(Radio Iowa) — The temporary closure of pork processing plants in Iowa and neighboring states is adding to the difficult situation producers are facing under the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim Boyer, a hog producer in northwest Iowa’s Emmet County, says they’re already feeling the financial pinch from plants that have recently shut down or where closures are imminent.

“The packers are full so they’re not able to harvest as many head as they normally did,” Boyer says. “Earlier this week, we were down to 380,000 head. Normally, we’re doing 450,000 head a day. As the supply of hogs backs up, prices the packers are willing to pay producers are dropping already.” The cascading troubles with coronavirus are compounding problems for producers, as Boyer says they were already dealing with falling prices.

“We’re into the $38 range right now and break even on a hog for an independent producer is about $68,” Boyer says. “So, producers are standing to lose about $30 a head currently.” An advantage grain farmers have over livestock producers is, if grain prices fall, farmers can put that commodity into storage and wait until the prices come back up.

“Pork production is a just-in-time delivery on hogs, so when we start backing up a system to where we can’t harvest hogs that are supposed to be going to market, then it backs up everything,” Boyer says. “The only real alternative is to start euthanizing hogs and no producer wants to do that.” He says many producers may not survive if they cannot take their hogs to market.

(Radio Iowa) — The lights will blaze to life tonight (Friday) in high school athletic stadiums across Iowa, but there won’t be any crowds in the stands. The “Light Up The Stadium” initiative is an effort to send a message to students, teachers, parents and the whole community, according to Webster City school superintendent Mandy Ross.

“It’s showing solidarity in these times of the COVID virus,” Ross says, “but also, we want to use it as a way to celebrate our seniors whose senior year has been disrupted through all of this.” Schools across the state are being encouraged to take part in the display every Friday night for the next several weeks, through the end of the school year.

“At 8 PM, we’ll be turning on the stadium lights,” Ross says. “It’s not to celebrate athletics. It’s to celebrate our students, our seniors in particular, and to show solidarity through the pandemic.” The plan is to switch on the lights for one minute for every day school has been cancelled by the virus.

“Tonight it will be 19 minutes,” Ross says, “and then we’ll continue to do that through Friday, May 15th, which would be the Friday before our seniors graduate.” Some communities are planning car parades past the lighted stadiums, but Ross encourages people to remain in their vehicles and not to congregate, as social distancing rules are still in place.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (The Gazette) — Hospital administrators have acknowledged that more than 60 employees at the University of Iowa Health Care campus in Iowa City have tested positive for COVID-19. The Gazette reports that of the 64 employees infected to date, four tested positive Thursday.

UI Hospitals and Clinics CEO Suresh Gunasekeran says the outbreak is not due to a failure in the hospital’s personal protective equipment strategy. But he conceded that administrators don’t know how or where all the employees were exposed, noting that the virus has “been so prevalent in different parts of the community that we’re just unclear.”

Police in Council Bluffs report a man suspected of being involved in a shooting incident that took place early Monday morning was taken into custody today (Friday). 43-year old Robert Brokman, of Council Bluffs is suspected of firing a weapon at around 2:11-a.m. Monday, in the 700blk of So. 32nd Street.

At the scene, Officers found a white female suffering from minor injuries. Four shotgun shell casings were recovered from the scene, as well. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police want to thank everyone for their tips that lead to Brokman’s arrest.

Robert Brokman

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds mid-day today (Friday), said while she would love to tell Iowan’s schools will be back in session by May 1st, based on the latest data, that’s not going to happen. She said “I can’t tell you with any certainty based on the Department of Public Health data that they’re providing to the office, that early May will be the right time for students, teachers and staff to gather in their classrooms. So therefore, I regret to say Iowa schools will NOT reopen for this school year.” She said school districts will be required to continue to provide continuous learning opportunities for their students until the end of the regular school year.

Director of Education Ann Lebo said “Closing schools to the end of the year is not an easy decision, and we do know the challenges this creates. But we also know this decision is necessary to ensure the health and safety of those we serve.” She said the order also includes cancellation of the Spring school sports season. Lebo said more information with regard to Summer sports seasons will be provided by June 1st.

Lebo praised the State’s school districts both public and private for their efforts to keep families informed and students educated to the best of their abilities. She said the instructional time requirements will continue to be waived for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, for all schools providing continuous learning opportunities via the options available to them. Schools must provide the State with their “return to learn” plan for face-to-face learning when it takes place. The deadline to provide that plan…which may include Summer school, among other options, is due by no later than July 1st.

