

Click the link for verbiage of the new mitigation orders

https://governor.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Public%20Health%20Proclamation%20-%202020.04.16%20-%20Region%206.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

April 16, 2020

CONTACT:  Erin Berns at Veterans Memorial Hospital  568-3411

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rapid COVID-19 Testing Will Soon Be Available Locally-

Testing Must Still be Ordered by Medical Provider

Waukon is one of the cities in Iowa that has received the Abbott ID Now instrument for rapid COVID-19 testing from the State of Iowa.  Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon received the machine because testing is not widely available in this area.  This machine will soon be used for testing in long term care facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and residential care facilities within a 30 mile radius of Waukon.  These tests must still be ordered by a provider or the State Epidemiologist.

These tests are designated to be used for high priority specimens requiring rapid result and when action will be taken based on the results in these facilities.  At this time, this machine will not be used for any other reason than testing at the above facilities.  The current COVID-19 tests for people outside of these facilities are still sent to the State of Iowa or Gundersen Health Center for results.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Laboratory staff is trained and ready to do rapid testing by direction from the State of Iowa.

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April 15, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mary Marx, Director of Marketing & Communications

563-387-3020 ● marxm@winmedical.org

WMC acknowledges volunteers during National Volunteer Week

Winneshiek Medical Center’s 100 active volunteers are present in many areas, including the information desk, hospice, Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), Auxiliary Gift Shop, and at special events.  Additionally, volunteers provide hand-crafted items for patients, help with mailings, share their gardening talents and provide for other needs, as requested.

Karla Bakken, volunteer coordinator at WMC, says, “Even during the COVID-19 pandemic when regular volunteer services are paused, our team of volunteers continues to inspire hope through their spirit of giving.  Some are making masks, others helped assemble a gift for staff; still others continue to help with Medicare questions through telephone appointments.”

National Volunteer Week is April 19-25, 2020.  Bakken says, “Although we cannot thank our volunteers in person right now, our circumstances do not diminish our appreciation for them and their selfless work.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities call the Winneshiek Medical Center Volunteer Services department at 563-387-3036.

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Cutline: Volunteers Kate Hovden (left) and Pat Billet (right) volunteer at the Auxiliary Valentine Day sale event.

Five things today: (1) Artist Relief Fund, (2) Farmer Relief Fund, (3) New Small Business Relief Fund, (4) CARES Act Stimulus Check Update, (5) IEDA Grant Update———————————————————————

(1)

The Iowa Arts & Culture Emergency Relief Fund provides short-term financial relief to those in the arts, cultural and creative industries most impacted by state disaster declarations, natural disasters, and other forms of emergencies. It provides one-time funding of $1,000 for eligible Iowa artists and $2,500 for eligible Iowa arts nonprofits. The application for the first round of funding opens today (April 13th, 2020) and closes on Friday (April 17th, 2020). Due to the extent of this public health emergency, grant requests are anticipated to exceed available funding. Should additional funding become available, the application period may reopen. However, applying quickly is highly recommended. Learn more and apply here: https://iowaculture.gov/arts/grants/iowa-arts-emergency-relief-fund

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(2)

American Farmland Trust’s Farmer Relief Fund will award farmers with cash grants of up to $1,000 each to help them weather the current storm of market disruptions caused by the coronavirus crisis. Eligible applicants include any small and mid-size direct-market producers. These are defined as producers with annual gross revenue of between $10,000 and $1 million from sales at farmers markets and/or direct sales to restaurants, caterers, schools, stores, or makers who use farm products as inputs. Learn more and apply here: https://farmland.org/farmer-relief-fund/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=b4dec3c2-c1b8-4aa2-b782-05fe7af2c3b7

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(3)

The Iowa Small Business Relief Fund (this is different than the similarly-named program offered by Iowa Economic Development Authority) is dedicated to helping small business owners impacted by COVID-19 by offering grants ranging from $500-$3,500. Note: businesses can not be recipients of Federal and State small business relief dollars. To be eligible, businesses are required to have 1-7 employees prior to March 17, 2020, be based in Iowa, complete the online application, provide a 3 month P & L statement or bank statements, and provide a 2019 and 2020 Q1 Revenue. Funds can be used for business expenses including rent, insurance, utilities, delivery services, etc. Learn more and apply here: https://www.empowermoney.org/smallbusinessrelief

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(4)

The $1,200 stimulus checks from the CARES Act have started going out to the public. The IRS has stated that people who already have direct deposit information on file from their tax records will receive payments in the coming week. A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said that up to 70 million Americans will be paid by April 15th. For those without direct deposit, paper checks will arrive by mail any time between now and early September. The IRS is going to be launching a new “Get My Payment” tool in mid-April to check your payment status and confirm your payment type (which will allow you to enter your bank account information for direct deposit if you don’t care to wait for a paper check). If you don’t normally file taxes and are curious about how to receive your stimulus money, the IRS has guidance for you in their “Non-Filer” section. You can learn more about everything I’ve said above and watch for updates here: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments

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(5)

Notifications were made last week for recipients of the IEDA Iowa Small Business Relief Grant. All applicants that were awarded a grant have received notification. At this time, all available funds have been expended. If additional funding is allocated, awards will be made from the current pool of applicants. IEDA will not open a new round of applications. You can see more info and view a list of grantees here: https://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/aspx/general/dynamicpage.aspx?id=205

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USDA Announces Loan Maturity for Marketing Assistance Loans

Now Extended to 12 Months

Provides Producers with Marketing Flexibilities Amid COVID-19 Uncertainties

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2020 – Agricultural producers now have more time to repay Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020. The loans now mature at 12 months rather than nine, and this flexibility is available for most commodities.

