1 UI, ISU, UNI Students Won't Be Required To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
(Undated) -- Students at University of Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa won't be required to get the coronavirus vaccine. The Iowa Board of Regents announced Wednesday the vaccine will be encouraged but not required. All three schools plan to hold classes completely in-person in the fall.
2 Most Older Iowans Vaccinated, Young Adults Still Lagging Behind
(Des Moines, IA) -- Most older Iowans have now received the coronavirus vaccine but other age groups are still lagging behind. On Wednesday Governor Kim Reynolds said about 40 percent of Iowans in their 30's have gotten at least one dose, but younger adults are only at about 30 percent.
3 Visitation For ISP Sergeant Jim Smith Today In Independence
(Independence, IA) -- The visitation for fallen Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Jim Smith will be held today in Independence. The visitation will take place at the Reiff Family Center-Funeral Home from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. His funeral takes place Friday morning at Independence Community High School.
4 Hy-Vee Holding COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic In Iowa City Saturday
(Iowa City, IA) -- Hy-Vee is holding a coronavirus vaccine clinic for Johnson County residents this weekend. The clinic will be held at the former Hy-Vee store on North Dodge Street in Iowa City Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hy-Vee will be administering the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. All Johnson County residents over the age of 16 are eligible to get vaccinated.
5 Petition Underway To Bring Back Hawkeye Express
(Iowa City, IA) -- A petition is underway to bring back the Hawkeye Express. University of Iowa Athletics announced last week it would stop running the Hawkeye Express to football games because of increased cost and the need for social distancing. Since the decision a petition on change-dot-org has gotten around four-thousand signatures to bring the train back.
6 Over 815-Thousand Iowans Now Vaccinated Against COVID-19
(Undated) -- The number of Iowans who've received the coronavirus vaccine continues to rise. The Iowa Department of Public Health says over 815-thousand people across the state are now fully vaccinated. That's almost 39 percent of the state's population. Almost two-million Iowans have received at least one dose of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
7 Gov. Reynolds Says J&J Impact Should Be Manageable
(Des Moines, IA) -- Governor Kim Reynolds says the State of Iowa was already planning for a slow-down in Johnson and Johnson vaccines before the vaccine was paused. On Wednesday Reynolds said the minimal supply was going to be due to the anticipated slow-down in manufacturing. Because of this she says the impact of the pause should be manageable. Reynolds and her husband got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine last month.
8 Rescue Crews In Muscatine Help Yacht Taking On Water On MS River
(Muscatine, IA) -- Rescue crews in Muscatine are called to help a yacht taking on water on the Mississippi River. Crews say the yacht broke a drive shaft Wednesday morning, leading to a hole being torn in the propeller shaft. Two people were on the boat and rescuers helped them get it to a dock.
9 Davenport Police Charge Man In Chase, Shooting Report
(Davenport, IA) -- Davenport police charge a man they say led officers on a chase after a shooting report in East Moline. Isaiah Robinson was arrested in Davenport Tuesday afternoon. Robinson's charged with one count of felony eluding. He posted five-thousand dollars bond and has been released.
10 Iowa House Passes Qualified Immunity Bill
(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa House passes a bill Republicans say would strengthen protections for peace officers in the state. The bill would strengthen qualified immunity provisions, making it more difficult to sue officers for misconduct. The bill also makes rioting a felony instead of a misdemeanor and increases penalties for blocking highways and roads and destroying public property. It now heads to the senate.
11 Hy-Vee Holding Community Vaccine Clinic In Davenport This Weekend
(Davenport, IA) -- Hy-Vee is holding a community coronavirus vaccine clinic in Davenport this weekend. The clinic will be held at the former Gordmans store on Elmore Avenue Friday through Sunday. Anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to get the vaccine.
12 Iowa Asks People To Monitor Symptoms After Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
(Davenport, IA) -- The state of Iowa is asking anyone who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to tell someone if they get sick or have a medical issue. The Iowa Department of Public Health released new guidance yesterday. The CDC paused the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women reported blood clots. More than seven- million people in this country have gotten a dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Iowa isn't saying just how many people in the state got the Johnson & Johnson shot.
13 Illinois Governor Sees Good News In Coronavirus Trends
(Chicago, IL) -- Illinois' governor says he sees some good news in the state's coronavirus numbers. Governor JB Pritzker yesterday said the state is seeing the 'beginning' of a drop in new coronavirus positives. More people continue to test positive for the virus, but the state says there are fewer new positives than a few weeks ago. A little over seven-million people in Illinois have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
14 Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri Spent 180 Thousand-Dollars In Defeat
(Moline, IL) -- The price tag for Moline's race for mayor this month is lopsided. Campaign finance reports show outgoing-Mayor Stephanie Acri spent 180-thousand-dollars in her losing bid for reelection. Incoming-Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati spent just under 42-thousand-dollars. Both women spent the most on advertising. Moline's mayor is a part time position that pays just 20-thousand-dollars a year.
