United Group Insurance

Iowa early News Headlines: 5/14/20

News

May 14th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Restaurants, salons, barber shops and gyms in Iowa will be allowed to reopen Friday under new health rules intended to slow the coronavirus. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that she’s lifting an order that closed restaurants in 22 counties, including the largest metropolitan areas. She says she’ll also allow fitness centers, salons, tattoo parlors, barber shops and massage therapists to resume business statewide. The order came as Reynolds and the state’s medical director took steps to self-isolate after potential exposure to the virus at the White House last week. And deaths from the virus surged again on Wednesday, surpassing 300.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — U.S. meat exports are surging this spring even as the processing industry is struggling to meet domestic demand because of coronavirus outbreaks at processing plants that have sickened hundreds of workers. Although the situation could cause concern that American workers are risking their health to meet foreign demand, experts say it shouldn’t because much of the meat sold to other countries is cuts that Americans generally don’t eat. And at least one of the four major processors says it has reduced exports during the pandemic. The meat industry says that if companies manage to keep plants operating, there should be plenty of supply to satisfy both the U.S. and export markets.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature will resume its session on June 3 after a months-long break as part of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Republicans who control both legislative chambers agreed to suspend the Legislature on March 16 and then extended the break as the state dealt with the outbreak. The action to resume the legislative session came as Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, announced Wednesday she was allowing most businesses to reopen across the state. A legislative panel will meet by phone Thursday to officially enact the plan announced by the Republican leaders. Lawmakers also will reopen the Capitol on Monday. Everyone entering the building will need to undergo a health screening.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a teenage boy has been injured in an officer-involved shooting in central Iowa. Station WHO-TV reports that the shooting happened before dawn Wednesday morning in Marshalltown when officers were called to a northwest neighborhood near Rogers Elementary School for a disturbance. Marshalltown Police Chief Michael Tupper says the call was made just before 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Tupper says arriving officers encountered a 17-year-old male who did not respond to police commands or being shocked by a stun gun and was shot when he charged officers. The teen was taken to a hospital for treatment of wounds not believed to be life-threatening. Police are not releasing the name of the teen or the officer who shot him.