“Spring is the season when most producers have the biggest need for capital, and many may have or are considering putting commodities under loan. Extending the commodity loan maturity affords farmers more time to market their commodity and repay their loan at a later time,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “We are extremely pleased that USDA can offer these marketing flexibilities at this critical time for the agriculture industry and the nation.”

Effective immediately, producers of eligible commodities now have up to 12 months to repay their commodity loans. The maturity extension applies to nonrecourse loans for crop years 2018, 2019 and 2020. Eligible open loans must in good standing with a maturity date of March 31, 2020, or later or new crop year (2019 or 2020) loans requested by September 30, 2020. All new loans requested by September 30, 2020, will have a maturity date 12 months following the date of approval.

The maturity extension for current, active loans will be automatically extended an additional 3 months. Loans that matured March 31 have already been automatically extended by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Producers who prefer a nine-month loan will need to contact their local FSA county office. Loans requested after September 30, 2020, will have a term of nine months.

Eligible commodities include barley, chickpeas (small and large), corn, cotton (upland and extra-long staple), dry peas, grain sorghum, honey, lentils, mohair, oats, peanuts, rice (long and medium grain), soybeans, unshorn pelts, wheat, wool (graded and nongraded); and other oilseeds, including canola, crambe, flaxseed, mustard seed, rapeseed, safflower, sunflower seed, and sesame seed. Seed cotton and sugar are not eligible.

About MALs

Placing commodities under loan provides producers interim financing to meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low and allows producers to store production for more orderly marketing of commodities throughout the year.

These loans are considered nonrecourse because the commodity is pledged as loan collateral, and producers have the option of delivering the pledged collateral to the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for repayment of the outstanding loan at maturity.

MAL Repayment

Under the new maturity provisions, producers can still repay the loan as they would have before the extension:

• repay the MAL on or before the maturity date;

• upon maturity by delivering or forfeiting the commodity to CCC as loan repayment; or

• after maturity and before CCC acquires the farm-stored commodity by repaying the outstanding MAL principle and interest.

Marketing Loan Gains

A Marketing Loan Gain occurs when a MAL is repaid at less than the loan principal. If market gain is applicable during the now-extended loan period, producers can receive a gain on the repayment made before the loan matures.

For more information on MALs, contact the nearest FSA county office. USDA Service Centers, including FSA county offices, are open for business by phone appointment only, and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with producers by phone and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with the FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other Service Center agency are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Allamakee County Specific COVID-19 Statistics

 Through April 13, 2020

Total Cases to date                                                       23

Cases Requiring Hospitalization                                  5

Deaths due to COVID                                                  1

Recovered/ Off Isolation                                              15

Number of tests sent to State Hygienic Lab ***                   63

Number of negative tests processed at SHL                46

Number of tests pending at SHL                                 0

***We are not able to track the number of negative or pending tests done on Allamakee residents at reference labs such as Gundersen, Mayo, University of Iowa, etc… All positive tests done are reported to IDPH (Iowa Dept. of Public Health) who notifies Allamakee County Public Health to initiate follow up.***

Recommendations for people with illness

DO NOT GO TO WORK IF YOU ARE ILL. REMAIN IN YOUR HOME UNLESS YOU ARE SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION. PLEASE CALL AHEAD IF YOU ARE SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

Stay home and isolate from others in the house until:

• You have had no fever for at least 72 hours (that is 3 full days of no fever without the use of fever reducing medications)
• Other symptoms have improved (for example, when your cough or shortness of breath have improved)
• At least 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

If you think you may need healthcare, call first. Your provider can assess whether you need to be seen in a healthcare facility or you should try to recover at home.

• Remember to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds
• Maintain 6 ft distance between each other

Remember the virus can’t move if you don’t !!

Let’s do what we can to keep Allamakee as safe as possible !!

Fillmore County Seeking Donations for COVID-19 Response

Fillmore County Public Health is now accepting sewn masks, sewn gowns, and sewing materials to address COVID-19 response needs.  The goal is to obtain 5,000 sewn masks and 500 sewn gowns.  Sewing materials accepted include cotton cloth and elastic.  See the Fillmore County Public Health website for a pattern and instructions for making twenty-four masks at a time.  Gown patterns are available on Pinterest or the peek-a-boo Pattern Shop.

Materials are welcome Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM.  Place donations and forms in the gray tote outside of the upper level of the Fillmore County Office Building located at 902 Houston Street NW, Preston, MN  55965.  Please call 507-765-2642 with questions.  Thanks for your help and support!

Fillmore County Public Health

902 Houston Street NW, Suite 2

Preston, MN 55965

Fax:  507-765-2139

Due to COVID-19, the museum will remain closed for the entire month of May. We hope to re-open June 1, but will make that decision at a later time.

Updates will be posted on our website lauraingallswilder.us and also on the answering machine at 563-735-5916.