A 44-YEAR-OLD WATERLOO TYSON FOODS EMPLOYEE DIED MONDAY AFTER SPENDING SIX WEEKS IN THREE HOSPITALS INFECTED WITH COVID-19. JOSE AYALA WAS BEING TREATED IN CEDAR RAPIDS AT ST. LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER. SINCE APRIL 12, HE HAD ALSO BEEN A PATIENT AT ALLEN HOSPITAL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITALS. ADVOCATES SAY HE IS AT LEAST THE FIFTH EMPLOYEE AT THE TYSON PLANT IN WATERLOO TO DIE AFTER CONTRACTING THE CORONAVIRUS. MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND EMPLOYEES AT TYSON’S WATERLOO OPERATION WERE SICKENED BY THE CORONAVIRUS, ACCORDING TO BLACK HAWK COUNTY OFFICIALS.
IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FEDERAL STIMULUS PAYMENT AND HAVEN’T RECEIVED A CHECK OR ELECTRONIC TRANSFER, THEN YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE THE MONEY IN THE FORM OF A VISA DEBIT CARD. MILLIONS OF THE DEBIT CARDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE ENVELOPE CONTAINING THE STIMULUS PAYMENT WILL SAY MONEY NETWORK CARDHOLDER SERVICES WITH A TREASURY DEPARTMENT LETTER INSIDE. IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO TRANSFER FUNDS FROM THE CARD TO A BANK ACCOUNT.
RETAILER PIER ONE IMPORTS IS CLOSING THE LAST OF ITS STORES, INCLUDING A LOCATION IN MARION. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY PROCESS SINCE FEBRUARY BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIND A BUYER. THE CHAIN WILL BE LIQUIDATING ITS STOCK, WITH SOME LOCATIONS REMAINING OPEN (PERHAPS) THROUGH EARLY FALL. PIER ONE STORES IN CORALVILLE AND DUBUQUE WERE CLOSED EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHILE THE WATERLOO LOCATION WAS SHUTTERED IN 2016.
IOWAN AND FORMER ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL MATTHEW WHITAKER BELIEVES IT’S A GOOD THING THAT F-B-I DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY IS INVESTIGATING THE BUREAU’S INSPECTION DIVISION FOR POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT IN THE MICHAEL FLYNN INVESTIGATION. THE DIVISION IS FACING ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT FOR ITS HANDLING OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR. WHITAKER MADE HIS COMMENTS ON FOX NEWS CHANNEL THIS PAST WEEKEND.
IF YOU ARE IN WATERLOO’S CROSSROADS AREA, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THE TEST IOWA SITE THERE REMAINS OPEN. LATE LAST WEEK, IT HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED THAT THE DRIVE-UP TESTING LOCATION WOULD BE CLOSING AND MOVED TO MARSHALLTOWN. HOWEVER, A CHANGE OF COURSE MEANS THAT TEST IOWA WILL KEEP A PRESENCE IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY THROUGH FRIDAY. DAILY HOURS FOR THE SERVICE ARE FROM 8 A.M. TO 6 P.M. ALSO LATE LAST WEEK, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS ANNOUNCED THAT ANY IOWAN MAY BE TESTED, REGARDLESS OF COVID-19 SYMPTOMS OR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE. HOWEVER, AN INITIAL ONLINE ASSESSMENT AT TESTIOWA.COM IS STILL REQUIRED BEFORE VISITING A SCREENING SITE. THE MARSHALLTOWN TEST IOWA LOCATION WILL OPEN ON THURSDAY. TESTING IS ALSO BEING CONDUCTED IN LINN COUNTY AT KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
A FIRE IN RURAL DUBUQUE COUNTY CAUSED AN ESTIMATED QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS. AUTHORITIES SAY HIGH WINDS BLEW THE ROOF OFF A HOG BUILDING AND INTO SEVERAL OTHER BUILDINGS, STARTING THE FIRE. REPORTEDLY MORE THAN 300 HOGS WERE LOST IN THE INCIDENT YESTERDAY EVENING.
2020 COULD BE AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR FOR SALES OF VEGETABLE SEEDS AND GARDENING SUPPLIES. SOME NEW GARDENERS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT FOOD AVAILABILITY, OTHERS ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO BE PRODUCTIVE WHILE STAYING AT HOME DUE TO COVID-19. STEPHEN EILERS IS A MASTER GARDENER AT BLACK HAWK COUNTY’S IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION OFFICE AND OFFERED THIS ADVICE DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL. EILERS CALLED WORKING IN THE GARDEN THE ORIGINAL SOCIAL DISTANCING ACTIVITY. HEAR MORE AT KXEL.COM.
THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED A 25 THOUSAND DOLLAR LOAN TO HELP A CEDAR FALLS TECH COMPANY EXPAND. DHAKAI PROVIDES BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS SERVICES IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY. ITS APPLICATIONS CONNECT RETAILERS TO SOURCES OF PRODUCTS WHICH LATER APPEAR IN STORES UNDER PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS, WHILE PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND LABOR STANDARDS COMPLIANCE. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SAYS THE LOAN WILL HELP DHAKAI WITH MARKETING AND STAFF NEEDS.
THE NORTHEAST IOWA FOOD BANK IS RECEIVING OVER 13 THOUSAND PACKAGES OF STRING CHEESE. SHULLSBURG CREAMERY AND MIDWEST DAIRY ANNOUNCED THE DONATION. DEMAND FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE HAS RISEN DRAMATICALLY DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS AS A RESULT OF THE CORONAVIRUS’ ECONOMIC DISRUPTIONS. SEPARATELY, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IS SPENDING $3 BILLION TO HELP MOVE FARM PRODUCTS WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE GO TO WASTE TO FOOD BANKS.
