IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS WAS IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON WEDNESDAY, TELLING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ABOUT IOWA’S CORONAVIRUS SITUATION. STARTING TOMORROW, MALLS, RETAILERS, AND GYMS WILL BE ABLE TO OPEN IN BLACK HAWK, LINN, AND 20 OTHER COUNTIES WHICH HAD SEEN EXTENDED SOCIAL DISTANCING RESTRICTIONS. THOSE BUSINESS WILL OPERATE WITH LIMITATIONS ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN BE ON HAND. DINE-IN SERVICE AT RESTAURANTS IN THOSE COUNTIES REMAINS UNAVAILABLE UNTIL MAY 15TH.
A WATERLOO MAN IS IN CUSTODY FOR THE MURDERS OF THREE WOMEN IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO. CLARK BALDWIN WAS WANTED IN WYOMING AND TENNESSEE FOR KILLINGS IN THE EARLY 1990S. WYOMING OFFICIALS SAY BALDWIN WAS CONNECTED TO THE CRIMES AS THE RESULT OF ADVANCES IN FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY. THE BODIES OF ALL OF THE VICTIMS WERE FOUND NEAR INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. BALDWIN WAS A FORMER TRUCK DRIVER AND MAY BE A PERSON OF INTEREST IN OTHER SIMILAR CASES.
ANOTHER COLD CASE SUSPECT WAS ARRESTED THIS WEEK. NATHANIAL RIDNOUR OF MANCHESTER HAS BEEN CHARGED IN THE 2004 KILLING OF A KEOKUK WOMEN. INVESTIGATORS SAY RIDNOUR WAS DATING THE WOMAN’S GRANDDAUGHTER AND THERE WAS A DISPUTE ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP. THE 73-YEAR-OLD WOMAN’S BODY WAS FOUND IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH SIGNS OF VIOLENT INJURIES.
TYSON WORKERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WATERLOO’S TYSON FACILITY BEFORE IT REOPENED TODAY. SAFETY AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IMPROVEMENTS GOT THE ENDORSEMENT OF BOB WATERS, PRESIDENT OF UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS UNION LOCAL 431.
BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON SHARED HIS IMPRESSIONS OF TYSON’S EFFORT TO COME BACK ONLINE SINCE A SHUTDOWN IN LATE APRIL. THOMPSON WAS A GUEST WEDNESDAY DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. PRIOR TO THE TYSON CLOSURE FOR A COVID-19 OUTBREAK, THOMPSON HAD BEEN VOCAL IN HIS BELIEF THAT THE PORK PLANT SHOULD CLOSE TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN THE COUNTY.
IN SPORTS, UNI PANTHER DEFENSIVE LINEMAN BRAWNTAE WELLS WAS RECOGNIZED WITH A CEDAR VALLEY CHARACTER COUNTS AWARD. ON THE FIELD LAST FALL, THE JUNIOR HAD SIX SACKS AMONG 55 TACKLES WHILE PLAYING IN ALL 15 UNI GAMES. AWAY FROM THE GAME, WELLS VOLUNTEERED HELPING STUDENTS IN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AS WELL THOSE WHO HAVE ENDED UP IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
PROTECT YOUR PLANTS FROM THE COLD AND MAKE SURE THE HOSES AND SPRINKLERS HAVE ALL THE WATER DRAINED OUT. THERE’S A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FREEZE WATCH FOR FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING COVERING A LARGE SWATH OF IOWA.
WITH WATERLOO AT THE CENTER OF A CRISIS IN THE MEAT PROCESSING INDUSTRY, THE CITY’S TYSON FOODS PORK PACKING PLANT IS RESTARTING. FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, PRODUCTION STOPPED. OVER 400 WORKERS TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF BLACK HAWK COUNTY’S COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM. HE SAYS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL TYSON LEADERS AND COUNTY OFFICIALS IS GOOD, EVEN WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN CLASHES WITH THE COMPANY’S HIGHER-LEVEL EXECUTIVES. HEAR MORE FROM SHERIFF THOMPSON AT KXEL.COM.
IT’S NOT JUST EMPLOYEES AT PACKING PLANTS GETTING SICK. THIS WEEK, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REPORTED THAT NEARLY 200 FOOD SAFETY INSPECTORS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. ANOTHER 120 USDA EMPLOYEES ARE UNDER QUARANTINE. THE AG DEPARTMENT HAS CALLED UP PART-TIME INSPECTORS TO FILL THE VOID BY WORKING MORE HOURS.
NEW CASES OF THE CORONAVIRUS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED AGAIN AT WHIRLPOOLS’ AMANA MANUFACTURING PLANT. WHIRLPOOL HAS HAD TO SHUT DOWN TWICE SINCE THE PANDEMIC FIRST CAME TO IOWA. FOR THE MOMENT, THE WHIRLPOOL FACILITY IS STAYING OPEN, WITH DEEP CLEANING AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND HEALTH OFFICIALS.
THE ANNUAL STURGIS FALLS COMMUNITY CELEBRATION HAS BEEN CANCELED. THE ANNUAL CEDAR FALLS EVENT IN LATE JUNE JOINS SIMILAR CANCELATIONS IN WATERLOO, CEDAR RAPIDS, AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES. MEANWHILE, THE LIVE-TO-9 CONCERT SERIES PRESENTED BY CEDAR FALLS JAYCEES HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO NOW BEGIN JULY 10TH.
