Author: Iowa Radio News

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reported four deaths and 96 new COVID-19 cases in Iowa Wednesday. That brings the total number of deaths to 53, and the total number of positive cases to 1,995.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines International Airport will receive millions of dollars from the federal CARES Act as it faces the COVID-19 downturn. KCCI-TV reports on Monday, the airport closed Concourse A due to a 95% drop in passengers. The airport will receive over $23 million to help offset losses. The airport is down to less than 210 passengers each day — about as many passengers as a single Boeing 737 jet can fit.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The staff at CommUnity in Iowa City are working remotely to provide mental health services. KCRG-TV reports CommUnity answers text messages through the National Disaster Distress Hotline. Since COVID-19, they have seen over 17 times as many contacts through that text service. To better serve the public CommUnity has added about 10 temporary positions.

DAVENPORT, IA (IRN) – The group that owns the Hotel Blackhawk in downtown Davenport is making sure their furloughed employees don’t go hungry. Each employee can get a meal every night for themselves and their families. There is a weekly menu and staff can call in and take up to six meals home.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reported six deaths and 189 new COVID-19 cases in Iowa Tuesday. That brings the total number of deaths to 49, and the total number of positive cases to 1,899. Gov. Kim Reynolds attributed the highest single-day spike in new positive cases to the Tyson plant in Louisa County, where an additional 86 positive cases were reported.

TIFFIN, IA (IRN) – The public’s assistance is requested by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in the investigation of the death of 15-year-old Noah Herring. KCII-Radio reports the teenager from Tiffin was last seen on April 7th and his body was recovered from the Coralville Reservoir four days later. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. They are asking the public to help locate anyone who was boating or fishing on the Coralville Reservoir near Scales Pointe Campground or near the area known as Diving Rock on April 7th.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Construction crews escaped safely Monday after flames engulfed a retirement home under construction in West Des Moines. KCCI-TV reports fire crews were still at the scene early Tuesday morning. West Des Moines Fire Marshal Mike Whitsell said it is unclear what started the fire, but the flames spread fast. Whitsell said strong winds made it difficult to stop the fire from spreading. He called it “a firefighter’s nightmare.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday that she is beginning to plan out how and when Iowa will reopen despite stating that the state’s peak for COVID-19 infection remains weeks away. The governor said she is balancing efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 with the need to help Iowa’s economy and schools. She has formed an Iowa economic recovery task force that consists of state leaders and will likely include private business leaders.

WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Police in Waterloo have charged a man with arson following a fire at the Wishbone Restaurant. KCRG-TV reports police have charged Kevin Josue Cruz Soliveras, 29, with second-degree arson. He had already been in custody for an attempted armored car robbery on March 11.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the entire 2020 Indoor Football League season has been canceled. WHO-TV reports the Iowa Barnstormers will have a 16 game regular season in 2021. Barnstormers President Jeff Lamberti says, “While we are disappointed that we will not be having the 2020 season for our Barnstormers fans, we feel this decision is in the best interest of the safety of our players, staff, and fans.”

IOWA (IRN) – Two more Iowans have died from COVID-19, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced Monday. An additional 113 cases have been confirmed in the state. A total of 43 Iowans have now died from the virus. There is now a statewide total of 1,710 cases in Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The city of Des Moines estimates an $18 million loss of revenue for the next 60 days, and it’s all attributed to COVID-19. With the city at a stand still, it’s projected that there will be little revenue from sales tax, permits, and licenses.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Des Moines Public Schools are starting their first day of distance-learning today, and will continue through the rest of the school year. They are also prepared to implement the same plan for this fall if a second wave of COVID-19 hits.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – Easter celebrations were very different this year, with no in person church services, fewer large family gatherings, or community Easter egg hunts. WHO-TV reports Johnston resident Heather Comfort had a different idea–she asked her neighborhood to put together a door decorating contest. Bunnies, butterflies, and flowers were common decorations, and so were family photos. One door had flowers and bunnies, and at the top said, “some bunny loves you.”

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – There are 122 new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, and three more deaths, as of Saturday. A total of 34 Iowans have now died because of complications of COVID-19.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Health care workers account for almost 25% of the positive cases in Iowa. Hospitals like UnityPoint in Des Moines said they’re screening all of their employees before each shift.

MIDDLEBURY, IN (IRN) – Iowa-based recreational vehicle manufacturer Winnebago Industries says the company plans to begin reopening its northern Indiana plants in May after closing them in March amid the coronavirus pandemic. Winnebago and other RV manufacturers temporarily idled their manufacturing plants after stay-at-home orders were issued in Indiana and other states where RVs are produced.

CORALVILLE, IA (IRN) – A correctional officer at a prison in Coralville is the first Corrections Department staffer to test positive for the new coronavirus, the department announced Friday.
The officer works at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center and was tested after experiencing symptoms Wednesday and Thursday. The officer sought medical help and took a test for the coronavirus, which came back positive.

JOHNSTON, IA (IRN) – There are 122 new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, and three more deaths, as of Saturday. A total of 34 Iowans have now died because of complications of COVID-19.

ANAMOSA, IA (IRN) – Leaders at the Anamosa State Penitentiary say they’ve put new and more security measures in place to ensure both staff and inmates are safe from infection. KCRG-TV reports some of those changes include restricting visitors and quarantining new inmates to ensure they do not show any symptoms. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 inside any state prisons.

WEST DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Alcohol sales are up 18% in comparison to last March, reaching $32 million in sales in Iowa. KCCI-TV reports officials with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division say that $32 million matches what is normally sold in October, November, and December.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – Iowa All-America center Luka Garza announced he’ll enter the NBA draft process without an agent so he can maintain his college eligibility. Garza scored a school-record 740 points this season, breaking the program’s 50-year old record. He scored 20 or more in a school-record 16 straight Big Ten games, the longest streak by any player in the conference since 1987.