BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A POTENTIAL SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES AT NURSING AND CARE FACILITIES. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENOUGH POSITIVE TESTS AT FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE, HARMONY HOUSE, AND NEW-ALDAYA TO REACH THE THRESHOLD FOR AN OFFICIAL OUTBREAK. DR. NAFISSA CISSE-EGBUONYE SAYS OTHER LOCATIONS ARE IN DANGER OF JOINING THAT LIST. EGBOUNYE ADDED A REMINDER THAT ALL OF THE NUMBERS NOTED IN COVID-19 BRIEFINGS REPRESENT REAL PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE ILLNESS.
MORE CHALLENGING CHANGES COULD BE COMING FOR WORKERS AT COLLINS AEROSPACE. PARENT COMPANY RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES SAYS FURLOUGHS ARE POSSIBLE DURING TO THE SLOWDOWN ASSOCIATED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. RAYTHEON IS TRYING TO CUT TWO BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EXPENSES. SOME EMPLOYEES ALREADY ABSORBED A 10 PERCENT REDUCTION TO THEIR SALERIES LAST MONTH.
HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WILL HOLD ITS GRADUATION CEREMONIES ONLINE ON MAY 29TH. THE VIRTUAL GRADUATION EXERCISES WILL BEGIN AT 7 P.M. ON THE COLLEGE’S WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE. THOSE WHO ARE GRADUATING ARE BEING ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE AT MESSAGE, PHOTO, OR VIDEO THIS WEEK, AND THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO BE PART OF NEXT YEAR’S IN-PERSON CEREMONY, IF THEY CHOOSE.
ZACH JOHNSON WILL BE A VICE CAPTAIN FOR THE U.S RYDER CUP TEAM. THE INTERNATIONAL GOLF EVENT IS SCHEDULED FOR LATE SEPTEMBER AT WHISTLING STRAITS IN WISCONSIN. STEVE STRICKER WILL SERVE AS CAPTAIN OF THE U.S. TEAM.
THE REWARD HAS BEEN INCREASED FOR INFORMATION IN THE FATAL SHOOTING OF 16-YEAR-OLD JUDEAH DAWSON LAST MONTH. LINN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS IS OFFERING $3,500 DOLLARS FOR TIPS THAT HELP INVESTIGATORS MAKE PROGRESS IN THE CASE. DAWSON WAS SHOT IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF APRIL 22ND IN THE 200 BLOCK OF 15TH STREET NORTHWEST NEAR CLEVELAND PARK. ANOTHER SHOOTING IN THE SAME AREA INJURED A GIRL A WEEK LATER. TIPS CAN BE SHARED WITH LINN COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS BY CALLING 1-800-272-7463.
BLACK HAWK COUNTY SHERIFF TONY THOMPSON SAYS LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES ARE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING NURSES AND OTHER STAFF HEALTHY AND ABLE TO SERVE PATIENTS. HE MADE THOSE COMMENTS YESTERDAY DURING THE COUNTY’S COVID-19 NEWS CONFERENCE. THE DETAILS CAME AS BLACK HAWK COUNTY WARNED OF POSITIVE TESTS IN AT LEAST THREE NURSING AND RETIREMENT HOMES WHICH DON’T YET MEET THE STATE’S THRESHOLD FOR AN OUTBREAK. THREE FACILITIES HAVE ACHIEVED OUTBREAK STATUS WITH AT LEAST TEN CASES OF THE VIRUS.
GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SAYS STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PROTECT STATE STAFF FROM COVID-19 INFECTION POTENTIALLY TIED TO HER TRIP TO WASHINGTON LAST WEEK. SOME WHITE HOUSE STAFF AND AN ASSISTANT TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS AFTER REYNOLDS RETURNED FROM THE CAPITAL.
THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAS NEW DOSES OF REMDESIVIR, SUPPLIED BY GILEAD PHARAMACUEDICALS. THE STATE’S SICKEST PATIENTS ARE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE TREATMENT; THE DRUG HAS SHOWN PROMISE IN HELPING REDUCE RECOVERY TIMES. REMDESIVIR WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO TREAT EBOLA DURING AN AFRICAN OUTBREAK WHICH ENDED IN 2016. IT IS NOT A COVID-19 CURE BUT HELPS THE BODY RESPOND TO THE INFECTION.
CORONAVIRUS CASES IN POSTVILLE ARE DRAWING ATTENTION FROM ONE OF THE STATE’S PANDEMIC STRIKE TEAMS. THE AGRISTAR MEAT PROCESSING PLANT IS THE SITE OF AN OUTBREAK WHICH HAS LED TO AT LEAST A DOZEN POSITIVE COVID-19 TESTS. HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL WORKERS AT THE FACILITY HAVE ALSO NOW BEEN TESTED. THE FIRST SUSPECTED CORONAVIRUS CASES IN POSTVILLE WERE REPORTED IN MARCH AMONG A FAMILY WHICH HAD RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO NEW YORK. ALLAMAKEE COUNTY HAS AMONG HIGHEST RATES OF INFECTION OF ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE.
WATERLOO POLICE AND FIRE OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED OVER 230-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FEDERAL MONEY TO COVER COSTS RELATED TO COVID-19. THOSE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY SUPPLIMENTAL FUNDING PROGRAM. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY WILL BE USED FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. WATERLOO WILL ALSO BE PURCHASING A MACHINE WITH DISINFECTS A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT USING OZONE, SIMILAR TO DEVICES USED TO SANITIZE SPORTS EQUIPMENT.
