Since the August 10th derecho, Iowans, insurance companies, agents and contractors have worked together to help Iowa recover. Now, some three months after the storm, the Iowa Insurance Division reports that more than 200,000 claims have been reported. Of those, nearly 160,000 have totaled more than $1.6 billion and have been paid already. Insurance companies are holding more than a billion in reserves to be used for the remaining claims. Given the large number of complaints, the Iowa Insurance Division asks anyone who submits a complaint to be as patient as possible.
A 34-year-old woman sustained several traumatic injuries from a collision between a truck and a minivan Monday morning in Cedar Rapids. Police say it happened just before 7 a.m. on 33rd Avenue SW near 18th Street SW. Investigators believe the truck had been heading east on 33rd Avenue and crossed the center line, hitting the westbound minivan head-on. Witnesses say the driver of the pickup truck ran from the scene. So far that driver has not been located. Officers later found out the truck was reported stolen. The truck and minivan both had significant front end damage. The victim had to be extricated from the van. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A Tiffin man has died after authorities say he lost control while riding an electric mountain bike. It happened on a bike trail in the Tiffin City Park shortly before 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon. 49-year-old Steven Towne of Tiffin was riding an electric mountain bike on the trial when he lost control and struck a bridge railing. Towne was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene.
The Des Moines school district has requested a waiver to move completely to online learning as state figures show coronavirus infections and hospitalizations remain high. The Des Moines school board approved the waiver late Sunday. It’s up to the state Department of Education to grant a waiver. Superintendent Tom Ahart notes Polk County’s average virus positivity rate has topped a state-mandated 15% threshold for districts seeking to shift to online instruction.
Meanwhile, the Janesville Consolidated School closed early Monday afternoon and will not reopen until after Wednesday at the earliest, as a critical mass of absences related to COVID-19 hit the building. The district announced the 1 p.m. closure on its Facebook page Monday morning after 59 of 60 first-hour absences were coronavirus-related – a 12.8% absence rate. Officials say that while the number of absences had been steady for the last 10 school days or so, they felt it was no longer safe to have 470 students in one location even with masks and mitigation strategies. Janesville has also requested a two-week, online learning waiver from the state. In the meantime, all extracurricular and other school activities are cancelled, along with gym rentals.
A man is hospitalized with serious injuries after a UTV accident in Johnson County. Brian Tucker was operating a UTV on private property Saturday when he lost control, which caused the vehicle to roll. A 9-year-old child was in the passenger seat and was ejected, but suffered only minor injuries. Tucker was pinned under the UTV and was transported to UIHC for treatment of serious injuries. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate.
After expanding its majority in the Iowa House, Republicans yesterday chose to retain those who served in top leadership positions this past session. The party announced it re-elected Pat Grassley as Speaker of the Iowa House, marking the second year in the top leadership position for the New Hartford Republican. Grassley pledged to continue his caucus’ agenda of getting Iowans back to work and school during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley will return as House Majority Leader. John Wills of Spirit Lake will stay on as Speaker Pro-Tempore for a second year, and Mike Sexton of Rockwell City will similarly serve a second year as House Majority Whip. The 89th General Assembly is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 11, 2021.
Casey’s General Stores, Inc. announced yesterday that it has acquired Buchanan Energy, owner of Bucky’s Convenience Stores, in an all-cash transaction for $580 million. Casey’s acquisition of Buchanan Energy will include 94 retail stores and 79 dealer locations, which will give Casey’s a total of more than 2,300 stores.
Movie theaters across Iowa can apply for help to get through the coronavirus pandemic…it’s available through grants with the state’s new “Iowa Movie Theatre Relief Program.” Owners can receive up to $10,000 per screen. The window for applications will be open for a week.
The Iowa Department of Corrections said that 45-year-old Maurice Lamont Turner did not come back to the Marshalltown Residential Facility after a work release shift this past Saturday. Turner is serving a sentence for conviction of a third or subsequent offense of domestic abuse or assault. He entered the Marshalltown facility in October of last year. Turner is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, African-American, weighing 262 pounds. Anybody with information about Turner’s whereabouts should contact local law enforcement officials.
