NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT AT LEAST THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ON SEVERAL WATERWAYS IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY, BLACK HAWK CREEK WILL BE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH MIDNIGHT. PORTIONS OF MARSHALL, TAMA, GRUNDY COUNTIES, AND MUCH OF FRANKLIN AND BUTLER COUNTIES ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING FLOODING FROM AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN, WHICH HAVE IMPACTED SOME STATE HIGHWAYS AND COUNTY ROADS. THE WEATHER SERVICE REMINDS DRIVERS TO RE-ROUTE AROUND ROADS COVERED BY STANDING OR MOVING WATER.
THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY FROM THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY. ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT MIKE RALSTON SPOKE ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE ORGANIZATION’S THIRD QUARTER MANUFACTURERS SURVEY. ABI’S JUNE SURVEY RESULTS ALSO SHOWED MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF BUSINESSES WHICH WERE POLLED EXPECT TO MAINTAIN OR EXPAND THEIR WORKFORCES. CORONAVIRUS ISSUES REMAIN AMONG THE BIGGEST ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES FOR THE SHORT TERM.
ONE PERSON IN CEDAR RAPIDS WAS SHOT OVERNIGHT. AFTER SUFFERING THE NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES, THAT PERSON WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL IN A PRIVATE VEHICLE. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED IN THE 100 BLOCK OF PARK COURT SOUTHEAST. CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE ARE CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT.
TWELVE OUNCE BAGS OF GARDEN SALAD FROM HY-VEE AND ALDI ARE BEING RECALLED. THE PRODUCTS ARE STORE BRANDS BUT MADE BY THE COMPANY FRESH EXPRESS. THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL HAVE LINKED THE SALAD TO AN OUTBREAK OF CYCLOSPORA, WHICH HAS REPORTEDLY MADE AT LEAST 76 PEOPLE ILL AND SENT 16 TO THE HOSPITAL. 28 CASES HAVE COME FROM IOWA. CYCLOSPORA CAN LEAD TO DIARRHEA, NAUSEA, FEVER, AND OTHER SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH FOOD POISONING. THOSE WITH THE HY-VEE OR ALDI GARDEN SALAD SHOULD THROW IT OUT OR RETURN IT TO THEIR STORE.
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SLOWED BUSINESS DURING THE SPRING. SOME BUSINESSES ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THEY CAN MARKET THEIR WAY OUT OF THE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES. MIKE RALSTON IS PRESIDENT OF IOWA’S ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY. THE LATEST QUARTERLY ABI SURVEY SHOWED A VARIETY OF OPTIMISTIC SENTIMENTS. ONE NOTABLE TAKEAWAY: 76 PERCENT OF COMPANIES EXPECT THEIR SALES TO GROW OR REMAIN NEUTRAL DURING THE NEXT QUARTER. THE ORGANIZATION HAS APPROXIMATELY 15 HUNDRED MEMBER COMPANIES, AND ABOUT HALF OF THEM ARE MANUFACTURERS.
TODAY IS THE BEGINNING OF TECHNOLOGY WEEK IN IOWA AS PROCLAIMED BY GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS. LAST WEEK, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A PROCLAMATION ON THE TOPIC AND NOTED THE STATE’S TIES TO LARGE TECH COMPANIES. BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, AND GOVERNMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CELEBRATE THEIR TECHNOLOGY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM NOW THROUGH FRIDAY.
REPORTED CASES OF CHILD ABUSE ARE DOWN DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. CHILD WELFARE ADVOCATES ARE CONCERNED THAT THE ABUSE IS CONTINUING WHILE MANY VULNERABLE KIDS ARE ISOLATED. DURING THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR, THERE WERE OVER 12-HUNDRED CHILD ABUSE REPORTS; IN THE NEARLY THREE MONTHS WHICH FOLLOWED, THE NUMBER WAS DOWN 40 PERCENT. EXPERTS ASK ADULTS TO REPORT ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS.
IOWA STATE SENATOR JOE BOLKCOM OF IOWA CITY IS ECHOING THE CALLS MADE DURING RECENT PROTESTS TO SCALE BACK PROSECUTION OF MARIJUANA POSSESSION. BOLKCOM IS ADVOCATING FOR CHANGES WHICH WOULD TREAT MARIJUANA MORE LIKE UNDER-AGE ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO POSSESION, WITH TICKETS OR FINES, RATHER THAN JAILTIME.
IOWA CITY FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED TO AN INCIDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS PARKING GARAGE ON SUNDAY MORNING. THE CALL WAS ABOUT A CAR FIRE IN AN UNDERGROUND RAMP. SPRINKLERS SLOWED THE FIRE, WITH CREWS ABLE TO BRING IT COMPLETELY UNDER CONTROL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.
PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA IS OFFERING A VIRTUAL FIELD DAY FOCUSSED ON ORGANIC WEED CONTROL THURSDAY. MATT MILLER OF BRISTOW WILL HOST THE EVENT THAT EVENING. FOR TWO DECADES, MILLER HAS BEEN A CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCER; HE WORKS APPROXIMATELY 1,000 ACRES. THURSDAY’S PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA SESSION IS FREE THROUGH THE GROUP’S FACEBOOK PAGE AND WEBSITE.
