EVICTIONS MAY RESUME TOMORROW IN IOWA. RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS BEHIND ON THEIR LEASE OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS HAD BEEN GIVEN EXTRA PROTECTIONS UNDER GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS’ EMERGENCY ORDERS. HOWEVER, REYNOLDS SAYS THE STATE HAS FEDERAL MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE IN TENUOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. ADVOCATES FOR LOWINCOME TENANTS HAVE WARNED THAT MANY WHO HAVE LOST INCOME DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD FACE EVICTION IN COMING MONTHS.
BLACK HAWK COUNTY SUPERVISORS HAVE DECIDED TO REOPEN THE COURTHOUSE IN WATERLOO ON JUNE 8TH. THE ONLY RE-OPENING QUESTION AT ISSUE WAS WHETHER THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE ACCESS SOONER. SOME DEPARTMENTS MAY INITIALLY OPERATE ON AN APPOINTMENT ONLY BASIS, WITH MORE DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
A NEBRASKA TRUCK DRIVER WAS KILLED IN A TUESDAY NIGHT ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 80. 66-YEAR-OLD JAMES FEYERHERM’S TRUCK WENT OFF THE HIGHWAY JUST EAST OF THE WEST LIBERTY EXIT IN CEDAR COUNTY AROUND 9 O’CLOCK LAST NIGHT. OFFICIALS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT A MEDICAL CONDITION MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SAYS YOU MAY SEE MORE DEER IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, BUT THAT COULD LEAD TO MORE ACCIDENTS. WITH YEARLING DEER GOING OUT ON THEIR OWN, THE DNR WARNS YOUNG ANIMALS MAY ACT UNPREDICTABLY, ESPECIALLY AROUND PEOPLE AND VEHICLES. EXTRA CAUTION IS ENCOURAGED IN AREAS WHERE DEER ARE COMMON.
HOUSES FOR SALE IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY AREN’T STAYING ON THE MARKET FOR LONG. MARY SHILENY IS CEO OF THE NORTHEAST IOWA REGIONAL BOARD OF REALTORS; SHE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF STEADY DEMAND MEETING LIMITED SUPPLY. SHILENY SAYS OPEN HOUSES AND SOME OTHER TYPICAL PARTS OF THE HOME-BUYING PROCESS ARE GOING VIRTUAL DURING THE COVID-19 SITUATION. SHE WAS A GUEST DURING KXEL LIVE AND LOCAL; HEAR MORE AT KXEL.COM.
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE LIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM WHATEVER ADDITIONAL CORONAVIRUS AID COMES OUT OF WASHINGTON. HOUSE MEMBERS ARE WORKING ON LEGISLATION THAT WOULD GIVE SMALL EMPLOYERS MORE TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FEDERAL SUBSIDIES FOR PAYROLL AND OTHER COSTS. THE SENATE IS CONSIDERING A SIMILAR PROPOSAL. CONGRESS COULD MOVE ON THOSE MEASURES THIS WEEK. LAWMAKERS ARE TRYING TO HELP REOPENING BUSINESSES EXPERIENCING SHARPLY REDUCED REVENUE.
THE CITY OF CEDAR FALLS IS PLANNING A DOWNTOWN CRUISE TO HONOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ON FRIDAY. GRADUATES ARE EXPECTED TO ROLL THROUGH ON FRIDAY BETWEEN 2:30 AND 3:30. IT WILL MEAN SOME PARKING LIMITATIONS IN CEDAR FALLS–PARTICULARLY ON 2ND STREET–ALL DAY FRIDAY.
IN SPORTS, IOWA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL IS ADDING GRADUATE TRANSFER JALEN COLEMAN-LANDS. THE GUARD FROM INDIANAPOLIS PLAYED FOR DEPAUL LAST SEASON AND HAD A 17-POINT GAME AGAINST THE IOWA HAWKEYES IN NOVEMBER. COLEMAN-LANDS IS A 3-POINT SHOOTING SPECIALIST WHO ALSO PLAYED COLLEGIATELY AT ILLINOIS.
MORE RAIN LAST WEEK LIMITED FARMERS TO TWO-AND-A-HALF DAYS IN THEIR FIELDS ACCORDING TO THE LATEST USDA CROP PROGRESS REPORT. NONETHELESS, THE PACE OF PLANTING IS STILL WELL AHEAD OF LAST YEAR. PRODUCERS HAVE COVERED 97 PERCENT OF THE EXPECTED CORN ACRES, WITH 82 PERCENT ALREADY SEEING EMERGENCE. 92 PERCENT OF SOYBEANS ARE IN THE GROUND – THAT IS ABOUT A MONTH AHEAD OF 2019. THE REPORT INDICATED THAT SOUTHWEST IOWA WAS SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE REST OF THE STATE. BELOW-NORMAL TEMPERATURES HAVE SLOWED GROWTH, ACCORDING TO USDA.
WITH MORE OF IOWA REOPENING BUT WITH MANY SUMMER ACTIVITIES DISRUPTED, MANY ARE WONDERING ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE IOWA STATE FAIR IN AUGUST. MANY COUNTY FAIRS HAVE ANNOUNCED ALTERATIONS TO THEIR SUMMER PLANS. AS PART OF THE STATE’S RE-OPENING SCHEDULE, BARS WILL BEGIN TO OPERATE AGAIN TOMORROW. CASINOS, AMUSEMENT PARKS, SPEEDWAYS, ARCADES AND BOWLING ALLEYS CAN START LIMITED BUSINESS AGAIN NEXT WEEK. LARGER GATHERINGS AND SPORTING EVENTS WILL ALSO RESUME WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS.
PANHANDLING IS TECHNICALLY ILLEGAL IN WATERLOO, BUT THE RULES ARE NOT ENFORCED BECAUSE OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH LEGAL PRECEDENTS. TUESDAY, THE WATERLOO CITY COUNCIL TOOK A STEP TOWARD MOVING PANHANDLERS AND ANYONE ELSE OFF OF ROADWAY MEDIANS AND OTHER AREAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO VEHICLE TRAFFIC. THE SAFETY MEASURE WOULD PREVENT SITTING OR STANDING IN MEDIANS NARROWER THAN SIX FEET. THE RULE NEEDS TO PASS TWO MORE COUNCIL VOTES TO BECOME PART OF WATERLOO’S CITY CODE.
