The Iowa Department of Public Health had no additional COVID-19 deaths to report for the 24-hour-period ending yesterday morning…the third day out of the previous four with no new deaths. In addition, only 600 Iowans had tested positive for the virus over that same period. While 3,589 Iowans have died due in part to COVID-19, state data shows a total of 214,724 Iowans have recovered from the virus.
Three people died Monday morning in a wrong-way collision on Interstate 80…it happened around 4:30 a.m. in the westbound lanes of I-80 near the West Branch exit. 20-year-old Eric Nunez of Plano, Illinois,and 70-year-old Robert Larson and 68-year-old Teresa Larson, both of West Liberty, all died. The Iowa State Patrol says Nunez was driving an auto the wrong way on the interstate and hit the van carrying the other two people head-on. Investigation continues into the collision, which led the eastbound lanes of I-80 in the area to be closed for more than four hours.
Waterloo police are investigating an armed robbery at Clean Laundry located at 709 Progress Avenue…it happened around 4:30 Sunday morning. Police said a woman was sitting in her car outside the laundromat when a man wearing a mask pointed a handgun at her. He took her wallet and drove away. Police do not have any suspects and have not made any arrests, but are searching for nearby surveillance video.
Initial contracts to build a new high school were awarded Monday by the Cedar Falls Board of Education. Board members voted 6-0 for the package of 22 bids totaling $85.12 million during a special meeting. Another four contracts worth $4.17 million are pending further review and are expected to be awarded next month. The total cost will be nearly $113 million.
Waterloo officials remind citizen that if their garbage collection day is normally Thursday, it will be the day before—Wednesday—this week. If your normal garbage day is Friday, it will be the following Monday, December 28. If your recycling day is Friday…it will instead by serviced the next day, Saturday, December 26.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst joined other lawmakers in Washington in receiving a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine this past weekend. Capitol physician Dr. Brian Monahan informed lawmakers Thursday that they are all eligible to receive the vaccine. Vice President Mike Pence received his on Friday…Joe Biden, yesterday. U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley opted against the vaccine, since he tested positive for the virus just last month. The COVID-19 vaccine won’t be available to the general public until the middle of 2021. On Sunday, a U.S. CDC advisory panel recommended frontline essential workers and people 75 years and older be next in line to receive a vaccine. Distribution for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine began Sunday. Iowa is tentative scheduled to receive 53,800 doses of Moderna’s vaccine this week and 19,500 doses the week after. Like the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna’s vaccine requires two doses, but does not require extreme cold storage.
UNI Athletics announced Monday a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend the opening series of the Missouri Valley Conference basketball schedule for both the men’s and the women’s teams against Missouri State. Capacity will be capped at 15% or 1,163 seats, which includes 125 tickets for students. There will be at least eight feet of separation between season ticket groups. The current capacity restrictions will be evaluated regularly throughout the remainder of the season. The UNI men host Missouri State on Dec. 27 and 28, while the UNI women host Missouri State on Jan. 1 and 2…and you can hear all those games on News/Talk 1540 KXEL.
Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz isn’t the only person within the Iowa football program who tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Iowa director of athletics Gary Barta said Monday that other staff members and players are also impacted as the Hawkeyes begin preparations for the Dec. 30 game against Missouri in the Nashville Music City Bowl. Barta declined to detail the number of individuals but said they are among the 14 positive tests reported Monday as part of a weekly report released by Iowa athletics which details results of its ongoing testing of student-athletes, coaches and staff members for the novel coronavirus.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a fact sheet Monday morning that shows Iowa received approximately $627-and-a-half million to help with the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. In all, FEMA granted the Midwest region more than $1.3 billion in financial assistance. FEMA granted $139.8 million to Iowa to help with public assistance through the pandemic; Iowa accepted the most money for public assistance compared to other states in the region. A total of $216 million was given to reimburse Iowans for lost wages. FEMA also helped fund crisis counseling and mission assignments.