15 Parts Of Western Illinois Under Frost Advisory
(Davenport, IA) -- Some folks in western Illinois are waking up to frost on their lawns. The National Weather Service says parts of western Illinois south of the Quad Cities will start the day under a frost advisory. Temperatures dropped to as low as 32 degrees overnight. Forecasters say it will be mild for the rest of the week, but it will not be nearly as cold as last night and this morning.
16 DMPS To Offer Online Classes To Middle Schoolers Next School Year
(Des Moines, IA) -- Des Moines Public Schools middle school students will have the option to take classes online next school year. The school district says it's expecting some coronavirus precautions next fall. Phil Roeder [[ RAY-duhr ]] with the school district says the online option works better for families that need flexible schedules and students who work better online.
17 Illinois Lawmakers Push To 'Modernize' Illinois FOID Card System
(Springfield, IL) -- Just one day after the Illinois State Police said it would take them months to process new FOID cards, a number of lawmakers are looking to speed that process up. State Rep. Jay Hoffman yesterday introduced a plan to 'modernize' the FOID card system in the state. His plan would combine FOID cards and concealed carry cards, and allow for automatic renewals for people who sent their fingerprints into the State Police. Hoffman says the idea is to eventually move to a digital card. The Illinois State Police say they cannot keep-up with the demand for new FOID cards and concealed carry permits, hence the months-long backlog.
18 Iowa Planning Free COVID-19 Info Sessions
(Undated) -- The State of Iowa's planning to hold online coronavirus information sessions. The one-hour free sessions will be targeted at people who are reluctant to get vaccinated. The first session will be held on April 24th. More information is available on the Iowa Department of Public Health website.
19 Des Moines Home Sales Up For March
(Des Moines, IA) -- Des Moines home sales are up again. Realtors say more than 12-hundred homes were sold in March, up more than 19 percent from last year. The median sale price was up nearly nine percent to 234-thousand dollars.
20 Sen. Ernst Introducing Bill Against Meatless Day Policies
(Washington, DC) -- U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is introducing a bill that pushes back against proposed meatless days at federal agencies. Ernst says the TASTEE [[ tasty ]] Act would keep federal agencies from banning serving agriculture products to employees. The bill would also ensure farmers' products will always be included on the menu for federal employees.
21 Wisconsin Lawmakers Okay Election Legislation
(Madison, WI) -- Wisconsin lawmakers continue to want to fix the problems they saw with the 2020 election. Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate approved four election plans yesterday. One would allow the state supreme court to accept direct election lawsuits, another would require the Wisconsin Elections Commission to be more open, a third would regulate how outside nonprofits can spend money in the state, and the fourth would give extra protections to poll workers. It's unclear if any of the plans will become law. Governor Evers has said he will not sign anything that makes it more difficult for people in Wisconsin to vote.
22 Lawmakers To Take-Up Ref Harassment Plan Today
(Madison, WI) -- The proposal to make it a misdemeanor to harass referees and umpires in Wisconsin takes its first step forward today. Lawmakers have a hearing on the plan they hope will have fewer people yelling at the officials in youth and high school sports. The WIAA, the group that runs high school sports in Wisconsin, says harassment has made it difficult for them to find and keep referees and umpires. The plan is due for a vote in the Assembly's Committee on Judiciary later this afternoon.
23 KCRG) - It is now time for Iowans to nominate their favorite pork tenderloin as the best in the state. The Iowa Pork Producers Association is now accepting nominations for its 19th Pork Tenderloin Contest. Nominations can be made on iowapork.org through June 4. The website says nominations must be from a restaurant that is typically open year-round. That means food trucks, concession stands, seasonal establishments and catering businesses are not eligible. IPPA will then judge the top 40 picks, made up of the top five nominations from each of the eight IPPA districts. The final top five will be judged in September and the winner will be named during National Pork Month in October.
24 (KCRG) - Danielle Meyer’s daughter, Lydia, spent most of the school year learning at Carver Elementary School through a screen. That was until Governor Reynolds mandated school districts to go back to offering fully in-person learning. Because of Lydia’s daycare’s policy, Meyer had to send her back to fully in-person learning. Even though she said the school district has done an excellent job putting together an online curriculum, she said her daughter probably would not have lasted much longer learning online and not in the classroom.
According to District Superintendent Stan Rheingans, the Meyer family is just one of many who keep shifting their children from online learning to in-person. The District has been offering online classes since the pandemic began a year ago. Now, school officials are trying to figure out whether there will be a need for it by August and into the next school year. Currently, the District says around 1,500 students, or 14.5 percent, of its 10,000 students are learning online. Rheingans said they will keep offering online learning options if there is enough interest for it. When it comes to requiring masks, Rheingans said that will definitely not be going away this school year. For next year, however, it will depend on vaccination progress, comfort level, and whether the city still has a mask mandate in place. Rheingans said between 85 and 90 percent of teachers and school staff received the COVID-19 vaccine.
