Home News Tuesday Afternoon News, November 24th

Tuesday Afternoon News, November 24th

Reynolds Talks About State’s Vaccine Distribution Strategy During News Conference

(Des Moines) — Governor Kim Reynolds talked about the state has a strategy in place for when a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus is made available to the public. Speaking at her news conference, the governor says a vaccine will reduce the number of deaths, hospitalizations, and positive rates with the coronavirus. Reynolds says it appears as though there are now three pharmaceutical companies ready to launch a vaccine.

Reynolds says whenever, and how, the vaccines will be distributed to the public, Iowa stands ready.

Governor Reynolds then explained the strategy for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Reynolds says some of the details won’t be available until such time the Food and Drug Administration gives its approval for each, or any, of the potential COVID-19 vaccines.

 

 

 

Reynolds Says Iowa’s COVID-19 Cases Show A Slight Decline During The Last Week

(Des Moines) — Although admitting the state needs to continue to make additional improvements with the reduction of positive COVID-19 cases, Governor Reynolds informed the media on Tuesday, that the state has begun to see some lowering of the number of COVID-19 cases.

Reynolds reports that young adults comprise of the most positive COVID-19 cases detected within the last week.

The Iowa governor also says there have been fewer patients with COVID-19 at the state’s hospitals.

Reynolds says many national models predict a slight increase in the number of patients with coronavirus at our nation’s hospitals over the next four weeks.

 

 

 

Cost Of The Annual Thanksgiving Banquet Meal Is Cheaper This Year

(Des Moines) — The annual Farm Bureau survey finds the cost of a typical Thanksgiving dinner for ten people has dropped by two dollars this year. The Iowa Farm Bureau’s director of agriculture analytics and research, Sam Funk, says the drop in overall meal cost comes as the turkey cost fell seven percent — to around one-dollar, 21 cents per pound. The other dishes
include: stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk. Funk says the producers of some of the side dishes haven’t had the easiest year.

(photo contributed.)

Funk says some people like to have a ham for the holiday too — and they did a side survey on their cost and found no change.

Funk says the actual cost for the meal came in at 46-dollars, 90 cents.

Funk says farmers have seen some recent increases in commodity prices, but he says they go into next year with concerns.

This is the 35th year the Farm Bureau has conducted its Thanksgiving dinner survey.

 

 

 

Union Leader Calls on Iowa DOC to Address COVID-19 Concerns in Prisons

(Des Moines, IA) — The leader of the union that represents Iowa correctional officers says it’s time for the state prison system to quit accepting new admissions from county jails. AFSCME Council 61 president Danny Homan said if that inconveniences sheriffs and others in the criminal justice system, “so be it.” Homan said during a news conference Monday, “We
need to shut this department down. Leave all inmates where they’re at and we need and we need to do this for four weeks, so that we can figure out what’s going on inside the walls.” A Department of Corrections spokesman said halting admissions shifts the burden to county jails, most of which are ill-equipped to handle overcrowding or deal with an outbreak of the virus. Homan said another key concern is more staff are working double-shifts because others are sick or in quarantine because of an exposure. A D-O-C spokesman accuses Homan of trying to “score cheap political points” rather than focus on how to best support each other through the pandemic.

 

 

 

Iowa Soldier Posthumously Promoted to Specialist Webber One Year Later

(Marshalltown, IA) — An eastern Iowa soldier killed in a September 2019 accident on a Texas military base is being promoted more than a year later.
Twenty-two-year-old Army Private Mason Webber of Marion died while doing maintenance on a Bradley fighting vehicle at Fort Hood, Texas. He was promoted to Specialist Webber during a presentation Monday at the Marshalltown National Guard Armory. His family received the Posthumous Certificate of Promotion from the Department of the Army. Webber’s mother,
Tonya Grefe (GREE’-fee), said that receiving this honor on behalf of her son is pretty special because she didn’t think this day would come.

 

 

 

Ottumwa Police Officer Accused of Domestic Assault

(Ottumwa, IA) — An Ottumwa police officer is on administrative leave following his arrest in a domestic assault investigation. The Iowa D-C-I says 23-year-old Jordan Woodward of Albia was arrested and charged with domestic assault while impeding airflow and criminal mischief. Officers in
Albia were called to a domestic incident last Thursday where a woman claimed she was assaulted and choked by Woodward. Investigators say Woodward admitted to putting his hands around the alleged victim’s neck. He was booked in the Monroe County jail but has since bonded out.

 

 

 

Iowa State Women’s Basketball Coach Fennelly Quarantines For 14 Days

(Ames, IA) — Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly says he will quarantine for 14 days after coming in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Fennelly said he and everyone in the Cyclone program
tested negative for the virus. Associate head coach Jodi Steyer will take over 15th-ranked Iowa State during Fennelly’s absence. He will miss Wednesday’s season opener against Nebraska-Omaha and games against South Dakota State, T-C-U and top-ranked South Carolina. Fennelly is expected to return for the December 9th matchup with in-state rival Iowa.

(photo contributed.)