Dr. Caitlin Pedati, medical director of the Iowa Department of Public Health and the state’s epidemiologist, will be leaving her position in “late October,” the department announced in a news release on Wednesday. According to IDPH, “Dr. Pedati plans to pursue new career opportunities.” Pedati has held her current job since June 2018, but didn’t […]
coronavirus
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Gov. Reynolds’ attorneys ask judge to let order allowing school mask mandates expire, claim it’s an ‘undue burden’ on the state
On Friday afternoon, attorneys for Gov. Kim Reynolds filed a challenge to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Pratt on Sept. 13. The TRO prohibits the state from enforcing the new law signed by Reynolds in May that forbid schools and school districts from mandating the use of face […]
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COVID-19: Almost 12,000 new cases, 64 more deaths; UI’s ‘few protections’ get national attention
In its weekly update on Wednesday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 11,723 confirmed cases of COVID-19, a 39 percent increase from the 8,408 new cases during the previous seven-day reporting period. The rate of new cases in this latest update is the highest the state has experienced since Jan. 11. For the […]
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School board approves mask mandate for Iowa City schools
The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors voted unanimously at its meeting on Tuesday night to create a universal face mask policy for district schools, to combat the spread of COVID-19. The policy requires students, staff and visitors to mask up when in school buildings. The mask mandate also applies outdoors on school […]
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Cedar Rapids schools will require face masks starting Wednesday
The Cedar Rapids School District will “reinstate a mask mandate for all staff, students, and visitors during compulsory education hours (school day) as well as our daycare environments,” Superintendent Noreen Bush said in an email to district families and staff on Tuesday. The mandate goes into effect on Wednesday. CRCSD, like other large school districts […]
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Iowa’s ban on school mask mandates halted by federal judge
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Monday afternoon that stops the Reynolds administration from enforcing its law prohibiting Iowa school districts from creating their own face mask mandates. “Iowa’s mask mandate ban makes it dangerous for disabled or immunocompromised children to attend school, but several pediatricians opine it is dangerous for […]
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Systems Unlimited celebrates 50 years of helping people with disabilities live with greater independence
Terrell Baumler wants to live on his own, have a pretty girl and a blue Chevy truck. He loves the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Bulls. He has all their socks, shirts and shorts. “I got a four rec draft, Justin Fields of Ohio,” he said, before the NFL season kicked off. Terrell has come a […]
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‘This is Iowa’: State spends millions in federal pandemic aid to promote tourism; school kids now have state’s highest percentage of new COVID cases
Despite the fact that Iowa is experiencing the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases seen since January, Gov. Kim Reynolds feels now is the right time to encourage non-Iowans to visit the state and consider moving here. And the governor is spending $3.7 million of the pandemic relief funds the state received from the federal […]
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Biden announces aggressive plan to fight COVID, Reynolds immediately rejects it; cases and hospitalizations continue increasing in Iowa
President Joe Biden announced a new six-part plan to “turn the corner” on the COVID-19 pandemic during a speech on Thursday evening. Before the president was even halfway through the speech, Gov. Kim Reynolds released a written statement denouncing the plan as “dangerous and unprecedented steps to insert the federal government even further into our […]
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Iowa City Council hears two very different plans for how to spend federal pandemic relief funds
Both of the Iowa City Council’s two meetings on Tuesday had speakers addressing how the city should spend the $18.3 million in federal funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). During the council’s 4 p.m. work session, city manager Geoff Fruin presented a series of recommendations for what he called a “two-prong approach” […]
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Linn County holding six COVID-19 vaccination clinics at CR schools, will offer gift cards to people who get shots
Linn County Public Health is trying to encourage more residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 by adding six one-day vaccine clinics at Cedar Rapids schools starting on Wednesday, and offering a special incentive for those get a shot. “The clinics are open to anyone age 12 and older, with parental consent required for those under […]
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‘A very clear disability discrimination situation’: ACLU and 11 Iowa families sue over state ban on school mask mandates
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Iowa filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday, seeking to overturn the ban on school mask mandates Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law earlier this year. The national ACLU and the Iowa affiliate were joined by Disability Rights Iowa and the Arc of Iowa, an […]
