Iowa Radio News

WASHINGTON, IA (IRN) – The bodies of two people were found after an early morning house fire in Washington, according to KCII-radio. After the fire was put out, the bodies of 58-year-old Sherry Bertsch and 66-year-old Michael Shannan were found inside. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health released new statistics on COVID-19 in Iowa Saturday. The IDPH reported 757 new positive COVID-19 cases and five deaths. That brings the statewide total to 8,651 cases and 175 deaths. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Starting Monday, Menards officials said customers will be required to wear masks in the store. For those who do not have some sort of mask, they will have masks available for purchase. WATERLOO, IA (IRN) – Six residents have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the Friendship Village Retirement Community in Waterloo, according to KWWL-TV. All six residents live in the Pavilion Health Center and have been assigned rooms designated in early March as the “COVID Area.” These rooms are separated from the rest of the Pavillion population.

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – A man has been arrested in a shooting that killed a pregnant woman and wounded another woman at a Cedar Rapids apartment complex, according to KCCI-TV. Johnnie Osborne IV is jailed without bond on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Asia Taqara Grice, and nonconsensual termination of a pregnancy, among other charges. MARSHALLTOWN, IA (IRN) – The Marshalltown Police Department is offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who may have information regarding a shooting that happened on March 25th. KCRG-TV reports one man died at the scene, and another is recovering. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Today, the Iowa Department of Public Health has been notified of 757 additional positive COVID-19 cases for a total of 8,641 positive cases. There have been five additional deaths, bringing the state total to 175. MASON CITY, IA (IRN) – A social distancing outdoor concert held on Friday night in Mason City supported a good cause. KIMT-TV reports Betty and The Gents belted out the familiar Beatles tune ‘Life Goes On’ among other songs at a local park. The group is raising money for Mohawk Market, a food pantry run by volunteers and staff of the Mason City Community School District.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The state of Iowa has hit a new one day high for positive COVID-19 tests. Governor Kim Reynolds reported on Friday that there are 740 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. That brings the total number of positive cases in Iowa to 7,885. Eight more deaths were also reported. The number of deaths in Iowa attributed to COVID-19 now stands at 170. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Des Moines Symphony announced Friday that it will postpone the annual Yankee Doodle Pops concert and summer season of Water Works Pops. The 2020 Yankee Doodle Pops concert will be “reimagined” as a Labor Day celebration on September 7. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says testing for the coronavirus in the new TestIowa program will be reliable and accurate once the machines Iowa bought for the program are validated and set up. Questions have been raised by the Salt Lake Tribune about the accuracy of tests used by the state of Utah and provided by the same company Iowa bought tests and equipment from earlier this month as part of a $26 million contract. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Board of Regents said the COVID-19 pandemic could cost Iowa’s three public universities $187 million. Federal funding from the coronavirus aid bill should help ease the blow, but will not cover the expenses. INDIANOLA, IA (IRN) – The latest cancellation to result from the COVID-19 pandemic is the 2020 National Balloon Classic in Indianola. The National Balloon Classic board of directors announced Thursday the event will be postponed until 2021.

NEW SHARON, IA (IRN) – A central Iowa woman is accused of murdering her husband. Carol Ann Davis, 69, of New Sharon, was charged with first-degree murder. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health released new information on COVID-19 in the state Thursday. IDPH reports 14 deaths and an additional 302 positive cases. That is the largest single-day report of deaths in Iowa. That brings the statewide total to 7,145 positive cases and 162 deaths. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – More than 1.5 million hogs could be killed because farmers are running out of space to keep them due to COVID-19 outbreaks at pork processing plants, according to the National Pork Board. The board said about 600,000 hogs did not go to slaughter last week, and another 900,000 this week. DUBUQUE, IA (IRN) – Iowa-based furniture maker Flexsteel Industries has announced it will permanently close its Dubuque manufacturing facility. The Dubuque plant employs about 150 people. The company blamed a drop in demand of some products that has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

IOWA CITY, IA (IRN) – A team of experts advised Gov. Kim Reynolds last week not to relax social distancing rules, warning that doing so at this point could cause a second wave of infections and that Iowa could suffer “catastrophic loss of life” even under strict limits, according to the Des Moines Register. Days after receiving that warning, the Republican governor signed orders to partially reopen 77 of Iowa’s 99 counties and allow in-person church services and farmers markets to resume statewide. JAMAICA, IA (IRN) – The Iowa State Patrol reports two people died Tuesday in a single-vehicle crash in Dallas County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a minor driving with six minor passengers crashed a 2014 Toyota Sienna in Jamaica around 11:35 a.m. The driver lost control of the vehicle and struck a field entrance, killing two people and hospitalizing five others. CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (IRN) – The Iowa Department of Public Health announced on Wednesday 467 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 more deaths in Iowa. The new cases bring the total to 6,843 in the state and 148 total deaths. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IRN) – President Donald Trump took executive action Tuesday to order meat processing plants to stay open amid concerns over growing coronavirus cases and the impact on the nation’s food supply. The order will use the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure to keep production plants open and prevent a shortage of chicken, pork, and other meat on American supermarket shelves. DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – An order signed Monday by Gov. Kim Reynolds allows religious institutions to begin gathering again, but some church leaders said they do not think it is safe to do so. On Tuesday, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa announced that 21 leaders from 10 denominations signed a statement urging religious institutions to refrain from in-person worship. The signed statement said, in part, “It is by our faith that we are compelled to love our neighbor. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, that love comes to expression by remaining physically apart.