A rural Iowa county that was second-to-last to confirm its first coronavirus case last spring now has the dismal distinction of having the state’s highest 14-day positivity average. Ringgold County, in far southern Iowa, reported a 24.9 percent average as of 10 a.m. Jan. 19, 2021, surpassing Monroe County, which held the top spot since […]
Iowa Republican lawmakers start session ...
Kelly Garcia, Iowa Department of Public Health interim director, has added government officials to the next phase of vaccination priorities, even as many Republicans showed up for the start of the 2021 legislative session without face masks this week. Because Republicans hold the majority in both the state House and Senate, they control the safety […]
Iowa surpasses chilling COVID-19 death t...
UPDATE Jan 8, 2021: The hopeful news of no recent deaths among nursing home residents apparently was related to the state’s record keeping. Iowa reported an additional 538 deaths of residents of long-term care facilities on Jan. 8, for a total of 1,677, after remaining steady at 1,139 since Dec. 30. Statewide, Iowa reported a […]
Frosty phenomenon in Iowa: the differenc...
If you’ve ventured outdoors in Iowa in recent days, or have seen the picturesque photos of white-coated trees posted on social media, you might wonder what is behind that frosty phenomenon. Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, notes that hoarfrost forms under cold, clear skies. Any moisture in the air goes […]
Delete 2020: A year in review that no on...
No one can be blamed for wanting to delete 2020. Instead of looking for the silver lining, let’s just take it for what it was with this look back on the year many of us would like to erase. The year was already off to a sad start for residents in southeast Cedar Rapids, whose […]
Heartbreak for one family is Christmas m...
A Norwalk, Iowa, teen received what could be considered the ultimate Christmas gift: a new heart. The day before Christmas Eve, 18-year-old Brooklyn Soroka was at work when she received a phone call letting her know about the match, according to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City. At midnight on Christmas Eve, […]
Cleanup continues at historical site of ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Brucemore estate has long been a central feature of family traditions, particularly during the holidays. Tours of the late-1800s Queen Anne mansion, decorated for the season, are a highlight for many families, along with relatives and friends visiting Cedar Rapids. The coronavirus pandemic limited many of those travelers, and the […]
Iowa to receive less COVID-19 vaccine th...
UPDATE Dec. 17, 2020: The Iowa Department of Public Health released the new allocation numbers for COVID-19 vaccine, with 65,000 doses from Pfizer (30,000 fewer than expected) and 73,300 from Moderna, (3,700 fewer) for a total of 138,300, or 33,700 doses less than the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention initially projected. No reason was […]
Officials cite higher priorities as prot...
Monarchs qualify for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but federal officials are holding off on adding the butterflies to the list. “We conducted an intensive, thorough review using a rigorous, transparent science-based process and found that the monarch meets listing criteria under the Endangered Species Act,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith […]
First Iowan receives COVID-19 vaccine as...
A nurse at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics received the first COVID-19 vaccine in Iowa on Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. David Conway, a registered nurse in the emergency department, was informed by his director that he would be the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, he said after receiving the shot this morning. The […]