Briefs
State awards $7M in grants for new transit buses
The Iowa Transportation Commission on Tuesday approved $7 million in grants for 20 transit systems to buy a combined 73 replacement buses. The money came from the Federal Transit Administration’s Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Formula Program and its Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program. Iowa has transit systems in all 99 counties, […]
Iowa reports 7 more COVID-19 deaths; 77 new positive cases
Seven more Iowans have died of COVID-19 and another 77 tested positive, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported Sunday. To date, a total of 1,587 Iowans have tested positive for COVID-19 and 41 people have died. Four elderly adults over 81 and two older adults between 61 to 80 years old died in Linn […]
Three more Iowans with COVID-19 have died; 122 new cases reported
Three more Iowans with COVID-19 have died and another 122 have tested positive, Iowa Department of Public Health reported Saturday. Two of the people who died were between the ages of 61 and 80 years; one was from Crawford County and one from Madison County. The third was a Johnson County resident age 81 or […]
Iowa’s March was wetter, warmer than average
Iowa’s statewide snow and rain was above average in March, which turned out to be one of the warmest on record, state agencies reported. Some spots saw 2 to 2.5 inches more precipitation than normal. That left the Missouri River basin, which fought flooding into December last year, looking at 40% higher runoff than last […]
Corrections officer at Oakdale tests positive for COVID-19
The Iowa Department of Corrections reported late Friday that a correctional officer at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center at Oakdale has tested positive for COVID-19. So far, no inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a DOC news release. Gov. Kim Reynolds was asked earlier Friday for an update on COVID-19 cases in […]
Reynolds: No plans to change Iowa’s June 2 primary
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday there are no plans yet to change the state’s June 2 primary election due to COVID-19. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is up for re-election this year, along with U.S. Reps. Abby Finkenauer, Cindy Axne and Steve King. Dave Loebsack, a Democrat representing Iowa’s 2nd District, announced he is retiring, […]
Mills County gains foreign trade zone, Syngenta operation
Syngenta Crop Protection will be the first tenant in a Wisconsin company’s Glenwood, Ia., industrial logistics project that has obtained a special trade zone designation to reduce tariffs. Warehouse Specialists of Appleton, Wis., worked with the Mills County Economic Development Foundation and the Greater Des Moines Partnership to gain Foreign Trade Sub Zone designation for […]
ACLU and Interfaith Alliance say Reynolds is promoting Christianity
The ACLU of Iowa says Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Day of Prayer proclamation promotes Christianity and “violates our country and state’s principle of religious freedom.” Reynolds issued a proclamation Wednesday declaring today a Day of Prayer in Iowa. She urged Iowans to “unite in prayer” regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and invited them to participate in the […]
Iowa unemployment claims set another record
Iowans set another record in unemployment filings with initial claims of 67,334 for the week of March 29 to April 4, the U.S. Department of Labor reported. There were 64,187 initial claims by Iowans and another 3,147 from out-of-state residents who work in Iowa. The reporting period came amid business closures related to the COVID-19 […]
Iowa investigates fertilizer spill
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday was tracking a fertilizer spill into a stream on the east side of Mount Pleasant in the eastern part of the state. A Liqui-Grow truck carrying 2,400 gallons, a common size for a tank, rolled over about noon Monday near the interchange at U.S. Highways 34 and […]
Iowa agency to begin paying CARES Act benefits
Iowa Workforce Development has set up systems to distribute federal COVID-19 aid to workers, including an extra $600 a week in unemployment pay for 10 weeks. The payments are expected to begin within 10 days, the agency reported. The federal aid comes in four programs: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) — This pays an extra […]
Iowa reports eight more COVID deaths; 83 new positive cases
Eight more Iowans with COVID-19 have died and another 83 have tested positive, Iowa Department of Public Health reported Sunday. All of those who died were older than 60 and half were over 80. Staff and residents in Iowa’s long-term care facilities account for more than one in every 10 positive cases of COVID-19 and […]