DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa agriculture officials said Monday that another commercial egg farm in the state has been infected with bird flu, the first commercial farm case identified since April, when a turkey farm was infected. The latest case is in Wright County in north central Iowa about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Des Moines, housing about 1.1 million chickens. Iowa has had 15 commercial farms infected this year, including turkeys, egg-laying hens and other chickens. In addition, five backyard flocks have been infected. Because the virus is highly contagious, all birds on an infected farm are killed and disposed of to avoid the spread of the disease. Iowa has been hardest hit with bird losses at more than 13.3 million this year before the latest farm was found infected. Nationally, more than 47.7 million birds have been affected in 43 states that includes 251 commercial flocks and 328 backyard flocks, U.S. Department of Agriculture figures show. Most of the Iowa cases were during the spring migration of wild birds in March and April, with one reported in early May. The virus hadn’t been detected again until a backyard flock was infected on Oct. 20 and then the latest infection was confirmed on Monday. Federal and state agriculture officials had been concerned that it could return with the fall migration of wild birds, which often carry the virus but aren’t sickened by it. The virus can spread through droppings or the nasal discharge of an infected bird, which can contaminate dust and soil. “We have been preparing for the possibility of additional outbreaks and are working closely with USDA and producers to eradicate this disease from our state,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “With migration ongoing, we continue to emphasize the need for strict biosecurity on poultry farms and around backyard flocks to help prevent and limit the spread of this destructive virus.”
FAYETTE, Iowa (KCRG) – Upper Iowa University announced it is reducing its Fayette campus tuition and fees from $33,639 to $19,000. The new tuition rate will apply to both in-state and out-of-state students. “The cost of attending college has reached a point where many students and their families simply do not consider certain schools when they begin to explore college options,” UIU President, Dr. William R. Duffy II, said in a press release. “To us, making sure a student bases their college choice on the best fit for them is what’s most important.” The university also said all full-time students attending on-campus will receive a scholarship through some combination of merit, athletic and need-based financial aid. “Upper Iowa’s new pricing model supports the Upper Iowa mission and vision of making higher education accessible and expanding opportunities for students,” the university said in a press release. “A lowered tuition rate, combined with the opportunity for scholarships, will allow more students to enjoy the benefits of a quality private college environment and education at a state college cost.”
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – A Cedar Rapids teen is facing multiple charges for allegedly taking part in a fight at an Iowa City bar that left a woman unconscious last month. Law enforcement said 19-year-old Antonio Scotton faces charges of willful injury – causing bodily injury and participation in a riot for an incident at H-Bar in Iowa City on October 23. This incident also resulted in a shooting that killed one person, but Scotton is not charged in that shooting. In a criminal complaint, law enforcement said a large fight started at the bar, and multiple people were removed from the premises, but the fight continued in the street. Police said Scotton was identified as one of the people involved in the fight, which included punching, kicking, shoving and stomping. Witnesses reportedly told police Scotton punched and kicked a woman while she was on the ground, causing her to go unconscious. The number of people involved in this incident and their identities, other than Scotton, have not been released.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Investigators are asking for help identifying the person or people involved in an incident involving gunshots in Tiffin last month. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office said it received multiple reports of gunshots in the area of Highway 6 and Park Road roundabout in Tiffin at about 8:30 p.m. on October 24. No one was injured in the shooting. Anyone with information or security camera footage from the area during the timeframe of the incident should contact the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communications Center at 319-356-6800.
