TWO CEDAR RAPIDS SHOOTINGS WITHIN SEVEN DAYS HAPPENED JUST BLOCKS APART NEAR ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CLEVELAND PARK. THE LATEST INCIDENT INVOLVED A MINOR INJURY TO A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL. INFORMATION ON EITHER SHOOTING CAN BE CALLED-IN TO LINN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS AT 1-800-CS-CRIME.
IT’S LIKE HAVING SPECIAL FORCES FOR THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH. YESTERDAY IN DES MOINES, STATE OFFICIALS TALKED ABOUT THE EXPERTS DISPATCHED TO COVID-19 OUTBREAKS AT NURSING HOMES. THE SO-CALLED STRIKE TEAMS INCLUDE SUPPORT PERSONNEL FROM THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD. THEY PROVIDE A FAST RESPONSE TO HELP TEST STAFF AT CARE FACILITIES, AND THEY HAVE BEEN AT WORK IN MUSCATINE AND LOUISA COUNTIES THIS WEEK.
MERCY ONE AND UNITY POINT HOSPITALS IN WATERLOO ARE TREATING CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS WITH BLOOD PLASMA DONATED BY THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM INFECTION. THE EFFORT IS PART OF RESEARCH BEING DONE BY THE MAYO CLINIC. SEVERAL PATIENTS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE TREATMENT IN THE CEDAR VALLEY AND ELSEWHERE HAVE EVENTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO LEAVE HOSPITALS AND RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE PHONE WITH THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THERE’S A CHANCE YOU COULD BE TALKING TO AN IOWA NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER. GENERAL BEN CORELL OF THE NATIONAL GUARD. CORELL SAYS THE PURPOSE OF THE CALL CENTERS IS TO TALK WITH PATIENTS WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AND HELP THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO ELSE MAY HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
IN INDEPENDENCE, TYSON EMPLOYEES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN OF THE COMPANY’S MEAT PACKING OPERATIONS ELSEWHERE. WORKERS THERE HAVE SAID SOME SOCIAL DISTANCING PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN IGNORED AND THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO USE PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. TYSON’S INDEPENDENCE PLANT MAKES PET PRODUCTS.
K-THROUGH-12 CLASSES AT IOWA SCHOOLS COULD START EARLIER THAN AUGUST 23RD, THE OPENING DATE CODIFIED IN IOWA LAW. GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND LAWMAKERS ARE TALKING ABOUT ALLOWING DISTRICTS TO USE MORE OF AUGUST TO HELP COVER THE EDUCATIONAL GAP CREATED BY THIS SPRING’S CONRONAVIRUS SCHOOL SHUTDOWN. SINCE 2015, WAIVERS FOR EARLY STARTS BEFORE AUGUST 23RD HAVE NOT BEEN GRANTED.
THE UNI SCHOOL OF MUSIC IS KEEPING ITS LESSONS GOING. ADMINISTRATORS OF THE PROGRAM SAY THEY WILL OFFER REMOTE MUSIC INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. THE LESSONS ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND MUSIC SKILL LEVELS.
ON THE EVE OF A PHASED REOPENING OF BUSINESSES CLOSED BY COVID-19, IOWA IS A PATCHWORK OF JURISDICTIONS THAT WILL EITHER HAVE NEW RULES OR THAT WILL REMAIN UNDER MORE RESTRICTIVE LIMITATIONS. OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV-9 TALKED WITH JESUP MAYOR CHRIS EVEN. JESUP IS IN BUCHANAN COUNTY WHERE RESTAURANTS COULD START REOPENING TOMORROW. HE SAYS CITY OFFICIALS WERE SURPRISED BY THE CHANGE IN STATUS ANNOUNCED BY THE STATE EARLIER THIS WEEK.
YOUNGER WORKERS COULD BE THERE TO GREET YOU WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE IN IOWA’S ON JUNE 2ND PRIMARY. IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE PAUL PATE IS HOPING THAT A NEW GENERATION WILL BE ON HAND TO CHECK REGISTRATIONS AND PASS OUT BALLOTS. PATE’S OFFICE HAS SET UP A SPECIAL WEBSITE FOR SIGN-UPS: POLLWORKER.IOWA.GOV.
ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT FEAR THAT TWO PEOPLE MAY BE DEAD IN CONNECTION WITH A MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY THIS WEEK. 24-YEAR-OLD MITCHELL MINCKS WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BY U.S. MARSHALLS AND IS A PERSON OF INTEREST IN THE CASE. ARIZONA OFFICIALS BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION LAST WEEK AND FOUND UNSPECIFIED EVIDENCE THAT MINCKS’ GIRLFRIEND AND STEPFATHER MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED. MINCKS’ WAS ARRESTED ON AN UNRELATED FEDERAL CHARGE.
