Gov. Kim Reynolds says she’s still considering how far to go in lifting local public health restrictions and will reveal information about that at today’s news briefing at 11 a.m. Restaurants in 22 Iowa counties remain closed…and statewide, bars, salons, barber shops, movie theaters, casinos, museums and several businesses are under an order to remain closed until at least this Friday.
The Iowa State Fair expects to have additional details about the 2020 fair “in early to mid-June”, according to an update from Iowa State Fair CEO and Manager Gary Slater. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair says they “are carefully considering all” options, but Slater noted that vendors and fairgrounds staff need 60 to 70 days in order to full prepare. The 2020 Iowa State Fair is currently scheduled to be held August 13-23.
One of two men accused of murdering a Walker man and burying his body in the yard of a Cedar Rapids home, plans to take a plea deal next month. Drew Wagner is charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse and obstruction of prosecution in connection with the death of Chris Bagley in 2018. His body was found last year. According to court documents, Drew Wagner will enter his plea on Monday, June 22nd. A written notice to the court on what charges he plans to plead to will be due the Friday before. Wagner was scheduled to go to trial in Linn County on February 15 of next year, along with Drew Blahnik, who is also facing the same charges.
The Iowa Department of Public Health announced on Tuesday 539 new confirmed COVID-19 cases for a total of 12, 912 statewide so far. There were 18 more deaths in Iowa in the past day, for a total of 289 deaths. During her Tuesday press conference, Gov. Reynolds clarified the increase in positive test numbers. Of the 539 new positive cases reported, 319 were among Iowans who were tested in Nebraska in late April, tied to a processing plant. The people who had tested positive received their results right away, but the reporting back to the state was delayed. IDPH did not report any new outbreaks at long term care facilities, so the number of outbreaks at those facilities remains at 32.
The Marion Police Department is investigating a scam targeting Marion residents and business owners. The department says callers are posing as city housing inspectors, requesting access to properties within the community. The city wants you to know that employees of the Building Inspection Division would not be doing this and would have identification when conducting an in-person visit of a property. Contact Marion police if you have questions.
Beginning Wednesday, crews working for the Cedar Falls Downtown Streetscape and Reconstruction Project will be removing and replacing the existing fire hydrant, and its connection to the water main, in front of the Cedar Falls Community Theatre, located at the intersection of West First and Main streets. For the contractor to perform this work, a full road closure in the area will be in effect for up to seven days.
As members of Congress contemplate a fourth spending bill in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the partisan bickering is getting more intense, something that was called out by Jeff Kaufmann, chair of the Republican Party of Iowa, during a recent appearance with me on KXEL Live & Local. You can hear the full interview by going to the podcast section of kxel-dot-com.
A 39-year-old Waterloo woman has entered a plea of guilty to charges in connection with the death of a 2-year-old boy who swallowed medication. Amanda Leonard-Hellum was schedule to begin trial Tuesday in connection with the death last June of Maximus Leonard-Hellum in Des Moines. She instead entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of neglect of a dependent person. Prosecutors say the child took the pills while she was driving from Waterloo to Des Moines; she did not seek help for the boy until the next day.
A Des Moines real estate developer has entered a plea of guilty to five counts of fraud and agreed to pay more than $32,000 in restitution…57-year-old Jeff Young underreported the value of five vehicles he bought by a combined $309-thousand over a two-year period, saving himself $15,500 in vehicle registration fees.
