DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate soared to 10.2% in April, reflecting the economic costs of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday that Iowa’s unemployment rate rose to 3.3% in March and then roughly tripled in April. Iowa’s April 2019 rate was 2.7%. The national unemployment rate for April was 14.7%. Beth Townsend, director of Iowa Workforce Development, says she was hopeful that as Gov. Kim Reynolds ends restrictions on businesses and gatherings that were intended to prevent outbreaks, the economy will quickly improve. Reynolds has taken those actions even as the number of deaths blamed on the coronavirus now tops 400 in Iowa.

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.

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.