The state is reporting 308 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths in Iowa in a 24-hour period ending yesterday. There have been 21,919 confirmed cases and 606 deaths since the pandemic began. Nearly half of Iowa’s coronavirus cases are located in four counties: Polk, Woodbury, Black Hawk and Buena Vista.
Johnson County authorities recovered a body from the water at Lake MacBride State Park near Solon Monday afternoon. Call to law enforcement about a possible drowning there came around 5:30 Sunday afternoon; reports indicated an individual was last seen in the water near a watercraft and had not resurfaced. Search was suspended by darkness Sunday night, and resumed Monday morning; the body of the victim found just after noon. An autopsy will be conducted; the incident remains under investigation.
Monday is the application deadline for participants in the 2021 Leadership Iowa program, which has connected hundreds of business and community leaders over its four-decade history. Jessi McQuerrey is director of programs for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation; here more by listening to the podcast at kxel.com. For more information and to apply, go to leadershipiowa.com.
An Iowa City protest leader was arrested and held without bond Sunday evening…but not due to the protests themselves. 20-year-old Mazin Mohamedali of Iowa City has been charged with disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly in connection with an event last Wednesday where hundreds blocked roads in Iowa City…but he’s also been charged with a more serious probation violation count. Monday, a judge ordered Mohamedali to remain in jail until he can be placed in the Hope House facility, where he was ordered March 9 as part of a probation violation agreement, but did not go.
When college courses were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it could have adversely affected internships…but according to Kathy Wieland, director of career services for the Ivy College of Business at Iowa State University, quick action by businesses and students kept the learning intact. Wieland says only five percent of summer placements were not able to be made, a far lower number than anticipated. More in the podcast section of kxel.com.
A record turnout in last week’s primaries was largely credited to accessible absentee voting. But a bill at the statehouse would prevent similar actions from being taken this fall. The 30-page amendment was tacked onto a one page bill dictating the use of county seals and would put in place a series of new election rules in Iowa…among the most notable, barring the Secretary of State from sending out absentee ballot request forms to every registered voter in Iowa. That’s what Republican Paul Pate did in the weeks leading up to the June primary. But fellow Republicans in the legislature object, saying they want candidates to know the rules of elections in advance. The bill passed the House Friday; Pate says he was simply trying to ensure safe elections and would do the same thing again.
TestIowa is expanding access to COVID-19 testing with five new sites opening this week. A drive-thru location in Waukee in Dallas County opened Monday at noon. Other sites opened in the last few days, or opening this week, will be in Page, Union, Carroll and Crawford counties. You must complete an online assessment and schedule an appointment before you can be tested at a TestIowa site.
UNI Athletics began the process of bringing student-athletes back to campus for voluntary workouts via a staggered approach beginning Monday. Football upperclassmen began accessing on-campus workout facilities Monday after completing a series of pre-participation protocols. Athletic training staff will conduct daily monitoring of student-athletes, including temperature checks. Soccer, cross country, volleyball, women’s and men’s basketball student-athletes, are scheduled to begin the resocialization process next Monday. All remaining sports are scheduled to begin resocialization on June 29th.
University of Iowa officials say 236 student athletes, coaches and staff were tested for COVID-19 in the past 10 days…and only one test came back positive. This comes on the same day football student athletes were allowed to return to campus for voluntary workouts. Men’s and Women’s basketball athletes will be allowed to return on June 15.
University of Iowa football strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle denies any “unethical behavior or bias” based on race after being accused by several former players of contributing to what they allege is systemic racism in the program. Doyle was placed on administrative leave Saturday. The move was made by coach Kirk Ferentz in what he called “a defining moment” for Iowa’s football program. Several black former players posted on social media Friday night about issues they saw in the football program and attributed many to Doyle. The 51-year-old assistant coach issued a statement Sunday on Twitter in which he disputes the claims.
