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Family of 4th dead worker sues Tyson over Waterloo outbreak

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — The family of a fourth worker who died of coronavirus during an outbreak at Tyson Foods’ largest pork processing plant is suing the company over his death.The lawsuit says Isidro Fernandez of Waterloo, Iowa died April 26 from complications of COVID-19, leaving behind a wife and children. The case was filed last week and is similar to one brought in June by the same lawyers on behalf of the estates of three other deceased Waterloo workers.

The lawsuits allege Tyson put employees at risk by downplaying concerns and covering up the outbreak in order to keep them on the job. Tyson says the deaths are tragic but that it vigorously disputes claims fo wrongdoing.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 8/10/20

News, Podcasts

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

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

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Most of Iowa under a severe storm threat today

News, Weather

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Severe Storms Prediction Center in Norman, OK., has placed most of Iowa under risk for severe storms today. Atlantic, Carroll, Creston and Council Bluffs, have a slight risk of severe weather. Eastern Iowa (Dubuque, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Burlington) are under a moderate risk. The greatest threat appears to be strong winds and hail for our area, and a slight risk for tornadoes in eastern Iowa.  Stay tuned to KJAN for any severe weather developments. There are currently NO watches or warnings in effect for the immediate listening area, but a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 11-a.m. today for northwest Iowa, including Monona County.

Stuart firefighters battle garage fire

News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Firefighters from Stuart responded at approximately 10:30-a.m. Saturday, to a structure fire just south of town. In a social media post, fire officials said “Upon arrival we found a fully involved garage fire that had spread to the attic. A quick knock down on the garage was completed and the roof ventilated. Crews from Menlo and Dexter fire assisted in bringing the attic fire under control. Stuart Rescue was on scene and provided firefighter rehab and aid to any patients.”

Photos courtesy the Stuart Fire Dept. Facebook page

Officials said also, they “Very much appreciate their help and the assistance of law enforcement for traffic control. All crews returned safely.”

Two arrests in Creston

News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Creston Police Department reports two arrests: 38-year old Benjaman Hunsucker, of Creston, was arrested today (Monday) at around 2:37-a.m.  He was taken into custody on a charge of Violation of a Protection Order. Hunsucker was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing. And, Friday morning, 26-year old Austin Jones, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County Warrant for Burglary 1st Degree. Jones was released from the Union County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & Funeral report, 8/10/20

News, Podcasts

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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CAM School Board to meet this evening (8/10)

News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The CAM School Board will meet in a regular session 6:30-p.m. today (Monday), in Anita. The meeting takes place in the CAM High School Superintendent’s Office. On the agenda, in addition to any personnel matters, is discussion and/or action on: approving an Athletic Trainer Agreement; Approving a 2006 School Bus Bid; an Elementary Vocal Sharing Agreement with Nodaway Valley, and various Board Policies/updates with regard to Public Emergencies and School Bus Safety instructions.

The CAM School Board will also hear an update on the District’s Return to Learn plan, and High School handbook-graduation requirements.

Eastern Iowa colleges ready to return with mix of online and in-person classes

News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — As grade school leaders debate how classes will be held this fall, higher education will continue in eastern Iowa with a mix of in-person and virtual classes. Don Doucette, chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, expects about one-third of students to take classes face-to-face.  “We’re also offering courses on campus, especially those that require on-campus hands-on training, laboratories, things like that, but others as well,” Doucette says. “We know that some students learn and need to learn with in-person instruction.”

Students at the community college campuses in Clinton, Muscatine and Scott counties will be asked to follow C-D-C recommendations for COVID-19.  “Our classrooms have been socially distanced with reduced capacity in all of those classes, all kinds of plexiglass shields for front-line staff, disinfectants and hand sanitizer all over the place,” Doucette says. “Everybody picks up a wipe on the way into a class and wipes down their desk.” Craig DeVrieze, at Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, says classes will start a week early on August 17th, and they’ll be in the hybrid format. “Half of the students will take a class on a Monday in-person and then the other half will be observing online. Then, the following day, they will switch places,” DeVrieze says. “That will help us achieve the social distancing that we need in order to stay safe.”

