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(Radio Iowa) – Three inmates at the Woodbury County Jail have tested positive for COVID-19. Sheriff Dave Drew says the inmates were asymptomatic and were discovered in a routine test.
He says they were doing tests for inmates that were being sent back to the state prison system and found the three positives. They then decided to test everyone in the jail. The jail has around 145 inmates. Drew praised the jail staff for the work they have done to try and prevent the coronavirus from spreading. He says staff are constantly cleaning, as are the inmates to try and prevent the virus from getting into the jail.
Chief Deputy Tony Wingert says they also screen new inmates when they come to the jail. “As new inmates come in, we have a protocol that they are isolated, the nurses are giving them questionnaires. They are having their temperature taken and if they show no signs after a couple of days they are moved into the general population,” he says. Wingert says two jail staff members have also tested positive for COVID-19. One was two weeks ago and one ten days ago and both were also asymptomatic.
The three inmates are in an isolation wing of the jail.
(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved the latest version of the five-year road improvement plant. The pandemic has created some uncertainty about the state funding sources — but D-O-T planner Stuart Anderson says the commission adjusted. “The forecasts that commission used were all done pre COVID-19, and in discussions with the commission they decided continue using those forecasts for the development of this program,” according to Anderson.
This is a five-year program and hopefully those impacts of COVID-19 don’t extend a real long period in that five-year program.” Anderson says the Transportation Commission has for the last several years used a stewardship approach in setting projects. “Which really means putting more money into rebuilding and repairing existing roads and bridges. Doing more modernization improvements along existing infrastructure,” Anderson says.
New additions to the program this year include six-lane improvements on I-35 in Polk and Story Counties, I-74 Mississippi River Bridge replacement in Bettendorf, I-80/380 Interchange reconstruction near Iowa City, six-lane improvements on I-80 in Dallas and Johnson Counties, I-80 Mississippi River Bridge replacement in Scott County, I-380/Tower Terrace interchange construction in Hiawatha, and the interstate system reconstruction in Council Bluffs. He says they also added work to increase the resiliency of Iowa Highway 2 in southwest Iowa along the Missouri River to increase the elevation for the area that has seen a lot of flooding.
Anderson says the amount of money spent on the road plan has stayed pretty stable. He says it was three-point-five billion last year and this year it is three-point-six billion. “The state funding is relatively flat. We of course have the fuel tax increase in 2015, which provided a big bump in funding.” You can see the complete plan on the Iowa D-O-T’s website (https://iowadot.gov/program_management/Five-Year-Program)
The Iowa Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard today (Wednesday), shows seven people have died from the virus over the past 24-hours, for a total of 629. Of the 202, 594 tests that have been completed, 22, 454 Iowans tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of 253 since Tuesday. Those who have tested Negative number 178,698.. The number of Iowans who have recovered from the virus continues to improve, at 13,532, as compared to 13,277 on Tuesday. 245 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID-19, 73 are in an ICU, 20 were admitted over the past 24-hours, and 49 were on ventilators. With the exception of new hospital admissions, the rest of the numbers are all down from yesterday.
Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are down to 38. The number of LTC staff/patient testing positive for COVID-19 is down 107 to 1,457. Those who have recovered amount to 796, and 312 have died at LTC facilities, which is an increase of 3 since Tuesday.
In RMCC Region 4 (southwest/western IA): 6 people are hospitalized, 2 are in an ICU, none were admitted to the hospital Tuesday, and 2 are on ventilators. Those stats are also down from Tuesday. Here’s the latest county-by-county breakdown, with the number of positive cases, and (The number recovered):
(Radio Iowa) — The pandemic is causing critical shortages for the sole supplier of blood and blood products to more than 120 hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Claire DeRoin, spokeswoman for LifeServe Blood Center, says they urgently need help making up for the thousands of blood donations lost due to COVID-19-related cancellations. “We have seen more than 500 blood drives cancel,” DeRoin says. “That’s due to factors like it’s a school and the students weren’t there, or it’s a business where the people are working remotely.”
The loss of 500-plus blood drives translates to missing out on more than 13,000 blood donations. As we approach the summer season, the demand for blood typically increases as more people are traveling and taking part in outdoor activities, elevating the possibility for accidents and injuries. “Since hospitals are also ramping back up their elective surgeries, that need for blood is rising in that aspect as well,” DeRoin says. “Quite a few of our blood types are either in the ‘critical’ or ‘urgent’ need this week, which is not great. We would love to have a five-day supply of every blood type on our shelves at all times but some of them are dwindling below two.”
Walk-in blood donors are -not- being taken due to the pandemic, but people are very much encouraged to call and make an appointment to donate blood. “If you are eligible to donate or if you’ve never given it a try, now is an excellent time to do so,” DeRoin says. “We have donor centers in Des Moines, Urbandale, Ames, Mason City, Marshalltown, Sioux City and Fort Dodge, so we have a lot of donor centers around the state. We’re also looking for folks to host a blood drive.”
Organizations, businesses, churches and community groups that have a space and can provide donors are urged to contact LifeServe to set up a blood drive — which is free. Learn more by calling 800-287-4903 or visit www.lifeservebloodcenter.org.