25 (KCCI) - Marshalltown’s Riverside Cemetery is still making repairs after last August’s derecho destroyed many of its trees, fences and headstones. They’ve been denied by FEMA the funds necessary to make the thousands of dollars in repairs but are taking an interesting approach in appealing that decision, according to a report by KCCI. The cemetery has racked up more than $800,000 on its tree removal bill. That’s now down to about $220,000 after they received loans, grants and donations. but it still needs some help from FEMA. Tammen said she was told they do not qualify for FEMA funding because nonprofit cemeteries are specifically excluded from the list of nonprofit organizations that can receive funding. But Tammen believes they’ve found a way to work around that exclusion if they can prove the nearly 100 acres of land have more meaning to the community than just a cemetery.
26 (KCRG) - A police dog in Marion has some new protection, all thanks to a local hair salon. Silas received the “bullet and stab protective vest” last week. It’s custom fit for Silas through the non-profit group Vested Interest, which provides K9 vests for police departments across the country. Epic Salon and Spa on Blairs Ferry Road in Marion donated to Vested Interest to get the vest. Silas’s handler said this protection can save his life during some investigations.
27 (KCRG) -Project partners broke ground on Wednesday for the East College Street Development in the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall. Construction in the area is slated to be complete by September 2022. Until then, expect to see lots and lots of work being done on the strip that used to house The Union Bar. With no room to build out, a tower will go up, with more than 100 new student housing units and 10 apartments. The stretch of older buildings will be renovated to include the Riverside Theatre, a brewery, retail space, bars and a restaurant.
28 (KCRG) - The Iowa City Community School District is relaxing its COVID-19 quarantine guidelines. At Tuesday night’s board meeting, the Board endorsed and approved the District adopting the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) COVID-19 Quarantine Guidance. According to a statement from Superintendent Matt Degner, the changes will allow “more students to remain in school while also keeping a focus on health and safety. Specifically, the IDPH guidance modifies the District’s quarantine process and reinforces the importance of consistently and appropriately wearing masks.”
29 (KWQC) - The Davenport City Council approved $5.1 million in spending towards Modern Woodmen Park on Wednesday. Under an updated lease agreement with the owners of the Quad Cities River Bandits, the city plans to invest the money in renovations and upgrades to the stadium. The improvements are listed in three categories: projects required by the MLB facility standards, major system improvements and replacements, and new or improved amenities.
30 (KCRG) - A teen is recovering after being stabbed by a sibling at their home in Marion on Tuesday. Police said the incident happened just before 11 p.m. in the 200 block of 3rd Avenue. First responders took the teen to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said the teen responsible for the stabbing was also at the hospital, but was arrested and taken to Linn County Juvenile Detention. The teen has been charged with one count of Assault Causing Serious Injury and two counts of Assault on Persons of Certain Occupation. Police did not release information about what led to the stabbing.
31 (KWQC) -An arrest warrant has been issued for a Burlington man for an alleged sexual assault. The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Department says officers conducted a search warrant at the home of 72-year-old Nelson Percy Stegall and as a result an arrest warrant has been issued for Stegall for Sexual Abuse 2nd Degree, which is a class B felony. Des Moines county officials say their investigation started because of a tip from police in Florida.
32 After inspiration from famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma holding an impromptu concert at the clinic where he was vaccinated, the Rock Island County Health Department and Quad City Symphony Orchestra have partnered to entertain with live music at the Milan vaccine clinic. Aside from entertainment, it’s also a way for the musicians to return to playing in front of a live audience. Janet Hill, Chief Operating Officer at the Rock Island County Health Department, says she hopes the partnership brings joy during this difficult time. Musicians will be at the Milan vaccine clinic twice a week through May 20th.
33 (KWQC) - Intermittent bike path closures are expected in Moline and Bettendorf while crews work on the overheard I-74 structures. The closures will be on the riverfront bike/pedestrian paths under I-74 in Moline and Bettendorf through the end of April. Officials in a Facebook post said contractors will be working on overheard structures during that time.
34 (KWQC) - City officials in Muscatine announced the Community Health Care, Inc. (CHC) will be postponing all scheduled Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinics at this time. This follows the news that the CDC recommends pausing the administration of the J&J vaccine following rare blood clots and platelet changes. These were reported in six people who received the vaccine, out of just under six million doses given in the United States. CHC will postpone those scheduled J&J clinics and appointments that were scheduled in Muscatine this week have been switched to the Moderna vaccine. If you already signed up for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine you do not need to reserve an appointment again.
35 (KWQC) - Volunteers are needed in the city of Maquoketa to help spread mulch at the city’s Grove Street playground. The playground was recently assembled thanks to volunteers officials said in a Facebook post. Concrete was recently poured and this Friday at 8 a.m. the city will need more volunteers to spread the mulch. They will also help in putting up the border and installing fencing at the junior baseball field. Those interested in helping can contact Scott Warren at the Y.