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UPDATED: 166 Columbus Junction pork plant employees test positive for COVID-19

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says the full extent of the COVID-19 outbreak among employees at the Tyson meat packing plant in Columbus Junction isn’t yet known, but so far 166 employees at the plant have tested positive for the virus. Test results processed between Sunday and Monday alone indicated 86 workers have the virus. Reynolds says another 80 positive test results are from last week in Louisa and surrounding counties.

The plant processes pork and was closed April 6th after the first batches of test results shows more than two dozen employees had COVID-19.

The governor says state officials have secured extra testing supplies for the plant, which employs about 14-hundred people. Opening the pork plant back up will require extensive testing, according to governor. Reynolds has also communicated with managers of the beef plant in Tama that has closed after several employees tested positive for OCVID-19. Reynolds says getting these plants back up is critical to farmers and the food supply chain.

Reynolds says the companies that operate the plants in Columbus Junction and Tama have indicated they’ll have enough face masks and face shields for employees once they reopen.

Audit: More than $42K not deposited into Iowa town’s account

News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A newly-released report by the Iowa State Auditor says a former Buffalo city employee failed to deposit more than $42,000 in collections over a three-year period into the city’s bank account. The audit says the special investigation was prompted by a request from Buffalo city officials who had concerns about transactions processed by the former Deputy City Clerk Riki Harrington.

The audit found $42,390 in undeposited collections from April 2015 through August 2018. That amount included $28,039.42 of checks substituted for cash collections recorded in the city’s accounting system but not deposited, as well as $5,079 in utility customers’ payments and $3,600 in utility security fees not deposited.

DOT director says road work will go on

News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The head of the Iowa Department of Transportation says they are moving ahead with road construction projects as the weather allows. Director Scott Marler told the Transportation Commission Monday that he’s been talking with the asphalt and concrete companies and engineers. “We had a meeting with these folks to make sure that our road construction program is continuing, and we assured them that is our intent,” Marler says. He says traffic volume is down with the coronavirus emergency orders in place, and they are looking at how that can help them. “We’ve been talking about how to take advantage of the lower traffic volumes to do lane closures more efficiently,” he says. Marler says more than 70 percent of D-O-T employees are telecommuting.

“Essentially we are open for business and we are continuing to get our work done and develop our projects and prepare for lettings,” according to Marler. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson gave the Transportation Commission an update on the federal recovery funds. “Transit agencies and intercity bus carriers that serve rural communities in Iowa are being allocated over 107 million dollars,” Anderson says. “Some of that flows directly to the larger transit agencies, other portions of that funding flows through the Iowa D-O-T and on to public transit agencies,” Anderson says. He says the funding will help the systems that have been hit by a drop in riders since the coronavirus outbreak.

“That funding is very flexible and is 100 percent federal funding and is available until expended. We will be working very closely with the transit agencies to get that money to work,” he says. Anderson says airports in the state will also be getting some relief funds. “We do expect the Federal Aviation Administration later this week to announce how much is being allocated to each individual airport — so we should have the information in just a matter of days,” according to Anderson. Anderson says the aviation funding will go directly from the F-A-A to the airports.

Iowa senators call for USDA to help ethanol industry as fuel prices fall

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa ethanol producers are struggling as fuel demand is dropping with so many Americans staying home during the pandemic. Both of Iowa’s U-S senators are calling on the U-S-D-A to provide aid for ethanol producers before more plants shut down. Senator Chuck Grassley says the two-point-two trillion dollar CARES Act that passed Congress nearly three weeks ago was designed to keep all sorts of businesses afloat. “The effort at the time we passed the CARES Act was to bring equity to the ethanol industry like what the petroleum industry was hoping to get done,” Grassley says. “Nothing went through for the petroleum industry so we didn’t get anything for the ethanol industry.”

An official with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says production has fallen by about half and at least seven ethanol plants and two biodiesel plants have closed. Grassley says there are several financial avenues he’s pursuing to keep biofuels plants open. “I tried to get money for the ethanol industry through their feedstock, subsizing their feedstock,” Grassley says.

Iowa is the nation’s number-one ethanol and biodiesel producer with about half of the state’s corn crop devoted to ethanol each year. Grassley says Congress has pumped an additional 25-billion dollars into the Commodity Credit Corporation due to the impact COVID-19 is having on corn prices. “There’s also money available for infrastructure for filling stations to get in E-15 pumps,” Grassley says. “We’re working to get that program operational.”

