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Map shows Iowa officials tracking COVID-19 cases by regions

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — State public health officials have drawn up a map that divides the state into six sections. They’re tracking COVID-19 developments in each area and the Iowa Press Citizen obtained the point system being used to determine if or when Governor Reynolds issues a shelter-in-place order. Dr. Caitlin Pedati, the State Medical Director, says a key factor they’re following is the number of outbreaks in nursing homes. “It’s important to keep that in mind because we’ve seen the experiences of other countries and other states,” Pedati says, “and how challenging it can be to care for those populations in those situations.”

Earlier this week, state officials revealed there IS an outbreak at a nursing home in Cedar Rapids, but on Thursday they declined to reveal whether there are outbreaks at other facilities. Other factors state officials are tracking are the percentage of people in each part of the state who’re over the age of 65 and the percentage of Iowans in each of the six zones who’ve been hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19. Governor Kim Reynolds says the analysis helps deploy resources. “We can identify where some of the hotspots (are at. Is it in a region?” Reynolds asks. “So we can focus in and make sure that we are getting the equipment there, we have a workforce, we have the surge capacity in place — so that we don’t overwhelm some of our hospital systems.”

State officials have now released the map showing these ratings to the public. It appears to divide the state based on which major hospitals would treat seriously ill patients in each region.  “As we learn more and we take a look at other assumptions and data that’s available, we’ll continue to monitor the situation,” Reynolds says. The map shows segments of eastern Iowa with a score of seven out of 10. A score of 10 would trigger a shelter-in-place order from the governor. Reynolds said earlier this week she might issue such an order for a region rather than for the entire state.

(Update) Cumberland woman injured in icy road accident

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(In an update our earlier posted and on-air reports) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a woman from Cumberland was injured during a rollover accident this (Friday) morning. Officials say 44-year-old Jennifer Lea Brisky was driving a 2005 Chevy Colorado pickup westbound on Lansing Road near the intersection with 680th Street (or, about half-way between Cumberland and Wiota) at around 6:49-a.m., when the vehicle went out of control due to the icy conditions. The pickup hit an embankment and rolled into the north ditch, where it landed on its top.

Authorities report Brisky was transported to Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic.

World Pork Expo cancelled for the 2nd year in a row

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The World Pork Expo, an event that typically brings 20-thousand people from around the world to central Iowa, is among the latest casualties to coronavirus. Jen Sorenson of Ankeny, president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council board of directors, says the big gathering that was slated for June in Des Moines is being called off due to the pandemic. “We are deeply disappointed that we have to cancel this year’s expo,” Sorenson says. “It was a tough decision by the NPPC board of directors but it was, obviously, the right thing to do in the face of COVID-19.”

It marks two years in a row the expo has been thwarted by disease. The June 2019 edition was cancelled because of fears about African Swine Flu. She says producers will miss the event, but hopefully, it’ll be back in 2021. “Pork Expo is the time to come together, network, get business done, socialize, share ideas, look at the new technology and innovation that’s coming into the industry,” Sorenson says. “For us, as pork producers, it’s business as usual. We’re taking care of our animals on our farms and that’s our big priority right now.”

When it comes to staying ahead of the curve on health issues, Sorenson says pork producers remain proactive, adding, they were practicing social distancing “before it was cool.”  “With our practices to protect our herds when it comes to biosecurity, when it comes to showering in and out of our farms, using that hand sanitizer, disinfecting supplies that come into the farm,” she says, “just a whole gamut of things that we do to protect our herds.”

America’s pork producers take their jobs seriously in being an essential service, Sorenson says, helping keep the food supply chain moving and in good shape.

Key Iowa banks won’t issue stimulus loans without more info

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two of the largest banks in Iowa say they aren’t ready to take applications for the $349 billion small business aid program that began Friday. MidwestOne Bank and Bankers Trust announced late Thursday that they still do not have enough information from the Small Business Administration to proceed. Both indicated they would begin processing applications as soon as they had the answers to key questions. A MidwestOne vice president told customers that banks “do not yet have critical program details” and warned that submitting inaccurate or incorrect applications would delay their aid. Des Moines-based Bankers Trust says it’s disappointed in the lack of guidance and delay.

Audubon & Exira-EHK Schools now closed through April 30th

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Audubon, as well as the Exira-EHK Community School Districts, are following Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Dept. of Education recommendations, to remain closed through April 30th. Audubon Superintendent Eric Trager says parents and students are asked to “Please continue to check your email for schoolwork suggestions from teachers.” The administration says they “Are currently working on our plan for the Department of Ed to abide by their rules.”

Exira-EHK Superintendent Trevor Miller says “Exira-EHK teachers have been working hard to provide information for our students the past three weeks. Our administrative team will be meeting with the DLT team to discuss what continuous learning will look like for our students. Details about our plans will be released next week, with a target to begin online instruction for students PK-12 starting the week of April 13th. Stay tuned for more info in the next few days and STAY SAFE!”

Other districts are expected to announce in the coming days, their plans to follow the Governor and Iowa DOE recommendations.

Iowa prison inmates now making hand sanitizer & PPE for $1 an hour

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Dozens of Iowa prison inmates are working to expand the state’s stockpiles of personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer. According to the Department of Corrections, about 75 men and women in state prisons are making thousands of fabric masks and gowns, with plans to expand to face shields. D-O-C spokesman Cord Overton says the inmates are working “virtually around the clock.” “We want to make sure we can take care of those that are actually producing these products and make sure that we have the products that we need for our own safety,” Overton says, “and then we’ll be shifting all of that supply to go out to the rest of the state of Iowa through state Homeland Security and Emergency Management.”

Once the department’s needs are met, supplies will go to the state stockpile, to be distributed to county emergency managers as needed. “And then the shipments all will be all going to the state stockpile, to be distributed across the state to those areas that need it, whether it be hospitals or first responders,” Overton says.

The inmates are being paid between a dollar and a dollar-25 an hour. Health care providers in Iowa are being directed to re-use P-P-E in certain cases, due to shortages.

(Reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 04/03/20

News, Podcasts

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Firefighter injured battling downtown blaze in Fort Dodge

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

FORT DODGE, Iowa (The Messenger) — One firefighter was injured and apartment residents were forced from their homes by a fire that heavily damaged one building and damaged an adjacent structure in downtown Fort Dodge. The fire at the two-story brick building was reported around 9:55 a.m. Thursday. The Messenger reports that fire crews soon determined that flames from that building were entering windows in the adjacent three-story structure with apartments, so they took hoses into both. The smaller building eventually was declared a total loss. Officials say the adjacent building was damaged but saved. The injured firefighter was treated at a hospital and released.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & Funeral report, 4/3/20

News, Podcasts

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Single-vehicle accident w/injuries Friday morning in eastern Cass Co.

News

April 3rd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Cumberland & Massena Rescue along with Medivac Ambulance were dispatched this morning, to a single-vehicle accident with injuries. The incident at 680th and Lansing Road (About 1/2 way between Wiota & Cumberland), was reported at 6:49-a.m.  The female driver of a pickup complained of pain, after the vehicle she was driving slid off the road and hit an embankment. No other details were immediately available.