The Iowa Department of Public Health announced the state will receive more than 100,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine this week. In addition to Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, Iowa will receive 25,600 doses of the new single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine which was approved for use just this past Sunday. Health officials say they will share details on their weekly distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine when they are confirmed.
Meatpacking workers across the country have started receiving coronavirus vaccines and thousands more will have a chance to get their shots this week…including Tyson plants in Waterloo and elsewhere in Iowa. Officials with the United Food and Commercial Workers union say interest in the vaccine is high among workers after the industry took a heavy toll from the virus.
You may recall that we told you yesterday the Iowa legislature was considering a bill that would require Regents institutions to hold in-person spring graduation. That led each of them to announce plans for it yesterday. UNI earlier said graduation would be virtual. Now UNI says graduation ceremonies will be modified to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but will be held in-person through a variety of ceremonies May 7-8, and graduates will be allowed to bring a limited number of guests. A virtual commencement will still be held that same weekend for those who wish to participate. The University of Iowa retracted its plans for a virtual ceremony as well, saying yesterday they’re working to develop an in-person option. Iowa State University will hold in-person ceremonies during the first week of May; while programs will be shortened, every student will have their name read as they cross the stage.
Outdoor burning can now resume in Cedar Rapids, according to city officials. The ban, which was put in place following the derecho on August 10, is no longer in effect. It was initially implemented to protect against fire spreading among widespread damage from the storm, including downed trees and piles of debris stacked along the city’s streets. Officials said the cleanup effort had progressed enough that the risk from burning had reduced. Recreational fires are allowed within city limits if they follow certain rules, while other types of burning require a permit.
A new monthly survey shows continued economic improvement in Iowa and eight other Midwest and Plains states, but business leaders expressed concerns about rising inflation and bottlenecks in the supply chain causing delays. The Mid-America Business Conditions Index for February released yesterday came in at a strong 69.6, up from January’s 67.3. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth. But Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, said more than eight out of 10 supply managers reported supply bottlenecks and delays of up to five months.
John Deere in Waterloo is hiring…and to facilitate what is believed to be the company’s largest mass hiring in many years, John Deere’s Waterloo operations will be hosting a career fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum downtown. The company is trying to fill some 300 production and maintenance positions, including welders, assemblers, computerized numerical control (CNC) machine operators and other positions. The company is gearing up production of its Waterloo-made large row-crop tractors to meet the demand for those products in a rebounding agricultural economy. Pay starts at more than $19 an hour, with a full array of benefits including health insurance and 401(K) retirement and pension plans.
Des Moines Police have identified a man fatally shot last week in the city’s first homicide of the year. 52-year-old Darrell Merriwether of Clive died early Saturday after being shot late Friday night in a residential area several blocks southeast of Drake University. Police say officers and firefighters called to the scene found Merriwether around 11:20 p.m. Friday with gunshot wounds and rushed him to a hospital, where he died two hours later. Police did not announce any arrests or suspects in the case.
Drivers throughout Iowa may have noticed that prices at the pump continue to climb. GasBuddy says Iowa gas prices went up 7.5 cents in the past week alone, with the average gallon of gas now $2.71. GasBuddy says these prices are now more than 38.5 cents higher than when President Biden took office last month, and 41.8 cents higher than this time last year. Not only is this a trend in Iowa, but gas prices continue to rise across the nation. The national average price of gas also went up by 7.5 cents in just the past week.
