Gov. Kim Reynolds had planned to have the superintendent of the Indianola Community School District speak at her press conference on Tuesday, so he could explain what the district has done since its Irving Elementary School confirmed a case of COVID-19 four days after starting classes, but postponed the superintendent’s appearance to have more time […]
COVID-19
Posted inCommunity/News, COVID-19, Top Story
Big 10 to cancel fall football season, despite Iowa voting to play
The Big 10 Conference has decided to cancel all football games scheduled for the fall as precaution against COVID-19 spread, sources familiar with conference deliberations report. According to the Associated Press, university presidents and chancellors from the Big 10’s 14 schools held a previously unscheduled meeting on Sunday night to vote on whether to move […]
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Iowa has the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita in the Midwest
Five months after the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the state, Iowa has the highest number of cases per capita of any Midwestern state, according to data compiled by the CDC. Ohio, where the first cases of the virus were confirmed one day after Iowa’s first cases, has the lowest number per capita […]
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COVID-19: School districts push back against Gov. Reynolds’ reopening plans; three more deaths reported in Johnson County
Saturday, Aug. 8 marks five months since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa, and on Friday Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office published an open letter from the governor about the pandemic, in which she said “we’re all working toward the same goal.” “Now is not the time to let our guard down,” Reynolds […]
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Cedar Rapids nursing home has a second outbreak of COVID-19, as 588 more Iowans test positive
Cottage Grove Place in Cedar Rapids has been added to the Iowa Department of Public Health list of long-term care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks. According to IDPH, six people at Cottage Grove have tested positive for the virus, one of whom is considered recovered. IDPH does not distinguish between residents and staff when reporting the […]
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Johnson County Board of Supervisors approves a mask mandate
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at its meeting on Thursday to approve a Board of Health ordinance requiring the use of face coverings in public spaces to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. With certain limited exceptions, the ordinance requires anyone inside a building open to the public to wear a face […]
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State denies Iowa City school district’s request to start all classes online; Iowa’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses 900
On Thursday, the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) rejected a request from the Iowa City Community School District to allow its schools to start the new school year with two weeks of all online instruction. In its application, ICCSD said it was concerned about the health and safety of students and staff if it began […]
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Q&A: Two contact tracers at Linn County Public Health discuss their job and what they’re seeing during the county’s current surge
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Linn County — and across Iowa — continue to increase daily. As of Thursday morning, Linn County Public Health was reporting 2,204 confirmed cases in the county and 87 deaths. There are 299 active cases, according to LCPH. Community spread makes up nearly 70 percent of the county’s total confirmed […]
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‘We’ve got to do something’: Linn County officials, mayors call for local control over mandating face masks
The Linn County Board of Supervisors and the Board of Health approved a proclamation during a joint meeting on Wednesday that calls on Gov. Kim Reynolds to allow cities and counties “to enact localized response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” including mandating and enforcing the use of face coverings. The proclamation is backed by the mayors […]
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COVID-19: Johnson County Board of Health approves a mask mandate; 510 more Iowans test positive
The Johnson County Board of Health unanimously approved an ordinance mandating the use of face coverings in public spaces during its special meeting on Tuesday. The ordinance has been forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for approval at their meeting on Thursday. Although Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Attorney Tom Miller have asserted that local […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Reynolds warns schools not to switch to all online classes without permission, criticizes COVID-19 ‘scare tactics’ used by media
“I want to be very clear,” Gov. Kim Reynolds near the beginning of her press conference on Tuesday. “Schools that choose not to return to school for at least 50 percent in-person instruction are not defying me, they’re defying the law.” The governor said that if a school moved to all online instruction without first […]
Posted inCommunity/News, COVID-19
Cedar Rapids families have until Wednesday to decide on in-person or virtual instruction for upcoming school year
Cedar Rapids families have until Wednesday to decide whether their students will start the upcoming school year online or in person. Families were sent the final version of the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s (CRCSD) Return to Learn plan on Friday. The plan includes information about the options for students in elementary, middle and high […]
