Iowa Radio News

IOWA (IRN) – Iowa will follow federal guidance in prioritizing health care workers and nursing home residents when distributing COVID-19 vaccinations, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday. She said she expects the first distributions of the vaccine to start Dec. 13, with a shipment of 26,000 doses of a vaccine developed by Pfizer. Reynolds said more doses should come weekly, including a vaccine from Moderna, for a total of 172,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of December. The vaccines require two doses, and the limited qualities mean general distribution will not happen immediately. Iowa Department of Human Services Director Kelly Garcia said she expects that to start in mid-2021. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – More than 60 percent of Iowa’s rivers and streams are polluted or otherwise compromised, according to a report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The DNR says much of the problems with waterways across the state can be tied to Iowa’s agriculture industry, with manure and nutrients from fertilizer making their way into waterways. IOWA (IRN) – A dispute in the nation’s closest congressional race in decades may be headed to a decision by the Democratically-controlled U.S. House. Former state senator and Democrat Rita Hart announced plans Wednesday to file a petition in the coming weeks under the Federal Contested Elections Act, challenging the outcome in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. The result has already been certified by the state, and officials declared Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks the winner — by just six votes. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The coronavirus pandemic is “severely” affecting the current Des Moines budget, subtracting a total of $25 million in expected revenues this fiscal year. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A University of Iowa student has been charged with Extortion. The 20-year-old woman is accused of threatening to go to the police and report she was sexually assaulted by the victim unless they paid her $1,000. She was released on her own recognizance and ordered not to have any contact with the victim. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – An Iowa City agriculture startup that uses drones to seed cover crops and apply herbicides and pesticides says it received $7.5 million in investment to expand. Rantizo, which provides precision in-field applications, said Wednesday it raised $7.5 million from investors, led by Leaps by Bayer, a unit of ag giant Bayer that helps finance new innovations and startups.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Rita Hart’s campaign announced Wednesday that the Democrat will challenge the Iowa U.S. House District 2 election results. Hart lost the election after the State Canvassing Board certified Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks as the winner of the race by just six votes. Hart’s campaign alleges that legally cast ballots were not considered in the state recount process. The campaign pointed to multiple reporting errors in the district. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – November was Iowa’s deadliest month since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 657 Iowans with COVID-19 have died since Nov. 1. That’s about 25% of the total COVID-19 deaths in the state. COVID-19 has been particularly deadly in Iowa’s long-term care facilities. The state reports 1,070 deaths within those facilities. SIOUX CITY, IA (IRN) – Sioux City police are investigating a death inside an apartment used by transients as a homicide. The victim’s body was found Tuesday. Police didn’t release the gender of the victim, who had signs of blunt force trauma. The person appeared to have been deceased for a week. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds called on Congress Tuesday to pass another round of COVID-19 stimulus. The governor’s calls for relief came on the same day a bipartisan group of lawmakers released a $908 billion stimulus plan. AMES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Cyclones on Tuesday received its highest College Football Playoff ranking in school history. The latest CFP Top 25 rankings put the Cyclones at No. 9. Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson and Ohio State make up the top four. The Iowa Hawkeyes are ranked No. 19. IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team has moved up to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 rankings. It’s Iowa’s highest ranking since the 2015-16 team reached No. 3. Gonzaga and Baylor remained Nos. 1-2 in the poll.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State announced it will allow fans to return to football and basketball games as it resumes its previous COVID-19 attendance policies. Fans will be able to return to the university’s sports venues starting with Saturday’s football game against West Virginia and Sunday’s basketball games against South Carolina (women) and DePaul (men). DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Election officials certified a six vote lead by Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks over Democrat Rita Hart in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District race on Monday. It’s one of the closest Congressional contests in U.S. history. Hart may challenge the result in court. LE MARS, IA (IRN) – A former northwest Iowa sheriff’s deputy has pleaded not guilty to stealing prescription drugs from the department’s evidence rooms and homes he was searching while on duty, and committing burglaries at five Plymouth County pharmacies. Forty-one-year-old Aaron Leusink, of Le Mars, is accused of taking prescription drugs from homes he was searching and pills that were evidence in other cases. Agents searching Leusink’s home found more than 1,600 prescription medication pills and several opened evidence bags. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – Marshalltown became the latest Central Iowa community to require face coverings. As of today, everyone in the city must wear a face covering inside any indoor public setting, and outdoors when 6 feet of social distance cannot be maintained. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – A promising new antibody treatment for coronavirus is now available in Iowa. MercyOne Des Moines doctors recently administered the hospital’s first doses of bamlanivimab, or “bam” infusion therapy, to COVID-19 patients. The experimental treatment is not yet FDA approved, but MercyOne doctors are among the first to use it following an emergency use authorization.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – Sen. Chuck Grassley returned to his Washington office today after completing a quarantine due to testing positive for COVID-19. Grassley was asymptomatic throughout his quarantine and was cleared to return to the office by his doctors. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 28 additional COVID-19 deaths Monday as more long-term care facilities report virus outbreaks. Iowa reported 1,200 new positive cases Monday. As of 10 a.m., there have been 2,403 deaths since the start of the pandemic. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Police Department on Sunday announced an arrest in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash on Thanksgiving. Des Moines police charged 22-year-old Lim Bol Choul with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and not having insurance. An anonymous tip led police to the suspect. CLINTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks remains atop Iowa’s 2nd District congressional race despite a Saturday recount in Clinton County that eroded her already single-digit lead to just six votes. The vote will go to a state canvassing board Monday to be certified, which would make Miller-Meeks the official winner. WEST BURLINGTON, IA (IRN) – Eugene Fraise, a former longtime Iowa state senator, has died of complications of COVID-19. Fraise, 88, died Friday at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. A Democrat from nearby West Point, he served in the Senate from 1986 until his retirement in 2013. IOWA (IRN) – As it currently stands, Iowa’s ’20-21 high school wrestling season has the green light to proceed, but because of the ongoing pandemic, the season is going to look different. Some changes will be small — socially-distanced benches, broken-up practices, slightly-altered weigh-in procedures. Others will be bigger, the schedule being chief among them. The IHSAA gives schools the autonomy to set their own competitions, but they are recommending against large tournaments.

CLINTON COUNTY, IA (IRN) – The Clinton County auditor confirmed on Saturday afternoon that (R) Mariannette Miller-Meeks received an additional two votes from their recount. This results in Miller-Meeks being six votes ahead of (D) Rita Hart in Iowa’s second congressional district. The results will be certified Monday. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Eleven more Iowans have died from COVID-19 and 2,239 additional coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the state, according to the latest numbers from the Iowa Department of Public Health. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – Police say Perkins Restaurant and Bakery in Cedar Rapids was robbed at gunpoint on Wednesday night. According to officials, the man showed a gun and left with an undisclosed amount of cash, driving away in a black SUV. LINN COUNTY, IA (IRN) – A man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after authorities say he crashed his motorcycle on Saturday in Linn County. He lost control of the motorcycle and hit the median. He was wearing a helmet.