CEDAR RAPIDS RESIDENTS CONSIDERING ONE TEMPTING SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF LINGERING STORM DEBRIS ARE BEING WARNED THAT BONFIRES IN COULD CAUSE BIGGER ISSUES. CEDAR RAPIDS FIRE CHIEF GREG SMITH NOTES THERE IS STILL A BURN BAN IN THE CITY. MEANWHILE, WITH A HEAT ADVISORY COVERING CEDAR RAPIDS AND MANY OTHER EASTERN IOWA COMMUNITIES, COOLING CENTERS HAVE BEEN OPENED UNTIL THIS EVENING.
WATERLOO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VOTED TO FORM A SPECIAL COMMITTEE THAT WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO KEEP – OR HOW TO REPLACE – THE WATERLOO POLICE LOGO. LAST NIGHT DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, CITY REPRESENTATIVES SET A TARGET FOR NEXT JUNE TO WEIGH THE DEPARTMENT INSIGNIA. WATERLOO POLICE HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED BY A RED GRIFFIN ON CARS AND PATCHES SINCE 1964.
MONEY FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROJECTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AGAIN FROM THE BLACK HAWK COUNTY GAMING ASSOCIATION. WHEN THE ISLE CASINO CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19, THE GAMING ASSOCIATION SUSPENDED ITS GRANT PROGRAM. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BETH KNIPP SPOKE ABOUT THAT ON KXEL LAST WEEK. APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED NEXT WEEK FOR PROJECTS THAT ALLEVIATE THE NEED TO BUDGET TAX DOLLARS WHILE IMPROVING THE CEDAR VALLEY.
CEDAR RAPIDS OFFICIALS SAY STORM CLEAN UP IS ABOUT TO HIT ANOTHER LEVEL, ACCORDING TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR JEN WINTER. RESIDENTS IN CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, AND ELSEWHERE IN EASTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA HAVE BEEN PICKING UP AFTER AN AUGUST 10TH DERECHO THAT INCLUDED RECORD STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS. POWER OUTAGES FROM THE STORM HAVE LASTED TWO WEEKS FOR SOME ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS.
IN A DIFFERENT YEAR, BACK TO SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WOULD BE FOCUSED ON ROAD HAZARDS. IN 2020, THE CONVERSATION INCLUDES PROTECTING STUDENTS AND DRIVERS FROM THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. DURHAM SCHOOL SERVICES PROVIDES BUS SERVICE IN WATERLOO; GENERAL MANAGER SAM BARRETT TOLD OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9, THE COMPANY HAS RULED OUT PUTTING DRIVERS IN A PLEXIGLASS COMPARTMENT. BARRETT INDICATED THAT FEWER STUDENTS RIDING THE BUS IS LEADING TO SOCIAL DISTANCING NATURALLY.
SMOKE FROM WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA IS MAKING IT TO EASTERN IOWA. ASH AND OTHER PARTICLES HIGH UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE MOST VISIBLE IN THE MORNING AND EVENING AND HELP TO MAKE SUNRISES AND SUNSETS MORE ORANGE. SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO AIR QUALITY CHANGES MIGHT ALSO NOTICE SOME HEALTH EFFECTS. THE FIRES ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY.
MORE THAN AN INCH OF RAIN FELL IN SOME PLACES OVER THE WEEKEND, WITH OVER TWO INCHES IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS. WHILE THAT WAS GOOD FOR CROPS IN THOSE AREAS, MOST OF IOWA STAYED DRY. THE BROAD LACK OF RAIN IN THE STATE WAS NOTED IN MONDAY’S USDA CROP REPORT. MOISTURE LEVELS IN TOP-SOIL ARE NOW CONSIDERED SHORT OR VERY SHORT IN THREE QUARTERS OF IOWA. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS WEEK ARE ADDING TO DROUGHT CONCERNS. JUST 50 PERCENT OF CORN IS RATED AS GOOD OR EXCELLENT; THE FIGURE IS 56 PERCENT FOR SOYBEANS.
WEEKS OF EFFORT HAVE BROUGHT THE LIGHTS BACK ON FOR MOST WHO LOST POWER DURING THE AUGUST 10TH DERECHO WHICH PASSED OVER IOWA AND THE MIDWEST. SOME OTHER SERVICES ARE ALSO SLOWLY COMING BACK ON LINE. MEDIACOM’S COREY BOWMAN PROVIDED AN INTERNET AND CABLE UPDATE MONDAY. THE DERECHO INITIALLY AFFECTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UTILITY CUSTOMERS OVER AN AREA WHICH STRETCHED WELL BEYOND PLACES DAMAGED BY THE STORM.
THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT AN ANNUAL AUGUST EVENT COULD HAVE UNANTICIPATED IMPACTS ON THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS IN MULTIPLE STATES ARE TRYING TO MEASURE HOW AND WHETHER THE STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY WILL HELP CORONAVIRUS JUMP FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER. THE 10-DAY RALLY ENDED ON AUG. 16. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT HALF OF THE COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE REPRESENTED AT THE MASS GATHERING IN THE BLACK HILLS OF WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA.
