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KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
The Iowa Department of Public Health was reporting (as of 11-a.m. Today, 5/22), there were 9 more COVID-19 related deaths statewide, for a total of 419. COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
The state reports that there are 16,415 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 5.2% from Thursday. Of those 8,834 have recovered. The total number of assessments is 482, 348. There were 102,792 Negative test results. There were 36 LTC (Long-Term Care facility) outbreaks reported, a decline of one from yesterday. 1,497 residents/staff of those facilities have tested positive for COVID-19, 602 have recovered. 219 deaths are associated with LTC’s.
In RMCC Region 4 (Southwest/western Iowa), six people are hospitalized for COVID-19, three are in an ICU, and two were admitted to hospitals (the same as Thursday). Across the State, 362 were hospitalized, 123 were in an ICU and 33 had been admitted since Thursday.
The COVID-19 dashboard contains updated information throughout the day at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/. Due to planned maintenance from 6:00 am Saturday, May 23, through 6:00 am Monday, May 25, the Case Counts Dashboard will not reflect accurate counts during the maintenance period. All Case Counts will be brought up to date by 6:00 am Monday, May 25.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — Nearly five years after Sioux City tore down a historic mansion, a judge has ruled the owners of the building must reimburse the city more than $100,000 in demolition costs. District Judge Jeffrey Neary ruled that James Gengler and Salvador Carrasco must pay the city for the July 2015 demolition of the 125-year-old three story home in the city’s Rose Hill neighborhood. Those costs amounted to $106,959 plus interest.
The city demolished the house after an extended dispute with its owners about structural deficiencies. Gengler, who holds the deed to the property, told the Sioux City Journal he may move to another community, adding that “my dream home is gone.”
(Radio Iowa) — Within 10 days, the majority of businesses and facilities Governor Kim Reynolds ordered to close in March will have been allowed to reopen, under new pandemic-related guidelines. Reynolds says critics of her decisions fail to acknowledge the distress that closures placed on the state’s economy and on individuals with mental health concerns or a volatile home life. “There is a societal cost, also, to just shutting down and not realistically moving forward through this pandemic,” Reynolds says. “We can do it. We are doing it. We’re going to continue to do it and we’re going to continue to manage it.”
By mid-day Thursday, 400 Iowans had died of COVID-19. Reynolds says she’s monitoring data points that indicate the threat from the virus is leveling off. Reynolds has repeatedly said with expanded testing and ample hospital space, the state will be able to manage COVID-19 outbreaks that may occur. “We have never said that we were going to prevent people from getting COVID-19. That’s unrealistic. It’s unattainable,” Reynolds says. “What we have to do is learn to live with it and manage the virus. And we have to get things back to normal.”
Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen of Des Moines says Reynolds has presented Iowans with the “false choice” of saving elderly Iowans or saving the economy. Petersen says the number of COVID-19 cases is still increasing and reopening businesses too soon will be deadly for our health and economy.
More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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Authorities in Union County say a Creston man was cited following a collision late Thursday morning. 29-year old Jordan Lee Hoag, of Creston, was driving a 2004 Ford Ranger pickup northbound on Sycamore Street at around 11:38-a.m., when he dropped his cell phone onto the floor. After he leaned over to pick the phone up, he looked up and saw his pickup was on the other side of the road.
The vehicle was about to strike a parked 2000 Ford Taurus when Hoag turned to the right. He was unable to avoid striking the car head-on. Hoag then backed up and drove about half of a block before parking in a driveway.
He was cited for Left of Center, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, and Use of Electronic Communication. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,500.
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Davenport police arrested a man Thursday in the death of his mother after officers were called to a home and found her body. Police charged 36-year-old McKinsley Steven Watson, of Davenport with first-degree murder in the killing of 59-year-old Victoria Watson. The Quad-City Times reports officers were called to an apartment complex a little before 5 a.m. Thursday to investigate a report of an unresponsive woman. They found Victoria Watson, and medics pronounced her dead. Police didn’t say how she died. An autopsy is planned. McKinsley Watson was held in the Scott County Jail without bond.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a person has died in a farming accident south of Cedar Rapids. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that deputies and medics were called Thursday afternoon to the area southeast of the city’s airport. Arriving emergency responders found a tractor with a collapsed attachment that had fallen on the tractor’s driver. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the driver’s name pending notification of family members.
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Memorial Day holiday weekend is fast approaching and is expected to be a busy one, despite Covid-19. Iowa has a wide variety of outdoor activities to spend your weekend, whether it be camping, visiting state parks, swimming at the beaches, or paddling and boating. The Iowa DNR reminds everyone to obey all laws and rules—that includes physical distancing guidelines—while enjoying Iowa’s outdoor recreational activities. “Everyone is antsy to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Iowa natural resources after being cooped up all winter and more recently because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” DNR Director Kayla Lyon said. “This weekend will provide a great time for families to get out and explore what our great state has to offer, but we caution everyone to do so safely and responsibly.”
This week, May 16-22, marks Safe Boating Week in Iowa. With over 5,000 lakes and 54,000 miles of rivers and streams, Iowa offers an abundant boating resource for hundreds of thousands of people each year. Whether you are canoeing a stream, fishing on a state lake, kayaking or boating on the waters of Iowa, the simple steps of wearing a life jacket, taking a safe boating course and not operating your boat when impaired greatly improve your chances for a safe and enjoyable day on the water.
Fast Facts:
Following these important boater safety tips will help ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend on the water:
Even outdoor recreation looks a little different in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Boaters should practice the following physical distancing guidelines:
The Iowa DNR wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. Together, we can follow the rules to ensure the safest possible weekend and help stop the spread of Covid-19.
The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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(Radio Iowa) — Gasoline prices in Iowa are averaging almost a dollar lower than last year, but it won’t be enough to lure most of us to take a road trip for Memorial Day weekend. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rose White, at Triple-A-Iowa, says the motor club isn’t releasing a holiday weekend travel forecast for the first time in 20 years. “Last year, 43-million Americans traveled for the holiday weekend, it was the second-highest travel volume on record since we began tracking information,” White says, “but with social distancing guidelines still in practice, this holiday weekend’s travel volume is likely to set a record low.”
Travel Iowa ran a full page ad in some newspapers last week featuring a couple on a deck overlooking a wide vista of green hills with just four words — “Dream Now, Visit Later.” White says many Iowa families will be doing exactly that. “We anticipate that people are going to hold back. For those who maybe had planned a long-distance, maybe an overseas vacation, they’ll likely revert to a local or regional destination,” White says. “We do anticipate as the states relax their laws and regulations pertaining to social distancing, more people will travel, but it will be a slow recovery.”
In recent weeks, highway travel in the state was said to be down 44-percent from normal, according to the Iowa D-O-T, but over Mother’s Day weekend, the numbers crept up to 75-percent of normal. Even with that increase, Triple-A is still expecting a potential record low for travel this coming weekend. “The CDC does still recommend that Americans stay home and avoid non-essential travel, but if you do travel this holiday weekend, we do advise you to pack essentials, especially those toiletries that might be needed at rest stops,” White says, “and also, anticipate early closures of restaurants.”
Gasoline is averaging a dollar-75 a gallon in Iowa, that’s 13-cents below the national average. A year ago, gas prices in Iowa were averaging two-67 a gallon. The last time the average national gas price leading into the Memorial Day holiday was under two-dollars a gallon was 17 years ago — in 2003.