Good morning, Oelwein area readers. Today is Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, and here are some local news updates.

1. WEATHER — Today’s National Weather Service forecast includes increasing clouds, with a high near 70 and south winds of 15 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Tonight there is an 80% chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 a.m. Low around 53 with south winds of 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

(Extended Forecast)

2. DUO FROM OHS CHOSEN FOR HONOR BAND

Oelwein High School band members Amera Schoultz (alto saxophone) and Leo Dettbarn (bari saxophone) have been selected for the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Associatio district high school honor band. Students are nominated by band directors and selected by a panel of educators who take into consideration their participation in All-State Auditions, previous accomplishments, and solo/private study.

The 2022 NEIBA Honor Band Festival will be Saturday, Dec. 3, at Oelwein High School. The guest conductors for 2022 are Amanda Kaus, of Rochester Century High School and Jennifer Williams, of Ankeny High School.

At the festival, students selected from around 60 schools across Northeast Iowa will be placed into two identical 125-member concert bands assembled at the festival — the King Band and the Sousa Band.

3. EARLY VOTING FOR NOV. 8 ELECTION CONTINUES

As of Tuesday afternoon, roughly 1,700 ballots had been cast early in Fayette County for the Nov. 8 general election, according to the County Auditor’s Office. Ballots can be cast in person at the Auditor’s Office in the county courthouse in West Union from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, as well as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

(Click here for the weekly update)

4. COVID-19 STILL HERE

In the seven days ending Tuesday, the state has received reports of 2,382 positive COVID-19 tests, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health’s weekly update on the novel coronavirus. Nineteen of those were in Fayette County. Of adjacent counties, Black Hawk reported 126 followed by Clayton (49), Chickasaw (17), Winneshiek (12), Bremer (11), Buchanan (11), Allamakee (10) and Delaware (10).

The state death toll since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 is 10,207, according to the IDPH’s update. Eighty-four of those have been in Fayette County. The death counts in adjacent counties are Black Hawk 507, Bremer 85, Clayton 78, Delaware 69, Buchanan 65, Allamakee 63, Winneshiek 55, and Chickasaw 34.