For the second straight day, there are no new deaths reported tied to COVID-19 in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 data is showing an increase of 413 confirmed cases of the virus from Sunday to Monday, for a total of 31, 656…721 Iowans have died from COVID-19 during the pandemic. The test positivity rate overall is now only 9.43%.
PC Magazine recently named Cedar Falls Utilities as the fastest internet service provider in the U.S. Cedar Falls is the first city in Iowa to have 10 gigabit internet service available city-wide. Steve Bernard is CFU general manager. While the faster speeds are attractive to businesses, Bernard notes that 85 percent of CFU’s total internet revenue comes from residential customers.
Cedar Rapids police responded to a stabbing incident at Creekside Apartments Monday morning. Officers found a 37-year-old woman suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was transported to a hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries. A 30-year-old male is in custody; police say the incident appears to be a domestic disturbance that resulted in serious injury, but investigation is ongoing.
A federal judge has ordered the Dakota Access pipeline, which runs across Iowa, to shut down until more environmental review is done. The pipeline has been carrying oil for three years. But U.S. District Judge James Boasberg wrote yesterday that even though the disruption will be significant, he concluded the pipeline must be shut down within 30 days. The ruling Monday hands a victory to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe which has continued to fight the pipeline in court. Tribal Chairman Mike Faith called it a historic day for the Standing Rock Sioux. The tribe worries an oil spill could pollute the Missouri River. Texas-based Energy Transfer has insisted its pipeline is safe.
Police are investigating gunfire that damaged a Waterloo home early Monday. Neighbors called 911 after hearing gunshots around 1:15 a.m. A bullet damaged a house in the 11-hundred block of Mulberry St. Residents were home, but no injuries were reported. Police found spent shell casings at the scene. No arrests have been made.
A Waterloo man has been arrested, accused of pointing a gun at neighbors during Independence Day festivities on Saturday night. 72-year-old Brian Lee Dettmer was charged with intimidation with a weapon. Police said Dettmer and a neighbor have been involved in an ongoing dispute. On Saturday night, the neighbor had friends over, and they were shooting off fireworks, which police say Dettmer didn’t like. An argument followed, and Dettmer is accused of pulling out a revolver and pointing it at the group of people.
A 3-year-old Cedar Rapids girl has died after a drowning accident. Family members say Hallie Kraft died around 9 p.m. Sunday after receiving treatment at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital pediatric intensive care unit. On Sunday, June 28, first responders said Hallie was found face down in a swimming pool and had life-saving medical procedures performed on her by a neighbor. The girl was on life support for a week. Family members said they had been outside around a fire pit when the girl wandered off, climbed up the ladder on the side of the pool and fell forward.
After a more than three-month delay, the final votes will be cast today in a special election to fill an at-large City Council position in Cedar Falls. The election was originally set for March 24, but was delayed due to coronavirus concerns; it had to be pushed back a second time to avoid conflict with last month’s primary vote. All in-person election day voting will take place at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Five people are on the ballot, none of whom have served on the council in the past. They are seeking to replace appointee Nick Taiber, who is not seeking election. The opening was created when Rob Green resigned from the council after being elected Mayor. Candidates include Kelly Dunn, T.J. Frein, Fred Perryman, Penny Popp, and LeaAnn Saul. By state law, a winner must have 50 percent plus one vote; if none of the five get to that point, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters will be held on August 4.
The Federal Communications Commission officially classified broadband as 25 megabits per second…but customers of Cedar Falls Utilities can get service 400 times faster than that. Cedar Falls recently became the first in Iowa to have 10 gigabit internet service throughout the city. PC Magazine says the CFU service is the fastest in the country. You can hear the full interview with CFU’s Steve Bernard by going to the podcast page of kxel-dot-com.
