Iowa farmers continue to harvest the last of this year’s corn and soybean crops, but a report indicates they will not get as much out of their fields as in years past. According to the U.S. Agriculture Department, Iowa farmers are only expected to get 184 bushels of corn per acre this harvest. That’s Iowa’s lowest yield since 2014. The department said soybean farmers are harvesting an average of 54 bushels an acre — one bushel an acre lower than last year.
UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids said that though it is caring for a record number of COVID-19 patients, the hospital is not at capacity, and urgent cares and ER’s remain open and ready to provide care. In a news release, the hospital said it is not setting up to care for more patients in the operating room, and it has other areas where capacity can be increased if needed.
MercyOne Des Moines said its hospitals have treated three people who have had the coronavirus twice. One of the patients became extremely sick with what they believe is a reinfection, while the other two were termed “moderately ill.” Officials say those diagnosed with coronavirus can still test positive up to 90 days after their initial infection, because they continue to shed cells. And they say studies also show contracting COVID-19 once does not bring immunity.
UnityPoint Health Des Moines and MercyOne Des Moines say they are searching for more nurses to help with the growing coronavirus outbreak. Both hospital systems say they are competing with other states to recruit. UnityPoint says 40 of its staff members were out sick Tuesday. MercyOne also reports a significant staff shortage and is using nursing students as well.
Tomorrow is the deadline for requesting a recount in the close race for Iowa’s 2nd congressional district seat. Following county canvasses this week, Republican Marianette Miller-Meeks holds a 40 vote lead over Democrat Rita Hart. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate notes that his office conducts post-election audits, counties double-check their totals and do county canvasses, and then the state office goes through the results of every single precinct to ensure they are accurate before the state canvass on November 30…that’s when the voting is deemed final. That 40-vote margin is out of more than 393-thousand cast in the race.
The Starmont Community School District is canceling classes tomorrow due a rise in COVID-19 cases within the district and across the area. Superintendent Troy Heller said with COVID-19 metrics for Fayette County and surrounding counties “trending in the wrong direction” district officials felt it was in their best interest to close schools for a day. Heller says this will allow custodians to do a deep clean of the classrooms and buildings.
Charles City middle and high school students were dismissed at 10:45 a.m. yesterday after a potential COVID-19 case tied to school food service. The district stated that it did not feel safe serving food until it has confirmation of test results.
Both elementary schools continued with yesterday’s school day. No practices were held last night and meals were sent home with students when they departed school. Both today and tomorrow will count as snow days, according to the district’s update, but practices will resume for the high school. Practice is canceled for the rest of the week for middle school athletics. Charles City just started a new hybrid learning plan on Tuesday–and was dealing with COVID-19 just one day after starting that plan
Beginning on Monday, the Iowa City Transit department will temporarily stop service on the Eastside Loop bus routes for both the morning and afternoon. Service is being suspended because of Iowa City Community School District’s decision to return to off-site learning. These routes will not make a return until class resume in person.
The city of Waterloo is inviting the public to submit designs for a new Waterloo Police Department insignia. The values of respect, service, and vigilance are to be represented. The Department Rebranding Committee made of up police officials and community members will score each design based on criteria including visibility, uniqueness and conformity to the shape of the current insignia. The top designs will be compiled and evaluated at the January 13th meeting of the Waterloo Police Department Rebranding Committee. A winner will be chosen then. Artists and designers who have previously submitted designs are asked to resubmit their work to insure it is considered. Designs may be submitted as a JPEG or PNG file by December 26th to contact@waterloo-ia.org.
A 24-year-old woman charged with fatally shooting a woman inside a busy Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Davenport lost a bid to have her bond altered so she could be released from jail to await trial. Treshonda Pollion of Davenport is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Eloise Chairs late last month. On Tuesday, Pollion and her attorney asked to have her $1 million cash-only bond altered, noting she has no prior criminal history or failure to appear in court on her record. The judge rejected the request, citing the serious nature of the shooting.
Five men are charged with second-degree murder in connection with the shooting deaths of two people in Fort Dodge this summer. Police said four people from Fort Dodge and one from Eagle Grove were charged in the deaths of 25-year-old Jamal Cox and 47-year-old Tyrone Cunningham. Two women also were injured in the shooting on June 16. Police said at the time that the victims were innocent bystanders after shots were fired during a social gathering. Those charged Tuesday were: Michael Shivers, of Eagle Grove; James Davis; Michael Wells; Darrell Jones; and Jeremiha Hatten, all of Fort Dodge.
Hundreds of ducks and other migratory waterfowl have been hit and killed by cars in northwestern Iowa after the birds mistook wet pavement for wetlands. Wildlife officials began receiving reports about ducks on roads and parking lots in Woodbury County starting around 9:30 p.m. Monday and continuing into early Tuesday. A DNR officer counted more than 200 dead ducks on U.S. Highway 20 east of Sioux City Tuesday morning. He called it an epic migration. The waterfowl were migrating south from colder climates in the Dakotas and Canada. Since migratory waterfowl tend to migrate at night, it’s believed the birds likely left when the weather was clear before they met a strong weather front and freezing rain that forced them to set down in Woodbury County.