Students at Saint Ambrose, where the school mascot is the Fighting Bees, are being asked to commit to the “Bee Safe, Bee Responsible” promise, to follow C-D-C guidelines.  “We make available to students an opportunity to learn strictly online, to stay home and take advantage of as many of our online offerings as they can,” DeVrieze says. “We hope the students who don’t feel like they want to come on campus will take advantage of that and work to complete their degree.”

Doucette and DeVrieze say enrollments at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and Saint Ambrose are steady to slightly higher compared to a year ago.

Iowa COVID-19 update 8/10/2020: New cases in 3 area counties

News

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

As of 10-a.m. today (Monday) morning, the IDPH Coronavirus dashboard shows one new, confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in Cass, Adair and Shelby Counties since Sunday, for a total of 74 in Cass County, 30 in Adair County and 184 in Shelby County. From 10-a.m. Friday through early today, there have been 23 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Cass County. Fortunately, there have been no new reports of deaths associated with COVID-19, in our immediate listening area. The highest percentage of positive cases in Cass County (45%) are persons in the 18 to 40 age bracket.  64-percent of those who tested positive were symptomatic. In Adair County, 48% of positive cases are in the 18-40 age group. In Shelby County, 34% of the 18-to 40 age group tested positive. The genders in all three counties are almost evenly split: 50% male, 49% female.

Statewide, one more person died from COVID-19 from 10-a.m. Sunday through today (Monday), for a total of 931. The DPH confirmed 268 additional COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Iowa’s reported positivity rate is 9.4% compared to 6.8% Sunday. Of the state’s confirmed cases, 37,247 Iowans recovered. Long-Term Care facility deaths account for 498 of the 931.  Iowa DPH reports 224 hospitalizations, of which 57 patients are in intensive care. The Iowa DPH said hospitals admitted 26 new COVID-19 patients in the past 24 hours compared to 32 on Sunday. 23 people were on a ventilator.

Southwest/Western Iowa hospitals are reporting a total of 14 patients, 5 are in an ICU, 0 were admitted since 10-a.m. Sunday, and there was one person on a ventilator.  Long-Term Care facility outbreaks are down one to 25. At those facilities, 804 patients/staff tested positive for COVID-19, and 425 have recovered from the virus.

The IDPH Dashboard current County/Positive Case count/reported recoveries (   ), and the number of deaths to date (if any)  {    }:

  • Cass: 74 (43)  {1}
  • Adair: 30  (19)
  • Adams: 16 (10)
  • Audubon: 28 (17) {1}
  • Guthrie: 132 (97) {5}
  • Montgomery: 59 (35) {4}
  • Pottawattamie: 1,325 (943) {26}
  • Shelby: 184 (155) {1}

Elsewhere in western/s.w. Iowa here are the current number of positive cases/recoveries; deaths  (N/A= No data available):

  • 109/82  in Harrison County; 1
  • 89/52 in Mills County; N/A
  • 77/42 in Union County; 1
  • 121/64 in Madison County; 2
  • 728/681 in Crawford County; 3
  • 192/163 in Carroll County; 1
  • 94/70  in Page County; N/A

Temporary seating for ‘Field of Dreams’ game being removed

News, Sports

August 10th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The stadium seating Major League Baseball set up at the field it built near the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville is coming down – for now. Last week, crews began removing the temporary stands that had been installed for an August 13th match-up between the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. Last week, Major League Baseball announced the game will be postponed until 2021. Roman Weinberg, manager of The Field of Dreams Movie Site, says they knew rescheduling the game was a possibility since the pandemic began in early March.

Weinberg says the plan is to rebuild the stadium, starting next spring, for next year’s game.

Murray Cook of BrightView, the company Major League Baseball hired for the stadium work, told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald much of what was used to construct the stadium was rented and it’d be too expensive to keep it all intact until next year. Meanwhile, in downtown Dyersville, a new museum honoring the Field of Dreams has just opened. It’s called the “If You Build It Exhibit” and highlights the making of the 1989 film. Weinberg was on hand for the museum’s ribbon cutting.

A mural on the side of the building featuring the Ghostplayers coming out of the corn. The Field of Dreams movie is based on the 1982 book “Shoeless Joe” and the field constructed outside of Dyersville for the filming of the movie has been maintained as a tourist attraction.