One report estimates ethanol demand could fall by eight-billion gallons due to coronavirus. Senator Joni Ernst tweeted on Monday night: “The decrease in fuel consumption during #COVID19 has left biofuels facilities little choice but to idle production or close completely. Keeping these plants open is vital for Iowa’s economy.”

Former Royals, Cubs manager Jim Frey dies at age 88

Sports

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) — Former big league manager Jim Frey has died at age 88. Frey managed the Kansas City Royals to the 1980 AL pennant and the Chicago Cubs to within one win of the 1984 World Series. Frey became friends in high school with future big league Don Zimmer, then spent 14 years in the minor leagues without reaching the majors. His 1980 Royals swept the Yankees in the ALCS, then lost to Philadelphia in a six-game World Series. His Cubs wasted a 2-0 lead against San Diego in the 1984 NLCS.

FILE – In this Oct. 9, 1980, file photo, Kansas City Royals manager Jim Frey, center, leads some of his charges off the field at Royals Stadium after the home team defeated the Yankees 3-2 in Game 2 of the American League Playoff Series in Kansas City. Frey, who managed the Kansas City Royals to the 1980 AL pennant and the Chicago Cubs to within one win of the 1984 World Series, has died. He was 88. Frey died Sunday, April 12, 2020, at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, according to the Atlantic League’s Somerset Patriots, the minor league team he had been affiliated with since its launch in 1998. (AP Photo/File)

Outbreaks at Iowa care centers grow, infecting more than 200

News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — More than 200 residents and employees have tested positive for the coronavirus in a growing number of outbreaks at Iowa long-term care facilities. New statistics released Tuesday by the Iowa Department of Public Health show that the number of state-confirmed outbreaks at those facilities has doubled to six since last week. The agency defines an outbreak as one in which at least three residents test positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. The new outbreaks include 22 cases at a rehabilitation center for the disabled in Ankeny; six at a Des Moines nursing home specializing in dementia care; and six at a Lutheran retirement home in Waverly.

Iowa COVID-19 update (4/14/20)

News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Governor Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday), updated the latest COVID-19 numbers. She said there were 189 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases. Zero new counties reporting positive cases, for a total of 1,899. There are 481 Negative test result cases, for a total of 17,467.

The governor said 86, or nearly half of the new cases, were related to the outbreak at the Tyson Foods plant in Columbus Junction. The State Hygienic Lab has the capability to test 3,415 patients. 163 patients are hospitalized, 790 are recovering, for a total recovery rate of 42%. Six new deaths have been reported since Monday, for a statewide total of 49.

US DOT awards FAA grants to Atlantic & other Iowa airports

News

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced today (Tuesday), that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $70,467,304 in airport aid to 79 airports in Iowa to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The historic grant funding is part of the Trump Administration’s newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program, an effort to provide unprecedented and immediate relief to American families, workers, and businesses. 

Locally, some of the airports receiving funding include (but are not limited to):

  • Atlantic, $30,000.
  • Audubon, $1,000.
  • Carroll (Arthur N. Neu, $30,000
  • Clarinda (Schenck Field), $30,000.
  • Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, $69,000.
  • Greenfield Municipal Airport, $30,000

The funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.

 

View a list of Iowa airports receiving funding on an interactive map, along with funding for all U.S. airports on FAA’s website.

MELVIN RAY DURST, 92, of Guthrie Center ( Private graveside svcs.)

Obituaries

April 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

MELVIN RAY DURST, 92, of Guthrie Center, died Sunday, April 12th, at home. Private family graveside services are planned for MELVIN DURST. Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center has the arrangements.

There is no visitation.

Burial is in the Union Cemetery at Guthrie Center.

MELVIN DURST is survived by:

His wife – Thelma, of Guthrie Center.

His sons – Tony (Leandra) Durst, and Alex (Kim) Durst, all of Guthrie Center.

4 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

Governor Reynolds’ Tuesday press briefing 04/14/2020

News

April 14th, 2020 by admin

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Tuesday press briefing on COVID-19. We will plan to have live audio on KJAN as well at about 11:00 a.m.