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COVID-19: Hospitalizations jumped from 600 to 700 in four days; 1,733 Iowans have died since March

Iowa set a new record for the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients for the eighth day in a row with more than 700 patients hospitalized for the first time. The Iowa Department of Public Health was reporting 718 hospitalizations on Monday morning, an increase from Sunday’s record-setting total of 676 hospitalizations. The state surpassed 700 […]

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Mike Pence praises Gov. Reynolds’ leadership on COVID-19 as the state and Linn County set new COVID-19 records

Five days before the election, Vice President Mike Pence landed at the Des Moines International Airport long enough to give a 45-minute speech to a crowd of supporters, encouraging them to vote for President Trump, Sen. Joni Ernst and other Republican candidates. About 30 minutes into his speech on Thursday, Pence reminded the people gathered […]

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Record COVID-19 hospitalizations threaten to ‘overwhelm’ Iowa health care system, hospital executives say

The surge in new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa continued over the weekend, and the state set yet another record for the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Between 10 a.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Monday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported 3,897 Iowans had tested positive for COVID-19, which include 103 residents […]

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Hy-Vee CEO tells employees he’s concerned about the tax policies of ‘some of the candidates’ this election cycle

Hy-Vee CEO Randy Edeker sent a video about the upcoming election to his company’s more than 245 stores, Iowa Capital Dispatch reported. In the video, which is being played in store breakrooms, Edeker tells employees that current tax policies are in the best interest of the West Des Moines-based chain and warns about social unrest […]

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COVID-19: CDC has a new definition of ‘close contact,’ Iowa has another new record for hospitalized patients

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its definition of what constitutes “close contact” with someone who has COVID-19. Previously, the CDC had defined close contact as being within six feet of a person who has tested positive for 15 consecutive minutes. But under the revised definition issued on Wednesday, being within six feet […]

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Reynolds’ use of CARES Act funds to pay for software contract came after the Iowa House rejected her request for the money

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to use $21 million of federal COVID-19 relief funds on a new computer system she awarded a no-bid contract last year came after the Iowa House of Representatives rejected her request to use $21 million in state gambling revenue to pay for the system, Iowa Capital Dispatch reported on Thursday. The […]

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COVID-19: Iowa sets new records for hospitalizations, deaths; Reynolds defends spending $21 million in federal pandemic aid on pre-pandemic projects

The surge in the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients continued on Wednesday, with the Iowa Department of Public Health reporting 534 patients. This is an increase of 33 patients over the total on Tuesday, which was the first day Iowa ever reported more than 500 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. One hundred and thirty-four of those patients […]

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Auditor: Reynolds administration has misused at least $21 million in federal funds meant for COVID-19 programs

The Reynolds administration has misused at least $21 million in federal funds meant to help pay for expenses related to COVID-19, according to Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand. In a letter to Dave Roederer, director of the Iowa Department of Management, dated Oct. 16, Sand said the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. […]

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