(Radio Iowa) – Schools in Iowa are getting a federal grant of more than 71-million dollars to help address costs related to the pandemic. Iowa Department of Education director Ann Lebo says the money comes at a critical time:
Schools will have until the close of business Monday to apply. Lebo says every one of Iowa’s 327 school districts will get a piece of the pie for programs ranging from online learning to mental health services.
State health officials now say 58-percent of the workers at the Tyson Foods plant in Perry have tested positive for the virus, the highest reported level of any Iowa employer. The company had previously refused to reveal data about the infection rate among employees.
Governor Reynolds today (Tuesday) announced 408 new coronavirus cases in Iowa. She says the recent spike is due to expanded testing. Lab results through 10 a.m. Monday had confirmed a total of over 10-thousand cases of COVID-19 in Iowa since testing began in March.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (May 5, 2020) — Hy-Vee, Inc. announces that effective Wednesday it will limit meat purchases at all of its locations. In a statement on their corporate website, officials with the grocery chain said:
“We continue to work with industry leaders so we are prepared for any possible fluctuations in product and can best serve our customers. At Hy-Vee, we have product available at our stores but due to worker shortages at plants as well as an increase in meat sales, customers may not find the specific items they are looking for. Because of this, we are going to put a limit on customer purchases in the meat department. Effective Wednesday, May 6, each customer will be limited to four packages of a combination of fresh beef, ground beef, pork and chicken when they checkout at all Hy-Vee locations.”
CRESTON, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources say that at around 5-p.m. on April 28th, a bystander called 911 after noticing a capsized raft with a family of four on Green Valley Lake, near Creston. All four members of the family were wearing Personal Flotation Devices, also known as life jackets, but were struggling outside of the buoys of the beach area. At the time, strong winds gusting to over 35mph, cold water temperatures and inexperience made for an exhausting effort by the family.
The two adults and two children were able to swim to shore. Rescue personnel from the Creston’s Greater Regional Medical Center, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources met the family at the shore and provided immediate medical attention. All four family members’ lives were saved in part to their personal flotation devices.
The Iowa DNR stresses the importance of wearing PFD’s, no matter the circumstances and no matter the skill of the person. Iowa law requires all children 13 years or younger to wear an approved PFD while in a vessel on Iowa waters, unless below deck in an enclosed cabin, or on a commercial vessel with 25 or more people. All vessels, including kayaks and canoes, operating on Iowa waterways are required by law to have the same number of approved PFDs on board as passengers present. Jason Hyde, DNR Park Ranger, said “Just as we saw in this incident, the simple act of wearing a Personal Flotation Device could absolutely save your life and the lives of your friends and family members. The appearance or inconvenience are no excuse for risking your life.”
DNR conservation officers and other law enforcement are present on the waterways throughout the state monitoring, educating and enforcing these laws on a regular basis during the spring, summer and fall months.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Lorimor man reported on April 30th, that sometime during the night, someone broke a window and spray painted on his property at 706 5th Street in Lorimor. The damage was estimated $500.
The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports two men serving time in the Pott. County Jail on separate charges, were served with additional warrants. 59-year old James Howard Archer, of Council Bluffs, was served with a warrant for Contempt of Court with regard to a Child Support matter. His bond on separate charges was set at $2,000. And, 45-year old Duane Ray Conley, of Omaha, was served with a warrant out of Douglas County, NE., for being a Fugitive from Justice. Both men were then turned over to Corrections Staff. His bond on other charges was also set at $2,000.
Audubon School District Superintendent Eric Trager says a Special Meeting of the Audubon School Board will be held 6-p.m. Friday in the High School Board room, and via ZOOM. On the agenda is a Public Hearing concerning amendments to the FY20 (ending school on May 22nd) and FY 21 (Beginning school on Aug. 17) School Calendars. Public Comments will be received via email or using the “chat” pane on ZOOM. You may send your emails to etrager@audubon.k12.ia.us, or request a ZOOM link in your email. The public may be allowed to attend the meeting in-person, however the conference room is limited to 10 participants, with preference given to Board members and others necessary to conducting the meeting.
Action items on the Audubon School Board agenda include:
Rooftop HVAC Unit Replacement…
Review Bid Tabulation Sheet
Discuss Contractor Qualifications
Discuss Alternate
Award Projects: General Construction; Alternate 1; Controls.
Authorize Board Presidents to sign contracts after attorney review and securing contractor’s signatures.
Approve Pandemic Resolution
Approve FY20 and FY21 Calendar Changes
Approve MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Teachers
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (WOI-TV) — Officials say two paramedics with West Des Moines Emergency Medical Services have tested positive for COVID-19. Station WOI-TV reports that the service announced the first case on Monday and the second on Tuesday. Officials say one of the infected paramedics had transported coronavirus patients in recent weeks. It was not known whether the other paramedic had come in contact with patients infected with the virus. Both paramedics were tested on April 29, and neither have shown any symptoms. Both paramedics have been removed from duty and will remain off work for 10 days as long as they remain symptom- free.
A second case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Montgomery County via community spread. Officials said today (Tuesday), the individual is an adult female (41-60 years) and currently hospitalized. Montgomery County Public Health Administrator, Samantha Beeson says “We continue to remind residents to take preventative measures to slow the spread of the virus. It’s important for everyone to stay home as much as possible and to practice social distancing – this simply means to stay away from groups of people, and to keep a 6-foot distance from other individuals.”
Iowa Code provides that information regarding disease investigations “provided to or maintained by the department, a local board, or a local department, which identifies a person infected with or exposed to a reportable or other disease or health condition, is confidential and shall not be accessible to the public.” Beeson says “Montgomery County Public Health’s general practice will be to not disclose specific towns or cities of where residents with confirmed positive tests reside. However, we will share as much information as we are legally able to.”
(UPDATED) Governor Kim Reynolds, Tuesday, reported 19 new deaths from COVID-19, for a total of 207 deaths to date. She said 59% of all COVID-19 deaths in the State are at Long-Term Care Facilities (LTCs). The deaths occurred in the following counties: Linn – 6; Black Hawk & Tama Counties – 3 each; 2 each in Dallas & Polk Counties; 1 death in each of Allamakee, Jasper, and Woodbury Counties:
Allamakee County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
Black Hawk County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)
Linn County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 5 older adults (61-80 years),
Polk County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)
Tama County, 3 elderly adults (81+)
Woodbury County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
There were 408 new Positive test results for COVID-19, for a total of 10,111. The Governor said 80% of those test positives are from the 22 counties where restrictions are in-place. There were also 3,000 new Negative COVID-19 test results, for a total of 50,458. Reynolds said 60, 569 Iowans have taken the TestIowa assessment, for a per capita rate of 1 in 52. Over 3,570 Iowans have recovered from the Virus, for a recovery rate of 56%.
IDPH Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter said also, Iowa DPH Director Kaitlyn Pedati has authorized the release of the name of employers whose facilities have an outbreak.
The names of facilities matching the definition of an”Outbreak,” include: Tyson Plant in Columbus Junction [221 Positive cases, or 26% of employees tested]; Iowa Premium National Beef in Tama [258 Positive cases, or 39% of employees tested]; Tyson Plant in Waterloo [444 Positive cases, 17% tested]; Tyson Plant in Perry [730 Positive cases, 58%]; TPI Composites in Newton [131 Positive cases, or 13% of employees tested])
Reisetter said they appreciate those employers who are working with the IDPH to offer testing for their employees.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Tuesday press conference on COVID-19. We plan on having live audio of the presser on KJAN as well. The press conference is set to begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.
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