In one day another 1,400 Iowans tested positive for the novel coronavirus, including almost 90 in Woodbury County. There were 13 more deaths statewide. Siouxland District Health reports one more death in Woodbury County, an elderly woman for a total of 82 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Hospitalizations also continued to increase as the state set a new high of 482 people being treated in hospitals, and 64 at Sioux City’s two hospitals.
Outbreaks were reported in 61 long-term care facilities, including 13 in northwest Iowa and four in Woodbury County.
Nebraska has reported nearly 1,000 new cases. Doctors in rural areas are expressing concern about the high rate of infections across the state. Nebraska’s positivity rate ranked sixth-highest in the nation. There have been more than 54,000 positive cases in Nebraska and 530 deaths.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has hit the campaign trail in New Hampshire, making appearances without wearing a mask, even as her state witnessed a new highpoint for cases. Active cases topped 7,000 for the first time in South Dakota and hospitalizations inched to a new high for the third-straight day in a row.
The Republican governor has vaulted to national prominence among conservatives who have praised her hands-off approach to the pandemic. But as she made numerous campaign stops in New Hampshire, the health crisis in her home state continued to escalate.
Gov. Kim Reynolds says she believes proper safety precautions were taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during a campaign rally for President Donald Trump.
The event that was held outdoors at the Des Moines airport Wednesday evening attracted thousands. That’s as the state is experiencing record high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Gov. Reynolds said Thursday Iowans have the right to peacefully gather.
“They practiced the safety message -- safety messages that we talked about. They took the temperature before we came in, we encouraged people to wear a mask -- many did. But we also -- they have a right to peacefully gather and that was what took place last night.”
Many people at the rally weren’t wearing masks or practicing social distancing. Under Reynolds’ current public health emergency declaration, mass gatherings of more than 10 people are permitted … if the organizer ensures at least six feet of distance between each group.
Democratic candidate for Congress J.D. Scholten plans to hold a parking lot rally at Riverside Park in Sioux City on Thursday.
The rally on Thursday starts on Thursday at 5:45 p.m. Scholten will talk to people through their radios in their vehicles, plus streaming will take place on Facebook.
Scholten is facing Iowa State Senator Randy Feenstra in the general election in the 4th Congressional District.
The Sioux City Journal reports a new internal poll for Feenstra’s team shows Feenstra with a lead of 54 to 31 percent, with 11 percent still undecided.
American Viewpoint based out of Virginia contacted 400 interviews for the poll.
They did another poll back in April that showed Incumbent Steve King with a 7 point advantage over Feenstra who ended up winning the June primary by almost 10 points.
Scores of Iowans continue to struggle to pay their utility bills during the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic downturn.
According to the Iowa Utilities Board, at least 190-thousand accounts were past due at the end of August, the latest numbers available.
The state has set aside additional funding to help families pay those bills, up to 2-thousand dollars per household.
Iowans have until November 20th to apply for the debt relief program through the Iowa Finance Authority.
A majority of bankers surveyed in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states, including all three Siouxland states, are showing more enthusiasm for the state of their local economies than they have since the pandemic started. The Rural Mainstreet Survey’s overall index surged to 53.2 in October, up from 46.9. in September and well ahead of the 35.5 reading in March, when the index bottomed out as the outbreak began. Any score above 50 suggests a growing economy, while a score below 50 suggests a shrinking economy.
State officials say a baby was surrendered to state custody last month under Iowa safe haven law. The Iowa Department of Human Services says a baby girl born Sept. 27 was the state’s 46th safe haven baby. The department declined to give details on where the baby was surrendered, citing privacy policies. Under the law, parents can give the state custody of babies who are 30 days or younger without concern of being prosecuted. Parents or an authorized representative can leave infants at a hospital or other health care facility.
