From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
First came the snow… now comes the cold temperatures and dangerous winds. Eastern Iowa is seeing a storm system sweep through at a time when many people hope to travel, shop, or just peacefully enjoy the holidays. This morning, state and local road crews are still at it… and that’s difficult because winds will create drifting in areas, particularly along rural highways. This is a statewide storm so travel conditions can become hazardous in every section of Iowa.
Cities like Cedar Rapids have also put “snow emergencies” into effect. From now until noon on Saturday Cedar Rapids drivers are asked to avoid parking on Snow Emergency Routes. Those are often the most heavily travelled streets among the 14-hundred miles of roadway handled by Cedar Rapids Public Works. Waterloo’s snow emergency also lasts until noon Saturday.
Three Cedar Rapids streets are already closed this morning due to potential for snow drifts. They include 18th Street Southwest from Wright Brothers Boulevard to Nordstrom’s south entrance which is near 76th Street Southwest…64th Avenue SW from 3200 block to 26th Street…and 26th Street Southwest from 76th Avenue to 60th Avenue.
Starting today, Mercy Iowa City medical center is re-instituting its universal masking requirements and is changing the rules when it comes to visitors to the hospital. Masks are now required for all Mercy Iowa City staff and visitors. Visitation is limited to two people per patient. The new rules come as hospitals and clinics try to limit the spread of the flu virus, R-S-V, and COVID-19.
New numbers from the state show there were fewer positive COVID tests over the last seven days, but hospitalizations are up. The number of COVID patients in Iowa ICUs rose from 16 to 31 in the past week. There were 44-reported deaths.
Iowa’s Congressional delegation has sent a letter to the United States Trade Representative demanding action be taken to enforce the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to protect Iowa corn farmers in Iowa. The issue they say is the Mexican government’s ban of biotech corn imports by January 2024. They say it’s inconsistent with the agreement’s commitments. The lawmakers say a large portion of Iowa’s 2.5 billion bushels of corn is exported to Mexico.
