A SHOOTING IN CEDAR RAPIDS OVERNIGHT SENT A MAN TO THE HOSPITAL. HIS INJURIES WERE CHARACTERIZED AS NON-LIFE THREATENING. POLICE WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE INCIDENT AROUND 1 O’CLOCK THIS MORNING. THEY RESPONDED TO THE SCENE IN THE 300 BLOCK OF JACOLYN DRIVE SOUTHWEST AND CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE HOME INVASION. THE NAME OF THE INJURED MAN WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.
WITH THE STATE TAKING STEPS TO REOPEN SOME PARTS OF THE ECONOMY, UTILITY DISCONNECTIONS WHICH HAD BEEN PUT ON HOLD COULD START AGAIN AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. THE IOWA UTILITIES BOARD TOLD MUNICIPAL UTILITIES AND ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES THAT THEY MAY STOP SERVING CUSTOMERS WITH UNPAID BILLS AS EARLY AS MAY 28TH. LARGER INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITIES WILL BE GIVEN THE SAME AUTHORITY STARTING IN JULY. BESIDES NORMAL DISCONNECTION NOTICES, ELECTRIC, GAS, AND WATER PROVIDERS MUST ALLOW AN EXTRA 30 DAYS FOR CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD A POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD OR WITH OTHER HEALTH CONDITIONS WHICH REQUIRE ELECTRIC OR NATURAL GAS SERVICE.
CAMPERS, START YOUR ENGINES. IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIRECTOR KAYLA LYON DELIGHTED OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS YESTERDAY. LYON DID ADD THAT SHELTERS, LODGES, PLAYGROUNDS, AND SOME OTHER STATE PARK FACILITIES WILL STAY CLOSED. SHE ALSO NOTED THAT NO VISITORS WILL BE ALLOWED IN CAMPGROUNDS…ONLY THOSE WITH RESERVATIONS. THE NORMAL CAMPSITE RESERVATION PROCESS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. THE DNR MANAGES 68 STATE PARKS AND FOUR STATE FORESTS.
IOWA GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS DOESN’T EXPECT TO SHUT DOWN LARGE PARTS OF THE STATE’S ECONOMY AGAIN, EVEN IF THERE IS A RESURGENCE OF COVID-19. SHE SPOKE ABOUT OTHER ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE STATE HAS HAD OVER 400 CORONAVIRUS DEATHS AMONG MORE THAN 15 THOUSANDS POSITIVE TESTS. YESTERDAY, REYNOLDS AND STATE OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THAT MOVIE THEATERS, MUSEUMS, AND STATE PARK CAMPGROUNDS ARE AUTHORIZED TO REOPEN BEFORE THIS WEEKEND. OTHER BUSINESSES WILL BE ABLE TO RESUME LIMITED OPERATIONS NEXT WEEK.
A CANDIDATE FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR IOWA’S SECOND DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL SEAT IS HAVING CANCER SURGERY TODAY. BOBBY SCHILLING MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT IN A STATEMENT LAST NIGHT. SCHILLING’S CAMPAIGN INDICATED THAT THE TREATMENT DECISION WAS MADE AFTER RESULTS FROM ROUTINE MEDICAL TESTS WERE RECEIVED WEDNESDAY. SPECIFICS ABOUT THE NATURE OF SCHILLING’S CANCER WERE NOT REVEALED. THE CANDIDATE SAY’S HE IS REMAINING IN THE RACE. SCHILLING AND FOUR OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE SEEKING THE NOMINATION TO RUN FOR THE SEAT BEING VACATED BY RETIRING DEMOCRAT DAVE LOEBSACK.
A 16-YEAR-OLD FROM CEDAR RAPIDS WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN ST. LOUIS ON TUESDAY NIGHT. MISSOURI AUTHORITIES SAY WILLIAM ADAMS WAS FATALLY WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE WHICH ALSO INJURED ANOTHER UNNAMED TEEN. IT’S NOT CLEAR WHY ADAMS WAS IN ST. LOUIS. ST. LOUIS POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT.
DOCTOR TONY MYERS OF MERCY MEDICAL CENTER IN CEDAR RAPIDS IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE COVID-19 CURVE IN IOWA HAS BEEN FLATTENED. SPEAKING YESTERDAY DURING LINN COUNTY’S CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING, MYERS OFFERED THIS ASSESSMENT. MYERS WENT ON TO SAY AVOIDING A LARGER SURGE OF INFECTION WILL STILL REQUIRE LIMITING BIG GATHERINGS AS BUSINESSES REOPEN AND ACTIVITIES RESUME. STATE OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN LOOSENING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS AT A CAUTIOUS PACE THROUGHOUT MAY.
FARMERS ARE LEANING MORE ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FINANCE THEIR OPERATIONS DUE TO LOW COMMODITY PRICES AND TRADE DISPUTES. AND MORE OF THE MONEY PRODUCERS ARE BORROWING IS NOW DELINQUENT. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SAYS IT EXPECTS MORE CHALLENGES FROM THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS CREATED BY THE CURRENT PANDEMIC. USDA SAYS IS TAKING A NUMBER OF MEASURES TO HELP BORROWERS, INCLUDING EXTENDING REPAYMENTS FOR OPERATING LOANS. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED LOAN ACCELERATIONS AND NON-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURES. AT THIS TIME, THE RATE OF FARM FORECLOSURES HAS NOT INCREASED, ACCORDING TO USDA.
IN SPORTS, IOWA HAWKEYE VOLLEYBALL HAS RECEIVED A YEAR OF PROBATION AND A FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE FROM THE NCAA. THE DECISION IS RELATED TO IMPROPER CASH BENEFITS PROVIDED TO A RECRUIT, WHICH LED TO HEAD COACH BOND SHYMANSKY’S DEPARTURE FROM THE PROGRAM LAST SUMMER. THE HAWKEYES WILL ALSO HAVE TO VACATE 33 VOLLEYBALL MATCH WINS FROM THE 2017 AND 2018 SEASONS.
