The first number Gov. Kim Reynolds mentioned at her Friday afternoon press conference on the state’s response to COVID-19 may have been more surprising than any of the other figures cited during the half-hour event: It’s only been five days since the first person in Iowa was diagnosed with the disease. In that five days, […]
COVID-19
Grinnell College to close campus and shift to online learning amidst COVID-19 pandemic
Grinnell College was the first Iowa college to close due to growing concerns of the international outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. Students are expected to leave campus by March 23, and make the shift to online learning to complete their courses in an effort to keep the Grinnell community safe. The […]
As they mark their first anniversary, Iowa City Student Climate Strikers turn down award, join ‘digital strike’
Every week since they began demonstrating outside of the Iowa City Community School District offices on March 15, 2019, the Iowa City Student Climate Strike has reiterated their message of climate action through social media, letters to the editor and, of course, in-person protests. Massimo Biggers, Alex Howe, Ian Martinez, Maddie Peterson and the other […]
Mission Creek Festival 2020 is canceled, may reschedule
The 15th annual Mission Creek Festival is the latest event to fall to the coronavirus pandemic. Festival organizers sent an email just before 6 p.m. Thursday announcing the cancellation of the festival “in its current form” due to the public health risk. Originally scheduled to take place at various downtown Iowa City venues April 1-4, […]
From classes to concerts, Iowans are hunkering down in the face of COVID-19, as the president shares misinformation (Updated)
Update: On Thursday evening, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported that two more Iowans have tested positive for COVID-19. Both newly diagnosed patients are between 61-80 years old. One lives in Johnson County, the other in Carroll County. Both are being treated at their homes. The two new cases bring the total of diagnosed […]
COVID-19, now officially a pandemic, shuts down CR Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, puts UI on alert (updated)
The Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Society of Cedar Rapids — better known as SaPaDaPaSo — prides itself on never calling off its annual March 17 parade on account of bad weather. But this year, the organization has run into a problem bigger than cold or rain. SaPaDaPaSo announced on Wednesday morning it is canceling its 2020 parade out of coronavirus concerns.
‘The reality of COVID-19 is now here,’ says Gov. Reynolds, offering few details on Johnson County cases
The number of diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in Johnson County jumped from three to seven yesterday, as four more people who had been on cruise in Egypt tested positive for the coronavirus. An additional case was diagnosed in Pottawatomie County. That person had no connection to the Johnson County cases, or Egypt. A total of […]
Four cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Iowa, including three in Johnson County (Updated)
Four Iowans, including three residents of Johnson County, have now tested positive for COVID-19.. The most recent case was reported by the Pottawattamie County Health Department late Monday afternoon, but details regarding that case have not yet been released. The three Johnson County cases, however, were the subject of a press conference by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Sunday evening.




