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Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., 8/12/20

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August 12th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:15 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Hundreds of thousands across the Midwest remained without electricity after a powerful storm packing 100 mph winds battered the region. Monday’s storms caused widespread property and crop damage, and the deaths of at least two people in Indiana and Iowa. The storm known as a derecho tore from eastern Nebraska across Iowa and parts of Wisconsin and Illinois. In Iowa, three mobile coronavirus testing sites were temporarily closed after suffering storm damage. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said early estimates indicate 10 million acres have been damaged in the nation’s top corn producing state.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a woman killed after the bicycle she was riding was hit by a car in Waterloo earlier this week. The Courier reports that 18-year-old Nicole Kulaszewski, of Waterloo, died Sunday at an Iowa City hospital, hours after the crash. Investigators say Kulaszewski was heading home on the bike from a friend’s house around 2 a.m. Sunday. Police say she was traveling against traffic in the eastbound lanes of Broadway Street when a car driven by a 26-year-old Waterloo woman hit her. The driver pulled over and called 911. She told police she didn’t see Kulaszewski before she hit her.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say an off-duty Iowa sheriff’s deputy has died in an accidental shooting. The Ottumwa Police Department said in a news release that officers responded Tuesday morning and found that 35-year-old Brian Rainey had sustained a gunshot wound to his torso. WHO-TV reports that the deputy with the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office died from his injuries. Police say the firearm was discharged accidentally.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — One of eastern Iowa’s largest employers has revealed it plans to lay off 72 workers at its Cedar Rapids plant. The company, which manufactures aviation and military equipment, had announced on July 30 that it would lay off workers, but declined to say how many. The Gazette reported Monday that it revealed the number in a recent notice to Iowa Workforce Development. The cuts come amid declining sales numbers during the global coronavirus outbreak. Collins Aerospace President Stephen Timm says the cuts primarily affect Collins Aerospace’s commercial business functions.