Gov. Reynolds yesterday announced more plans to gradually reopen the state with what she called a targeted approach to loosening restrictions. Starting this Friday in 77 counties, restaurants, fitness centers, libraries and retail stores may reopen at 50 percent of normal operating capacity. Enclosed malls may also reopen at 50 percent capacity, but play areas and common seating areas including food court dining areas must remain closed. Restaurants in food courts may reopen on a carry-out basis. Race tracks, other than a track conducting horse or dog races, may reopen and resume operations as long as it does not permit any spectators to attend events in person. All theaters, for live performances or motion pictures, must remain closed. Social community, recreational, leisure and sporting activities will continue to be limited to 10 people. The restrictions on religious gatherings have been lifted, but they must adhere to social distancing guidelines. The governor also urged people with preexisting conditions to continue to be cautious. The counties not included in these new reopening plans, must maintain the current restrictions through May 15. These counties include: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fayette, Henry, Iowa, Jasper, Johnson, Linn, Louisa, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama, Washington and Woodbury Counties.
A home health worker at a senior residential facility in Waterloo has tested positive for COVID-19. Friendship Village officials said the Friends At Home employee at Rosewood Estate did have contact with residents at the Maxhelen Boulevard location, and family members have been notified of the exposure. No residents have been diagnosed with the virus.
Kirkwood Community College on Friday finalized an agreement to pay $25,000 to an adjunct professor who was fired for a Facebook post with a controversial political statement. In August 2019, after his social media posts criticizing President Donald Trump and evangelical Christians were picked up by news outlets, Kirkwood told adjunct English professor Jeff Klinzman to resign, or he would be removed from the classroom. The $25,000 Klinzman received is around the amount the college would have paid him to continue teaching for over three and a half years. In exchange, Klinzman will not return to work at Kirkwood Community College.
An update on the COVID-19 numbers…today the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 349 additional positive cases for a total of 5,868 positive cases statewide. An additional 9 deaths were also reported, including 2 older adults in Black Hawk County and 1 elderly adult in Bremer County. Other deaths were reported in Dubuqe, Polk, Poweshiek, and Washington counties.
Organizers say a drive-thru testing site for the new coronavirus in Des Moines expected to see nearly twice the number of people today as it tested over the weekend. The site outside Wells Fargo Arena drew about 240 residents seeking to be tested over the weekend. Officials say the goal is to eventually test up to 3,000 people per day at different drive-thru sites around Iowa.
After more than 20 years of service to UnityPoint Health, Kevin Vermeer is stepping down as President and CEO to pursue other opportunities, effective this Thursday. Sue Thompson, Senior Vice President of Integration and Optimization and CEO of UnityPoint Accountable Care will serve as interim CEO as a national search is conducted for a permanent replacement.
Hawkeye Community College has announced plans that summer classes will begin as scheduled on Monday, June 1st with online instruction. Classes with labs or hands-on components will begin online, with in-person labs on campus after June 15. Any in-person activities would include physical distancing practices, with students and instructors required to supply and wear face masks or coverings. Specific details for individual courses will be communicated to enrolled students before classes begin.
It’s called “Pass the Pork” a program led by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, as part of the Feeding Iowans Task Force. Producers are donating pigs to Iowa food bank feeding programs, and the public is encouraged to donate funds to help with the cost of processing. Iowa ag secretary Mike Naig told me that despite shutdowns related to the coronavirus, the ag supply chain is intact. More with Secretary Naig on “Pass the Pork” and other related issues today in the 10 o’clock hour of KXEL Live and Local.
House and Senate leadership announced that the suspension of the Iowa legislative session will be extended through May 15. The Legislative Council will meet via teleconference this week regarding matters that need to be handled between now and then. A date for the meeting has not yet been set.
My Waterloo Days has cancelled its 2020 event. The theme that was to be used this year, “Rock the Park”, will instead be used June 7-13, 2021. Virtual events, including a parade and self-reporting fun run, will be created this year.
The medical director at a state-run institution for people with intellectual disabilities has resigned amid questions about the care residents received at the Glenwood Resource Center in southwest Iowa. Documents from the Iowa Department of Human Services show that Dr. Mohammad Rehman resigned Friday from the Glenwood facility. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating allegations that the former Glenwood superintendent was planning to conduct human sexual arousal experiments. The department also is looking into a death rate that concerned employees.
