IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS WANTS STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM THIS FALL. REYNOLDS SPOKE ABOUT THE STATE’S K-THROUGH-12 SCHOOL POLICY YESTERDAY AND THE STANCE SHE HAS MAINTAINED DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM SOME DISTRICTS. IOWA SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAVE BEEN MAKING “RETURN TO LEARN” PLANS AMID COVID-19. MANY DISTRICTS WILL RESUME CLASSES LATER THIS MONTH.
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IS ON A SIMILAR TIMELINE, WITH THE FALL SEMESTER OPENING ON AUGUST 24TH. HUNDREDS OF INSTRUCTORS THERE THINK THAT’S TOO SOON TO START IN-PERSON SESSIONS. ENGLISH PROFESSOR MEGAN KNIGHT SPOKE TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9. KNIGHT IS ONE OF NEARLY 300 INSTRUCTORS OR STAFF WHO HAVE SIGNED A PLEDGE PUSHING THE UNIVERSITY TO MOVE ALL FALL CLASSES ONLINE.
A 32-YEAR-OLD SUMNER MAN WAS KILLED IN AN TWO-VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN CHICKASAW COUNTY TUESDAY. SEAN SLICK WAS DRIVING A MINIVAN AND COLLIDED WITH A TRUCK AT AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION. SLICK DIED AT THE SCENE. THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP WAS ALSO INJURED. THE IOWA STATE PATROL SAYS NEITHER DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT.
IOWA MAY BE BETTER POSITIONED TO BOUNCE BACK FROM COVID-19 THAN
OTHER STATES. A STATE-BY-STATE BUDGET ANALYSIS BY THE COUNCIL OF
STATE GOVERNMENTS SCORES IOWA AS HAVING LOW FISCAL RISK AND HIGH
RESILIENCY. THE REPORT RATED IOWA’S BUDGET AND UTAH’S IN THE BEST
POSITION TO DEAL WITH THE SHOCKS OF THE PANDEMIC. COLORADO,
ILLINOIS, AND RHODE ISLAND FACE SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING FISCAL
CIRCUMSTANCES.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE DRAWING MORE INTEREST FROM FAMILIES IN THE
WEEKS AHEAD OF THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR. JEFF POSPISIL IS THE PRINCIPAL
OF CEDAR VALLEY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND TALKED TO OUR
COVERAGE PARTNERS AT CBS2. POSPISIL SAYS ENROLLMENT AT
CEDAR VALLEY CHRISTIAN IS UP SEVEN PERCENT AND COULD STILL CLIMB
FARTHER BEFORE THE ACADEMIC YEAR BEGINS AUGUST 24TH.
PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER’S BIRTHPLACE IN WEST BRANCH WILL BENEFIT
FROM A FEDERAL SPENDING BILL SIGNED YESTERDAY. MONEY WILL BE
PROVIDED FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
APPROXIMATELY $3 MILLION IS NEEDED TO COVER ALL OF THE UPDATES AT THE
SITE INCLUDING ROOFING, FOUNDATION WORK, AND MORE. OVER 125
THOUSAND PEOPLE VISIT THE HOOVER SITE EACH YEAR.
ENHANCEMENTS ARE COMING TO SEVERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN BLACK
HAWK COUNTY. FIVE SITES WILL HAVE SOLAR PANELS ADDED. THE
INSTALLATION PROJECT WITH EAGLE POINT SOLAR OF DUBUQUE COMES IN
JUST SHY OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS. COUNTY SUPERVISORS APPROVED THE
PLAN TUESDAY.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE COVID-19 SITUATION HAS BEEN EVER-CHANGING, YOU’RE
NOT ALONE. STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST CAITLIN PEDATI TALKED ABOUT HOW THE
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS WORKING THROUGH INFORMATION
AS IT COMES IN. AS OF THIS MORNING, IOWA HAD MORE THAN 46
THOUSAND POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS TESTS AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TESTED
IN THE STATE CLIMBS TOWARD HALF A MILLION. THE STATE IS APPROACHING
900 COVID-19 DEATHS.
THE CORONAVIRUS IS CLOSING A CATHOLIC CHILDCARE OPERATION IN CEDAR
RAPIDS. DESPITE SANITIZING AND SCREENING EFFORTS, THE ST. JUDE
CHILDCARE CENTER SAYS IT WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE TEMPORARILY AFTER A
WORKER TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE
ESTABLISHING A NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE COME INTO
CONTACT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL SO THAT THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE TESTED. THE
ST. JUDE CENTER IS WORKING WITH LINN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
TO TRACK THE SITUATION.
UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS CAN BE DROPPED OFF IN BLACK HAWK
COUNTY LATER THIS MONTH. OTHER DRUG TAKE-BACK EFFORTS HAD BEEN
PLANNED FOR APRIL BUT HAD TO BE CANCELED DUE TO THE VIRUS OUTBREAK.
ON AUGUST 25TH, OLD PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT
GREENWOOD PHARMACY IN WATERLOO TO BE PROPERLY DISPOSED OF. NO
LIQUIDS OR NEEDLES WILL BE ACCEPTED DURING THE EVENT, WHICH IS
PLANNED WITH A DRIVE-THROUGH FORMAT. MORE INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE THROUGH THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
WEBSITE.