Storms blowing through Nebraska and Iowa Tuesday night, packed winds of up to 70 mph and heavy rain. No serious damage or injuries was reported as of this morning. The National Weather Service says a trained storm spotter recorded an estimated 60-mph gust of wind two-miles southeast of Glenwood at around 8:45-p.m. Elsewhere:
11:56-p.m.: Large willow tree blown over three-miles west of Magnolia in Harrison County.
10:33-p.m.: 56 mph wind gust 3 miles S/SE of Harlan in Shelby County.
9:37-p.m.: A trained spotter reported 65-to 70-mph winds in Griswold.
9:16-p.m. 60 mph wind recorded six-miles E/SE of Henderson, in Montgomery County.
Today: Mostly cloudy & windy w/scattered showers and thunderstorms. High 71. NW @ 20-40.**Flash Flood Watch in effect until 1-p.m.**
Tonight: Becoming mostly clear w/diminishing winds. Low 53.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny. High 80. NW @ 10-15.
Friday: P/Cldy. High 84.
Saturday: P/Cldy. High 80.
Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 89. Our Low this morning, 58. Rainfall thru 5-a.m. amounted to .55″. Last year on this date the High was 80 and the Low was 50. The Record High on June 10th was 104 in 1933 and the Record Low was 40 in 1966.
A traffic stop at around 8:40-p.m. Tuesday in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest on an OWI/1st offense charge, of 30-year old Holly Irene Gross, from Red Oak. Gross was booked into the Montgomery County Jail and held on an undefined cash bond.
(Radio Iowa) — A-A-R-P’s state director says it’s time to revisit the model of elder care in Iowa. Brad Anderson says surveys consistently show older Iowans would prefer to stay at home rather than enter a nursing home — yet Iowa has among the highest rates of people with low-care needs in nursing homes.
“There are a lot of people in nursing homes right now that could get that care or better at home, which is where they want to be,” Anderson says. “COVID-19 is a wake-up call to this industry and the time has come to start having those conversations at the federal level and at the state level.” A spokesman for the industry says federal standards forbid people from being admitted to nursing homes unless they have a need for skilled care. A-A-R-P urges policymakers to consider shifting spending to in-home and community-based services.
Anderson also says it’s time to ensure the 55-thousand Iowans who care for elderly Iowans are properly compensated for their work. “The median age for a direct care worker right now is $13.80,” Anderson says. “$13.80 is not enough money for the type of work these folks are doing.” The state website indicates there are COVID-19 outbreaks in 39 Iowa nursing homes. Anderson says the employees and the 23-thousand Iowans who live in nursing homes need to be tested regularly for COVID-19, to guard against outbreaks.
“It is incredibly sad what is happening in nursing homes today and we have to do better,” Anderson says. “The virus in nursing homes is just like a prairie fire that is blazing across a dry prairie and we need to do everything we can to stop that fire.” Anderson made his comments recently during an appearance on Iowa P-B-S. State officials have reported 309 residents have died of COVID-19. That accounts for nearly half of the virus-related deaths in Iowa this year.
Baseball players counter … Taiwan baseball trailblazing … Olympic committee on protests
NEW YORK (AP) — A pair of people familiar with the negotiations tell The Associated Press that baseball players moved toward teams but remained far apart on the economics of starting the pandemic-delayed season, adamant they receive full prorated salaries while offering to cut the regular season to 89 games. MLB did not appear to view the proposal as productive but made no comment. Players made their move one day after management cut its proposed schedule from 82 games to 76.
NEW TAIPEI CITY, Taiwan (AP) — The Taiwan baseball league is continuing as a trailblazer for sports resuming after the lockdown in the coronavirus pandemic. An easing of restrictions by the government last weekend allows more fans at the ballparks and allows them to sit closer together while they’re supporting their teams in the Taiwan-based CPBL. Spectators are only required to wear face masks when they’re not in their seats and ball parks can operate up to 50% capacity.
DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is creating an athlete group that will look into loosening restrictions on protests at the games. CEO Sarah Hirshland tweeted the plans for a new group, which is being formed in response to George Floyd’s death last month. The USOPC put out a statement last week signaling its solidarity with black athletes. But the federation received blowback from several athletes, most notably hammer thrower Gwen Berry. Berry is serving a 12-month probation for raising her fist on the medals stand at the Pan-Am Games last summer.
UNDATED (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have an NBA championship to defend, a very long stay at the Disney complex awaiting them and plenty of unanswered questions on how the restart of the season will work. As the NBA’s lone Canadian team, there’s an added complexity: The U.S. border. The Raptors are still deciding whether to have workouts before going to Disney, and where those workouts would take place.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration has ordered closed a small stock-car track that’s allowed large crowds to gather repeatedly for weekend races well above COVID-19 limits for mass gatherings. Cooper’s health secretary says Ace Speedway in Alamance County is an “imminent hazard” for the virus’ spread and can’t reopen unless it creates a safety plan to keep fans away. Media outlets have reported crowds at the speedway exceeding 2,000 people.
UNDATED (AP) — The familiar scene of Confederate flags waved by fans at NASCAR tracks could soon be a relic of racing’s good ol’ boy roots. Bubba Wallace — the lone black driver in the sport — this week declared it is time for the stock car series with deep ties to the South to ban the flag at its properties and formally distance itself from what for millions is a unwelcome symbol of slavery and racism. The signs are everywhere that NASCAR could do so. The series in 2015 asked fans to “refrain from displaying” the flag at its facilities and events.
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