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Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, 11/20/20

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November 20th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods has suspended top officials at its largest pork plant and launched an investigation into allegations that they bet on how many workers would get infected during a widespread coronavirus outbreak. Tyson Foods President and CEO Dean Banks said Thursday that he was “extremely upset” about the allegations against managers at its plant in Waterloo, Iowa, saying they do not represent the company’s values. He says the Arkansas-based company has retained the law firm of Covington & Burling LLP to conduct an investigation, which will be led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He says if the claims are confirmed, “we’ll take all measures necessary to root out and remove this disturbing behavior from our company.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will provide $14 million in federal funds to Iowa’s long-term care centers to help them manage new outbreaks of the coronavirus at the facilities. The federal virus relief money announced Thursday will pay for additional testing and staffing at the long-term care center. It comes at a time when Reynolds says another 20 facilities are dealing with outbreaks. That means about a quarter of the state’s care homes now have outbreaks. Reynolds also announced that statewide television, radio and print advertisements are launching that are aimed at encouraging people to take steps to slow the spread if the virus, such as wearing a mask, social distancing and washing hands.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa State Board of Education has adopted new rules that limit district on how and when seclusion rooms are used to discipline students. The Des Moines Register reports that the board voted unanimously Wednesday to limit educators to using seclusion and restraint of students as a last resort and only when there’s a threat of bodily injury. The new rules also require schools to notify parents of the use of seclusion and restraint as soon as possible and to use rooms at least 7×8 feet. Schools have five years to implement the new size requirements. The change comes after years of criticism and pushback on use of the rooms. In 2017, the Iowa Department of Education determined that the Iowa City Community School District improperly used the rooms for minor infractions.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a woman who was shot and killed Saturday in Waterloo. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that police identified the victim as 27-year-old Jada Young-Mills. The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies who heard gunshots in the area found Young-Mills with one gunshot wound inside a residence shortly after midnight. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. Police arrested 36-year-old Lasondra Annette Johnson, of Waterloo, on a charge of first-degree murder in the shooting. She is currently being held in the Black Hawk County Jail on a $1 million bond.