GOLF COURSES, TENNIS COURTS, AND DOG PARKS IN WATERLOO ARE ALL CLOSED TODAY AND UNTIL APRIL 30TH. WATERLOO LEISURE SERVICES ANNOUNCED THE CHANGE ON THURSDAY AFTER THE SEVERITY OF THE COVID19 PANDEMIC IN NORTHEAST IOWA WAS UPGRADED BY STATE OFFICIALS. OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION ARE TAKING SIMILAR ACTION. WATERLOO PARKS ARE STILL OPEN BUT PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN THEM ARE NOT, AND WATER FOUNTAINS WILL STAY TURNED OFF. THE CITY IS ALSO ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO WEAR MASKS WHEN THEY ARE IN PUBLIC. THURSDAY’S CHANGES DO NOT IMPACT WORKERS ON THEIR WAY TO THEIR JOBS, NOR DO THEY PLACE ANY NEW RESTRICTIONS ON ESSENTIAL ERRANDS.
WITH FEWER DRIVERS ON IOWA ROADS, THERE MAY BE MORE PEOPLE SPEEDING…AND MORE OF THOSE SPEEDERS ARE BEING CAUGHT. IN MARCH, THE IOWA STATE PATROL HAVE PULLED OVER AND TICKETED 103 DRIVERS TEARING THROUGH THE STATE AT 100 MILES PER HOUR OR FASTER. THAT IS COMPARED TO JUST 64 COMPARABLE TICKETS DURING MARCH OF 2019. THE STATE PATROL SAYS IT’S ACTUALLY EASIER TO CATCH SPEEDERS WHEN THERE ARE FEWER CARS ON THE ROAD, AS IS THE CASE DUE TO CORONAVIRUS.
CHARLES CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL JOE TAYLOR IS HOPING CLASSES WILL STILL RESUME THIS SPRING. WHEN TAYLOR WAS A GUEST YESTERDAY DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL, HE SAID THAT SCHOOLS WILL NEED TO QUICKLY ASSESS HOW MUCH EDUCATIONAL GROUND MAY HAVE BEEN LOST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TAYLOR SAYS HE IS HOPEFUL THAT ANY EDUCATIONAL DEFICIT CAUSED BY MISSED CLASS TIME CAN BE OVERCOME BY THE MIDDLE OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
BLACK HAWK COUNTY OFFICIALS DID NOT SAY ON THURSDAY HOW MANY COVID-19 CASES ORIGINATED FROM WORKERS AT A TYSON FOODS PLANT IN WATERLOO, BUT THEY DID POINT TO THE FACILITY AS THE REASON THAT LOCAL POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES HAVE SPIKED IN RECENT DAYS. SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON SAID EVEN THOUGH MEAT PACKING HAS INHERENT SOCIAL DISTANCING CHALLENGES, TYSON COULD HAVE DONE MORE. THOMPSON WENT ON TO CALL THE OUTBREAK UNNECESSARY. HE ALSO SAID INCREASED QUANTITIES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR LOCAL HEALTH CARE WORKERS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
THE STATE’S PROCLAMATION REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES IN NORTHEAST IOWA HAS LED LOCAL OFFICIALS TO POINT OUT WHAT IS AND ISN’T PROHIBITED. THE CITY OF CEDAR FALLS POINTED OUT THAT ACTIVITIES LIKE DRIVEWAY PARTIES, PLAY DATES, AND ANY OTHERS INVOLVING PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIVE UNDER THE SAME ROOF SHOULD BE CANCELED. IGNORING THE STATE PROCLAMATION CAN LEAD TO MISDEMEANOR CHARGES. AS OF THURSDAY NIGHT, CEDAR FALLS PLANNED TO KEEP BASKETBALL COURTS, GOLF COURSES, DOG PARKS, AND SIMILAR RECREATIONAL AREAS OPEN, WITH THE QUALIFICATION THAT USERS MUST ABIDE BY SOCIAL DISTANCING ORDERS.
A FATAL SHOOTING AT A CEDAR RAPIDS GAS STATION LAST OCTOBER HAS LED TO A SECOND ARREST. IN MARCH, TODD JENKINS WAS TRACKED DOWN BY U.S. MARSHALS. NOW DAWN BENAVITEZ HAS BEEN CHARGED AS AN ACCESSORY AFTER ALLEGEDLY HELPING JENKINS FLEE FROM THE AREA. MORE ARRESTS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE CASE ACCORDING TO CEDAR RAPIDS INVESTIGATORS.
HUNDREDS OF CORONAVIRUS TEST KITS HAVE BEEN SENT TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY, WITH A FOCUS ON TYSON’S WATERLOO MEAT PROCESSING PLANT. DR. NAFISSA CISSE EGBUONYE IS DIRECTOR OF THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. TYSON OFFICIALS STAY THEY ARE TAKING WORKER TEMPERATURES, PROVIDING HEALTH GUIDANCE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, AND INSTALLING BARRIERS TO KEEP EMPLOYEES SEPARATED. WORKER ADVOCATES ARE AMONG THOSE WHO SAY TYSON WAS AT LEAST SLOW TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST COVID-19, WITH SOME ACCUSING THE COMPANY OF ACTIONS IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO RECOMMENDATIONS BY LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS.
AN IOWA LAWMAKER IS URGING YOUNGER PEOPLE TO SIGN UP TO BE ELECTION WORKERS. MANY PEOPLE WHO TYPICALLY STAFF THE POLLS ARE OLDER AND AT RISK OF COMPLICATIONS IF THEY CONTRACT THE CORONAVIRUS. STATE SEN. ZACH WAHLS IS A CORALVILLE DEMOCRAT. HE SAYS HIS “STRONG PREFERENCE” IS THAT PEOPLE VOTE BY MAIL IN IOWA’S JUNE 2 PRIMARY. BUT HE IS HOPING YOUNG PEOPLE WILL SERVE AT OPEN POLLING LOCATIONS FOR THOSE VOTING IN PERSON.
BUSES ARE STILL RUNNING IN WATERLOO AND CEDAR FALLS, BUT WITH FAR FEWER RIDERS. TO HELP MAKE UP THE GAP IN FARES, MET TRANSIT WILL RECEIVE FIVE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING SERVICE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND THOSE WHO NEED BUS SERVICE TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORE, MET SAYS IT IS SPENDING MORE ON CLEANING BUSES AND PROVIDING PROTECTIVE GEAR FOR DRIVERS. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON MET BUSES IS DOWN 65 TO 70 PERCENT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC OUTBREAK.
