Floyd Valley Healthcare Offers New Method For COVID-19 Testing
(Le Mars) — Beginning Wednesday, December 9th, Floyd Valley Healthcare will be offering the Binax Now COVID Antigen Testing for Plymouth County. Testing will occur weekdays from 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. at the North Entrance of Floyd Valley Healthcare. Appointments can be made by calling (712) 546-3618 (no walk-ins will be permitted). Same-day results will be available.
This test is only available for those that are symptomatic and are:
- preschool/K-12 students and staff (This test will not be used as an early release back to school)
- children receiving care in and staff working in childcare homes and childcare centers with fever or respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, difficulty breathing) without alternative
- diagnosisessential services personnel, first responder, or critical infrastructure worker with fever or respiratory illness (e.g. fire, EMS, law enforcement)
- Plymouth County Correctional Facility Inmates
Grassley Says He Has Concerns With President-elect Biden’s Agriculture Stance.
(Washington) — During Senator Chuck Grassley’s weekly news conference held Monday, the Iowa Republican Senator informed reporters he has a few concerns with in-coming president Biden with regards to agriculture. Grassley says Biden has indicated he may not focus much attention on trade, but rather to help build the economy. Grassley says in order to establish a strong national economy, it requires trade.
Grassley says grain prices have increased in recent weeks, and he says in order for a continuation of trends for higher corn, wheat, and soybean prices, as well as other farm commodities, trade would be essential.
Grassley told reporters he fears Biden may want to re-establish the “Waters of the US Act”.
Last week, we had reported Senator Grassley preferred to see Tom Vilsack make a return as the U-S Secretary of Agriculture. This week, Grassley says Vilsack’s name is being mentioned even more as a possible cabinet member to again lead the Agriculture Department.
Grassley offers two reasons why he prefers Vilsack, the former Iowa Governor, to be again the next Agriculture Secretary.
The Iowa Republican says President-elect Biden is also considering some minority candidates that may have a greater interest in increasing supplemental nutritional assistance programs, food-stamps, rather than focusing attention on traditional farm-related programs.
Iowa State University Ag Economist Predicts Higher Grain Prices
(Ames) — Corn and soybean farmers could see additional price increases for the coming weeks. Farmers have already enjoyed seeing a boost in commodity prices since harvest finished, and Chad Hart, an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Agriculture Economist that focuses on grain marketing,
says indications show for those trends to continue to go higher.
Hart says farmers may want to consider locking in a price on the futures exchange and begin selling a portion of the yet to be planted 2021 crop.
Between corn and soybeans, Hart believes soybeans may present the most upside potential for farmers pocketbooks.
The Iowa State University ag economist says it’s not just soybeans that the Chinese are purchasing. He says they have an interest in acquiring many other types of commodities.
Hart says given the current predictions, U-S farmers may find themselves with low inventory supplies with corn and soybeans later in the year. Hart will appear in a state-wide “Pro-Ag” Zoom seminar on Friday giving his crop price projections outlook.
Every Iowa County Reporting COVID-19 Deaths
(Leon, IA) — All of Iowa’s 99 counties are now reporting at least one death from COVID-19. Decatur County is the last to report a death from virus complications. The south-central Iowa county and Worth County in north-central Iowa are the only two out of the 99 counties to report single COVID deaths as of Monday. Osceola, Greene, and Ringold counties each reported two deaths, and Fremont and Taylor each had three. Polk County has the most residents, and the most COVID-19 deaths, with 357 as of Monday, followed by Linn with 173 and Woodbury with 141.
Waterloo Townhouse Fire Sends 6 to Hospital
(Waterloo, IA) — Investigators in Waterloo are trying to determine the cause of a fire that sent six people to the hospital. Firefighters rescue five occupants from the burning town home late Monday night and a woman jumped from a porch roof. Three adults and three children were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Their current conditions aren’t
available. Waterloo Fire and Rescue arrived to find flames coming from a first-story window and smoke on the second floor. The fire was put out in less than 20 minutes. Fire damage was confined to a first floor living room.
