A MOBILE HOME FIRE CAUSED DAMAGE – BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES FROM THE INCIDENT OVERNIGHT IN IOWA CITY. FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER 10 O’CLOCK LAST NIGHT AND FOUND THE FIRE NEAR THE MOBILE HOME ENTRANCE. THEY ESTIMATE ABOUT SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS IN DAMAGE AND ARE STILL INVESTIGATING.
GAS PRICES FELL ANOTHER NINE CENTS OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, TO A NATIONAL AVERAGE $1.93 PER GALLON. THAT’S DOWN 80 CENTS SINCE MID-OCTOBER. THE AVERAGE PRICE OF DIESEL IS $2.62, DOWN 7 CENTS FROM TWO WEEKS AGO.
THE ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN FROM COVID-19 IS HITTING STATES HARD. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL SAID LAST WEEK THAT HE OPPOSES SENDING A BAILOUT TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. FINANCIAL COMMENTATOR JORDAN GOODMAN TALKED ABOUT ANOTHER SOURCE OF POTENTIAL FUNDING FOR CITIES AND STATES CAUGHT IN A CRUNCH. HEAR MORE FROM JORDAN GOODMAN AT KXEL.COM.
EVEN BUSINESSES WHICH ARE OPEN ARE FINDING PROBLEMS ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS. TO GET PAST ONE VERY BASIC CHALLENGE JOB COACH LEE IBEN HAS BEEN HANDING OUT BIG, GREEN “WE’RE OPEN” WINDOW SIGNS IN IOWA CITY. SOME OF THE BUSINESSES WITH THOSE SIMPLE SIGNS SAY THEY HAVE ATTRACTED NEW CUSTOMERS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR PLACES TO EAT OR OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
RETIRED VICE ADMIRAL MICHAEL FRANKEN WOULD LIKE THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION TO RUN FOR IOWA’S SENATE SEAT CURRENTLY HELD BY REPUBLICAN JONI ERNST. HE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEMS WITH AMERICAN HEALTH INSURANCE WHICH HAVE BEEN EXPOSED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. FRANKEN WAS A GUEST ON THE INSIGHT ON BUSINESS PROGRAM HEARD SUNDAYS ON KXEL. HE ADVOCATES A COMPREHNSIVE HEALTH CARE PLAN FOR ALL AMERICANS SIMILAR TO WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE MILITARY.
CAMPGROUNDS AT IOWA STATE PARKS WILL STAY CLOSED UNTIL MAY 14TH. WHILE THE PARKS THEMSELVES REMAIN OPEN IN MANY CASES, VISITORS ARE ALSO LIKELY TO FINDS BATHROOMS, PLAYGROUNDS, AND VISITORS CENTERS CLOSED. THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SAYS ALL PROGRAMS AND EVENTS ARE ALSO OFF THROUGH MID-MAY. THE DNR ADDED THAT THERE WILL BE NO FEE FOR CANCELING A STATE PARK CABIN OR CAMPSITE RESERVATION DURING THE LATTER HALF OF MAY.
FARMERS MARKETS COULD START OPENING AS SOON AS TODAY, ALTHOUGH MANY WILL GET STARTED MORE SLOWLY. ANGIE SHARNHUST FARMS NEAR SOLON AND IS A VENDOR AT CEDAR RAPIDS FARMERS MARKET. SHARNHURST SPOKE TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9. IN LIEU OF MORE TRADITIONAL FARMER’S MARKETS, SHARNHURST IS OFFERING A WEB-BASED PICKUP SERVICE FOR PRODUCE LOVERS AT HER FARM.
IOWA CITY POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR A PERSON OF INTEREST IN LAST MONDAY’S SHOOTING DEATH OF 21-YEAR-OLD KEJUAN WINTERS. INVESTIGATORS WANT TO TALK TO 44-YEAR-OLD REGGIE LITTLE. THEY HAVE ISSUED A DESCRIPTION OF LITTLE AND ARE SEEKING TIPS ON HIS WHEREABOUTS. HE IS BLACK, 5’ 8” AND 150 POUNDS. LITTLE IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS. TIPS CAN BE CALLED IN TO THE IOWA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT OR MADE ANONOMOUSLY THROUGH IOWA CITY CRIME STOPPERS, WITH A ONE THOUSAND DOLLAR REWARD FOR TIPS THAT LEAD TO LITTLE’S ARREST.
THE NUMBER OF BUSINESS FILINGS UNDER CHAPTER 11 OF THE FEDERAL BANKRUPTCY LAW ROSE SHARPLY IN MARCH, AND THAT MAY BE JUST THE BEGINNING, DESPITE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERAL RELIEF FOR SMALL BUSINESS. A FEDERAL LAW THAT TOOK EFFECT IN FEBRUARY GIVES OWNERS A BETTER CHANCE OF KEEPING THEIR COMPANIES UNDER CHAPTER 11. A SLOWDOWN IN CONSUMER ACTIVITY HAS BEEN NOTABLY BAD FOR SOME RETAILERS WHICH HAD ALREADY BEEN STRUGGLING. ENERGY COMPANIES LIKE THOSE IN THE OIL AND ETHANOL BUSINESS HAVE ALSO BEEN HURT BY THE DRAMATIC DROP IN FUEL PRICES CAUSED BY THE REDUCTION IN DRIVING FOR THOSE UNDER STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS.
IOWA 4-H CHAPTERS ARE RISING TO THE CHALLENGES CREATED BY COVID-19. THIS MONTH 4-H MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE SEWN MORE THAN 13 THOUSAND CLOTH FACE MASKS, WHICH HAVE BEEN DONATED TO HEALTH FACILITIES. HEATHER HENNING OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SAYS IN-PERSON 4-H ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN CANCELED THROUGH THE END OF MAY. HENNING WAS A GUEST THIS MORNING DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL.