Here are the specific details:

• Waive instructional time requirements for the remainder of the 2019-2020 regularly scheduled academic year for schools that continue to provide continuous learning through one of two approved options, voluntary educational enrichment opportunities, required educational services, or a combination of the two.
• Require schools to submit a Return to Learn Plan to the Iowa Department of Education by July 1 outlining ways they will address disruptions to learning as a result of COVID-19. This could include summer school, enrichment activities or other opportunities to address the needs of learners.
• Waive the requirement that schools start no earlier than Aug. 23, allowing school districts and nonpublic schools to make local decisions about the length of their 2020-2021 academic year.

The governor had previously ordered schools to close through April 30. All of Iowa’s 327 public school districts, as well as 179 nonpublic schools, currently offer continuous learning through one of the approved continuous learning options outlined above. Continuous learning encompasses a variety of approaches used to extend learning beyond brick and mortar buildings — online learning, e-learning, distance learning, including paper packets, and virtual learning. School buildings will remain closed through the end of the school year except for approved meals site locations participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program and those providing temporary emergency childcare.

As for the latest Iowa COVID-19 stats, the Governor said over the past 24-hours there were:

• 191 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 2,332.
• Zero new counties added to the list of counties with COVID-19, for a total of 82 (Unchanged for the past two days).
• There were 926 Negative COVID-19 cases, for a total of 19,460.
• 21,792 tests have been conducted so far.
• The State Hygienic Lab has 10,588 tests available.
• 1,007 Iowan have recovered, for a recovery rate of 43%.
• 4 people have died since the last press conference on Thursday, for a total of 64.   13% of all positive COVID-19 cases in Iowa are related to Long Term Care Facility outbreaks. 45% of all deaths in Iowa are among Iowans at those facilities.

According to IDPH, the additional 4 deaths were reported in the following counties:

• Black Hawk County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Scott County, 1 older adult (61-80) years)
• Tama County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Washington County, 1 older adult (61-80) years)

The state of Iowa has released an updated dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov that will be updated daily to include comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa. Across all of the Regional Medical Coordination Center (RMCC) Regions, there are 183 COVID-19 patients hospitalized; 19 were admitted over the past 24 hours; 88 were being treated in ICU’s; and 52 patients were on ventilators. There are also 7,966 In-patient beds available in Iowa; 566 ICU beds and 676 Ventilators available.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Creston escaped injury during a rollover accident that took place at around 10:30-p.m., Thursday. Authorities say 60-year old Michael J. Klingensmith was driving a 2003 Ford F250 pickup northbound on Cherry Street, when the vehicle went out of control on the snow packed and slick road. Klingensmith tried to regain control of the pickup, but it entered a ditch and rolled over before coming to rest on its wheels.

Damage to the pickup was estimated at $3,000. No citations were issued.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests took place, Thursday. At around 6:10-p.m., a Deputy investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area of Pioneer Trail and Wabash Avenue in Council Bluffs, arrested 46-year old Jerry Lee Dawson, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Meth/1st offense. And, just before 6-a.m. Thursday, an investigation into an unknown injury accident resulted in the arrest of 18-year old Alexander Cosmo Knotek. He was taken into custody in the 25,000 block of Dogwood Road in Council Bluffs, and transported to the Pott. County Jail.

The Sheriff’s report did not indicate where either man was from, and there was no listing for them on the jail roster late this (Friday) morning.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s unemployment rate climbed to 3.7% in March as the state began to see the impact of an economic downturn amid efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Iowa Workforce Development reported Friday the jobless rate increased from 2.8% in February. Despite the jump in the unemployment rate, officials say the March rate only reflects the beginning of the economic slowdown.

A more accurate picture of unemployment is expected next month when April figures are released. The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 4.4%

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — A Sioux City businessman and former state lawmaker Rich Bertrand has filed a lawsuit against Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill’s plan for reducing the number of voting centers for upcoming elections. Only two vote centers are currently scheduled to be open, with Gill requesting that most people vote absentee. Bertrand, a former Republican state senator claims that more Democrats traditionally vote absentee than Republicans and that a higher percentage of men vote on election day. He says a large number of Republicans and non-party male votes will be harmed by not being able to vote in person on election day. Bertrand also claims long lines at only two vote centers that day will put voters more at risk for COVID-19.

Bertrand wants all voting centers open for the July 7th county supervisor election and the June 6th primary election.