Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Department of Public Health data continues to show rising trends in coronavirus hospitalizations in the state. As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, IDPH reported 368 new positive cases and 3 additional deaths. IDPH reports 35,830 total positive cases and 755 total deaths since the pandemic began.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines City Council is requiring everyone in city buildings to wear a face mask to fight the spread of COVID-19. The resolution also encourages businesses owners to enact their own face mask policies.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – Sixty-seven more inmates and seven more staff members at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two days. Four staff members are listed as recovered. No inmates are considered recovered.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A former counselor at Four Oaks residential treatment facility for minors in Cedar Rapids has been charged with sexual abuse and exploitation of one of the facility’s residents, according to KCRG-TV. Danielle Hook, 29, is charged with third-degree sexual abuse, sexual exploitation by a counselor, and harboring a runaway. Hook was fired from her job but was later discovered to be living with the 14-year-old boy in Marion while he was on the run from juvenile court officials. Hook gave birth to a child, and the boy is the father.

CEDAR FALLS, IA (IRN) – The pandemic has led to a much greater need for face masks and one woman is doing her part. KWWL-TV reports 81-year-old Shirley Thode, of Cedar Falls, has been making and donating cloth masks since the pandemic began. She has made over 2,000 masks. She says she has lots of material, and likes to sew.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Department of Public Health data continues to show a rise in positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. As of 10 a.m. Monday, IDPH reported 460 new positive cases and 3 additional deaths. IDPH reports a total of 35,462 positive cases and 752 deaths in Iowa.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Cedar Rapids police are looking for a man they say shot a young woman during a fight Sunday. Investigators believe the woman and the 24-year-old man, who is still at large, were arguing when the man allegedly shot the woman.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The President and CEO of Make-a-Wish Iowa has been dismissed over financial irregularities. Jennifer Woodley has served in the position since August.

IOWA (IRN) – The number of women having abortions in Iowa climbed last year, after plummeting for more than a decade. The state recorded 3,566 abortions in 2019, 8% more than the year before. Last year’s increase came after the number of Iowa abortions dropped 56% from 2008 to 2018. The turnaround came in the wake of Iowa’s controversial 2017 decision to withdraw from a federally funded family planning program, and defunding Planned Parenthood.

HARRISBURG, PA (IRN) – State health officials in Pennsylvania have imposed a travel quarantine recommendation aimed at stemming the spread of COVID-19 in the commonwealth. People who have travelled to 19 states, including Iowa, are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return to Pennsylvania.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Department of Public Health data shows a continued increase in positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state. IDPH reported 743 new positive COVID-19 cases and 6 additional deaths on Saturday. IDPH data shows a total of 34,499 Iowans have tested positive for the virus, while 748 have died.

FORT DODGE, IA (IRN) – More than 100 inmates at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility have now tested positive for COVID-19. Nine staff members have also tested positive.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The owners of five Des Moines car washes are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a man accused in a string of burglaries. The car wash owners say the suspect uses a pry bar and ax to break in, causing thousands of dollars in damage.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The novel coronavirus has halted many of the usual events across the Hawkeye State. But, not all of Iowa’s traditional events have been nixed: Des Moines’ Butter Cow Festival is still a go. During what would have been the first weekend of the fair, attendees can enjoy live music from local bands, food vendors, and breweries on Aug. 14 and 15 at Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park.

WOODBURY COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The trial for Cristhian Bahena Rivera has been postponed until Jan. 25, 2021. Bahena Rivera has been charged for first-degree murder in connection with the death of University of Iowa student Mollie Tibbetts in 2018. Both the prosecution and the defense asked for the trial to be postponed because of COVID-19.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The coronavirus is forcing budget cuts at the University of Iowa. The university said it’s due to a loss of funding from the legislature. University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld is cutting his salary in half, and salary freezes will be put in place for 4,200 employees and at least 32 positions are now under a hiring freeze.

WAUKEE, IA (IRN) – The City of Waukee is asking all of its residents, businesses and other agencies to reduce their outdoor water use by 50%. The city said that in the midst of a hot and dry summer it is experiencing an increase in water usage by its residents and businesses, including an increase in water used for irrigation and outdoor watering. Waukee is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A British defense contractor plans to open a $139 million facility in Cedar Rapids, creating 650 new jobs. BAE Systems produces a variety of military technology, with nearly all of its business coming from defense contracts.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Department of Public Health data shows positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are trending upward. As of Friday at 10 a.m., IDPH reported 744 new positive cases and three additional deaths.

ALTOONA, IA (IRN) – A coalition of construction trades will offer a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for placing a noose at a work site in Altoona. Authorities were called to a building at the Facebook Data Center on June 19 after a supervisor found a noose hanging from a lockbox holding construction plans.

IOWA (IRN) – A racial discrimination complaint has been filed against Iowa meanpacking plants. A group of worker advocacy organizations has filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, saying corporate management is failing to protect minority workers from the coronavirus. Workers rights groups accuse Tyson Foods and JBS of putting profits before people.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Workforce Development reports 10,698 unemployment claims were filed in Iowa between June 28 and July 4. The industries with the most claims were manufacturing, self-employed/independent contractors, health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and retail.

NEW YORK, NY (IRN) – The Big Ten Conference confirmed Thursday that it will limit fall sports to conference-only schedules, effectively canceling the annual Cy-Hawk football game. The conference will limit sports schedules as a preventative measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision comes one day after the Ivy League announced that it will not hold intercollegiate sports in the fall.