There were 123 new cases of coronavirus reported by the state Monday…bringing the total number of cases to 1,710. Black Hawk, Linn and Tama counties each added 15 new cases from the previous day. A total of 82 of Iowa’s 99 counties have at least one confirmed COVID-19 case. And there were 142 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Iowa as of Sunday evening. There were also two deaths confirmed since Sunday’s report…one in Linn County and one in Muscatine County…that brings the state’s death toll to 43. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday she still expects Iowa’s caseload to peak at the end of this month, and noted long-term care facilities bore the brunt of deaths…staff and residents of those facilities account for 10 percent of the cases…and 53 percent of the deaths.
A beef processing plant in one of Iowa’s coronavirus hot spots has suspended production after several workers have become infected. National Beef announced that its Iowa Premium plant in Tama will be idled until next Monday, April 20. The company said numerous employees had contracted COVID-19 and that others were exhibiting flu-like symptoms. It’s at least the second meat processing plant in Iowa to suspend operations after workers have become infected. Tyson Foods last week idled its Columbus Junction pork plant and Monday said that plant would remain closed at least until the end of this week. Tyson said they will keep paying their workers during the shutdown. Livestock that was intended to be sent to the facility would be diverted to other plants when able. Tama County, home of the Iowa Premium plant, has been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus in Iowa, with 101 confirmed cases and two deaths.
A Waterloo man who was acquitted of murder in a 2013 shooting has been sentenced to federal prison on gun charges. Judge C.J. Williams sentenced 29-year-old Perquondis Holmes to five years and 10 months in prison during a Monday hearing in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. Waterloo police attempted to stop a vehicle Holmes was traveling in on Aug. 31, 2018. Holmes ran from the vehicle, and officers found a loaded .40-caliber Glock pistol with a high-capacity magazine in the vehicle. Testing discovered Holmes’ DNA on the weapon.
An Evansdale man accused of trying to rob an armored car last month has now also been charged with setting fire to a landmark Waterloo restaurant. Waterloo police arrested 29-year-old Kevin Soliveras Monday on charges of second-degree arson and second-degree burglary in connection with the fire that gutted the Wishbone Restaurant and Bar in the early morning hours of March 5. He’s accused of being involved in the armored car robbery less than a week later.
A man has been arrested and charged with stealing from a Cedar Rapids home. Police say 24-year-old Scotty Ray Meier is charged with 3rd-degree burglary. This past Saturday, officers were called to a home in the 1400 block of Richmond Road NE. The home had been burglarized with several items missing including a television, a camera, and a guitar. The owner of the house provided surveillance video to officers and Meier was identified as one of two suspects. He was later found hiding in a garage two blocks away. A warrant has been issued for a second person involved.
The Linn County Fair Association has announced it is opening its fairgrounds to rent for healthcare workers or police officers. Spaces are available for campers, motor-homes, or tents for $10 a day, and include water and electrical hookup. Only one person is allowed per camper or tent, visitors are not allowed, and those camping must still practice proper social distancing. More information is at the Linn County Fair’s website.
All public schools and most private schools submitted plans offering continuous learning to students while they remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Department of Education reported Monday, meaning they don’t need to make up those school days in person. 506 school districts and private schools offered plans with several approaches, including online learning and e-learning. Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that schools needed to submit plans, which could be a combination of mandatory or voluntary learning, by last Friday in order to be exempt from making up in-person school days lost because of COVID-19 closures. Schools are closed until April 30 right now and the governor said Monday she’d give schools two weeks’ notice of when they might be able to reopen this school year.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is looking for help as they investigate the death of 15-year-old Noah Herring of Tiffin, who was last seen last Tuesday and whose body was recovered from the Coralville Reservoir on Saturday. Investigators are asking for the public’s help to locate anyone who was boating or fishing on the Coralville Reservoir near Scales Pointe Campground or near the area known as Diving Rock last Tuesday, April 7.
Secretary of State Paul Pate unveiled a searchable database Monday that allows Iowans to easily locate people available to do remote notarizations. The new feature allows searchers to find remote-authorized notaries by city, zip code and other means. The in-person requirement for notarizing documents has been temporarily waived by the Governor during the COVID-19 emergency. Approximately 265 applications to become remote notaries have been approved by the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office.
