The Iowa City Council will resume in-person meetings, starting on Tuesday. But instead of meeting at City Hall, the council will be holding both its work sessions and formal session in the assembly room of the Senior Center (28 S Linn St). “The Center’s assembly room is larger than City Hall’s Emma Harvat Hall, and […]
coronavirus
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City to reopen City Hall on Thursday
City Hall will fully reopen on Thursday. The building closed to the general public on March 18, 2020, as COVID-19 began to spread widely in the city and the state. “These changes signal a move back to pre-pandemic operations; however, the City will remain vigilant in monitoring the local and national public health situation. For […]
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Secretary of Iowa Senate denies making threat over report on inadequate COVID measures at State Capitol Building
Charlie Smithson, the secretary of the Iowa Senate, complained to the administrator in charge of the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Agency (IOSHA) about a “hazard alert letter” by agency inspectors criticizing how the Republican leaders who appointed Smithson failed to address COVID-19 concerns in the Iowa State Capitol Building, and suggested the letter might […]
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Gov. Reynolds says no to vaccine incentives, yes to running for reelection; State Auditor says she misused pandemic aid again
“I am really happy with where we’re at,” Gov. Kim Reynolds told reporters on Thursday, explaining that Iowa doesn’t need to follow the example of other states and create lotteries or other incentives to persuade people to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In April, the governor announced a goal of having 65 percent of eligible Iowans […]
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Hy-Vee will give gift cards to people who get their COVID-19 vaccinations at its locations
States around the country have used federal pandemic aid to create incentives programs, ranging from million-dollar lotteries to free fishing licenses, to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Iowa’s Gov. Kim Reynolds has decided to rely on outreach programs by county health agencies, and done nothing new at the state level. Instead, her approach […]
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Johnson County lifts its mask mandate, will fully reopen buildings to the public
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Thursday to lift the county’s mask mandate. The mandate officially ends on Monday, May 31, following the publication of a public notice in “a newspaper of record.” “Today’s just the culmination of a lot of what is happening,” Supervisor Rod Sullivan said before the board voted […]
Posted inCommunity/News, COVID-19
More than a year after closing their buildings to the public, Linn County and Cedar Rapids prepare to re-open doors
The City of Cedar Rapids and Linn County governments are preparing to re-open their facilities to the public after more than a year of being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Linn County Board of Supervisors voted on Wednesday to open county buildings to the public on Monday, June 7. County buildings have been […]
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Iowa City and Coralville lift their mask mandates
Iowa City and Coralville announced on Tuesday an end to their city-wide mask mandates. In written statements, both cities cited the revised guidance issued by the CDC last week stating that people who are fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or engage in social distancing even while indoors to mitigate the spread of […]
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Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market returning this summer with in-person season
The Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers Market is returning this summer for its 16th season with an in-person market featuring nearly 100 local vendors selling fresh produce, cinnamon rolls, honey, flowers and other goods. Like many in-person events last year, the downtown farmers market had to adjust its operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 […]
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Mayor Brad Hart again modifies mask mandate in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart has further eased the mask mandate in Cedar Rapids to align with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC announced on Thursday that fully vaccinated individuals can stop wearing their masks indoors. This guidance comes two weeks after the CDC issued recommendations that relaxed […]
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Biden partners with Uber and Lyft to provide free rides to get vaccinated, as rates continue to slow
As the rate of COVID-19 vaccination slows across the country, President Joe Biden announced a new partnership between the country’s two largest ride-hailing services and the federal government to make it easier for people to reach sites where they can be vaccinated. The partnership was announced Tuesday as part of a set of new initiatives […]
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Cedar Rapids high schools holding vaccine clinics this week for students 16 and older
Cedar Rapids high school students who are 16 years or older have the opportunity to get vaccinated this week during school-day hours at their high school. The Cedar Rapids Community School District, in partnership with Linn County Public Health, will hold COVID-19 vaccination clinics at Kennedy, Jefferson, Washington and Metro high schools. The two-dose Pfizer […]
